View Edit

The North Campus Open Space is a restoration project headed by UCSB. This project intends to restore the former Ocean Meadows golf course to its natural state as the upper slough. UCSB is already working to restore the Devereux Slough, and the connecting creek will be the primary focus of the NCOS project. Eventually, the space will provide the local community of Isla Vista and Goleta with uninterrupted access to over two miles of coastal space linking UCSB's South Parcel, Coal Oil Point Reserve and Ellwood Mesa. 

History

Former golf course in 2011 (CC-BY Britta Gustafson)The Devereux Slough used to connect to the Goleta Slough located where now stands the Santa Barbara Airport. Goleta Slough was once the site of one of the largest Chumash settlements dating back about eight-thousand years ago. When the Spanish and other Europeans came to the area they introduced cattle ranching to the area. Cattle require cleared spaces and this clearing loosened soils surrounding the slough and when storms hit, over time the slough was filled in.

Much later, WWII was upon us and the area was overhauled into a military airbase. There is a small berm which is the only land remaining of the island of Mescalitan - the Chumash settlement. Today, that land is a up-scale airport, and the last remnants of that wetland space is the Devereux Slough.

In 1967 UCSB acquired the area which had been heavily polluted by marine oil fields and began restoration. The next step was acquiring the upper slough, which had changed hands several times since 1871 and was turned into a golf course in the 1960s. The Trust for Public Land purchased the golf course for 7 million and gifted it to UCSB to aid in the full restoration of the natural coastal land.

NCOS Project

UCSB and partners will be focused on restoring the area to its prior natural state. They will be removing any reminders of the golf course, excavating and removing tons of the soil that had been brought in and removing all the man-made water ways that were once used to irrigate and divert water from the course. The environmentalists working with the project will be restoring native plants, soils, and hopefully creating a beautiful environment that can be enjoyed by the community and animal life. To aid in public use and appreciation, trails and small bridges will be added around the entire Ellwood area connecting all of the publicly reserved lands. This project will also facilitate research, academics, and community outreach programs like volunteer work. 

In addition, to the land, 284 species of birds can be found in the area and this restoration is expected to encourage more of these birds to call it home. Devereux slough and the surrounding areas are considered some of the most incredible bird-watching spaces in California. Some examples of these bird include the Snowy Plover, Great Blue Heron, Great Egrets, and Buffleheads. 

Funding and Partners

Public Response

(Responses and quotes provided by recording of public meetings, speakers will remain anonymous.)

Many locals of Goleta are concerned about the construction obstructing their access to the coast and to the University Properties. Although these complaints are temporary issues and are contested by those who say "this project is primarily a restoration project" - as opposed to being a project to provide recreational space. The community is also concerned about Venoco's impact on the area when removing their retired oil structures. This company has already stated they will be removing their presence from the area in the next few years using the emergency access road along the side of the NCOS. One woman stated that she has lived in that area over forty years and loves the project, suggesting that the area receive a new name, others suggesting one of its Chumash roots. Overall, this project seems to be an incredible restoration of invaluable land and the public hopes to see the fruits of years of lobbying for its preservation. 

References

Edit tags