fitzgerald marine reserve newsletter: between the tides: march 2010

8/8/2019 Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Newsletter: Between the Tides: March 2010

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Friends ofFitzgerald Marine Reserve

P.O. Box 669Moss Beach, CA 94038Phone: 650.728.3584

www.tzgeraldreserve.org

Advisory Board:

Dr. Jean DemoutheDr. John E. McCosker

Jan RolettoDr. Mary Wicksten

Board of Directors:John Albers-Mead

Robert Breen

Linda Ciotti

om Ciotti, Vice PresidentMary DeLong

Denise Dowsett

Ellen Gartside, PresidentKelly Huber

Jenna Kinghorn,Newsletter Editor

Pam Larkin

Sarah Lenz

Dr. om Niesen

Hope Suchsland, reasurer

Our Mission:o inspire the preservation o our

unique intertidal environmentthrough education and the

support o research.

Saturday April 24th 9 a.m. to Noon:

Join us or our annual Earth Day Beach Clean-up at Surers Beach in El Granada. Meet on thewest side o the intersection o Coronado Streetand Highway One. (urn east at the trac lightand park on Obispo Rd.) All ages welcome.

Saturday May 16th 7:30 a.m. to 10:30a.m.: Learn all about Marvelous Molluscs atthis Family Fun Day. Well explore molluscanatomy and adaptations, learn how dier-ent animals eed, gure out where shells comerom, and get insights into the amazing liveso octopus and squid, then search or molluscsin the tidepools. Open to kids 8 - 14 with ac-companying adult(s). SPACE IS LIMIEDand REGISRAION REQUIRED by May 1 email: [email protected] and providenames and ages o your party members. Meet atthe FMR ranger station.

Saturday June 5th 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.:Join us or our World Ocean Day Beach Clean-up at Surers Beach in El Granada. Meet onthe ocean side o the intersection o CoronadoStreet and Highway One. (urn east at the tra-

c light and park on Obispo Rd.) All ages wel-come.

Tursday July 15th 7:30 a.m. to 10:30a.m: Breakast at the Reserve. Enjoy coee andmuns while you learn about the eeding strat-egies and anatomical adaptations o intertidalcreatures. Ten roam the tidepools during agreat low tide to nd the animals youve learnedabout.

Saturday September 25th 9 a.m. toNoon: Join us or our annual Caliornia Coastal

Cleanup Day Beach Cleanup at Surers Beachin El Granada. Meet on the ocean side o theintersection o Coronado Street and HighwayOne. (urn east at the trac light and park onObispo Rd.) All ages welcome.

Editors Note: Due to uncooperative low tides,FFMR has cancelled Junior Rangers Day Camp

or 2010.

Calendar o 2010 EventsTe ollowing are FREE activities or the whole amily. Tese events are open to

the public, so encourage your riends and neighbors to come along. Check our web site orcontact Ranger Sarah Lenz at (650)728-3584 or [email protected] or more inor-mation. Some activities have a limited number o participants; be sure to register early!

Family Fun Days give parents andkids a chance to have un together.

During a Family Fun Day in 2009,we learned All About Algae weeven tasted it!

In 2010, well learn about MarvelousMolluscs and then search or the animalsweve learned about in the tidepools.

www.ftzgeraldreserve.org March 010

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Te graph displayed acrossthe page bottoms showstides or 2/8/10 to 9/5/10. Where the date appearsis midnight. Te rees areaccessible or exploring onlyduring low tides. See: www.itzgeraldreserve.org/resourc-es.html and click on high andlow tides, or a more detailedtide chart. Note: the lowest

tides this period are:

-.81 2/26 2:53 pm-.76 4/1 6:58 am

-1.30 4/29 5:54 am-1.37 5/16 7:01 am-1.39 5/28 5:41 am-1.62 6/13 6:03 am-1.47 7/12 5:44 am-1.01 8/9 4:38 am

Feb

8 9 10 11 1 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 0 1 3 4 5 6 7 8

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Night tidepoolers ound many types obarnacles.

