SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - A jewel of Sacramento life and leisure, the American River Parkway is closer to destruction than at any time since its establishment in the ‘60s. In recent months, more than 11 percent of its 4800 acres have burned. The river’s flow – drinking water for millions -- is polluted. Wildlife is displaced and suffering. People who might otherwise enjoy the 23-mile stretch of public land are daunted by its increasing homeless population. Garbage accumulates at many tons per month. County and volunteer efforts cannot keep up with it.

An estimated 1000 campers live rough on the Parkway. A perfect storm of circumstances -- drug abuse; criminal justice “reforms,” a scarcity of affordable housing and the COVID pandemic – have caused record levels of homelessness.  Displaced people flock to inhabit a once-pristine wildernesses and damage to riparian havens is incalculable. “As a kid, I kayaked from Carmichael to Discovery Park and didn’t see a single camper,” recalls District 3 Supervisor Rich Desmond. “I never expect to see long stretches of campsites and garbage, like we have now. We should be ashamed that our children have to experience nature with this backdrop.”

Desmond spoke at a forum recently convened by the American River Parkway Foundation. Attended by more than 200 concerned citizens, the event offered a wake-up call documentary called “Parkway in Peril.” Several volunteer Parkway stewards contributed voice-over.

“The Parkway gets more visitors per year than Yosemite,” said Chris Balaan. “Imagine someone throwing a bottle into the Merced River. People don’t seem to have a problem doing it to the American River.”

Two hours of passionate discussion followed the presentation. Heading the forum, Supervisor Phil Serna related his experience of being stuck by a drug-user’s needle during a volunteer river cleanup. He pledged himself and his District 3 colleague Rich Desmond to be “100 percent behind saving the Parkway. It bodes well that we’re all sitting here,” said the District 1 leader.

The gathering fielded little argument that most Parkway problems – from fire, to drug presence, garbage pollution, and fears for recreational safety -- resulted from unauthorized campers. Recent statutes, prevent Rangers from ousting Parkway dwellers if they have nowhere else to sleep. Other activities can nevertheless be prosecuted: littering is illegal; hunting and threatening behavior is illegal. Fires outside designated picnic spots are illegal.

Deputy Metro Fire Chief Niko King confirmed that nearly all parkland conflagrations this year originated in encampments.

Trash and sewage dumping is another issue. Higher than acceptable E.coli readings are not all camper-related but much riverside garbage is. Said Parkway steward Don Hall: “We’ve got hoarders and tweakers (meth users) bringing things into parkway encampments that destroy aesthetics, sanitation and safety. We are the voice of the Parkway. We need to speak out on the issue of illegal camping… it can’t be allowed to continue.”

Volunteer Leigh Rutledge said formerly pristine river areas were now landfills. “We are so fortunate that a group of people had the foresight to save this land for all of us,” she said. “We’re going to let it become one giant garbage dump. And a burned garbage dump. We’ve got to do what it takes to stop this.”

A nature-lover advocated for wildlife. “Imagine what losing 11 percent of your range means to animals” said the speaker. “Flood plain parks are not just for human leisure. Our Parkway was set aside as a habitat for hundreds of animal species. What protection do they have when we allow it to be burned, polluted and filled with garbage?”

Supervisor Serna said Sacramento County was resource-challenged but not guilty of letting grass grow under its feet. Sites were being considered for a triage center – with support services -- for the homeless. When taxed to recommend how the public could help save the Parkway, Serna and fellow panelists urged:

Volunteer for trash clean ups; Report illegal fires; Write letters to officials; Attend Supervisorial meetings and call the County to task.

Explained Supervisor Rich Desmond: “Showing up and complaining achieves progress in our creating alternative places for homeless people to go. When we have these places, there will be no excuse for us not enforcing ordinances and stopping the destruction of our Parkway.”

Volunteers may assist The Great American River Clean Up project on September 18.

Learn about this and other American River Parkway projects at www.arpf.org

Write to your County representative at: 700 H Street, Suite 1450, Sacramento, CA 95814.