It’s hard to imagine an iconic surf spot and natural sanctuary like Trestles and San Onofre State Beach being overrun by the construction of another Southern California roadway, yet this was almost the case. Thanks to the hard work, dedication, and legal action by the Save San Onofre Coalition, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, the California Park and Recreation Commission, and the Native American Heritage Commission, a reckless plan by the Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA) to build a toll road through the park was finally and permanently put to a halt.

According to the California Parks and Recreation website San Onofre, “Has almost 2.5 million visitors per year and it is one of the top five most-visited state parks in California.”

This past week my wife, two-year-old son, and I were happy to be part of that statistic. We loaded up a beach wagon with wetsuits, boards, a ridiculous pile of gear, our intrepid grom and made the pilgrimage down to the cobble stone points. It was a memorable day. The waves were bigger than forecast, our son had a blast watching trains rip by while romping around in the sand, and the winter sky put on a show as the sun went down.

The success story here cannot be overstated. Saving Trestles means wildlife will be preserved. It means an iconic surf spot will continue to thrive. It means sacred Native American grounds will be protected. It means millions of people will continue enjoying the natural setting each year. It means conservation is possible when people prioritize our unique and hallowed habitat over unchecked plans for development.

sources and links:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=647

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-tollway-lawsuits-20161109-story.html

http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/7295

http://www.savethewaves.org/victory-for-trestles/

The Save San Onofre Coalition includes the following organizations: Audubon California, California Coastal Protection Network, California State Parks Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, Endangered Habitats League, Laguna Greenbelt, Inc., Natural Resources Defense Council, Orange County Coastkeeper, Sea and Sage Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation and WiLDCOAST/COASTALVAjE