[00:00:02]
THAT'S GOOD. WELCOME AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
THIS IS A REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON APRIL 28TH, 2025, BEGINNING AT 4 P.M.. IF THE CLERK COULD PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL.
[Roll Call]
YES. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH PRESENT. THANK YOU. MEMBER CHANG.NO. MEMBER CLAXTON HERE. THANK YOU. MEMBER DETJENS PRESENT.
THANK YOU. MEMBER DIETER HERE. MEMBER FARMER.
NO. MEMBER HENRY HERE. MEMBER. LOPEZ. PRESENT.
THANK YOU. MEMBER MAHADEVAN. YES. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARSH PRESENT.
THANK YOU. MEMBER MENDOZA HERE. YOUR MEMBER OBRINGER HERE.
THANK YOU. MEMBER. PEOPLES. PRESENT. MEMBER. REID PRESENT.
MEMBER. SIMMONS PRESENT. THANK YOU. MEMBER VALENZUELA HERE.
AND MEMBER WILLIAMS HERE. THANK YOU. I WILL NOW READ A NOTE ON THE BROWN ACT AND MEETING PROCEDURES. TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT OR PARK DISTRICT INTENDS TO HOLD MEETINGS THROUGH A HYBRID PLATFORM OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE ATTENDANCE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE VIA REMOTE ATTENDANCE THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT'S VIRTUAL PLATFORM OF ZOOM.
THE PARK ADVISORY MEMBERS AND DESIGNATED STAFF WILL, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, PARTICIPATE IN PERSON AT THE PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS AT 2950 PERALTA OAKS COURT IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. OCCASIONALLY.
MEMBERS OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAY ATTEND REMOTELY PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT, AS AMENDED BY AB 249 PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54 953, SUBDIVISION B. PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER DENNISHA MARSH WILL PARTICIPATE FROM 352 SHORELINE DRIVE IN PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA, AND PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER CARLYN OBRINGER WILL PARTICIPATE FROM 1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE IN CONCORD, CALIFORNIA. AND FINALLY, PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER CORINA LOPEZ WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE FROM 5921 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DRIVE IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. THIS NOTICE AND AGENDA WILL BE POSTED AT THE TELECONFERENCE.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO EITHER IN PERSON OR LIVE VIA ZOOM, OR BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL TO PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT EB PARKS.ORG, OR LEAVING A VOICEMAIL AT (510) 544-2036. THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.
THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY AND ON BEHALF OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL OF THE LANDS WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ARE THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF THE EAST BAY, OHLONE, BAY MIWOK, AND THE NORTHERN VALLEY YOKUT, WHO ARE POLITICALLY ORGANIZED AND REPRESENTED BY A NUMBER OF TRIBES.
THE PARK DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING WAYS TO WORK AND CONSULT WITH EAST BAY TRIBES, AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE TRIBAL CITIZENS REMAIN CONNECTED TO THEIR LAND AND CULTURE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE IN THE VILLAGE OF HUIXIAN IN CHOCHENYO LAND.
THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY DUE TO AN EMERGENCY THAT WISH TO REQUEST THE BODY'S APPROVAL TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? SEEING NONE FOR MEMBERS WHO PREVIOUSLY NOTED THEIR REMOTE PARTICIPATION PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, WE WILL NOW CONFIRM IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS PRESENT AT YOUR MEETING LOCATION.
MEMBER MARSH IS APPEARING REMOTELY. PAC. MEMBER MARSH.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE THAT ARE OR WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION? NO. THANK YOU. MEMBER. OBRINGER IS APPEARING REMOTELY.
PAC. MEMBER OBRINGER. ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE THAT ARE OR WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION? THERE ARE NONE CURRENTLY AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO ONE ELSE IS PLANNING TO JOIN ME, BUT THIS IS OPEN.
IF SOMEONE IF SOMEONE COMES BUT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU. MEMBER LOPEZ IS APPEARING REMOTELY.
[00:05:01]
PAC. MEMBER LOPEZ. ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE THAT AT OR WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION? NO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO NOW AN APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND WE HAVE TWO.[Approval of Minutes]
FIRST APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 24TH, 2020 FIVE MINUTES.DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? AND A SECOND.
SO MOVED. I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. MOVED BY PEOPLES.
SECONDED BY MAHADEVAN. CLERK. IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE A VOTE.
YES. OKAY. FIRST UP MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH A MEMBER CLAXTON APPROVE.
MEMBER DETJENS A MEMBER DIETER. A MEMBER HENRY.
YES. MEMBER LOPEZ. YES. MEMBER MAHADEVAN. YES.
MEMBER MARSH. YES. MEMBER MENDOZA A MEMBER OBRINGER.
YES. MEMBER PEOPLES. A MEMBER REID. A MEMBER SIMMONS.
A MEMBER VALENZUELA. YES. AND MEMBER WILLIAMS. YES. THANK YOU. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE ALSO HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 24TH, 2020 FIVE MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? AND A SECOND.
MOVED BY VALENZUELA. SECOND. SECOND. SIR. WHO SECONDED.
YES. MEMBER DIETER. YES. ON PAGE TEN, UP NEAR THE BOTTOM RIGHT BEFORE MEMBERS CHANG. MIKE, THE COMMENTS THAT I MADE AT THE MEETING ARE MISSING, SO I WOULD LIKE TO INSERT THOSE.
