fall 2002 muir heritage land trust newsletter
DESCRIPTION
Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 1/8
Fall 2002 MUIR HERITAGE LAND TRUST
(Continued on page
MHLT AWARDED FUNDS TO PROTECT RARE PLANT
Contra Costa Goldfields Easemen
The Muir Heritage Land Trust is one
step closer to permanently preserving
habitat for a rare native plant. The
Land Trust recently received $200,000 from
the Contra Costa Transportation Authority,
the county’s transportation planning and
funding agency. The funds will be used to
protect a creekside area and the endangeredContra Costa Goldfields. As part of an
effort to minimize disruption to the
environment following the recent expansion
of Highway 4, a 30-acre conservation
easement in Franklin Canyon will be
donated to the Land Trust. The property is
adjacent to the highway between Cummings
Skyway and Interstate 80 in Hercules. The
Land Trust plans to manage the site
in a way to encourage the propagation of
the Goldfields.
Partnerships with various agencies have
made the project possible. In addition to the
Land Trust and the Contra Costa
Transportation Authority (CCTA), the effort
has involved Caltrans and the Native Plant
Society. “The Contra Costa Transportation
Authority is committed to preserving and
enhancing these environmentally sensitive
areas as part of our Route 4 freeway
construction project. Partnering with an
organization as well respected and
experienced as the Muir Heritage Land Tru
will ensure that the environmental value of
these lands will be preserved for future
generations,” said Paul Maxwell, Deputy
Director of Projects for CCTA. Transfer of the conservation easement to the Land Trus
is expected to be completed in 2004. The
property, now owned by Contra Costa
County, will be transferred to the state of
California in 2004.
The property encompasses several types of
habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
all, 177 species of animals and 300 species
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 2/8
2
plants inhabit the area. Nine species observed in the area are classified as special status
(species that are listed as threatened or endangered). The easement will protect one of the la
sites of the endangered Contra Costa Goldfields in the Bay Area.
The Contra Costa Goldfields ( Lasthenia conjugens) is a spring annual in the aster family, an
its bright yellow flowers bloom from March to June. It is actually an herb that grows to a
height of 4 to 12 inches with light green, feather-like
leaves. Only 13 known populations exist in four counti
The Goldfields are located in the grassland habitat
of the property. The grasslands support myriad plant
species, and foraging and nesting habitat for many bird
Among these are short-eared owls and northern harrier
hawks. Also observed in the area are American kestrel
white-tailed kites, turkey vultures, western bluebirds,lesser goldfinches, American goldfinches and a host of
other species.
Rodeo Creek runs through the Goldfields easement,
providing a rich habitat populated with native and other
fish species. The creek area is also habitat for amphibi
and frogs, including the red-legged frog, a federally list
threatened species. Numerous birds, including mallard
great egrets and belted kingfishers have been observed
foraging along the creek. The area also hosts mammals
such as coyotes, raccoons and small rodents.
Land Trust Executive Director Tina Batt describes the
project’s importance to preservation of natural resource
in our area: “This property is a important piece of
habitat,” she said. “In addition, it may be one of the las
stands for the Contra Costa Goldfields in the area for
which it is named.”
CONTRA COSTA GOLDFIELDS (Continued from page 1)
MUIR HERITAGE LAND TRUST
P. O. Box 2452M ARTINEZ, CA 94553(925) 228-5460 F AX (925) 372-5460
EMAIL: [email protected]
www.muirheritagelandtrust.org
S TAFF
Tina Batt, Executive Director Marilyn Rigdon, Executive Associate
Beth Pardieck, Stewardship Associate
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steve Pardieck, Chair
Nancy Schaefer, Vice Chair
Mary Ann Gaebe, Secretary
Sheila Grilli, Treasurer
Dick Awenius
Peter Colby Roger Dolan
Ken FischerPeter Langley
Don ManningKathryn Petersen
Marj Ross
Bill Weiner
Mark Wilson
EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS
Hulet Hornbeck
Hal Olson
Jack Telfer
Everett Turner
HONORARY BOARD MEMBER
Jim Cutler
EDITOR
Sherida Bush
NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS
Tina Batt, John Kopchik, Beth Pardieck,
Marilyn Rigdon
P HOTO CREDITS: Tina Batt, John Game,
Todd Kiker, Stephen Joseph,
Chris Manning, Bob Walker
“Preservation of open space is vital to our quality o
life in the Bay Area. Through Muir Heritage Land
Trust’s excellent leadership, scenic Contra Costa
wildlands are being saved for future generations.
