Summer 2016 by Peninsula Open Space Trust

L ANDSCAPES Peninsula Open Space Trust Summer 2016

WET, WILD & WONDERFUL I recently stood on Bair Island in Redwood City and watched a breached levee let bay water rush back into one of the area’s last restorable baylands.

bay and out to the sea—the network of lands

The moment celebrated years of work by

in this work, ensuring healthy and functional

POST and the US Department of Fish and

watersheds for future generations. In this issue

Wildlife, and was an invitation for native

of Landscapes we offer a few stories of our

plants, birds and mammals to return to this

work, including the Bair Island restoration, that

previously degraded area. It was a humbling

contribute to our wet, wild and wonderful

reminder of water’s power to restore life.

local ecosystem.

Water is critical to our local landscapes. It is

Have a wonderful summer,

we have protected are intertwined with dozens of lakes, creeks and tributaries that benefit the health of our environment, our communities, local wildlife populations and our farms. The POST community has played a large part

the fuel behind vibrant green hillsides, stands of awesome redwoods, serene sounds of our many streams, rich habitat for wildlife and the productive soil of local farmlands.

Walter T. Moore, POST President

Protecting the natural lands that contribute to the health of our watersheds, coast and

P.S. Experience the power of water for yourself

baylands is an essential part of POST’s work.

by watching the video I captured of the breach

From the top of Skyline Ridge, down to the

at openspacetrust.org/blog/saving-bair-island.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

left

©Matthew Dolkas 2016 / right ©Teddy Miller 2015 / cover ©Teddy Miller 2015

Restoring Bair Island for People & Wildlife

Restore & Reconnect: Rebuilding a Floodplain

The Peninsula’s Major Waterways

Reviving Habitat for Coho Salmon

Farmland Futures Initiative Donors & Taste of the Coast Supporters

Tribute Gifts

Open Space Legacy Society

RESTORING BAIR ISLAND FOR

PEOPLE & WILDLIFE In December 2015 a levee breach marked the successful completion of a 14-year effort to restore the wetlands of Bair Island. Bair Island lies just off of US 101 and Whipple Avenue in Redwood City. Unknown to many passers-by, Bair Island is really three separate islands: Inner, Middle and Outer totaling about 3,000 acres. Historically, Bair Island was a tidal salt marsh as well as the site of the former Cargill Salt Ponds. Today, part of Bair Island is a natural habitat that belongs in parts to both Bair Island Ecological Reserve and the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge. POST was involved in preserving 1,600 acres of the island for $15 million in 1997, which ensured that the remainder would be preserved as open space.

left

ÂŠWilliam K. Matthias 2005 / right Unknown

Home to over 150 different species, there are two easy

Close to both Westpoint Harbor and Bair Island Marina, the

out and back trails to viewing platforms on the inner island that

sloughs in and around Bair are great for kayakers who want

are easily accessible via a bridge at the intersection of Bair Island

to get down to water level to see the site first hand. Keep in

Road and Uccelli Boulevard. Flat and paved, the trails are a great

mind, that with the tides and newly breached levees, kayakers

way for runners, walkers and those who want to feel the bay

should be mindful of tidal pulls.

breeze after a day at work to experience these natural bay lands.

Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley, Bair is one

With a pedestrian bridge that leads to a short nature walk, the

of the most accessible open spaces POST has preserved. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a

site is also perfect for young families and those less mobile.

perfect example of how our work protects valuable habitat right

From this trail, hikers can experience egrets, great blue herons,

in the middle of our urban landscape.

cormorants, Canada geese, Western grebes, terns and lots of little sandpipers.

For more information, visit www.gobair.org/Bair_Island.

R E S T O R E & R E C O N N E C T:

REBUILDING A FLOODPLAIN If you have visited the coastal community of Pescadero, you likely drove through sections of flooded road to reach the idyllic town. With the exception of drought years, the flooding is a frequent challenge for residents.

ÂŠTeddy Miller 2015

When the flooding is severe, it isolates

in partnership with the San Mateo County

the town completely and separates the

Resource Conservation District (RCD), to bring

community from local emergency services.

this section of creek back to its natural state.

Flooding of Butano Creek is the primary

By installing bio-engineered logs and raising

culprit. The creek, which crosses under Pescadero’s main access road, no longer connects

the elevation of the creek bed, the creek will be high enough for water to reconnect with

with 90% of its original floodplain and carries

the historic floodplain.