Sea anemones seemed to glow with aninner radiance under night tidepoolers'

ashlight beams.

One Enchanted Eveningby Richard Lau

On December 17, 2009, Friends oFitzgerald Marine Reserve held its biggest-evernighttime tidepool tour. Over sixty volunteers,docents, and members o the public shared thiswonderul experience.

Te evening weather turned out perector tidepooling: clear, not too chilly, and startingo with a beautiul sunset. Beore olks headeddown to the beach, we were treated to warm bev-erages, tasty snacks and pleasant conversation.

On our walk down to the tidepools, wepassed several harbor seals who kept a watchuleye while we respectully lowered our voices andgave them their space.

As regular tidepoolers know, the variety o

lie in the intertidal is incredible. We saw barna-cles (volcano, buckshot, acorn, and gooseneck),

anemones (starburst, giant green, moonglow,and aggregated), mussels, chitons, limpets, andturban shell snails. Algae were well representedby sea palms, encrusting coralline algae, branch-

ing algae, sea lettuce, and sur grass.Te sea stars in the tidepools rivaled those

in the sky. We saw a rainbow o bat stars andlarge ochre sea stars in orange and purple. Oursharp-eyed docent pointed out a tiny six-ray seastar, enabling us to spot several others during thenight.

Kelp crabs and rock crabs were also ingood attendance, and hermit crabs seemed par-ticularly active.

We saw bright green and blue broken-back shrimps, purple sea urchins, numeroussculpin, and even a large white nudibranch! Wealso ound a top snail shell and an abalone shell.

Tere was a strong eeling o communityamong the human participants. It was uplit-ing that so many people were interested in thenatural surroundings and are striving to keep itprotected. Plus many pairs o eyes can spot more

than one pair can. More than once, tidepoolerswere almost led to their soggy doom with sirencries o, Come look what I ound!

Its because o the sharp eyes o our el-

low tidepoolers that we witnessed the real treatso the evening. One lady spotted a rock prickle-back, an eel-like sh, that was nearly a oot long.Another ound a little whitetubeworm. A photographerdisplayed an enlarged view oa dwar sea cucumber on theviewscreen o his camera.

However, what madethe evening really special wasthe literal walk-on cameo oa reddish-orange octopus. Itactually climbed out o the water and crawled acrossrocks and seaweed, showingo its stretchy sucker-stud-ded tentacles and remarkablyfexible body or several min-utes. It was a truly spectacu-lar sight!

More than threemonths have passed, but Imcertain Im not the only one

who retains vivid memorieso our night tidepooling ex-perience. A big thank you toco-organizers Ranger SarahLenz and Jenna Kinghorn,and all o the volunteer natu-ralists who made this eventpossible! u

A highlight o the evening was this reddish-orange octopus which climbed out o the waterand crawled across rock and seaweed, showingo its stretchy sucker-studded tentacles.

Purple sea urchins and pink coralline algaeshowed up well under our ashlight beams.

Te sea stars in the tidepools rivaled

those in the sky.

www.ftzgeraldreserve.org March 010 3

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Interpretive SignageTe Interpretive Signs have been de-

signed to help visitors learn about the natu-ral history o the tidepools, marsh and bluhabitats and inhabitants, human history oearly residents and those o recent times, geol-

ogy, tides, and ocean processes. Welcome andregulatory signs oer inormation about thereserves eatures, rules and regulations. Tesigns will be installed throughout the reserveat Pillar Point Marsh, Pillar Point Blu, SealCove, Nyes Overlook, Moss Beach Ree path- way and at the reserves parking lot in MossBeach. Te signs have received nal reviewand are being abricated. Tey will be placedat the reserve sometime in early spring 2010.

