Islands Are a Jewel in Ventura’s Crown

* Recently the Ventura City Council, led by Mayor Tom Buford, participated in a daylong guided tour of Anacapa Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park. As I understand it, this trip was designed to educate the members of the City Council about the park and its resources and hopefully would encourage future visits by the public.

I was amazed that Mayor Buford was quoted as saying, “This [Anacapa] will never rival Yellowstone or Yosemite, but there’s enough here to keep people coming.” What a remarkable statement coming from the mayor of the city of Ventura who had never before set foot on the islands. Obviously Mayor Buford doesn’t appear to understand the nature and designation of each of the national parks throughout this nation.

Each park and monument has been developed around its own unique setting, such as scenery, geology, wildlife, history and camping. To compare the Channel Islands with Yosemite or Yellowstone is like comparing apples with oranges. Yosemite Park features a magnificent glaciated valley; Yellowstone Park displays a volcanic setting; whereas the Channel Islands National Park features a string of offshore islands isolated from the mainland.

The islands are the tops of emergent mountains, shaped into sea cliffs, beaches and canyons by waves, wind and water. An exotic suite of animals is to be found on these islands and many unique plants native only to the islands. In addition, there is a fascinating history of man’s early settlement to the arrival of the European explorers. Indeed, we have a “Jewel in Our Crown” with the Channel Islands National Park.

I trust and hope that the mayor and the City Council of Ventura understand the value of such an exotic park here in our front yard. I sincerely hope that you will support the park as a valuable tourist attraction to the Ventura area.

HOWARD R. LEVEL

Ventura