Letter: Sutter Buttes park questioned
A few years ago, the California Department of Parks and Recreation purchased a landlocked property in the Sutter Buttes known as Peace Valley. The price paid was based upon recent sales of 80-acre home sites with road access and power available.
Currently, the park's only access is through privately owned almond orchards and against the wishes of their owners.
From the beginning, the management of the park has been disastrous. The first priority was to end decades of grazing by cattle and sheep which helped control noxious weeds and prevented the buildup of combustible fuel.
The increased foliage provided cover for feral pigs and allowed them to proliferate. Because of the park's no hunting policy, these destructive critters spilled out onto neighbors' properties and created havoc. The department's solution is to build a "pig proof" fence around the park. The irony is that this fence will destroy the natural beauty of the very property that they are trying to protect.
Parks and Recreation has a few questions to answer, especially, in view of the $54 million recently found stashed in a secret account.
One question is: Why wasn't Peace Valley placed on the closure list, considering its limited access and restricted use? This park apparently has a higher priority than far more popular parks on the list, such as Colusa which provides access to the Sacramento River and Brannan Park which provides excellent access to the Delta.
Why? What is the long-range goal of the department and why is Peace Valley so important? Perhaps it is time for a public review of this "out of control" bureaucracy.
Rick Libby
Live Oak
