This story is one which hits very close to home for me. I have been living in Sierra Valley, the largest alpine valley in North America, now for five years. Approximately two and a half years ago we received a big scare. The community I live in, 'Sierra Hot Springs' was to be purchased by a developer and turned into a gated 'Boutique Spa' and 136-Estate 'Eco-Friendly' (huh?) golf course!
I was very shocked to hear this news for many reasons. I had chosen to live here due to the principles written in Oneness in Living by Ishvara, the owner of Sierra Hot Springs and Harbin Hot Springs. I felt that his decision to sell to a developer went against all that he written about in his book. Sierra Valley is a very sacred place and has a rich history with the native tribes, the Maidu and the Washoe. You can still go on walks and spot arrowheads, view a wide variety of wildlife, and it's 685-acres contain many springs, hot and cold. It was truly absurd to consider that these healing waters and land would be so disrespected.
What seemed like forever, but was truly just a pinch of time, ten months after hearing this devastating news, the town finally got a chance to meet with the developer as well as the biologist he brought with him. I will be forever grateful to know that I had the chance to stand and make a difference in this decision, as well as the 150 other concerned citizens who attended this meeting. It was beautiful to see that everyone who stood up and spoke was opposed to this purchase. Multi-generational families attended to try to put a stop to this atrocity. It was shortly after this meeting that he withdrew his plans to purchase Sierra Hot Springs!
While this particular case proved victorious, it was not the last. There have been many lawsuits, and much money lost, in numerous cases involving developers suing long term members of this valley because they do not want to give up rights to their land. Sierra County is one of the least populated counties in California, and many developers want to change this. You look at the surrounding counties, and all the golf courses and developments that are continuously being built (especially in drought conditions), and it makes one very worried that all the variables and environmental effects are not being considered.
On the positive side you have organizations like the 'Feather River Land Trust' at http://www.frlt.org/oursuccesses.html, a group responsible for conservation of 79,000 acres in and around Sierra Valley. I used to live on the Maddalena Ranch, see photo, an amazingly diverse place. I am very relieved to know that this will remain untouched, and that I will be able to return one day and know it will not be taken over like the 'small' town I grew up in in Southern California, once upon a time. I have also heard recently that the possibility is being discussed to place a portion of the 685-acres of Sierra Hot Springs into a conservation land trust which would place it under protection from development permanently. Sounds good to me!
I have also traveled extensively through Mexico as well as Baja California, and if you ask me, there are already enough "Cancun's". I am very happy to hear that land is being preserved into conservation land trusts, as well as to experience this in a very direct way. It is very important to make sure that nature is not overdeveloped, for once you start this process there is no turning back, the toothpaste is already out of the tube.
2 comments:
Carol, thank you very much for sharing this with us. I had no idea. I'm glad that everyone got together and their voices heard. Terrific news.
Carol, what a relief it must be to know what strong feelings your community memebers shared about selling the land. But, yes unfortunately this is happening continously all over in areas which are begging not to be bought and exploited. Lets just hope that the other community members in these areas have similar feelings.
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