By Huey Johnson

Other Voices

Are there things that society values more than money? Do we have an ethical obligation to honor our commitments? When we have promised to maintain something forever, can we interpret “forever” in such a way to suit our current needs and desires? In less ethically challenged times, we wouldn’t even have to ask such questions, but unfortunately, they’re becoming all too common these days. Now it’s the turn of the citizens of Los Altos Hills to find their own answers.

The Albert Byrne Preserve, which was given to Los Altos Hills with the understanding that it would always be open space, is being eyed by some members of the city council as a potential source of revenue. Adjacent to the 54-acre preserve is a 15-acre parcel, which includes the Westwind Barn, that was donated to serve as a complement to the preserve. Recently the council has been exploring the possibility of moving the Westwind Barn onto the preserve so that the space the barn is on could be sold for development. The barn parcel is currently operated by the Friends of Westwind, which includes a 4-H horseback riding club and a program for children with physical disabilities.

Many years ago, I was the one who sought out Dr. Albert Byrne and secured his gift. It was his express wish that the land be kept undeveloped forever. I assured him it would, and the deed does include restrictions against any development. However, it isn’t clear what restrictions apply to the barn property, even though it was donated with the intent to complement Dr. Byrne’s gift - a loophole that some town leaders are seeking to exploit.

Some believe that everything can and should be measured by its value in dollars. But is that what most people really value? Imagine what a slice of property in Central Park in New York or in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park would be worth in monetary terms. But the dollar value of such treasures is far surpassed by their value to society, so we hand them down intact to future generations for safekeeping. Most of us recognize that we have an obligation to protect and preserve our shared treasures. They’re an essential part of our heritage, both culturally and simply as human beings.

And humans throughout history have done honor to that heritage. Unfortunately, there are also many examples of exploiters attempting to cash in on such public assets. I remember years ago when Yosemite had to be defended against a proposal to add lighted billboards to the rock faces. And Yellowstone Park recently was threatened by a mining company that wanted to drill into its steam sources to create electrical energy, arguing that the volcanic heat that caused Old Faithful’s eruptions was being wasted - after all, the steam was worth money. Although not all of them are so outrageous, there are many, many such attempts to exploit public resources - so many that I’ve started an organization, Defense of Place, to help citizens who want to defend their public trust heritage. I’ve observed that over time such defenses tend to strengthen communities’ understanding of and appreciation for their particular heritage.

It seems to me that there is some cause for hope that Los Altos Hills could be such a community. Some young girls, fearing the loss of their beloved Byrne Preserve, have started a monthly newspaper and are devoting the $1.50 monthly subscription fee to help save the preserve. They don’t understand the money part very well, but they’ve got the ethics right. In a letter to the town council, 11-year-old Tyler Hill captured a nice understanding of the situation, saying “If you sell this land, then the owner builds a house on it, only those people will get to see this beautiful view, but if you leave it, thousands of people can see it forever.”

Human values such as honor and obligation can be difficult concepts to teach, but it appears that the children of Los Altos Hills may understand them better than some of the adults. These children can be trusted to protect and honor their heritage; let’s make sure that the Byrne Preserve is there for them to pass on.

Johnson was western regional director of the Nature Conservancy when he negotiated the 1975 transfer of land to the town of Los Altos Hills that became the Byrne Preserve.