I DID PUT THEM IN WRITING FOR THE CLERK SO SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO TO WORRY ABOUT IT, BUT YOU MAY ALL RECALL THAT I PROVIDED STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND AND THEY DID. AND THEN I REQUESTED THAT THAT THE 1100 MILES OF FIRE ROADS BE CONSIDERED MULTI-USE TRAILS IN THE MATRIX OF AVAILABLE TRAILS, SO THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS THESE ROADS ARE NOT OFF LIMITS, AND THAT IT WOULD HELP THE PARK DISTRICT LOOK GOOD.
AND ALL USERS KNOW THAT THERE ARE MILES TO USE.
AND THEN MR. DUGAN DID REPLY THAT USERS DO NOT WANT TO USE FIRE ROADS, SO IT IS NOT ACCURATE TO SAY THAT BICYCLISTS HAVE ALL THESE MILES TO GO ON WHEN THEY DON'T, WHEN THEY WANT NARROW TRAILS, BUT THEY BOTH BOTH PRESENTERS DID INDICATE THE VALUE OF COMBINING FIRE ROADS AND MULTI-USE TRAILS ON THEIR MATRIX.
THANK YOU. MEMBER. DIETER. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED? SO MOVED. SECOND. MOVED BY BARTLEBAUGH I THINK.
SECOND. BY LOPEZ. LOPEZ. YES. THANK YOU. CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE. GREAT. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. AYE. MEMBER CLAXTON.
AYE. MEMBER DETJENS. ABSTAIN. MEMBER DIETER. AYE.
CAN I SEE? MEMBER FARMER IS HERE NOW. MEMBER FARMER.
AYE. THANK YOU. MEMBER HENRY. ABSTAIN. MEMBER LOPEZ.
I REMEMBER MAHADEVAN. I REMEMBER MARSH.
MEMBERS. MARSH. OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ON. REMEMBER MENDOZA.
I REMEMBER OBRINGER. YES. REMEMBER PEOPLES. I REMEMBER REID.
I REMEMBER SIMMONS. I REMEMBER VALENZUELA. YES.
AND MEMBERS. WILLIAMS. I THANK YOU, THE MOTION CARRIES.
I WILL NOW EXPLAIN HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED ONE OF THREE WAYS ONE.
VIA EMAIL TO PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT EB PARKS AUG TWO VIA VOICEMAIL AT (510) 544-2036 AND LEAVING A MESSAGE WHICH WILL BE TRANSCRIBED AND GIVEN TO THE BOARD AND MADE A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD OR THREE BY JOINING THE MEETING VIA THE ZOOM LINK, WHICH IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA POSTED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
[00:10:02]
THE SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS NOTICED ON THE AGENDA AND THE PARK ADVISORY PACKET POSTED ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.HAS THE CLERK RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR SPEAKER'S CARDS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA? NO, WE HAVE NOT. OKAY. AGAIN, WE WILL PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AT THE END OF EACH ITEM.
TO BEGIN WITH, OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE NIGHT WILL BE ACTION ITEMS. NONE. WE HAVE SEVERAL INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND I WANT TO POINT OUT DIRECTOR ECHOLS WILL BE JOINING US TONIGHT.
[Informational Items]
SO WE'RE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HER AND WE'LL BE HEARING FROM HER AFTER A COUPLE PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF AND CLERK.IF YOU COULD PLEASE ALSO CALL ON MEMBER FARMER WHEN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS JOSH PHILLIPS.
I'M THE ACTING ECOLOGICAL SERVICES MANAGER. AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY COLLEAGUE BROOKE VINNEDGE, WHO'S AN ECOLOGICAL SERVICES COORDINATOR. WE'RE BOTH IN THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE BOTH EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS AND WILDLIFE AND UNIQUE HABITATS. MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE KNOW WHERE THESE SENSITIVE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ARE. THAT IS THE DATA THAT IS COLLECTED AND USED IN MANAGEMENT OF OUR LANDS.
SO I BELIEVE EVERYONE HERE IS PROBABLY VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PARK DISTRICT'S MISSION STATEMENT.
I'M I LOVE OUR MISSION STATEMENT. I THINK IT'S A IT'S A REALLY IT'S A GREAT MISSION STATEMENT.
AND IT REQUIRES THAT WE DO MULTIPLE THINGS. IT REQUIRES THAT WE PROVIDE RECREATION, PRESERVE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND REALLY IMPORTANTLY, THAT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC GUIDES THE DISTRICT IN ALL OF ITS ACTIVITIES.
OWNING THE LAND AND PRESERVING IT AS OPEN SPACE IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP.
BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT NATURAL RESOURCES ARE PRESENT, THE CONDITION OF THOSE RESOURCES, AND MANAGING TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THOSE RESOURCES IS REALLY ESSENTIAL TO MEETING THE GOALS OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
AND TO DO THIS, IT TAKES DATA. SO IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO TOUCH ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PARK DISTRICT LANDS AND THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR LANDS IN REGIONAL CONSERVATION. SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR COLLECTING BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES DATA, OTHER SOURCES OF DATA THAT WE USE. AND THEN IN CONCLUSION, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE USING THIS DATA TO BE GUIDED BY AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC WHILE SUPPORTING THE PARK DISTRICT'S MISSION. SO WE LIVE IN A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN TERMS OF BIODIVERSITY.
