Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) Southern Exclosure Closure During the Non-Breeding Season 2025/26

The California Department of Parks and Recreation, through the Oceano Dunes District, has issued a notice regarding an operational decision to close the Southern Exclosure within the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) during the 2025/26 non-breeding season. This approximately 300-acre area, which extends from Post 6 to the North Oso Flaco Foredunes in San Luis Obispo County, has historically been closed to the public from March 1 through September 30 to protect nesting western snowy plovers. This specific notice details an extension of the closure to include the non-breeding season, spanning from October 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026. The primary objective of this five-month closure is to ensure further compliance with environmental regulations, specifically the Stipulated Order of Abatement (SOA) with the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District. This temporary measure allows the department to evaluate different management approaches that balance the requirements of the SOA with the need to manage motorized recreation and preserve habitat for nesting shorebirds. This decision is strictly limited to the specified non-breeding season and is not intended to establish a precedent for future seasonal closures or the extent of the Southern Exclosure. Ronnie Glick, Senior Environmental Scientist, serves as the primary point of contact for this project.