Take Action to Preserve the Gaviota Coast
Welcome!! This website is intended to provide a clearinghouse for people concerned about the future of the Gaviota Coast. Formed with the support of the Naples Coalition and the Gaviota Coast Conservancy, this site offers a comprehensive calendar of hearings and public comment opportunities for various Gaviota development projects. Follow the links to get detailed information about various projects and how you can participate. We’ll provide links to email decisionmakers and explain the important issues.
Please sign up for Action Alerts so we can provide you timely information about the many hearings and opportunities affecting the Gaviota Coast.
INFORMATION ABOUT NAPLES TRAIL CLOSURES AND BLOCKED ACCESS
For information about the recent closures of trails near Naples, see the Coastal Access page.
A unique and imperiled area
The Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County, California, lies between Coal Oil Point in Goleta and Point Sal near Lompoc, and includes the coastal watersheds from the top of the ridge to the ocean.
The coastal Mediterranean ecosystems of the world are among the world's most threatened environments. The Gaviota Coast is the largest intact remnant of such an environment in the United States.
The Southern California Coastal Province (Pt. Conception to Mexico) contains the highest density of imperiled species of anywhere in the U.S.
While the Gaviota Coast represents only 15% of the 300-mile Southern California coastline, it contains about 50% of its remaining rural coastline. Even though most of the Southern California coastal areas have been dramatically altered and biologically degraded by expanding human occupation, the Gaviota Coast retains a high degree of biodiversity. This is true because of three key factors: natural and agricultural landscapes still prevail, the area is a transition zone between two distinct ecoregions, and the Santa Ynez Mountains serve as an effective wildlife migration corridor from large interior wildlands.
