We've Just Surfaced!!!
Who are we?
The Channel Islands Park Foundation is a brand new organization designed to promote and encourage a mutually beneficial relationship between this special park and the people who care about it. The CIPF is hoping to fill a niche not currently occupied in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties- we want our members to fully participate in this grass-roots effort to support preservation of this very special place right off our own coast. We are the principle charitable partner, connecting the community to your Channel Islands National Park. In order to fulfill our goals we need to raise awareness of the CIPF through publicity and community outreach.
In a recent interview Park Superintendent Russell Galipeau noted that, "The real beauty behind the foundation is it's just another expression of how dedicated the people of Ventura and Santa Barbara are in protecting this park and sharing it with the citizenry throughout the United States. The foundation becomes the way to keep it local. They can fundraise and encourage people to put financial resources towards special projects to enhance visitor enjoyment or protect the park resources."
Why we need your support:
Our National Parks were called "The Best Idea America ever had" by British Diplomat James Bryce in 1912. Renowned filmaker Ken Burns in his latest documentary for public television tells the story of these American treasures. He describes their vital importance to our national identity, yet how neglect they have suffered in recent years could seriously threaten them as reserves of wildness for future generations.
Channel Islands National Park is prominently featured in the special because it has more endagered and endemic species that exist only within its boundaries than any other park in the system, 175 miles of pristine undeveoped coastline, and is surrounded by one of the healthiest marine environments in the world. The survival of this intact island ecosystem for future generations depends entirely on our ability to protect and restore both the marine and terrestrial habitats of the Park.
There are many great reasons to protect the Channel Islands
Channel Islands National Park encompasses almost 200 square miles of ocean and 5 remarkable islands. Each of the islands is a fascinating world unto itself; they are miniature versions of the California that many visitors may have thought was lost long ago, surrounded by some of the most pristine and diverse waters in the eastern Pacific. Marine life ranges from microscopic plankton to the blue whale. Like the Galapagos Islands in South America, isolation has allowed evolution to proceed independently on the islands. In 1980, Congress established this national park to include not only the islands but the full nautical mile of ocean surrounding each of them in order to protect the nationally significant natural, scenic, wildlife, marine, ecological, archaeological, cultural, and scientific values of the Channel Islands.
Because of the great beauty and breathtaking experiences available to the visitor, we have chosen to share just a few reasons that illustrate some of the area's special features:
The Channel Islands are consistently rated as one of the top ten places to dive in the world.
Painted cave on Santa Cruz island is considered to be the largest navigable sea cave in the world.
Seventy five plant species endemic only to these islands are being preserved, including the Ironwood tree, a living relic from the Pleistocene era. Rare Torrey pines enhance the beauty of the islands.
Bald Eagles have been successfully re-established on the Islands, and can bee seen as they raise their chicks on the Park's "Eaglecam."
The visitor to the islands almost always sees some of the 27 species of whales and dolphins on thier boat or plane ride to reach the islands. The largest aggregation of blue whales in the world can be seen seasonally around the Channel Islands.