The National Park Service is calling for public input on their new Trail Management Plan, a coordinated effort between The National Park Service, California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority, to oversee the network of trails running throughout the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA).
The SMMNRA, the largest urban national park in the United States, has a trail network with a combined length of nearly 500-miles.
Since 1995, the multiple authorities governing sections of the area have envisioned a jointly governed trail network, to allow for a more comprehensive vision for the natural, cultural and recreational resources throughout the trails.
The next step in this process is the creation of a NEPA and CEQA-based Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR), which will include a thorough analysis of the environmental impact of these plans.
As part of this report, the public is encouraged to submit opinions and suggestions and attend public scoping meetings.
The first of these meetings is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m., in the dining hall at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.
The second meeting will be Saturday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m., in Woodland Hall at Temescal Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades.
To submit opinions or suggestions, follow the instructions on the NPS website or mail them to: Management Team, SMMNRA Interagency Trail Management Plan, 401 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.