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From Matt Zlatunich:
"On [the August 31] GGNRA Big Year field trip 25+ observers enjoyed spectacular views of lunge feeding Humpback Whales, wave surfing Bottlenose Dolphins, Harbor Porpoises, California Sealion, and a feeding frenzy of seabirds including Brown Pelican, Elegant Tern, Common Murre, Western & Clark's Grebe's, White-winged Scoter, cormorants, loons, phalaropes and more! And all from the relative comfort of the observation deck at Ft. Funston between the hours of 8&10am."
There will be more Big Year sea watches again in December, but you may want to run out to Fort Funston sooner than that to catch a glimpse of this elusive whale!
From Brent Plater:
"On a more somber note, last month the Bush administration announced a proposal to eviscerate the rules governing the Endangered Species Act, the world's most powerful conservation law.
If you've been waiting to complete your Chinook Salmon action item to support a strong Endangered Species Act, now is the time. The Center for Biological Diversity has made it easy for you with this action alert. Please contact the Bush Administration and your members of Congress today to oppose these proposed rules and support a strong Endangered Species Act!"
Go to the GGNRA Big Year Website to see all of the endangered species of the GGNRA, learn what you can do to protect them, and sign up!
New Presidio Butterfly Species
On August 28, during a butterfly survey, Liam O'Brien and Matt Zlatunich found the first Presidio record for Western Pygmy Blue! The Western Pygmy Blue, the smallest butterfly in North America, is a salt marsh species that has somehow found its way to the restored Crissy marsh! The larval host plants include pickleweed (Salicornia virginica) and the endangered California sea-blight (Seaeda californica). Other records for San Francisco are from the extreme southeast part of the city.
Matt was able to take these photos of the butterflies sitting on native Pickleweed and Salt Marsh Grass.
The Presidio Trust is extending the public comment period for Main Post planning to October 20, and scheduling a public board of directors meeting for October 14.
Additionally, the Trust is hosting workshops to provide a forum to discuss further the kinds of activities that the public would like to see in the Main Post in the future.
The workshop dates are:
September 25
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Presidio Officers' Club
September 28
2 to 4 pm
Presidio Officers' Club
October 2
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Golden Gate Club
135 Fisher Loop
Workshops will cover the same topics; choose one to attend. RSVP is requested to (415) 561-5418.
Nature in the City and the Neighborhood Parks Council co-hosted a community forum on the future of conservation at Lake Merced. Many eloquent citizens spoke with one voice regarding ecological restoration and species protection at Lake Merced. Nature in the City supports maximum possible restoration of the lake ecosystem including sensitive upland and wetland habitat. Lake Merced is a unique natural resource for the city of San Francisco and the region and thus warrants the highest legal protection. Go to the Neighborhood Parks Council for notes from the meeting.
The final meeting of the Golf Course Task Force will be on September 17, at 6:30pm at Mclaren Lodge. Please attend this meeting and voice your support for the California Red-Legged Frog and the SF Garter Snake. The final golf report recommends restoring the golf course itself, as opposed to restoring endangered species habitat. This is unacceptable and we believe that Recreation and Parks should reject this recommendation, live up to their responsibility and manage Sharp Park for biological diversity, endangered species and nature recreation.
Join Nature in the City!
Become a member today and get a new map!
Go online, email
or call 415-564-4107.
Nature in the City is a project of Earth Island Institute, a 501(c)3 California non profit public benefit corporation.
No Child Left Inside
Treehugger
An important short-coming of the proposed No Child Left Inside Act used to be that the bill did not include any funding to fulfill its requirement, however that is no longer the case. The House Education and Labor Committee approved an amended version of the No Child Left Inside Act with strong bipartisan support. The Act (HR 3036) as approved by the committee, while amended from its original form, preserves many key goals, including the creation of new funding for training teachers in environmental education and for expanding environmental education programs. The legislation would also provide new funding to states that create environmental literacy plans, which will ensure that all graduates are environmentally literate, and extends the National Environmental Education Act.
Slow Food Nation Victory Garden to Remain Till November
Garden for the Environment
Sarah Rich wrote in the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden Blog:
"As the sun sets on the fourth and final day of Slow Food Nation, we’re thrilled to announce that the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden will remain in place on the lawn of San Francisco City Hall until November. The garden, which has been producing substantial amounts of fresh produce and supplied some of the food for this weekend’s events, has received tremendous support from Mayor Gavin Newsom and the city. Most everyone who has come down to witness the beauty and bounty of the garden has voiced their desires to see this project become a permanent symbol of San Francisco’s progressive position on food, farming, and social justice...
If you haven’t visited the garden yet, please do! The corn is high, the squash are mature, and the California native wildflowers are in full bloom."
Richard Louv's New Column
The Children & Nature Network
Richard Louv has a new Children and Nature Network online column, Field Notes from the Future. Check it out!