Access Ramp to Beach rom

North Lake Parking LotDesign plans are being prepared to im-

prove the coastal access ramp rom the cornero North Lake Street and Nevada Avenue tothe beach. Te existing ramp and overlookare proposed to be reconstructed to improvesaety and accessibility to the overlook andbeach. Implementation o this project wasplaced on hold due to the State grant undingreeze, however those unds are now available.o date, concept plans are completed, public

meeting on plans was conducted, and con-struction plans and specications are beingprepared. A total o $175,000 in grant und-ing or design and permitting o this project,the San Vicente Bridge (discussed below), andthe Caliornia Coastal rail (discussed below)has been secured rom the Caliornia CoastalConservancy and State Parks Proposition 40.Funding or construction has not been se-cured.

San Vicente Creek Bridge

As part o the completion o the Calior-nia Coastal rail segment in Fitzgerald MarineReserve, the replacement o the bridge acrossSan Vicente Creek with an improved ree span

bridge will be undertaken. Design, plans, and permitting have been initiated. Implementation o thisproject was placed on hold due to the State grant unding reeze, however those unds are now avail-able. o date, concept plans are completed, public meeting on plans was conducted, and constructionplans and specications are being prepared.

Reserve Projects continued rom page 1

New interpretive signs will go up throughout thereserve, including along the Pillar Point marshtrail, in spring o 2010.

Interpretive signs will be located throughout thereserve at strategic overlook points along the maintrail.

Planning and permitting is underway orimprovements to the access ramp at the mainentrance.

Interpretive Signs have

been designed to help

visitors learn about

the natural history o

the tidepools, marshand blu habitats and

inhabitants, human

history o early residents

and those o recent

times, geology, tides, and

ocean processes.

As part o the

completion o theCaliornia Coastal rail

segment in Fitzgerald

Marine Reserve, the

replacement o the

bridge across San

Vicente Creek with

an improved ree

span bridge will be

undertaken.

4 www.ftzgeraldreserve.org March 010

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Caliornia Coastal TrailSan Mateo County Parks will complete

the Caliornia Coastal rail segment in Fitzger-ald Marine Reserve rom the Moss Beach mainpark entrance along the east side o the reserveto Cypress Avenue. Implementation o thisproject was placed on hold due to the Stategrant unding reeze, however those unds are

now available. o date, concept plans are com-pleted, public meeting on plans was conducted,and construction plans and specications arebeing prepared.

Education CenterIn December 2004 County Parks com-

pleted a Conceptual Plan or Interpretation atthe Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Tis plan identi-ed the need or a 3,000 sq. t. Education Centerwith interpretive exhibits. Te proposed Educa-tion Center would be located in the western end

o the existing parking lot at the reserve mainentrance parking lot located at North Lake Streetand Nevada Ave. Te estimated cost or the Edu-cation Center project is $4.3 million.

Following a number o public meetingsduring 2009, County Parks has determined thedesign or the Education Center needs to bescaled back to better align with the neighbor-hood, Department unding, and public needs.Te Department will be reviewing green buildingplans or a modular style building that will have

a reduced ootprint rom the original plan. Costestimate or the structure will be in the $500,000or less range. No immediate timerame has beenestablished or implementation and no undinghas been secured.

Parking LotTe San Mateo County Department o

Parks is implementing a stormwater and runotreatment demonstration project or improvingthe existing parking lot. Te project will includethe placement o signs that explain the stormwa-

ter pollution prevention site design and treatmenteatures and the protection o the reserves waterquality. Key design elements will include pervi-ous paving, stormwater planters, vegetated andstormwater swales, and rain gardens. A concep-tual plan and survey o the parking lot has beencompleted. wo grants or a total o $450,000are available or the project. Implementation othis project has been placed on hold due to theState grant unding reeze.

San Vicente Creek Restoration

ProjectThe State funding award process for

this project is on hold due to the State budgetcrisis. u

In the uture, the parking lot will undergo changesto improve water quality and be a green demonstra-tion project.

