News
Lake Merced Comment Period Ends May 9th
Please Comment on the Lake Merced Draft Watershed Plan before Friday, May 9th!
San Francisco Beautiful convened the Lake Merced Task Force in 1999 with two other organizations to stop the decline in the state of the lake as well as to create a long-term stewardship program for its care. Nine years later the Task Force is leading the effort to create a master plan to determine the most appropriate uses for this unique natural resource in the City, one of the few remaining urban freshwater fisheries in the world. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is taking public comment on its draft Lake Merced Watershed Plan.
Send your comments by May 9th to lakemerced@sfwater.org.
Golf Course Task Force Meeting
Sharp Park Golf Course represents one of the last great restoration opportunities anywhere along coastal California. Environmentalists from around the state see the potential for restoring two endangered species --the California red-legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake. Please attend an IMPORTANT GOLF COURSE TASK FORCE MEETING in San Francisco to ask that the city consider restoration alternatives at Sharp Park.
To create the land for the golf course, famed golf-course architect Alister MacKenzie made his greatest golf-boondoggle: he dredged a coastal watershed around Laguna Salada for 14
days straight to place 18 holes of golf on lands near or below sea level. Mother Nature has already taken back four holes from the original design, and would have taken more -- if San Francisco hadn't built a coastal berm to impede the tides and close-off Sharp Park's ocean outlet.
Poor-design isn't Sharp Park's only problem: unethical management has resulted in the take of at least one endangered species there. As the berm built by San Francisco caused freshwater runoff to the pond on golf fairways, the frogs would be triggered to breed and lay eggs near Laguna Salada. The managers would nonetheless drain these areas, leaving the eggs high and dry, killing future generations of frogs. The frogs in turn are the main prey for the San Francisco garter snake. With the frog population's future placed in jeopardy, so too was the population of the snakes.
Amidst all this controversy, San Francisco has decided to take a hard look at its golf courses. A 2004 recreation survey indicates that San Franciscans primary recreational need today is more recreational trails, while golf comes far behind. Its time to seize this historic opportunity to restore California's coast for the frog & snake, for our coast, and for
recreational opportunities most needed by San Franciscans. Please ask the Golf Course Task Force to recommend reviewing long-term plans to restore this coastal habitat while securing the California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake populations.
A Benefit for Kids in Parks
Lots of fun and food!
Kids in Parks, a sponsored project of San Francisco Parks Trust, helps San Francisco public school students explore urban parks and understand their place in the natural world. By visiting McLaren and other San Francisco parks and engaging in hands on exploration of the local flora and fauna, young people learn about ecology, natural history and the importance of caring stewardship.
View the event invitation for more information.
Butterflies in the City
Last Walk of the Season, May 10!
"Yet another wonderful walk occured on the 27th with perfect butterfly conditions: no wind and lots of sun. Twenty-fiveof us were lucky enough to have Robert Michael Pyle along for the day. Considered the 'Godfather of American Butterflying', Bob is the author of numerous books (start with A Handbook to Butterfly Watching -- a masterpiece for the beginner...) and the Founder of the Xerces Society. He had been on the road for two months in his own national BigYear, seeing as many species as he can throughout the states. An honor and thrill to have him shout '#161' when 
the Green Hairstreak landed before him. Our little project might actually make his next book.
Not as many on the wing as the trip before and a solid clue as to the brood coming to an end when, at the top of Rocky Outcrop -- a mating pair was observed! Wonderful to see Jake Sigg and Robert Michael Pyle talking -- two titans of American Conservation in my eyes. Bob said he would pass it up the chain to others in the Xerces Society to get our story out there- it was a glorious confirmation that we are on to something here folks." -- Liam O'Brien
Photos couresy Amber Hasselbring
Letters Needed on Calaveras Dam
The Alameda Creek Alliance is asking everyone to please write a letter or send an e-mail to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commissioners and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors regarding the Calaveras Dam Replacement project.
They are still trying to get the Calaveras Dam project to include adequate flows for steelhead trout, provide fish passage, and change the operation of the Alameda Diversion Dam. See the action alert.
This year's Park Advocacy Day (PAD) hosted the largest, most active turnout of park advocates in the event's six year history! On April 7, more than 240 advocates took to the halls of the state Capitol to lobby the Legislature. Over 50 teams of PAD attendees spent the day meeting with legislators and legislative staff, particularly to lobby against the proposal to close 48 state parks and reduce lifeguard staffing on 16 state beaches. A noontime Save Our State Parks rally on the Capitol steps drew another 100 supporters for a lively demonstration of the public's support for keeping our state parks open.
Read more about the day at the California State Parks Foundation.
A New Approach to Portland Watersheds
The Oregonian
Portland Commissioner Sam Adams formally launches his "Grey to Green" initiative, which will allocate $50 million over the next five years to fund protection and restoration of Portland's green infrastructure. Measurable targets of the initiative include planting more than 80,000 trees, creating 43 acres of ecoroofs, acquiring and restoring key habitat areas, and launching 950 "green street" projects..... To read the full story, click here. (PDF)
Maybe San Francisco could take a few pointers?
Volunteer Opportunities
Wednesday May 7
Presidio Park Stewards @ El Polin
CNPS @ Bernal Heights, opposite Community Garden
Presidio Nursery
Thursday May 8
Crissy Field Landscape
Lands End Stewards
Friday May 9
Presidio Plant Patrol @ Coastal Bluffs
Saturday May 10
GGNRA Big Year @ Mori Point
Heron's Head Marsh
Oak Woodlands
Presidio Park Stewards @ Crissy Marsh
Friends of McLaren Park
Lands End Stewards
Colma Creek
Friends of Edgehill Mountain
For more information, contact info, and directions to natural areas go to the Community Calendar on the Nature in the City website.
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, a501(c) California non profit public benefit corporation.
More Eco News and Events
ACT locally, ADVOCATE globally
International Rivers Luncheon
The Great Carbon Offset Swindle
Thursday, May 8
12:30 - 1:30 PM
The Commonwealth Club
595 Market Street, Second Floor
San Francisco, California
Learn about the event & sign up at the International Rivers website. Or call 510-848-1155 ext. 301, or email karolo@internationalrivers.org for more information.
