Members,

The Oceano Dunes District Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is a conservation program that supports receipt of an incidental take permit under the Federal Endangered Species Act for federally-listed species occurring at Pismo State Beach and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The HCP will ensure that State Parks has sufficient conservation and avoidance measures in place to sustain these sensitive species while continuing to operate the parks for public recreation and enjoyment. 

From the perspective of the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA), Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is far more than a recreational site. It is a cornerstone of California’s multiple-use public-lands framework and one of the last places where lawful, family-oriented motorized recreation occurs on the coast.

Oceano Dunes lies within the Guadalupe–Nipomo Dunes complex, one of the largest remaining intact coastal dune systems in California. For generations, it has provided accessible outdoor recreation while also supporting sensitive coastal species. These two realities are not mutually exclusive. They have coexisted for decades through active, on-the-ground management.

State Parks and the OHMVR Division have invested millions of dollars at Oceano Dunes in species monitoring, seasonal and permanent fencing, predator management, education, enforcement, habitat restoration, and dust control. This level of active management is comparable to — and in many cases exceeds — the measures used at coastal State Beaches that do not allow OHV recreation, such as Huntington State Beach and other non-motorized shoreline parks that also support snowy plover habitat.

Snowy plovers face pressure from many factors common to all coastal beaches, including human presence, predators, storms, and habitat dynamics. Successful protection depends on adaptive, science-based management — not simply whether vehicles are present.

Despite these efforts, Oceano Dunes has been subjected to sustained closure pressure for years through litigation-driven strategies that seek to eliminate motorized recreation rather than improve measurable conservation outcomes.

The recent court ruling underscores the need for a durable, lawful path forward. CORVA views the Incidental Take Permit and Habitat Conservation Plan process as a critical opportunity to provide regulatory certainty, align management actions with measurable biological goals, and ensure continued public access while listed species are protected and recovered.

Public participation is essential. Public comments are being accepted through January 23, 2026.