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New Butterfly Found at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
From Nature in the City Steering Committee member, Liam O'Brien:
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"I woke up to another article Saturday in the Chronicle about the eminent, inevitable padlocking of Candlestick Point State Park. Took the T Line out there to survey. Hadn't been out there since the Butterfly Count back in June. Beautiful day. Hoards of our two seasonal skippers: the Woodland and the Sandhill. Just steps away, a white butterfly landed on some mustard. Wow. Pontia protodice. A Checkered White. Male. I knew it flew on San Bruno, but never had seen it on our county. No entry on the historic record. Shapiro refers to this as a "fugitive species" -- constantly moving around. Likes weedy, flat habitats. Used to be much more abundant and most sightings occur in the second half of the season. I know it must seem like I see a new species everytime I go out. I don't. But there is clearly more going on than just all those Cabbage Whites and I vow to trespass any cyclone fence that shuts this piece of land off to me...to see how the butterflies are."
Creating Habitat for Nutall's White-crowned Sparrows @ GG Park!
From Nature in the City Steering Committee member, Josiah Clark:
Habitat Enhancement at the Bison Paddock
Saturday, September 12
9 am - 1 pm
Golden Gate Park
Please sign up with Kristin.Bowman@sfgov.org
There is lunch provided for those who sign up.
"After much talk, many meetings, nursery visits and now final approval, we are going ahead with a series of native plantings (primarily coastal scrub) at the edge of the Bison Paddock. I am planning to run a couple of bird walks in the morning before the work as this date is in the height of fall migration and the site (near chain of lakes) is an epicenter of SF birding.
We are thinking of starting the walks at 8am and starting work at 9 or 9:30. I imagine we will go until 12:30 or so and perhaps work a bit more after lunch if need be. More details are being worked out will come your way ASAP. Hope to see you in the field."
San Bruno Mountain Facing Severe Habitat Destruction
San Bruno Mountain Watch Conservancy
Callippe Silverspot Bay Nature Magazine |
"Brookfield Homes is about to destroy Endangered Species Habitat on San Bruno Mountain in Brisbane... Since 1983, developers have sought to trade houses and the promise of funds to be able to reap huge profits by destroying some of the last remaining habitat for Federally protected endangered butterflies and other rare species.
The Recent Decision by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to allow development on Callippe Silverspot habitat puts the species at grave risk.
Nature in the City Steering Committee member Liam O'Brien, author of the 2007 report The Besieged Island, concluded that "it does not seem clear that the knowledge and ability to re-create and manage an ecosystem as complex as an open grassland exists quite yet and that will have a horrific impact on the Callippe Silverspot. The promulgation and reintroduction of this endangered butterfly's host, Viola pedunculata, is in its infancy. Hundreds of violets will be destroyed and another piece of grassland will be gone. If one returns to the northeast ridge in 25 years, it seems highly probable that the only places this butterfly will be seen... is on street signs."
Please write a letter to the County in support of the Callippe silverspot butterfly by August 31. Then attend the public hearing on September 22!"
Rebuild Potrero
"Rebuild Potrero" is in the early stages of planning to redevelop the Potrero Terrace and Potrero Annex housing projects. The street layout is being totally revised and Texas Street, which is currently a path through a nice serpentine area, may be turned into a thru street and the habitat lost. Please consider writing a letter to urge them to give the Texas Street path area serious consideration.
Read the letter from California Native Plant Society for a better idea of what to say!
For more information visit the website.
I Heart State Parks!
Save Our State Parks
"As summer is drawing to a close and we’re nearing Labor Day, when we expect a park closure list to be available, the SOS campaign is planning an effort to end summer with continued visibility on the park closure issue.
Similar to the Weekends of Action we held on the first weekend of summer, we’re planning additional Weekends of Action, from next weekend through Labor Day, with the theme 'I Heart State Parks'. We’re targeting the weekends of August 22-23, 29-30 and September 5-6 for the Weekends of Action.
Like the previous weekends, the 'I Heart State Parks' Weekends of Action will be an opportunity for organizations throughout the state to gather park supporters to show support for state parks and opposition to park closures. The goal is to continue contact with the public about the park closure issue, motivate people to take a very easy action to lend their support to state parks and stay informed about park issues, and produce post-event displays that may be used in relation to the potential legislative hearing in September. And of course, get people out to state parks where the events will happen in state parks!"
Read more and find an event near you!
Scientists Support Restoration of Sharp Park
Center for Biological Diversity
"A group of prominent scientists sent a letter to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department urging restoration of wetlands habitat at Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica for the benefit of endangered San Francisco garter snakes and California red-legged frogs, and contending that current golf-course management activities are incompatible with restoring healthy populations of these endangered species. The signatories to the letter are biologists, herpetologists, ecologists, and hydrologists with collective expertise regarding wetlands habitats, the endangered species at the site, and amphibians and reptiles...
