Annadel rescue efforts begin

<p>Annadel State Park supporters are organizing protests over the park's impending closure while officials are maneuvering to protect the land and public access.</p><p>“This is uncharted water,” said Bill Keene, head of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.</p><p>He said Friday his agency, the county Regional Parks Department and state parks officials already have begun discussions of Annadel's future.</p><p>Officials are awaiting the official word of Annadel's closure, but plans are being laid for convening public agencies, nonprofits and Annadel supporters.</p><p>“As soon as we get word, we are going to work with state parks, local volunteers, fund-raising efforts and the agencies around Annadel to keep it open,” Keene said.</p><p>State parks officials declined Friday to confirm that Annadel, the county's most accessible park to urban areas, is on the budget hit list, which they said isn't ready for release. However, a state Capitol source has confirmed Annadel and Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park are targeted for closure because they take in little revenue in comparison with expenses.</p><p>On Friday, Sarah and Ken Reid of Santa Rosa staked out Annadel's main entrance, armed with leaflets aimed at convincing park users to pay or lose access. The daily fee was <NO1><NO>increased this summer from $4 to $6.</p><p>“We had different plans this weekend, but we'll be here telling people they need to be counted,” Sarah Reid said. “A lot of people think they don't need to pay, but they don't understand that the state is looking at revenue and they don't see it in Annadel.”</p><p>Keene said state parks officials have told him the “iron ranger” gate at Annadel's main entrance takes in only $7,500 a year.</p><p>Revenue collection at Annadel is a challenge because there are at least a dozen well-known entry points to the 5,500-acre-park that extends from east Santa Rosa to Oakmont to Bennett Valley.</p><p>“Personally speaking, the idea of closing it is not realistic,” Keene said. “You could put up those plastic ‘Park Closed' signs and people would ride right over them.”</p><p>The state employs one ranger full time and another ranger part time to patrol Annadel along with Sugarloaf Ridge and Jack London parks. A small maintenance crew also splits its time among those parks and others in the district.</p><p>Keene noted Open Space District funds, about $17million annually collected from a quarter-cent sales tax, probably are not permitted for use at Annadel.</p><p>But he said the Open Space District intends to bring together groups that could cooperate in supervising the park. The district, for example, contracts with groups, such as LandPaths, for supervision of the new 3,300-acre Willow Creek park near Jenner on the Sonoma Coast.</p><p>The district may help sponsor Annadel fund-raisers and events along with equestrians, runners and mountain bikers who consistently use the park, he said.</p><p>Keene said that because the county's Spring Lake Park abuts Annadel, the Regional Parks Department has begun discussions with state parks officials about cooperation on such things as trash removal and maintenance. Regional parks officials were unavailable for comment late Friday.</p><p>“I don't know for sure what the state parks (agency) is going to close, but we saw this one coming,” Keene said. “The main thing is to protect the public investment in open space, no matter who owns it.”</p><p>That's just fine with park supporters, such as the Reids, who said they are calling upon groups of Annadel users to converge on the park this weekend, demonstrate support and pay their entry fees.</p><p>“I know a lot of people say they'd come here anyway if the park closed, but I'm not so sure,” Sarah Reid said. “You aren't going to come here if you are worried about a fire or pot farmers or strange people camping out.”</p>