'Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Leash!'

In a 6-minute video — “Last Call — Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Leash” — representatives from the San Francisco SPCA, Crissy Field Dog Group, Montara Dog Group, and Eco-Dog, with an interview from Congresswoman Jackie Speier, urge community members to “take action” when it comes dog-walking access on Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) lands.

The video explains the dog walking issue with the National Park Service and provides guidance for submitting comments on the Dog Management Plan.

Dog walking access to places like Rancho Corral de Tierra, Fort Funston, Crissy Filed and Mori Point could be “severely limited” due to the GGNRA’s Supplemental EIS for dog management, which was released Sept. 6, 2013. 

For example, the agency’s preferred plan for the Rancho Corral lands includes having dogs leashed and limited to two trails bordering Montara and El Granada. Currently all of Rancho Corral is open for leashed dog walking, according to the National Park Service.

The GGNRA’s preferred alternative is “quite restrictive” for dog walking access in 22 areas located in GGNRA lands from Marin County and San Francisco to Pacifica and Montara, according to the video produced by Crissy Field Dog representatives.

Public comments close on the dog-walking document Jan. 11, 2014.

The Crissy Field Dog Group and Montara Dog Group will be hosting meetings to help craft comments to this supplemental dog management plan. The video lists contact information and websites on how to get involved and to best comment on the GGNRA’s dog management plan.

At a recent meeting in Montara last week, Coastsiders met at Farallone View Elementary to write down their public comments on the dog-management plan, mainly concerned about Rancho Corral de Tierra, a Midcoast area with trails popular for local dog walkers.

The Crissy Field Dog Group will be hosting a meeting at Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.

Also, there will be a Golden Gate National Recreation Area Open House on Nov 19, 4:30-6:30pm – drop in anytime. At the San Pedro Valley County Park Visitor Center, 600 Oddstad Blvd, Pacifica.

Projects to be represented include:  Rancho Corral de Tierra Interim Trail Plan, Devil’s Slide Trail, Dog Management Plan, volunteering opportunities, and more. Find out what NPS and Conservancy staff has been up to this past year and goals for the next three years at all of our San Mateo park sites: Mori Point, Milagra Ridge, Sweeney Ridge, Rancho Corral de Tierra and the Phleger Estate.