2.5 times more sediment than it used to, due to

This project is a huge undertaking and will

bank erosion. Without a functional floodplain,

drastically increase the ability of the Butano

sediment from erosion stays in the creek and

Creek watershed to function as it should—

flows further downstream—degrading water

providing flood relief and improving water

quality and habitat, while contributing to a

quality and habitat for threatened and endan-

higher incidence of flooding.

gered populations of steelhead, Coho salmon,

A 104-acre willow patch on POST-protected

San Francisco garter snakes and California

Butano Farms is part of the solution. No

red-legged frogs.

ordinary willow patch, this forest represents

Water needs room to run and the 903-acre

one of the largest intact riparian habitats

Butano Farm is one of the only places along

on the San Mateo Coast. The patch runs

the creek where there is enough open land for

along 1.6 miles of Butano Creek.

floodplain restoration to be successful.

Thanks to a grant from the California Department of Water Resources Urban Streams Restoration Program, POST has secured the funding needed, 7

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Water is everywhere on the Peninsula. This map shows just a handful of the major waterways in our area and how they fit into the patchwork of POST protected lands.

MAJOR WATERWAYS

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R E V I V I N G H A B I TAT F O R

COHO SALMON

The creeks and streams that run from Skyline down through the redwoods and out to the Pacific Ocean were once alive with Coho salmon. 25,906 ACRES have been protected by POST within the San Gregorio, Gazos and Pescadero Creek watersheds!

In the early 1900’s, witnessing the epic salmon

We work actively with public and private part-

run was commonplace–their silvery blue bodies

ners to restore and enhance habitat for Coho

heading to the ocean from the freshwater where

in these creeks. Restoration includes slowing

they were born, only to return years later to the

erosion, removing invasive species and creating

exact same stream to spawn and transform in

habitat conditions for rearing and reproduction.

color to brilliant red. Their journey has always

We are optimistic about the impact of our

been perilous, but in the last 50 years it’s become almost impossible and the population of this iconic, and endangered species has shrunk to just 1% of its historic peak.

restoration work, especially after a rare spotting of three spawning Coho in Pescadero Creek in spring 2015! Coho are the “canary in a coalmine” for waterway health—making this

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife

sighting an encouraging marker that the creek

has identified 28 coastal California watersheds

is still viable. We are excited to continue

best suited for re-establishing natural runs of

working with our partners to bring the

Coho. Three of them are on the San Mateo

watersheds of the Peninsula back to their

County coast—San Gregorio, Gazos and

natural, productive state.

Pescadero Creeks. POST has protected 25,906 acres within these watersheds.

FARMLAND FUTURES INITIATIVE DONORS We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support for our new Farmland Futures Initiative. We would especially like to acknowledge our major donors, as of April 1, 2016.

$1M+

$100K+

$20K+

Bibbits & Wayne Brown Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation Diane Greene & Mendel Rosenblum Sand Hill Foundation/Susan Ford Dorsey & Michael Dorsey

Andrew & April Bosworth Andy Butcher Wilson & Sue Cooper The Leonard C. & Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation Gaia Fund Claire Haldan Derry & Charlene Kabcenell Resource Legacy Fund

Kay Baum & David Stuhr Bear Gulch Foundation Suzanne & Donald Bray John & Ellen Drew Dana & Tom Hayse William Reller Lida Urbanek

$500K+ Mark & Debra Leslie/ Leslie Family Foundation Sandra & John Thompson Karie & David Thomson

$200K+ Scott Cook & Signe Ostby Donna L. Dubinsky & Leonard J. Shustek Melvin & Geraldine Hoven Foundation William Laven & Christine Pielenz 12

$50K+ Bob & Edie Kirkwood Fund Catherine Kruttschnitt Godfrey R. & Suzanne Sullivan Mark & Lisa Wan

We would also like to acknowledge the sponsors and committee members that made Taste of the Coast with POST such a successful celebration of our local food and farms. LEADERSHIP SPONSORS Bon Appétit Management Company Risk Strategies W.L. Butler Construction

SUPPORTING SPONSORS Driscoll Fenwick & West First Republic Bank Hensley Event Resources Kim Young & John Moragne

$10K+ John & Linda Chamberlain Deborah & Alexander Fitz Craig D. Meinzer Brad & Judy O’Brien George L. & Katharina Stromeyer

COMMUNIT Y PARTNERS Edible Silicon Valley New Leaf Community Markets Alex Wang Real Estate, LLC Whole Foods Market