Key design elements

will include pervious

paving, stormwater

planters, vegetated and

stormwater swales,

and rain gardens.

F r i e n d s o f F i t z g e r a l d M a r i n e R e s e r v eMembership Secretary, P.O. Box 669, Moss Beach, CA 94038

q $25

q $50

q $100

q $500

q $1000

qOther

Contribution Levels:Name ________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________

City ___________________________ State _____ Zip ________

Email ________________________________________________

qI want to double the value o my git through myemployer's matching git program (please enclosethe matching git orms).


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On Sunday, November 1, 2009, dozenso people gathered to celebrate the ortieth anni-versary o the establishment o Fitzgerald MarineReserve (FMR). Te party ran rom 1 to 5 pmnear the ranger station, where we had tables set

up with coee, tea and cookies. Te weather co-operated by being spectacularly beautiul!

On display were photographs spanning theyears rom 1969-2009, including many recentones by board member John Albers-Mead. Peo-ple commented on how much they enjoyed see-ing all the photos.

Many past and present volunteers attend-ed; I saw many olks I hadnt seen in years!

Volunteers were photographed in a groupand asked to remain standing as we counteddown who had been leading tours or ve years,ten years, teen years, and so on. DorothyBaughman was the only volunteer who was stillstanding when we got to 30 years.

Several volunteers led groups down to thereserve to enjoy a 0.2 tide at 3:30 pm.

We heard rom a number o speakers,including:

Mary DeLong, President o Friends oFitzgerald Marine Reserve, discussed her love o

the reserve, talked about some o the philosophieso the Friends, and made introductions.

Dave Holland, Director o the San MateoCounty Department o Parks, discussed projectspast and present.

Bern Smith o the Parks Commissionshared some o his memories.

Tom Ciotti, a volunteer naturalist, talkedabout reviewing the stas log books. He hadlooked through about 20 years worth starting in1968. He started out by saying that his dream

job had always been to be the ranger at Fitzger-ald, until he reviewed the log books. His reviewo them made him realize that he wasnt qualiedto be a rangerthat it required being a plumber,electrician, mechanic, carpenter, painter, arbor-ist, teacher, lecturer, researcher, scientist, politi-cian and garbage man, among other things! Healso mentioned his surprise at the amount o

vandalism that occurred in the early years. Tesigns were regularly destroyed, the restroomswere regularly pillaged and re bombed and thebuilding was occasionally partially dismantled toprovide rewood or beach bonres. Some o the

local boys also regularly bombarded visitors tothe reserve with rocks thrown rom the top o theblu. Local kids also torched the Dolger housein 1970. He also mentioned that on the ound-ing day o the reserve, November 1, 1969, therewas no entry in the logbook Ranger Bob Breenhaving been o that day!

Steve Durkin, ormer FMR Ranger, dis-cussed his love o the reserve and recounted somehistory.

Bob Breen, ormer (and rst) FMR Rang-

er, expressed a historical viewpoint, includingthe archeological excavation, and discussed someond memories o the reserve. He discussed someo the rare plant and animal lie discovered at thereserve, and discussed the new Marine ProtectedArea (MPA) designation and its signicance.

continued on page 8

Reserve Marks 40th BirthdayText by Kelly Huber Photos by Kelly Huber, Mary DeLong, and Linda Theroff

Dorothy Baughman, anactive volunteer at thereserve or 30 years, gotspecial recognition or herlong service.

om Ciotti realized

that he wasnt qualifed

to be a rangerthat

it required being a

plumber, electrician,

mechanic, carpenter,

painter, arborist,

teacher, lecturer,

researcher, scientist,

politician and garbage

man, among other

things!

Mary DeLong readsa Declaration sentby Congresswoman

Anna Eshoo alongwith a ag ownover the Caliorniastate capitol buildingto commemorate our40th anniversary.