CALIFORNIA HAS THE MOST TOTAL SPECIES AND THE MOST ENDEMIC SPECIES OF ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHERE ENDEMIC SPECIES ARE A SPECIES THAT OCCUR NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
TOPOGRAPHY. OUR PROXIMITY TO THE BAY AND THE PACIFIC REALLY MAKE US A HOTSPOT WITHIN A HOTSPOT.
SO THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE NATURE AND OBSERVE PLANTS AND WILDLIFE.
WE HAVE THREE ENDEMIC SPECIES IN THE BAY AREA AND ALL OF THEM OCCUR ON OUR PARK DISTRICT LANDS.
THIS INCLUDES THE ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE, CALIFORNIA, RIDGWAY'S RAIL AND THE SALT MARSH HARVEST MOUSE.
CALIFORNIA HAS HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF IMPERILED BIODIVERSITY, THAT IS, SPECIES THAT ARE AT RISK OF EXTINCTION DUE TO HABITAT LOSS, CLIMATE CHANGE, URBANIZATION, AND OTHER FACTORS.
SO GIVEN ALL OF THIS AT THE PARK DISTRICT, WE REALLY DO HAVE AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY TO STEWARD OUR LANDS TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY AND TO MAINTAIN RESILIENT LANDSCAPES. SO THE PARK DISTRICT MANAGES APPROXIMATELY 127,000 ACRES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LAND AND IT'S SPREAD OVER 73 PARKS.
AND WE GET CURRENT ESTIMATES OR WE GET AROUND 25 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR.
[00:15:06]
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MAP THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE, AND I CAN SEE IT'S NOT SUPER CLEAR.SO I'LL JUST KIND OF TALK YOU THROUGH WHAT'S ON THE MAP.
IT'S SHOWING CRITICAL HABITAT FOR THREE FEDERALLY LISTED SPECIES, INCLUDING THE ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE, CALIFORNIA RED LEGGED FROG AND CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER.
CRITICAL HABITAT IS DESIGNATED BY THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
WHEN A SPECIES IS LISTED UNDER THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND ITS LAND THAT IS CONSIDERED BY THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO BE ESSENTIAL TO THE CONSERVATION OF A SPECIES OF THAT SPECIES THAT'S BEEN LISTED. THE MAPS ALSO SHOWING A BUNCH OF DOTS.
AND THOSE ARE OCCURRENCES OF THOSE THREE SPECIES THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
AND SO THE REAL TAKE HOME MESSAGE HERE IS THAT PARK DISTRICT LANDS CONTAIN HABITATS THAT'S ESSENTIAL TO THE CONSERVATION OF LISTED SPECIES, AND THAT WE HAVE POPULATIONS OF THESE SPECIES ON OUR LANDS.
AND THE GOALS THAT WE'RE REALLY CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS ARE CONSERVING AND RESTORING BIODIVERSITY, BUILDING RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND EXPANDING ACCESS TO NATURE.
SO THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS A SAMPLING OF THE SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES THAT ARE PRESENT ON OUR PARKLANDS.
SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES INCLUDES SPECIES THAT ARE RARE, SENSITIVE, ENDANGERED, THREATENED AS DESIGNATED BY A STATE OR FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCY, BUT ALSO SPECIES THAT MEET THAT CRITERIA BASED ON EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, SUCH AS THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY.
SO WE HAVE UPWARDS OF ABOUT 80 SPECIAL STATUS WILDLIFE SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED OR THAT COULD OCCUR ON PARK DISTRICT LANDS BASED ON SUITABLE HABITAT, REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND OTHER FACTORS. AND WE HAVE UPWARDS OF ABOUT 120 SPECIAL STATUS OR OTHERWISE CONSIDERED RARE PLANT SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED OR THAT OCCUR ON PARK DISTRICT LANDS.
PROTECTING THESE SPECIES IS INHERENT IN THE PARK DISTRICT'S MISSION, AND GIVEN THE RARITY OF THESE SPECIES, INFORMED MANAGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING DRIVEN BY DATA IS REALLY ESSENTIAL.
SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHERE THESE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ARE? WE REALLY HAVE LOTS OF DATA AT OUR FINGERTIPS.
SO SOME OF THIS DATA COMES FROM DATABASES RUN BY STATE REGULATORY AGENCIES.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
AND I'M GOING TO START WITH SOME OF THE LARGER PUBLIC FACING DATABASES.
AND THEN BROOKE WILL TALK IN DETAIL ABOUT MORE DATA, ABOUT DATA MORE SPECIFIC TO THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THIS IS NOT A JACKSON POLLOCK PAINTING.
IT IS WHAT IS CALLED THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL DIVERSITY DATABASE.
HAS IS ANYONE HERE FAMILIAR WITH THIS DATABASE AND SEEN IT? OKAY. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE WHO HAVEN'T WORKED WITH IT BEFORE, IT IS A DATABASE THAT'S RUN BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
SO THE WAY IT WORKS IS WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS, BIOLOGISTS, BOTANISTS ARE OUT DOING SURVEYS AND YOU DOCUMENT A SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES, IT'S THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARD TO REPORT IT TO THE CMDB.
AND THEN THAT DATA GETS ROLLED INTO THIS. IT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP, BUT IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF AN EVALUATION BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME KEY LIMITATIONS TO THIS DATABASE THAT YOU NEED TO BE VERY AWARE OF WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH IT.
