The Sacramento Bee
Published 2:15 am PST
Preserving Clover Valley
The Jan. 16 article "Riches extend tribe's reach" was an excellent
reminder about the need to preserve some of our more pristine land.
That the United Auburn Indian Community has concerns with developing
Clover Valley should be understood in its context.Native Americans have
woven into the fabric of their culture an understanding of a seamless
symbiosis among plants, animals, the elements and humankind. One who
understood this relationship was John Muir, who saw a need to preserve
the wilderness areas to serve as a respite from daily life for an
increasingly urbanized nation peopled by individuals he described as,
"tired, nerve-shaken and overcivilized."
Clover Valley is referred to as the "crown jewel of Rocklin."
Preserving this valley would respect significant Native American
history, maintain the beauty of the oak woodlands, protect wildlife and
leave the beauty that abounds within this pristine valley.
As urban sprawl overruns open space, a preserved Clover Valley would
provide an area in which to relax and enjoy the beauty of
nature.
- John Rabe, Rocklin
Respecting Mother Earth
Re "Riches extend tribe's reach," Jan. 16: I appreciate the
thoughtful attention brought to this beautiful area so important to the
ancestors of those who once lived freely on these lands. I hope the
developer who hired the archaeologist who described the Native American
sites in this valley as "run-of-the-mill" realizes the poor public
relations of such a revelation. This sort of attitude shows disrespect
to Mother Earth and those who honor her.
- Karen Blom, West Sacramento
Clover Valley history
I take offense to the generalization statement by Melinda Peak, an
archaeologist hired by the developer, that these Native American sites
are "comparable to all the sites that had a little bit of water and
that people could occupy" ("Riches extend tribe's reach," Jan. 16). It
is this type of bias that needs review by independent anthropologists
and archaeologist.
Clover Valley is a beautiful cultural, sacred and ecological land. I
had a chance to visit this property about two years ago. I also had a
chance to meet Buzz Oates in the early 1980s. He helped the Sacramento
Urban Indian Health Program find a new building on 8th and Broadway. As
I recall, he was very supportive of the Native American
community.
I hope the Oates family can find the compassion and supportive views to
help preserve this "gift from the universe" called Clover Valley.
- Donna Begay, Sacramento Tribal Vice-Chairperson, Kern Valley Indian
Community
A road to ruin
There is an ill-conceived plan afoot to construct a "parkway"
through pristine Clover Valley in Rocklin. Funneling traffic to Sierra
College Boulevard and King Road toward Loomis will not solve the severe
problems facing the new communities to the west. Rather, it would
threaten those arteries with gridlock. The air quality of the area,
already poor, would be further degraded.
A road through this tiny gem of open space would encourage urban
sprawl, a policy whose sad consequences already can be witnessed along
Highway 65 from Rocklin to Lincoln. Clover Valley should be preserved
to act as a "Maginot Line" against further loss of ranch land and
wildlife habitat in the area.
If seemingly relentless sprawl is not stopped here, where will it stop;
when all of the wild lands are gone, as we see in San Jose?
- Evan Jones, Nevada City Director, Historic Trails Council
Not a NIMBY
Owning property adjacent to this incredible landscape has made me
increasingly concerned about the fate of Clover Valley. But I am not a
NIMBY.I am not a NIMBY because my reasons for caring about this valley
transcend the narcissistic values of one who says, "Not in my
backyard." Rather, I am moved by the sense of place that Clover Valley
offers to anyone who comes near it. It is a spiritual place. An
environmental time warp. A repository of sacred Native American culture
dating back thousands of years. Many sites in the valley qualify for
the National Registry of Historic Places. I could go on and on.
Thank you for printing the Jan. 16 article "Riches extend tribe's
reach," which shows the valley's significance to the region.
I am reminded of a quote I read recently, "Our living landscape is
dying in our time." Let's not let this happen to Rocklin's pristine
jewel: Clover Valley.
- Allison Miller, Rocklin
Measuring progress
I hope someday that more people will decide that progress shouldn't
be measured by how many homes and shopping centers can be built, and
how much history can be paved over.Rocklin could turn Clover Valley
into an area educational center that would draw visitors from miles
around, but I don't know if the builder can be dissuaded (or bought
out) from his 600-plus homes. The Rocklin City Council seems to think
that this is just what Rocklin needs, even if it means destroying the
Valley, it's history and wildlife.
I enjoy visiting parks, but most of them are designed for people to do
things. Clover Valley would be a place for people to go and do nothing
but enjoy the scenery, history and wildlife. As California's population
keeps climbing (the Census Bureau's estimate of 50 million to 60
million by the year 2030 scares the heck out of me), we need places
like Clover Valley to help us keep our sanity.
- Don Perera, Rocklin
