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Calling All 
Grant Writers!
Do you have a passion for San Francisco's natural habitats and experience writing grant proposals? Would you be willing to donate a few hours a week to Nature in the City? If so, please contact us! We need a volunteer to help prepare our grant applications and proposals!
We already have a great foundation database, that was put together by another volunteer last year, but now we need help utilizing it! We are a small organization, and can only squeeze so much foundation fundraising into our tight, part-time, schedules. Call 415-564-4107 or email steward@natureinthecity.org if you are interested!
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Clarkia blooming just up the hill from our office, on Tank Hill. Photo by Peter Brastow |
Become a Member of Nature in the City!
Be the voice of San Francisco's wildlife habitat this year by becoming a member of Nature in the City!
You will be supporting the first & only organization that is wholly dedicated to ecological conservation, restoration and stewardship of San Francisco's biodiversity - and you'll enjoy great benefits!
You can help Nature in the City by coming to one of our VOLUNTEER days or by making a CONTRIBUTION to empower us in our unique role to advocate for and promote stewardship of San Francisco's irreplaceable natural resources!
Demanding Dog Walkers Evict Snowy Plovers from Their National Park Habitat
Crissy Field DOG demanded (they threatened a lawsuit) that a protective fence be moved ~250 feet, which eliminated a portion of the Snowy Plover wintering habitat at the Wildlife Protection Area and the entire eastern buffer zone. Moving the fence AFTER the plover wintering season could have avoided disturbance to the federally threatened species, but Crissy Field DOG was not willing to wait for a few more months.
The plovers have vacated the beach and have not returned. At the GGNP Endangered Species Big Year Kick Off, on a field trip led by expert Golden Gate Audubon naturalists, the birds were not observed in their roosting habitat.
Off-leash dog walking is currently allowed on several thousand feet of beach as well as the 28-acre airfield at Crissy. The plovers occupied about 500 feet of the beach for roosting. The fence relocation reduced the plover habitat by about 20% and eliminated the buffer zone to the off-leash area.
Snowy Plovers, placed on the Endangered Species List in 1993, are present at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field annually from late summer to the following spring.
Approximately 10 to 12 individuals have been detected wintering on the Crissy beach since Golden Gate Audubon began studying the Crissy Field snowy plover population in 2005, so their presence hangs in the balance....
Artificial Turf & Night Lighting in Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Audubon
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Computer simulation of what the proposed fields will look like. |
"The San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department is proposing to convert the four grass soccer fields at the west end of Golden Gate Park to artificial turf, and install 60' lights that will remain on until 10 pm.
No environmental impact report has been conducted for this project to determine the impacts. Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach are vital sites on the Pacific Flyway - a migratory route extending from Alaska and Canada to South America which birds take each spring and fall. Night lighting can cause birds to become confused and disoriented because birds that migrate at night navigate using the moon and stars. Night lighting will also negatively impact birds that roost and nest in this part of the park.
In 1930 the California Academy of Sciences published "A Handbook of the Birds of Golden Gate Park" which identified 111 species.
The grass fields provide habitat for resident and migrating birds including flycatchers, thrushes, corvids, sparrows, warblers, hawks, owls, swallows and other species. Mammals and butterflies also use the grass play fields..."
Please contact your local supervisor, Mayor Gavin Newsom and the SF Recreation & Parks Commission President Jim Lazarus regarding this project before January 20. The SF Recreation & Parks Commission will discuss the proposed project at their meeting on January 21.
A petition & flyer with contact information for your letters are available here.
YBI Meeting Time Correction
The Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) hearing on Yerba Buena Island's DRAFT Habitat Management Plan has been moved to February 10th. The Citizen's Advisory Board (CAB) Meeting is still scheduled for February 2. Download the draft plan and read more about the meetings here.
State Parks Supported by Oil?!
California State Parks Foundation
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Oil Rigs Near Rincon Beach Photo by Spencer Weiner, LA Times |
"Earlier today, the Governor released his proposed FY 2010-11 State Budget. For state parks, he has included a proposal that attempts to pit popular environmental causes against each other. The budget zeroes out all General Fund funding for state parks but 'restores' the funding by assuming that an offshore oil lease in the Santa Barbara area will be approved and will provide $140M to state parks. The drilling proposal was defeated twice last year - once at the State Lands Commission then again in the legislative budget process.