SO IT CAN TAKE SOMETIMES A YEAR OR MORE. AND THEN ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO ALWAYS BE AWARE OF WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH THIS DATABASE IS THAT THE DATA IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE DATA THAT'S GONE INTO IT. SO THE KIND OF THE IRONY HERE IS THAT IF THERE HAD BEEN IMAGINED A BIG SUBDIVISION PROJECT THAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING PROCESS, THERE'S A LOT OF BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES SURVEYS THAT ARE DONE.
[00:20:03]
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DATA FOR THOSE AREAS. BUT IN AREAS THAT ARE UNDEVELOPED, THERE'S BEEN NO ACTIVITIES PROPOSED OUT THERE, AND THEY MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES.LESS DATA MIGHT BE SHOWN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS.
THE PARK DISTRICT AND ALL OF OUR CONSULTANTS.
EACH OF THESE SHAPES REPRESENTS EITHER A POPULATION OR AN OCCURRENCE OF A SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES.
IF YOU WERE IF THIS WAS ON YOUR COMPUTER, YOU WOULD CLICK ON IT.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMMUNITY SCIENCE, WHICH IS KIND OF A NEWER FORM OF DATA.
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT RECREATION ON PARK DISTRICT LANDS.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IN 2024 96 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THAT'S ABOUT THREE OUT OF TEN AMERICANS ENGAGED IN BIRDING IN 2024, IN SOME FORM.
SO PEOPLE ARE COMING TO OUR PARKS, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY TO GO BIRDING, TO DOCUMENT PLANTS, TO DOCUMENT OTHER WILDLIFE. SO THIS IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR FORM OF RECREATION.
IF YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED WITH THESE APPS, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
THE WAY THEY GENERALLY WORK IS THEY ALLOW PEOPLE TO DOCUMENT WHAT THEY SEE, SHARE THEIR OBSERVATIONS, INCLUDING PHOTOS. EXPERTS CAN CONFIRM THE IDENTIFICATION OF A SPECIES, AND THEN THIS INFORMATION IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
SO PEOPLE USE IT TO GUIDE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO TO SEE A PARTICULAR SPECIES.
SO TO DATE, THERE HAVE BEEN ALMOST 50,000 PEOPLE IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES THAT HAVE RECORDED OVER 1.2 MILLION OBSERVATIONS OF PLANTS, ANIMALS AND OTHER ORGANISMS. AND BIRDERS IN OUR TWO COUNTIES HAVE LOGGED MORE THAN 6 MILLION BIRD OBSERVATIONS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING OUT AND DOING THIS ACTIVITY ON OUR PARKS.
A REAL BENEFIT OF THIS TYPE OF DATA IS THAT IT'S IT'S UPDATED IN REAL TIME.
IF YOU RECALL, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CMDB.
IT CAN MAYBE TAKE A YEAR BEFORE AN OCCURRENCE COMES UP.
AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, REAL TIME INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD A PAIR OF BALD EAGLES THAT WERE HANGING OUT AT LAKE TEMESCAL.
AND I'M SURE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE USED THIS, THESE APPS, AND THEY MIGHT HAVE GONE OUT AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE BALD EAGLES IN THE BAY AREA FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO WE'RE ALSO OUR DATA SPECIALISTS AT THE PARK DISTRICT ARE ABLE TO HARVEST DATA FROM THESE DATABASES, AND WE'RE INCORPORATING THIS DATA AS WELL INTO OUR MANAGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING.
THANK YOU, JOSH, AND THANK YOU, PAC, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
STUDY. IN OUR PARKLANDS. THIS FIRST ONE IS THE POND PROGRAM.
THE POND PROGRAM IS AMAZING. WE MAINTAIN HUNDREDS OF STOCK PONDS ACROSS OUR PARKLANDS.
BUT TODAY, A LOT OF THESE PONDS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AQUATIC HABITAT FOR A LISTED SPECIES LIKE THE CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER AND THE CALIFORNIA RED LEGGED FROG AND THE WESTERN POND TURTLE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY A CANDIDATE FOR LISTING.
[00:25:03]
WHICH IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DATA. AND THIS IN THIS SLIDE, THIS IS A QUERY OF RED LEGGED FROG AND CTS IN BLACK DIAMOND MINES, DEER VALLEY AND CLAYTON RANCH. AND YOU CAN SEE THE YELLOW DOTS ARE WHERE WE HAVE OBSERVED THE CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDERS.AND THE RED DOTS ARE WHERE WE HAVE OBSERVED THE CALIFORNIA RED LEGGED FROGS.
SO IT'S REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO JUST CALL THIS UP.
THE NEXT PROGRAM I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR CAMERAS, OUR CAMERA TRAPPING PROGRAM.
IN 2020, THE PARK DISTRICT ESTABLISHED A WILDLIFE CAMERA TRAPPING PROGRAM THAT CONSISTS OF 100 WILDLIFE CAMERAS SITUATED IN A GRID COVERING 100KM² IN THE MOUNT HAMILTON REGION. THE CAMERAS ARE MOTION ACTIVATED AND THE TARGET SPECIES INCLUDE MAMMALS SUCH AS PUMA, GRAY FOX, BOBCAT, GROUND SQUIRREL AND SOME RARE MESO CARNIVORES LIKE RINGTAIL AND SPOTTED SKUNK, ALTHOUGH WE NEVER GET THOSE. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY PROVIDE VITAL DATA ABOUT MAMMAL DISTRIBUTION, OCCUPANCY, AND TRENDS IN ABUNDANCE. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, OUR CAMERAS HAVE DOCUMENTED BREEDING PUMA IN PLEASANTON RIDGE.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE FOOTAGE THAT MADE THE NEWS LAST SUMMER.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY THREE JUVENILES AND THEIR MOM.