RIPARIAN RI·PAR·I·AN (ADJEC TIVE)

TA S T E O F T HE COA S T HONORARY COMMITTEE Jesse Cool, Flea Street Café Mark Sullivan, The Village Pub & Spruce, LLC Heath Thomson, Metes & Bounds Betsy & Jan Garrod, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards Sandra Belin & Larry Jacobs, Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo Liv Wu, Google April & Andrew Bosworth Susan Ford Dorsey & Michael Dorsey Donna Dubinsky & Len Shustek Christy & Chuck Holloway Signe Ostby & Scott Cook The Rosekrans Family Kate Rosekrans Suzanne & Godfrey Sullivan Sandi & John Thompson Karie & David Thomson

Often, our land conservation work involves waterways. Northern California is full of rivers, streams and the associated habitats—of particular importance for us is land designated as “riparian.” Riparian is an adjective that means “of, inhabiting, or situated on the bank of a river.” It can also mean “denoting or relating to the legal rights of the owner of land on a riverbank.” Most importantly for POST, riparian areas tend to offer rich habitat that provide both water and land passageways for numerous wildlife species.

FARML AND FUTURES I N I T I AT I V E CO M M I T T EE Mark Box Deborah Fitz Dana Hayse Kim Young

GIFTS RECEIVED JANUARY 1 - FEBRUARY 29, 2016

TRIBUTE GIFTS

IN MEMORY OF

IN HONOR OF

Wesley & Mickie Ayres Jack Bernstein Jane Bradley Ada Marie Clanton Laura Clark-Moore James Drechsler Michael Fleice David Fletcher Marion Tavenner Hose Fredericka Hunter Harriet Johnston Jean Lauer George R. Millar Dave Mock Ray Pellegrini Bob Schauwecker Robert Turner Bev Wheat Perry B. Wilson

Gordon & Nichole Clark Jon Cozen & Courtney Thompson Glenna Holstein Janet Jezek Ruby Lee’s 85th Birthday Leigh & Jack’s Wedding Matthew Michel David W. & Lynn Mitchell Nick & Ali Moiseff Ward Paine Warren & Barbara Poole Paul Ringgold Roberta & Eric Audrey Rust Howard Sussman Blodwen Tarter Sandi Thompson Ted & Nancy Vian Alison Weisner Nathan Yoho

P R E S E R V E L O C A L L A N D F O R F U T U R E G E N E R AT I O N S

C RE AT E YOU R LEG AC Y

EXCLUSIVE LUNCHEON JUNE 22

More than 250 individuals, including Judee,

Legacy members are invited to meet Walter

have planned a gift to POST in their trust,

T. Moore and other members at our annual

IRA or other plans. To learn more or join

event. POST’s new Director of Conservation

the Open Space Legacy Society, please

Science, Dr. Nicole Heller, will give a

contact Jeanine Crider, Director,

presentation at noon.

Planned Giving: jcrider@openspacetrust.org (650) 854-7696 x312 POST’S TAX ID NUMBER IS 94-2392007

Landscapes is printed on 30% post-consumer paper with soy inks. Published by: Peninsula Open Space Trust

222 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 854-7696 openspacetrust.org

Design: The Point Collective, Inc. Editor: Blair Friedeman We make every effort to accurately list the names of POST tribute gifts and apologize for any errors or omissions. Please call our office at (650) 854-7696 to notify us of any errors. POST is a public benefit California corporation and is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to POST are tax-deductible.

“

POST is a fulcrum point, teaching us about nature, keeping land from being developed and helping farmers build a more sustainable and regionally oriented food web. I’m impressed with how POST has adapted and responded over the years to continue saving open space for purposes that preserve the quality of life in our area.

”

— Judith L Humburg Open Space Legacy Society 15

P R O T E C T O P E N S PA C E

PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST

GIVE. PROTECT. REPEAT.

222 HIGH STREET PALO ALTO, CA 94301 (650) 854-7696 OPENSPACETRUST.ORG

Monthly giving is easy, effective and affordable. Monthly donors provide us with the dependable funding we need to continue our work and stay prepared for future opportunities. ENROLL: openspactrust.org/monthly OR CONTACT: G ina Frangione at gfrangione@openspacetrust.org (650) 854-7696 x334.

Become a monthly donor to POST by June 30, 2016 and we will send you this limited edition POST canvas tote bag!*

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*Monthly donation must be of $10 or more to receive tote bag.

ÂŠCris Gebhardt 2016