Please take a moment to send a message to your legislators, urging them to reject the Governor's proposal and to focus on supporting long-term solutions to state parks' budget crisis."
Read CSPF's official statement on this budget proposal.
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Sarah McConnico, showing off her beautiful Green Hairstreak tattoo... |
Green Hairstreak Corridor Update
From Nature in the City Stewardship Coordinator, Iris Clearwater
"This winter has been filled with activity along the Green Hairstreak corridor. We have a new site steward - youngest of the entire Street Parks program in San Francisco - who has transformed the corner on her block into beautiful Green Hairstreak and bird habitat with all San Francisco native plants. Situated at 14th & Noriega, it is right between breeding area at Rocky Outcrop and Grandview Park!
We are very grateful to the neighbors Jason and John, who saved the day with their valor, generosity, and hard work! and to Ellen Edelson who came to help clean up, and hosed the mud off of me. And we enjoyed speaking to each of the neighbors who stopped to say hello, and share their support.
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Unstopped by pouring rain, 13 year-old GG, mom Elisabeth, and I started work on the site - lots of ERHARTA removal! |
On Dec 20, eight of us met at the site, including neighbors and Green Hairstreak Corridor's passionate founder and lepidopterist Liam O'Brien (furthest right), to plant and mulch the entire site.
In the afternoon, Liam, myself, and 3 other volunteers met at our 14th & Pacheco site to do some needed weeding and planting, and this past Sat, Jan 9th, five of us worked on it some more. It is a big site, needs quite a few hands. We are grateful to volunteer Sarah McConnico (above), who has taken on being the new Steward for this site.
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The site is beautiful and transformed, and will be lush and vibrant habitat for butterflies, bees, and bird. Come by and visit! |
UPCOMING WORKPARTIES
Celebrate Valentine's day by contributing to Green Hairstreak romance in the city, joining our next workday at 14th & Pacheco on the second Sunday, February 14th from 10-12, followed by volunteering at the HANC Native Plant Nursery from 1-4.
Contact Stewardship Coordinator Iris Clearwater with questions, to RSVP (appreciated), and if you want to become a site steward, make a donation, or help grow plants for the corridor!"
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
| WEDNESDAY, Jan 13 | SATURDAY, Jan 16 |
| Alcatraz Gardens Presidio Park Stewards @ El Polin Springs Mission Blue Native Nursery California Native Plant Society @ Pine Lake Presidio Nursery |
White-Crowned Sparrow Habitat Restoration @ GGP Bison Paddock Richardson Bay Audbubon Restoration Friends of Glen Canyon Presidio Park Stewards @ Presidio Hills Presidio Trail Work Fort Funston Nursery SBMW Weed Rangers Friends of Shields/Rocky Orizaba Outcrop Friends of Brooks Park Land's End Stewards Presidio Nursery |
| THURSDAY, Jan 14 | SUNDAY, Jan 17 |
| Crissy Field Landscape Lands End Stewardship |
Haight-Ashbury Native Plant Nursery Alemany Natives Ocean Beach Cleanup Pier 94 Wetland Restoration Bernal Hilltop Native Grassland San Bruno Mountain Presidio Park Stewards @ El Polin Springs |
| FRIDAY, Jan 15 | MONDAY, Jan 18 |
| Alcatraz Gardens Presidio Plant Patrol @ Coastal Bluffs |
MLK Jr. Day of Service - Help Grow Your National Park! |
For more information about these or any other events, go to our online calendar!
MORE NEWS
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CNPS Volunteers Photo by Philip Gerrie |
Congratulations to CNPS for Record Volunteer Hours!
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) volunteers logged 1255 volunteer hours on Wednesdays work parties in 2009, a new record. Congratulations, and keep up the good work!
The International Year of Biodiversity!
BBC World News
"The UN has launched the International Year of Biodiversity, warning that the ongoing loss of species around the world is affecting human well-being.
Eight years ago, governments pledged to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, but the pledge will not be met...
Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), urged governments and their leaders to renew their commitment to curbing biodiversity loss even though the 2010 goal will be missed."