IT WAS REMARKABLE. THE HUNDRED CAMERA GRID COMPLEMENTS SOME OF OUR OTHER CAMERA TRAPPING STUDIES, SUCH AS THE POST-FIRE MONITORING IN THE MOUNT DIABLO REGION.
THE INFORMATION WE ARE COLLECTING WAS ANALYZED AND PUBLISHED IN A 2022 DOCUMENT CALLED NATURE CHECK, WHICH I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT LATER IN A COUPLE MORE SLIDES, BUT IN SHORT, NATURE CHECK INFORMS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND TRENDS IN LOCAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. NEXT, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SHORELINE SPECIES AND HABITATS.
DID IT NOT MOVE FORWARD? OKAY. HANG ON. BEAR WITH ME.
THERE IT IS. OKAY. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE 15 SHORELINE PARKLANDS.
OH, DEAR. THERE'S A LAG. YEAH. OKAY, HERE WE GO.
AND THE REMAINING HABITAT IS THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE.
MANAGEMENT OF SHORELINE HABITAT IS ALSO COMPLICATED BY THE MANY DIFFERENT LANDOWNERS, REGULATORY AGENCIES, AND INTERESTED PARTIES THAT PLAY A ROLE IN PROTECTING AND RESTORING THESE HABITATS.
SHORELINE HABITATS WARRANT SPECIAL ATTENTION AND PROTECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE HOME TO A UNIQUE SET OF SPECIES THAT ARE UNDER THREAT FROM SEA LEVEL RISE, AND ALSO FROM OTHER STRESSORS LIKE NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE PREDATORS.
THE SPECIES THAT WE MONITOR FOR INCLUDE WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER, CALIFORNIA LEAST TERN, SALT MARSH HARVEST MOUSE, AND RIDGWAY'S RAIL. PROBABLY OTHERS TOO, THAT I'M FORGETTING.
OKAY, THE LAST SLIDE IS VEGETATION. THIS LAST PROGRAM, IT'S THE FINE SCALE VEGETATION MAPPING PROGRAM. AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THIS SLIDE IS A FINE SCALE MAPPING OF NATIVE GRASSLANDS IN PLEASANTON RIDGE.
THE PARK DISTRICT'S FINE SCALE VEGETATION MAPPING STUDY, WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, HAS FAR REACHING USES INCLUDING CONSERVATION, STEWARDSHIP, RECREATION AND IDENTIFYING FUTURE STUDIES OF NOTE.
MARIN COUNTY AND SONOMA COUNTY HAVE HAD THESE DETAILED DATA SETS FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
KNOWING WHERE THESE RARE GRASSLANDS ARE LOCATED HELPS INFORM PARK MANAGEMENT AND PARK PLANNING.
OKAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER SOURCES OF DATA.
WE JUST PUT THESE IN A BULLET LIST. THIS IS NOT AN INCLUSIVE LIST.
[00:30:02]
WE RELY HEAVILY ON OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, UNIVERSITIES, NONPROFITS AND CONTRACTORS TO SURVEY AND MONITOR OUR PARKLANDS.FOR EXAMPLE, UC SANTA BARBARA HAS A $1.2 MILLION GRANT WORKING WITH COLORADO STATE, RESEARCHING PATHOGENS AND THE EFFECTS OF EXTREME DROUGHT IN OUR PONDS. THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE AND UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO ARE CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON SHELL DISEASE IN WESTERN POND TURTLES IN OUR PONDS. COLLABORATING WITH OTHER AGENCIES NOT ONLY ALLOWS THE PARK DISTRICT TO LEVERAGE FUNDS, BUT REACH A WIDER COMMUNITY OF RESEARCH SCIENTISTS, WHICH ULTIMATELY BENEFITS THE SPECIES ON OUR LANDS.
FINALLY, HOW DO WE USE THIS DATA IN A MEANINGFUL WAY? I PROMISED I WOULD TALK ABOUT NATURE. CHECK. HAS ANYBODY HERE HEARD OF NATURE? CHECK. ONE GREAT NATURE CHECK IS A 22 REPORT THAT COVERS THREE SUBREGIONS IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES.
WE WORKED ON THIS DOCUMENT WITH PARTNER AGENCIES INCLUDING LIKE SFPUC, CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, EAST BAY MUD. SO IT'S NOT JUST PARK DISTRICT LANDS.
SO THIS STUDY NOT ONLY LOOKED AT PRESENCE ABSENCE DATA, BUT IT ASSESSED SPECIES TRENDS OVER TIME.
AND YOU CAN SEE OUR AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES. I'M SORRY.
OUR AMPHIBIANS ARE DOING WELL. OUR GROUND SQUIRRELS ARE DOING QUITE WELL.
BUT UNDER BIRDS, THAT RED SQUARE INDICATES GRASSLAND BIRDS ARE GRASSLAND.
THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY INDICATE THAT SOME SPECIES ARE SUFFERING FROM MULTIPLE STRESSORS ON THE LANDSCAPE, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE FOR THESE IF WE WANT OUR SPECIES TO SURVIVE.
SOME OF THE MOST COMMON STRESSORS ARE NON-NATIVE, INVASIVE PLANTS, NON-NATIVE INVASIVE ANIMALS LIKE BULLFROGS, PROLONGED DROUGHT, AND HIGH INTENSITY WILDFIRES.
SO TO WRAP UP, THE PARK DISTRICT HAS COME A LONG WAY.
20 YEARS AGO, WE RECORDED OUR DATA BY HAND IN NOTEBOOKS RIGHT IN THE RAIN.
TODAY WE USE ARCGIS AND IPADS TO COLLECT OUR FIELD DATA.
IT'S REALLY FUN TO KNOW WHERE THE SPECIES ARE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION HELPS WITH IMPLEMENTING RESPONSIBLE LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAD A POPULATION OF A RARE PLANT NEXT TO A TRAIL OR A NESTING BURROWING OWL NEXT TO A TRAIL, BY ALL MEANS WE WOULD KNOW THAT DOGS SHOULD BE ON LEASH ON THAT TRAIL.
SO THAT HELPS US MANAGE OUR PARKS. AS JOSH MENTIONED.
JOSH MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS DATA ALSO PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR PLANNING FOR RESPONSIBLE RECREATION.
THESE FOLKS HAVE AND CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE VAST DATABASE OF SPECIES LOCATION INFORMATION.
THEY ALLOW ME AND JOSH AND ALL OF US, THE ABILITY TO GENERATE MAPS AND FIGURES THAT CLEARLY PRESENT REAL TIME INFORMATION TO REGULATORY AGENCY STAFF AND INTERESTED PARTIES. HAVING THIS DATA AT OUR FINGERTIPS WITH A SIMPLE QUERY IS INVALUABLE.
TWO OF THEM ARE SITTING RIGHT HERE. THESE FOLKS SPEND LONG, HARD DAYS SURVEYING FOR THESE SPECIES.
SO THANK YOU. I ALSO BROUGHT A COPY OF NATURE CHECK IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE IT.
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION. QUESTIONS? NUMBER DETJENS. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE USE AND THE ACCURACY OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE THAT IS GATHERED.
[00:35:07]
I RECOGNIZE OR JUST LOGICALLY, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE PUTTING SOMETHING ON AN APP OR LETTING THE APP FIGURE OUT WHAT SPECIES THIS IS PROBABLY IS OF LESS IMPORTANCE OR LESS ACCURACY, MAYBE, THAN HAVING YOUR BIOLOGIST ACTUALLY HAVE EYES ON IT.IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OF THAT OR ANY ADJUSTMENT THAT'S MADE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS? DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OR. WELL, IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
AND YES, THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERATION. I WHAT'S IT CALLED WHEN IT GETS THEIR RESEARCH GRADE.
SO DETECTIONS, OBSERVATIONS. DON'T GET WELL, TAMMY, YOU'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THIS NOW.
SORRY, TAMMY. SHE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO TALK, BUT SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO TALK. SO FOR COMMUNITY SCIENCE DATABASES LIKE INATURALIST, THERE'S USUALLY USE A PHOTO OR A VOICE RECORDING.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE BIRD CALLS. AND THEN WHEN YOU POST IT, ANOTHER EXPERT CAN VERIFY IT.
SO IF THERE'S AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT EXPERTS OR JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR STUFF, IT WILL GET ELEVATED TO RESEARCH GRADE. SO WHEN WE'RE USING THOSE DATA, WE ONLY USE RESEARCH GRADE OBSERVATIONS IN OUR ANALYZES.
THANK YOU. THANKS, TAMMY. MEMBERS PEOPLES. AND THEN MEMBERS VALENZUELA.
AND I GUESS MY INTEREST AND. I HOPE THE FOCUS WILL BE ON HOW THAT IS INTERPRETED AND HOW IT IS USED TO MANAGE PARKLAND. AND ALSO TO COORDINATE WITH OTHER LANDOWNERS AND AND OTHER AGENCIES. THE. IT'S CLEAR THAT ANY DATABASE YOU HAVE IS GOING TO HAVE LIMITS AND WHATNOT, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE INTERPRETED.
AND THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BUT SOMEHOW OR OTHER, WHAT'S THE MECHANISM FOR PULLING ALL THIS TOGETHER AND INTERPRETING IT IN A WAY THAT CAN BE USEFUL TO THE MANAGERS ON THE GROUND? I THINK IS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I, I KNOW YOU FOCUS ON SPECIAL SPECIES OF SPECIAL INTEREST AND WHATNOT, NOT, BUT THEY'RE PART OF A LARGER ECOSYSTEM WHICH ARE INCORPORATED IN THE OPEN SPACE WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE PARK, BUT ALSO THE ADJACENT OPEN SPACE THAT'S HELD BY OTHER AGENCIES AND IN SOME CASES, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. THE AND AGAIN, TO ME, THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON A LANDSCAPE LEVEL, TRYING TO MANAGE THESE RESOURCES, NOT ONLY THE SPECIAL NEEDS SPECIES, BUT ALSO THE REST OF THE SPECIES THAT ARE THERE. YOU KNOW, WE CAN FOCUS IN ON NESTING SITES FOR RAPTORS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT YET RAPTORS CAN RANGE OVER A VERY LARGE AREA.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE HUNTING DURING THE YEAR, I KNOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE CLOSE TO SOME RIDGELINES AND IT'S A JOY TO WATCH THE, THE RAPTORS HUNTING IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL AS EGRETS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COLONIAL NESTING BIRD FROM WETLANDS, BUT THEY'RE UP ON THE HILLS HERE HUNTING.
