Boardwalk out of step with community, environment

There are precious few places in Newport Beach left where one can

walk along a dirt path. Over the years, we have suburbanized the

hills and great walking trails where Fashion Island and Promontory

Point now sit. Gone are the dirt walking paths along the Castaways,

and now the City Council is considering doing away with the dirt

walking paths along the Back Bay, the last such trails in the city.

Such a move is out of step with the community and, contrary to

what a small handful of proponents say, would not be a popular or

necessary plan for preserving the Back Bay. In fact, it would be just

the opposite. A boardwalk would be more intrusive to the plants and

animal life along the Back Bay than the existing dirt trail system.

In most cases, we are talking about dirt trails that are 24 to 36

inches wide. I walk the Back Bay footpaths regularly and have for

more than 40 years. Our national forests, parks and state park

systems are crisscrossed with dirt trail systems. Dirt trail systems

are environmentally friendly and much less obtrusive than a man-made

boardwalk with cement footings. Additionally, dirt trails do not

interrupt the free flow of indigenous animal foraging, but a

boardwalk would. The animals would have to walk around it, over it,

under it or avoid it, and all scenarios are much more intrusive to

their behavioral patterns than a dirt footpath.

With regard to vegetation, the construction of a boardwalk would

hammer the surrounding vegetation. You would need to take an existing

2-foot-wide dirt path and turn it into a 6- to 10-foot-wide

boardwalk. Add to that a 5-foot-wide construction zone on either side

for the workers to bring in and unload materials. Realistically, you

have trampled a 20-foot-wide swath where a 2-foot wide trail used to

exist. Now how is that going to preserve vegetation? It’s not.

If the intent is to keep people from creating new dirt trails, or

closing down some existing “short cuts,” then simply maintain the

dirt trails that currently exist, just like they do in our national

forests and parks. The answer is not an obtrusive boardwalk.

Here’s what needs to be done:

* Continue with the re-planting of vegetation to more clearly

define the dirt trail systems that offer the best scenic views and

“wilderness” experience. When necessary, place a temporary sign that

asks people to please stay on the trails until the new vegetation

takes root and provides for a natural barrier to trail cutting.

* Continue to allow for some trails to have close proximity to

the water’s edge.

* Help better define the trails by laying down decomposed

granite.

* In certain boggy areas, build narrow, low-profile wooden ramps,

as they do in national forests and parks, just long enough to get

people back on a dry dirt trail.

Just because we may have access to up to $800,000 in funds from

the American Trader Oil spill and up to $4 million in state funds

from Proposition 40 should not mean that we spend that money to

destroy something we already enjoy, namely our ability to walk along

the last dirt trail system in Newport Beach.

Let’s act with reasoned judgment, conservation and responsibility

by earmarking perhaps $250,000 to improve the existing dirt trail

system as outlined above. This will leave the smallest footprint in

our environmentally sensitive Back Bay, and a lasting legacy to our

children of allowing their feet to still make contact with the earth

in an increasingly urbanized Newport Beach.

DREW LAWLER

Newport Beach

* Drew Lawler is a 44-year resident and native of Newport Beach.