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People for Access to Trails in the Hills at Stanford (PATHS)

PATHS is a coalition of individuals who are petitioning Stanford not only to dedicate the Dish Area as Open Space (the objective of Stanford Open Space Alliance, SOSA), but to ensure public access to the area. We urge Stanford to allow us to enjoy and appreciate this natural beauty not just from a paved road, but from the earth paths and trails that abound, to be used in an ecologically sensitive manner. We urge the university to manage this area for the benefit of the public, wildlife, and its own academic excellence. And we urge the Santa Clara County supervisors to act as our advocates for trail access when voting on Stanford's requested use plan and building permits. Please sign the petition supporting these steps. Tell your friends and colleagues. Hand out flyers. Write letters. Express yourself to the county supervisors. Stand with us as part of the public presence that loves, respects and uses these hills.

Please read PATHS' Report on a visit to the Stanford Hills with Resource Management Specialists.
NEW: PATHS's proposal for a trail planning process for Dish area trails.

We the undersigned support PATHS and these steps:

1. We request that Stanford rescind its punitive new regulations restricting public access to the Stanford Hills ("The Dish") as outlined in its Conservation and Use Plan (issued 5/2/00).

2. With utmost urgency, we request that the public have access to the Stanford Foothills through a network of unpaved trails and paths.

3. We request that Stanford map the area using GPS and GIS technology, make a fair and honest assessment of the condition of the ecosystem, and host a trail planning process in which the public, independent resource management experts and Stanford together create a Master Trail Plan for the Stanford Hills.

4. We suggest that the university develop a pre-eminent multi-disciplinary Land Management Program centered around the restoration of the Stanford Hills for the benefit of the public and wildlife together. That the university conduct research on this land in the emerging field of ecological restoration, becoming a leader in understanding resource management in urban open space parks.

5. We profoundly hope that Stanford recognize - not just in dollar value - the enormous resource it has in this land: as public benefit, fostering goodwill through community involvement; as research in resource management; as team-building within local companies through voluntary work projects; as beauty.


Sign the petition online.

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Stanford alum? If yes, please enter class year

Privacy notice: This petition will be mailed to PATHS, which will submit it to Stanford University and local government officials.

or Click here for a printable copy of the petition, then print, sign, and mail that page.

 

This site is operated by a group of Stanford-area people, many of whom are Stanford alumni.
It is not an official site of Stanford University.
Last update October 7, 2005.