Why aren all preserve areas open to the public?
The primary objective of the preserve system is to protect biodiversity, natural vegetation communities, and ecological function in the long-term. Even lawful enjoyment of the outdoors can put undue stress on the ecosystem and cause degradation over time. Human presence often brings noise that can disturb wildlife breeding or foraging activity, and can cause soil erosion, invasion by non-native species, and increased pollution. The City must balance recreational needs of the public with protection of its biological resources. Some areas are off limits to the public because there are sensitive species that need protection, habitat restoration projects, wet trails that must dry out after a heavy rain, highly erodible soils, etc.