—Congressman George Mille
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 3/8
3
GARY BOGUE TO SPEAK AT LAND TRUST ANNUAL MEETING
Contra Costa Times columnist Gary
Bogue will be the featured speaker at
the Land Trust Annual Meeting to be
held on Wednesday, December 4 at 7:30 pm.
This year, the event will be held at the Orinda
Community Center, which is a new location
for the meeting.
Gary’s topic is “Creatures of the Urban
Wilderness”. His popular columns about
animals and nature draw loyal readers and
make him a perfect speaker for the Land
Trust. On behalf of the Land Trust, he waskind enough to include an appeal for funding
in a series of his columns in October. The
columns have brought in nearly $21,000 (as
of Nov. 1) in funds to pay off our loan on the
Gustin property. We appreciate his support
and look forward to a great evening. All are
welcome—please plan to attend. The Orinda
Community Center is at 26 Orinda Way. Call
the office for more information or directions
at (925) 228-5460.
GRANGER’S WHARF
DEDICATION FEATURED
GEORGE MILLER
The Granger’s Wharf area of the
East Bay Regional Park District’s
wildlife preserve on the Martinez
Waterfront was dedicated on June 22.
Congressman George Miller was a
featured speaker, along with EBRPD
Board Member Ted Radke and other
public officials.
Restoration of the wetland was completed as a partnership with the City of Martinez, Caltrans,
the Bay Area Toll Authority and the East Bay Regional Park District. The well-attended
event’s many highlights included the release of rehabilitated birds. Take your binoculars for a
good look at a variety of beautiful shorebirds.
Preserving the Future
You don’t have to be wealthy to be a benefactor or major donor to the Muir Heritage Land
Trust. Most everyone can benefit from tax-advantaged estate and financial planning and
leave a deeply satisfying legacy as well. For information on bequests, charitable trusts,
and other financial plans, call the Land Trust office at (925) 228-5460.
Congressman George Miller (right), EBRPD Board Member Ted
Radke (left) and retired EBRPD Public Relations Manager Ned
McKay (center).
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 4/8
4
LAND TRUST WELCOMES BETH PARDIECK
Beth Pardieck
recently
joined theLand Trust staff as
the new Stewardship
Associate. Funding
for the position was
awarded to the Land
Trust by the Packard
Foundation. Her
duties will include
study of the lands
under—or soon to beunder—Land Trust
stewardship.
Beth’s first project
was to produce a
baseline report for
each property,
including Sky Ranch,
Gustin, Goldfields
easement, Stonehurst
easement andPacheco Marsh. Her
reports include
background details,
property descriptions,
boundaries, legal
papers, ecological
information and the
monitoring reports.
This was the first
step in establishing a
monitoring program,
an important part of
her job. She will be
visiting each property
consistently and
documenting any
changes or violations.
“I am proud to be a
part of this
organization,” said
Beth. “Over the next
year, I hope to
contribute my energy
and ideas towards
stewardship in a
positive way. I look forward to working
with everyone and I
am excited for the
coming year.
“As I have been
learning, acquiring a
piece of land or
taking responsibility
for a conservation
easement is just the
beginning for a land
trust. We have the
responsibility to
preserve, protect and
steward this land
forever. The only
way to ensure our
conservationeasement conditions
are being upheld and
our property
managed is through
regular, systematic
and documented
monitoring.”