The scientists note that restoration of Sharp Park wetlands and uplands habitats and connectivity with protected adjacent open space is the best option to ensure the long-term survival of the San Francisco garter snake and the California red-legged frog in the area. The scientists cited impacts to the endangered species at the golf course from mowing of greens and fairways, water pumping at a golf-course pond, destruction of gopher burrows that garter snakes and red-legged frogs depend upon, loss of upland habitat needed by the species for hibernation and cover due to vegetation management, and potentially harmful use of pesticides and fertilizers." Read the full press release here.
Fate of Sharp Park Course in Limbo, From a Golf Perspective
ABC 7
"Last fall, an environmental group called The Center for Biological Diversity put San Francisco on notice and said it would sue if the city did not actively protect the Red Legged Frog and San Francisco Garter Snake. Both are endangered species.
'The golf course is not compatible with wetlands habitat,' spokesman Jeff Miller told us last September, although records and old photographs show that Sharp Park was built originally on sand dunes and a salt marsh." Read the full story here.
Unfortunately, the ABC7 piece perpetuates the myth that the golf course is what brought the San Francisco garter snake to this stretch of coast. This is so that people can advocate that keeping the golf course is good for the frog and the snake. In reality, the coastal lagoon environment that preceded the golf course provided a rich and diverse ecology for the snake, but it was not a salt marsh. Coastal lagoon systems contain brackish water intergrading with freshwater wetlands as the land rises to uplands. In fact, the endangered species are known to exist in and around brackish water wetlands, and it is the golf course which obviously has impacted this natural system drastically by being built right in the middle of it!
Doyle Drive and Bridge Closures
Construction of the Presidio Parkway, which will replace the deteriorating Doyle Drive, will begin in the fall, nearly two years early, thanks to $50 million in federal stimulus funding.
The off-ramps from Highway 101 to southbound Highway 1 will be closed from 5:30am to 11:30am during four weekends in fall 2009 (August 22-23, September 12-13, September 19-20, and September 26-27) in order to conduct tree removal in preparation for the Doyle Drive Replacement Project. These ramp closures are required to safely remove trees encroaching on the roadway. Northbound Highway 1 will remain open.
For more information on the project, click here.
Also, the Bay Bridge will be closed Thursday, Sept. 3 - Tuesday, Sept. 8! Consider staying in the city this Labor Day, or find a good alternative route. Vehicle access to Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island for residents, employees, and visitors will be maintained via special permit from San Francisco.
New Presidio Trust & NPS Directors
"The Presidio Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of John Reynolds to the Trust Board of Directors. Reynolds served in the National Park Service (NPS) for 39 years, including as Deputy Director and Regional Director." To learn more about Mr. Reynolds, read the full press release.
Also, on July 10, a biologist was nominated to be the new director of the National Park Service. "Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar praised President Obama’s announcement that he intends to nominate Jonathan Jarvis to be director of the National Park Service. Jarvis, a 30-year veteran of the Park Service, currently is the regional director of the agency’s Pacific West Region." Read the full press release here.
And check out more National Parks Service news here.
Roland Pitschel Dies
From Nature in the City Steering Committee member, Jake Sigg:
"Many readers of this newsletter knew Roland Pitschel, a quiet stalwart of the California Native Plant Society and of his Bernal neighborhood. He died Saturday, August 1, from cancer. His self-effacement almost obscured a wise and patient man. He made innumerable but invisible contributions to the world; consequently his absence will be keenly felt. "
Also, read the SF Chronicle piece.
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Volunteer Opportunities |
| Wednesday August 26 |
| Alcatraz Gardens Presidio Park Stewards California Native Plant Society @ Bayview Redwood Creek Presidio Nursery |
| Thursday August 27 |
| Crissy Field Landscape Lands End Stewards |
| Friday August 28 |
| Alcatraz Gardens Presidio Plant Patrol |
| Saturday August 29 |
| I Heart State Parks Weekend Area A Landscape & Maintenance Presidio Park Stewards Fort Funston Lands End Stewards Presidio Nursery Redwood Creek |
| Sunday August 30 |
| Haight-Ashbury Native Plant Nursery I Heart State Parks Weekend Back to School, Back to Nature |
For more information, contact info, and directions to natural areas go to the Community Calendar on the Nature in the City website.
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More Local Nature News |
Envisioning Sustainability Release
Planet Drum Foundation is proud to announce the publication of Envisioning Sustainability, a collection of essays, manifestos, interviews, presentations and poems by its founder and director Peter Berg.
Read more about the book and order here.
Invasive Species Council
Cal-IPC
"California's new inter-agency Invasive Species Council has finalized appointments to its Advisory Committee, which will provide expertise from a range of disciplines and interest groups. The group will meet this fall to set up a game plan. Click here for the full list of appointees."