AND IT'S COMING FROM THE EAST, WHERE I SAW A LOT OF THESE IN THE WETLANDS.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME TO SEE THEM IN THESE DRY GRASSLANDS.
THE AND THEN THE OTHER, THE OTHER ASPECT OF THIS, WHICH I THINK WE NEED TO BE PAY ATTENTION TO.
AND AGAIN, BY TAKING A LANDSCAPE LOOK AT THIS, WE CAN REALLY FOCUS ON ECOSYSTEM CONNECTIVITY.
HAVING A SMALL GROUP OF IMPERILED SPECIES IN AN ISOLATED AREA IS GREAT, BUT GENETICALLY, THAT POPULATION IS GOING TO SUFFER OVER TIME AND BECOME LESS VIABLE UNLESS THERE IS ECOSYSTEM ECOSYSTEM CONNECTIVITY FOR, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY A LOT OF THESE REPTILES AND SMALLER ANIMALS THAT CAN'T TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT OPEN SPACE TO CONNECT.
SO IT'S PART OF A VERY LARGE MANAGEMENT ISSUE.
AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE, THE DISTRICT COULD BE A LEADER IN HELPING TO BRING TOGETHER A LANDSCAPE APPROACH FOR, FOR DEALING WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
YEAH, I AGREE WITH ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND I CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THEM.
[00:40:03]
SO WITH NATURE CHECK, WE WORKED WITH, YOU KNOW, EAST BAY MUD SFPUC KIND OF ALL OF OUR SISTER AGENCIES AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE LAND ADJACENT TO US BECAUSE SPECIES DON'T KNOW THE BOUNDARIES ON MAPS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING BETWEEN OUR LANDS.SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT KIND OF ON A LARGER LANDSCAPE LEVEL.
AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD BE USING OUR DATA TO KIND OF GET A BIGGER LANDSCAPE UNDERSTANDING AND TO GUIDE OUR MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING IN REAL TIME NOW.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE A DECISION SUPPORT TOOL WHERE WE'RE TAKING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, AND WE ARE MODELING IT TO KIND OF HELP US BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE TO DO TWO THINGS, LIKE WHERE WE THINK AREAS THAT WILL HAVE KIND OF THE HIGHEST CONSERVATION VALUE, HAVE THE HIGHEST SPECIES THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT LIKE MANAGEMENT MORE TOWARDS CONSERVATION, AND AT THE SAME TIME WHERE WE CAN BE THINKING ABOUT WHERE IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE MORE RECREATION AS WELL.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO USE THIS WHOLE BODY OF DATA WE HAVE AND ORGANIZE IT, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR GIS SPECIALISTS TO HAVE BE ABLE TO CAST THAT KIND OF WIDER VIEW OF THE PARK DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN DO REGION WIDE PLANNING WITH IT.
AND AND JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT IT'S ALL CONDITIONAL, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND NEW INFORMATION AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET MORE INFORMATION, AND IT'S GOING TO CHANGE SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS SO THAT WHATEVER WE COME UP WITH, WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK IN TERMS OF BEING VERY NIMBLE TO TO DEAL WITH THAT. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT.
SO IF I SEE SOMETHING. WHERE DO I REPORT IT? BECAUSE I SAW FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, ALAMEDA, WHIPSNAKE, AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY SIGHTING THAT WE'VE SEEN THERE.
DID YOU GET A PHOTO? I WAS TOO EXCITED. OKAY.
I MEAN, IT WAS SO PRETTY. AND I KNELT DOWN ABOUT FIVE FEET FROM IT, TEN FEET FROM IT.
AND I JUST LOOKED AT IT AND YEAH. SO I DIDN'T GET MY PHONE OUT QUICK ENOUGH.
I WAS JUST OVERLY EXCITED. BUT IF I SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR WHATEVER I SEE, WHERE DO I REPORT IT? DEFINITELY TAKE A PHOTO. THE PHOTOS ARE HOW THEY GET VERIFIED, TERRIFIED, YOU KNOW? SO WE CAN'T JUST TAKE SOMEBODY'S WORD, SADLY, BECAUSE SOMETIMES SPECIES ARE HARD TO IDENTIFY.
BUT INATURALIST WOULD BE WHERE YOU WOULD UPLOAD IT.
AND IN FACT, WE HAVE A DAY OF TRAINING ON WEDNESDAY.
STEWARDSHIP IS GOING TO BE TRAINING THE STAFF ON USING INATURALIST.
THE THAT'S THE ONLY SIGHTING THAT I KNOW OF THERE.
AND 14 YEARS ONLY THE ONLY TIME THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IT IN THAT ONE, THAT ONE LOCATION.
YEAH, IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IF IT WAS THAT BIG BREAK. SO, YEAH.
SO IF YOU DO GET A PHOTO YOU KNOW, ALSO LET PARK STAFF SEE IT TOO.