Beth is assisting in
monitoring the
Contra Costa
Goldfields easeme
Hercules (see page“Come spring,” sh
said, “we hope to s
these beautiful yel
flowers making a
comeback.”
The Stonehurst Op
Space committee h
been helping to res
a few minor violat
of the Stonehurst
easement in Alham
Valley and the
homeowners have
been cooperative.
Beth will also be
working on the
Pacheco Marsh
restoration with th
East Bay Regional
Park District and thContra Costa Coun
Flood Control Dist
The project, which
take several years
complete, will rest
the 123 acres to a s
marsh habitat.
Beth is a native of
Martinez and
graduated in June,
2001 from the
University of
California, Santa
Barbara with a maj
in Environmental
Studies. She is alr
a great asset to the
Land Trust.
OUR MI SSI ON
“The Muir Heritage Land Trust works to ensure
a lasting quality of life for future
generations by preserving and stewarding
open space and fostering environmental
awareness.”
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 5/8
5
COUNTY OPEN SPACE FUNDING MEASURE
LANDMARK PROPOSAL
W
ith perhaps a new level of
cooperation between diverse
private and public groups, the
natural resources in our county are closer to
receiving the funding needed to protect them.
Two and a half years ago, the Contra Costa
County Board of Supervisors created the Ad
Hoc Committee on Open Space Funding to
make recommendations on “whether and how
to create new local funding for open space,
parks, recreation, natural resource, and
farmland preservation needs throughout the
county”. The Muir Heritage Land Trust is
one of the many organizations participating inthis effort. Representatives from numerous
cities, organizations, agricultural interests,
property owners, business owners, city
commissions, and county agencies (including
the Contra Costa Farm Bureau and the Contra
Costa Council) have attended the meetings.
The Ad Hoc committee convened the current
Contra Costa County Advisory Committee on
Open Space Funding, which has
recommended a $130,000,000 fundingmeasure be placed before the property owners
of the county. An independent committee
would grant the funds to appropriate
organizations to fill a wide variety of open
space needs. The Muir Heritage Land Trust
would be one of the organizations receiving
funds. The draft plan identifies a number of
projects, one of which is preserving the Muir
Heritage Corridor—the Land Trust’s project
area. This corridor, described as “the area
where John Muir walked and worked when hewasn’t traveling through the Sierra”, has two
sections: one in the Hercules/Martinez area
and the other near Lafayette and Orinda.
Protection of lands in both project areas
would preserve open space between public
lands and existing development.
The plan identifies categories of open space
that needs protection, including: scenic
landscapes and regional parks; creeks/ watersheds; farmland; historic preservation;
local and municipal parks/recreation;
shorelines; trails/public access facilities; and
wildlife habitat and corridors. The funding
mechanism recommended by the Advisory
Committee is a Benefit Assessment District.
Assessment Districts place a charge on real
property to pay for the special benefit
conveyed to that property from a government
service. Establishing the district would
require a weighted majority of propertyowners in an election conducted by mail.
Votes are weighted according to the amount
of the assessment that would be paid.
Currently voters are being polled to assess the
feasibility of placing the measure on the
ballot. The proposal has some hurdles to
overcome before it becomes reality. If
successful, it will be a phenomenal victory in
the effort to preserve the natural resources in
our community. As the proposal states,
“…economic growth must be complemented
with continued protection of our many open
space resources if our quality of life is to be
maintained.”
The draft proposal is available online at:
http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/
water/OS/index.htm
BobWalker
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 6/8
6
FRESH AIRE AFFAIRE SPARKLES AGAIN
The 7th Annual Fresh Aire Affaire attracted
an animated group of guests who dined
under a canopy of stars. The weather was just
fine, and the food was fabulous. Englund’s
Catering was new to us this year and did an
outstanding job. Even with nature center stage
and history suffusing the air—or aire—the best
part of the evening was the wonderful people
who came to support the Muir Heritage Land
Trust. Our thanks to Shell Oil Products US and
Tesoro Golden Eagle for underwriting this great
event. Special thanks to Fresh Aire Chair Mary
Ann Gaebe for her dedication and hard work.