Ranger Steve Durkin

spoke o his many ondmemories o the years

when he worked atFMR.


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Fond Memories o the Early Days

Editors Note:Long-time FFMR volunteerArpi Haleblian was prompted by the 40th anniversarycelebration to share some o her memories with us. Tanks or the stories, Arpi, and or your many years asan enthusiastic volunteer naturalist! JK

Becoming Conservationists Under Bob Breens Infuence

Editors Note:Long-time FFMR volunteerJerry Maxwellwas prompted by the 40th anniversarycelebration to share how volunteering at the reserve with his wie Joan has inuenced their lives. Tanks othe stories, Jerry and Joan, and or your years o conservation eorts at FMR and elsewhere! JK

It was wonderul to celebrate our40th yesterday, it was like a big amilyREUNION!

I did enjoy meeting riends andlistening to the inormative talks.

From the 21 years thatI happily spent at the tidepools I haveinteresting memories that I would liketo share with you.

First o all Bob was not only ahandyman as mentioned, he also super-vised the tidepools daily! We sometimeshad 500 children running around wild!Tat is when I bought my whistle and

did use it many times. I remember boys throwingsea stars up into the air! Tat is when I became apolice-woman, just to help Bob!

Secondly, leading tours was rewarding.During a tour as I was demonstrating how to put

back a bat star in the pool, I slipped and ell! woathers lited me up! I told them grateully thatalling was part o our business.

Another time as I was going up the stairater our tour, I heard a boy behind me sayingI that old lady can go up, I can too!

Tirdly, while I was the scheduler beorethe computer age, I used to spend many hourscalling the docents on the phone. Linda Liebes othe Coyote Point Museum had given me a deskin the sta room to do my calling, this made meeel good!

Finally, I oten substituted or the do-cents who could not make it at the last minute

Sometimes this meant going to the reserve twicea week but then it did not matter, now thatI hit 70!

I still enjoy the tidepools by being a rovingvolunteer naturalist.

Joan and I always elt thiswas a special place or us.

We started going thereabout 1960 when people were car-rying buckets o sea stars home torot. In those days beore it was apark we used to build res againstthe cli and roast hot dogs withJoan's parents.

I was also diving there withan aqua lung in those days. Terewere times when my mother-in-law and I ate giant sea urchin eggsraw while on the beach.

Te good thing that happened was the e-ect o Fitzgerald on our knowledge about con-servation. Bob Breen taught us to both pick uplitter and always try to be seen by the public whowould send their kids to us with litter therebyteaching the public.

Tis action by us went on or 25 yearswhere we cleaned Bean Hollow beach and trailor ten years and also cleaned the Bay rail get-ting South SF and Burlingame to nally clean uptheir messes with truckloads o litter.

Bob Breen had a great infuence on botho us or which I am very grateul.

Long-time volunteer Arpi Haleblian

and her husband John helped us

celebrate FMR's 40th anniversary.

Former volunteers Joan and Jerry Maxwell

recalled visiting the ree beore it became areserve, and how much Bob Breen taughtthem about conservation during theirvolunteer years.

Tere were times when my mother-in-law and I ate

giant sea urchin eggs raw while on the beach.

Jerry Maxwell


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I moved to the coast a year ago and be-came a docent and love the enthusiasm o the

docents when they nd nudibranchs and thechildren when they nd a sea star and the thrillto see an octopus.

Te beauty and treasures o the reserveabound: the sunsets and moon rises, harbor sealsswim and look at you, the heron that lands tosh, the pelicans that fy overhead, the calls o theoystercatchers, the thousands o purple urchinsthat are exposed at a low tide, the counting o thelegs o the sunfower star, watching a crab eat andthe dierent patterns in the anemone.

Te crowds rise and all, children play,people are taking pictures, making discoveries or

relaxing in the sun and sand surrounded by theblue ocean, sky and land the cypress rise out o.Te protection, education and preservation areimportant.

