Re: your Jan. 19 article, “�The battle over Santa Rosa�:
Thank you for the story highlighting the effort of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, to restrict future use of Santa Rosa Island — one of the four northern islands in the Channel Islands National Park — to military recreational use, including hunting.
Ironically, another Republican congressman — U.S. Rep. Robert Lagomarsino — was one of the key players involved some 25 years ago in securing protected status and public use for the Channel Island. The park visitor center in Ventura is named for him and commemorates his role in that effort.
Since 1980, research has revealed that these islands, sometimes called the “Galapagos of North America,� are a precious ecological resource with almost 150 endemic species of plants and animals, found nowhere else on earth. The islands share problems in common with islands all over the Earth — air and water pollution, overgrazing, habitat destruction and the effects of non-native invasive plants and animals.
With extremely limited resources, the National Park Service, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and other private and public resource organizations are identifying and prioritizing challenges and working to restore these unique ecosystems.
For these reasons, it is imperative that human activities on Santa Rosa Island be compatible with the National Park Service management plans, which have involved considerable public input.
As alternatives, could the military reserve space on islands that are not part of the national park, such as Catalina, San Clemente or San Nicolas islands? Or could they use space for similar recreational activities at existing coastal military bases, such as Camp Pendleton and Vandenberg?
In our short human lifetimes, it is easy to find places that have been environmentally degraded with no hope of restoration. However, there are many success stories already documented on the Channel Islands since the park was established 25 years ago. On San Miguel Island, most non-native animals were removed approximately 40 years ago, and the regeneration of native plants has been amazing. Eradicating non-native rats on Anacapa Island has resulted in a resurgence of the nesting of various rare seabirds. The pig eradication efforts on Santa Cruz Island should result in an increase of endemic island fox populations, resurgence of native plants and better protection of archaeological resources.
Rep. Hunter and his advisers should consider these concerns and alternatives before again introducing legislation to restricting public use of Santa Rosa Island to military recreational activities.
— Carolyn Greene, Newbury Park
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