Ventura Parks Agency Closes Trail Due To COVID Crowding, But Edmiston Repeats: It’s Malibu’s Problem
Written by 991KBU on May 29, 2020
The trail to a popular canyon and waterfall in Ventura County has been closed.
Paradise Falls — located in northwestern Thousand Oaks — was trashed since it was reopened to public use two weeks ago.
Human waste … garbage .. trampled plants.
The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency is fencing off the trail until further notice.
That agency is part of the same network of parks agencies that control the M R C A … the Mountain Recreation Conservation Authority.
And of course … there are similar complaints about M R C A trails in canyons in Malibu.
Trash … trampled plants .. overcrowding … and general disregard for COVID social distancing or mask rules.
But while the Conejo Valley parks agency is closing trails due to overuse in its backyard … not so in Malibu.
The M R C A is doubling down on its demand that the City of Malibu supply law enforcement for COVID-19 precautions on M R C A trails.
M R C A executive director Joe Edmiston tells KBUU News this morning he stands by his comments … made in an email to residents who are concerned about overcrowding and COVID-19 health order violations in Escondido Canyon … in Malibu.
In that letter … Edmiston says it’s up to the City to hire sheriff’s deputies to police the big crowds on M R C A trails in Malibu.
This morning … Edmiston simply says … his letter speaks for itself.
CORRECTION: This story was corrected at 7:07 p.m. Friday to reflect that the trail along Winding Way in Malibu is in Escondido Canyon, not Ramirez Canyon.