I rarely go to Mavericks' beach but I wenta ew weeks ago at a low tide and saw two guyseach with two ten gallon buckets nearly ull ourchins, hermit crabs and sea stars. Tey saidthey use them or aquariums. I remember whata treasure it is or the people who come to makediscoveries at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. u

New Kids on the Block

Editors Note:Every year, the Friends o Fitzgerald Marine Reserve are blessed with a ew newmembers and a class o new volunteers. Linda Terofbecame a volunteer naturalist shortly ater movingin near the reserve just over a year ago. She was prompted by the 40th anniversary celebration to share withus her new-ound enthusiasm. Tanks or joining us, Linda! JK

Long-time and brand-new volunteers joined in the celebration.

Carol Ferguson and RangerSarah Lenz. Jan McFarland-Brown,

Mary DeLong, and Kelly HuberLong-time volunteers Janine Miller(L) and Mary DeWol Ryan (R).

I... love the

enthusiasm o the

docents when they

fnd nudibranchs andthe children when

they fnd a sea star

and the thrill to see

an octopus.

Linda Tero


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Te brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is abird requently spotted by visitors to Fitzgerald

Marine Reserve. You may see a fock o doz-ens o members o this gregarious species

soaring in v-ormation riding the updratso wind high above the blus edge, or a

line o two or three skimming like dare-devils just above the reach o a curling wave. Weighing up to nine pounds,these prehistoric-looking birds have

wingspans that reach 90 inches.

In birds, the urcula or wishbone, a v-shaped ossication ormed by used clavicles,helps power wingbeats. Te tips o the v are usedto a birds shoulder bones; and in most birds, the

point o the v is suspended just abovethe breastbone. Te wishbone fexeswith each fap o the wing, stretchingout on the down-stroke and spring-

ing back on the upstroke. In pelicans, thepoint o the v is actually used to the top o

the breastbone. Tis adaptation enables the peli-can to hold its wings steady or long periods ogliding fight.

Gliding allows a pelican to spot its prey small and medium-sized sh swimming justbelow the surace o the ocean without usingtoo much energy. From 25 or so eet in the air,a pelican can spot sardines, anchovies, menha-den, herring, mullet, sheepshead, or silversides.It then olds its wing and plunges beak-rst intothe water at up 40 mph, hard enough to stunthe sh it hopes to catch. Air sacs beneath thepelicans skin cushion its landing and keep itrom submerging ar.

Te pelican then wields its oot-longbeak, which has a hooked tip and a lower man-dible that spreads wide to orm a hoop, to scoop

stunned sh into its gular sac or deep throatpouch. Tis pouch can hold up to three gallons two more than the birds stomach can! Tepelican foats on the surace o the water with itscatch, tilting its head to drain the water rom itspouch. Ten it throws its head back and swal-lows the wriggling sh whole.

In hot weather, thepelican futtersthe gular sacto cool itsel by

evaporation, much like apanting dog. Te brown pelican isone o seven species o pelicans oundaround the world. Its also related to cormo-rants, boobies, and rigate birds, most o whichhave smaller gular sacs.

When not fying or eeding, the brown pelican spends a lot o time preening, or caring oits eathers. Standing on dry land or a dock, thpelican combs its eathers with its beak, spreading oil through them rom a special gland nea

its tail. Clean, well-oiled eathers shed water easily and keep the pelican warm and dry and lighenough to fy.

Plunge-diving is a dicult way to maka living; only about one-third o the young whofedge are able to master the skill well enough tosurvive their rst year o independence. Some pelicans hang around near shing piers and harborto steal catches o shing lines and cadge handouts. On shore and on docks, pelicans lose theigraceulness, waddling comically on their shor webbed eet while trying to balance their lonheavy beaks and ungainly wings. Unortunatelymany o these avian clowns become entangled inshing line or are snared on hooks.