We hope you will plan to attend next year!
Watch for the date in the Spring newsletter.
SKY RANCH SPIFFED UP
Thanks to Ken Gerlack, the LandTrust’s Sky Ranch is looking better
than ever. Earlier this year, Ken
brought in the equipment needed to
remove old lumber and debris from the
property (photo, right). Fall is a good
time to go up and see it before the rains
come. Put on your hiking shoes and
take in the great outdoors... Call the
office for directions at (925) 228-5460.
Happy raffle winners show off their prizes (above, top
and right). Above: MHLT Executive Director Tina Batt
with Nancy Wenninger of the East Bay Regional Park
District. Center: Board Member Roger Dolan with
Kathy Radke. Above, right: MHLT Vice Chair Nancy
Schaefer with Chair Steve Pardieck and Stewardship
Associate Beth Pardieck.
Fresh Aire photos by Todd K
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 7/8
7
The fundraising success of the Muir Heritage Land Preservation Campaign has been
gratifying. We are now in the third year of the Campaign, which began in August 2000.
In recent weeks, Gary Bogue’s appeal in his Contra Costa Times column has brought in
nearly $21,000 (see p. 3), and our fundraising letter added about $8,500 to the total.
To date we have raised $2,495,500 through grants from state and federal agencies, as well
as contributions from public agencies. We raised $713,682 from private individuals,
foundations, and corporations. We have also received donations of land and easements
with a value of $900,000. Our total raised to date is $4,109,182. Much of the funding is
attached to specific projects under way.
We hope to reach our campaign goal of $5,000,000 by August 2003. If you would like to
help, please use the enclosed envelope for your contribution. Thank you for your support.
RIDERS RAISE FUNDS FOR LAND TRUST
On September 14, the Martinez
Horsemen’s Association held a benefit
ride that raised nearly $8,000 for the Land
Trust. Riders obtained sponsors, and the
funds they raised were matched by Bay Area
Barns and Trails thanks to Barbara Weitz.
The money will go toward paying off the
loan on the Gustin property. Our thanks to
key organizers Chip Hankins and Barbara
Glen, and to all participants and their
sponsors. Got horse? Plan to ride next
year...or, you are welcome to walk along...Benefit ride photos by Chris Manning
MUIR HERITAGE LAND PRESERVATION CAMPAIGN UPDATE
5/11/2018 Fall 2002 Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter - slidepdf.com
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/fall-2002-muir-heritage-land-trust-newsletter 8/8
N o n p r o f i t O r g a n i z a t i o n
U . S . P O S T A G E
P A I D
M a r t i n e z , C A
P e r m i t N o . 1 8 9
i r H e r i t a g e L a n d T r u s t O . B o x 2 4 5 2
r t i n e z , C A 9 4 5 5 3
C ELEBRATE THE STRAIT BRIGHTENS AUGUST WITH EVENTS
D D R E S S S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D
The second Celebrate the Strait series of
events in August included an array of fun and
scenic outings. One sponsored by the Land Trust
was a scenic bus tour of the highlights around the
Carquinez Strait. On August 17, participantsenjoyed the scenery and points of interest, led by
Bill Weiner and Doug Burgess.
Another event on August 25 was a colorful Kite
Festival coordinated by our Executive
Associate Marilyn Rigdon and Darla Guenzler of
the Carquinez Strait Heritage Area Committee.
Held at the breezy Waterfront Park in Martinez,
about 500 people gathered to
fly and watch. Some
enjoyed participating ina contest, others made
their own kites and
some just enjoyed the
fun. The event was co-
sponsored by Old City
Kites in Sacramento.Carquinez Strait Bus T