Authors in Conversation: Big Sur & Point Reyes

This event will examine two prime California coastal destinations – Point Reyes National Seashore and Big Sur – with an eye toward land use and management. One is a public park with generations-old dairies operating on land now leased from the federal government, the other encompasses private residences and businesses alongside state parks and national forest lands; both attract millions of visitors each year. This presentation will consider evolving land preservation policies, including conceptions of whom this land should serve, how it should be enjoyed, and who should manage it. Watt and Brooks will provide historical context for understanding the contrasting management structures in these two places and examine how these structures have affected the communities, the tourists, and the land itself, as well as what this history suggests for the future of these two beloved coastlines.