As its common name implies, the brownpelican has a dark brown body and wings, buthe plumage o its head and neck varies according to its breeding status. An immature pelicanhas a brown head and neck, but the eathers onthe ront o its neck turn white as it becomes anadult, some time between two and ve years oage. When courting in late winter, they develop

golden eathers on top o the head and pale blueeyes surrounded by pink skin. When nesting inlate winter or early spring, the eathers on theback o the neck turn chestnut. During the 30day incubation period, the eathers on top o thehead and the eyes whiten. While caring or theirhatched chicks, the parents develop white headand neck eathers, their eyes turn brown, andthe skin surrounding the eyes becomes gray.

Pelican with pouchcollapsed

When fshing, the brownpelican plummet divesrom the air at up to40 mph!

Creature Feature: The Brown PelicanText by Jenna Kinghorn Drawings by Kelly Huber


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Non-Proft Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 12

Moss Beach, CA 94038P. O . B o x 6 6 9 M o s s B e a c h , C A 9 4 0 3 8

w w w . f i t z g e r a l d r e s e r v e . o r g

Printed on recycled paper

Most visitors to Fitzgerald Marine Reservelove trips here because it's a place where they can ex-perience nature deeply. As docents we want to showpeople the many miraculous happenings o the in-tertidal and to instill a sense o stewardship that willlast a lietime. In Crow Planet Essential Wisdom

rom the Urban Wilderness, Lyanda Lynn Haupt asksreaders to think not o nature as somewhere OutTere, not as someplace to go, but surrounding usall the time. Such sojourns are nourishing and nec-essary, but it remains our daily lives, in the places welive that make us ecosystemic creatures; these arethe seat o our most meaningul interactions with,and impact upon, the wider, wilder earth.

Living in Seattle and suering rom depres-sion, Haupt becomes ascinated with the crowoutside her window. Already an ornithologist andwriter, she decides to become an urban naturalistwith a specic interest in crows.

Crows are over-abundant in most urban ar-eas, an indicator that our world is out o balance.Tey do not want to live close to humans but mosto their natural habitat has been destroyed. Tecrow is the most common wild animal most peopleencounter. Here, ater all, is a bird very much likeusat home, yet not entirely at home in the urbanhabitat, gleaning whats here while remaining wild,showing us whats beautiul, whats ugly and whatsmissing. Crows remind us that we make our homenot in a vacuum, but in a zoopolis, a place wherehuman and wild geographies meet and mingle.

Haupt weaves an incredible story o crowsthe philosophy o nature, and what it is to be a naturalist. How are people connected to the earth? Howwill we deal with the changing earth? Although sheis no Pollyanna, she believes it is easy to be cynicalMy on-going education in the close-to-home wildhas reinorced my sense that we are living in a gracedmoment, a rare earthly time in which our presenteveryday actions are meaningully entwined with abroader destiny.

Haupt discusses the importance o amateurnaturalists who become passionate about conserving a place or the wild. We can take responsibilityor our own biological education, and the earth-sus-taining work it entails need not wait or anointingrom either academia or politicians.

Wonder. It is what we aspire to instill inour visitors at the reserve. Haupt believes, Won-der eeds our best intelligence and is perhaps itssource Wonder is not a given: it is contingent onthe habit o being that allows it to arise in the aceo the wondrous.

Haupt wants to co-create and inhabit a nation o watchers, o naturalists-in-progress, noneo us perect, all sharing in the eort o watchingknowing, understanding, protecting and living welalongside the wildlie with whom we share our cit-ies, our neighborhoods, our households, our yardsour ecosystems, our earth.

Crow Planet:

Essential Wisdom rom the Urban Wildernessby Lyanda Lynn Haupt Little Brown Reviewed by Mary DeLong

...we are living in

a graced moment, a

rare earthly time in

which our present,

everyday actions

are meaningully

entwined with a

broader destiny.

fitzgerald marine reserve newsletter: between the tides: march 2010

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