AND WE CAN WE CAN ALWAYS HELP WITH IDENTITY. YEAH, BECAUSE I LET WYATT KNOW ABOUT IT THE FIRST, I MEAN, JUST I MEAN, I RAN BACK TO THE VISITOR CENTER, AND I WAS JUST SO EXCITED, BUT I JUST COULDN'T GET MY PHONE OUT QUICK ENOUGH.
NO. YEAH, AND LETTING WYATT KNOW IS A GOOD FIRST STEP, TOO.
YEAH. THAT'S PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MEMBER LOPEZ.
YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR VERY FASCINATING AND INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
AND I, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE FINE FOLKS ON STAFF THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK AND SO FORTH, AND AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE DATA. THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS, WELL, THERE'S TWO THAT WERE PROMPTED FROM THE PRESENTATION AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT NOT HAVING ASKED IN ADVANCE SO YOU COULD PREPARE THE ANSWERS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER HAPPILY, HAVE THAT VIA EMAIL.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT OUR FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS OR COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH WHICH WHICH NONPROFITS OR CAN YOU GIVE ME A FEW EXAMPLES? OF THAT. THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION. SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND ASK MY SECOND QUESTION? CHAIR OR. YES, PLEASE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST AROUND WHEN THERE IS SOME ALONG THE TRAILS, THERE IS SOME SENSITIVITY.
THAT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE. AND YOU MENTIONED DOGS BEING HAVING TO BE PUT ON LEASH.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF LAND IN THE PARKS DISTRICT WHERE DOGS ARE ALLOWED TO BE OFF LEASH.
[00:45:05]
YOU KNOW, WALKING THEIR DOGS FOR YEARS ON THE SAME TRAIL IS IS RIGHT FOR THAT MOMENT AND THAT THAT PERIOD OF TIME OFF LIMITS TO DOING DOING THAT. HOW HOW HOW IS THAT INFORMED TO THE PUBLIC AND HOW IS THAT ENFORCED? THANK YOU. OKAY. AS FAR AS NONPROFITS GO, WE ARE PART OF THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK AND THE.THAT'S A GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT AND GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST AND RCDS NRC. NRCS IS NOT PART OF IT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF OUTREACH TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT MANAGE LAND AND WORK ON.
AND WE COLLABORATE WITH THOSE FOLKS ALL THE TIME.
AND PEOPLE OFTEN APPLY FOR RESEARCH PERMITS TO DO RESEARCH ON OUR LANDS.
AND WE OVERSEE THOSE. SO THAT'S ANSWERING THAT QUESTION.
AS FAR AS THE DOGS SIGNS ARE REALLY OUR BEST FRIEND FOR THAT.
IT'S CHALLENGING. I'M A DOG OWNER, I'M A DOG LOVER, AND I KNOW HOW MUCH THEY LOVE TO RUN OFF LEASH.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE IT JUST SHOULDN'T BE AN OFF LEASH DOG AREA.
THERE ARE AREAS WHERE IT IS. POINT ISABEL IT'S A PERFECT PLACE TO LET YOUR DOG RUN OFF LEASH, SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT WHERE WE LET DOGS OFF LEASH.
THAT'S I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
YEAH. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THE EXAMPLE OF IF THERE WAS A BURROWING OWL FOUND ALONG A TRAIL, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING UP SIGNAGE THAT IN THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE A BUFFER AROUND THE BURROWING OWL NEST. SO, BUT IF TO CHANGE AN EXISTING KIND OF POLICY AROUND WHERE DOGS ARE ON LEASH AND OFF LEASH LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THAT WOULD BE A BIGGER DEAL.
SO WE WOULD IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC INSTANCE WHERE WE KNEW THAT AN ACTIVITY COULD, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY AFFECT A RESOURCE LIKE A BURROWING OWL, THEN THERE WOULD BE SIGNAGE AND, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC EDUCATION. MEMBERS SIMMONS AND MEMBERS OBRINGER.
WE WILL GET YOU INTO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND I ENJOYED LISTENING TO IT.
DID YOU ALSO IDENTIFY WHETHER THE SAME PUMAS OR ARE THEY DIFFERENT PUMAS.
HOW MANY ARE ARE THERE. WE HAVE ONE CAMERA WHERE WE CAUGHT THOSE CUBS.
AND I THINK TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT IS THE ONLY CAMERA WITH REPRODUCING PUMA.
PUMA. BUT I WAS REALLY TRYING TO ASK WAS YOU HAD YOU HAD IDENTIFICATIONS OVER MULTIPLE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE PUMA? YEAH. OBSERVATIONS. THERE WAS THAT ONE CAMERA WHERE THAT PICTURE OF THE TWO CUBS WAS FROM.
YEAH. YEAH. I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS, CAN WE TELL THE PUMAS APART.
YEAH. YES. AND CAN YOU TELL, CAN YOU TELL US LIKE THERE'S TEN PUMAS LIVING IN THESE AREAS OR IS IT 1 IN 3 CUBS? I MEAN I'M BEING A LITTLE SILLY ON THAT QUESTION, BUT THAT WAS THE QUESTION. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN TELL THEM APART.
I DO THINK THAT. AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THE WAY THAT THE 100, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE GRIDS ARE SET UP INTENTIONALLY SO THAT WE CAN GET RELATIVE ABUNDANCE, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION ABOUT A SPECIES.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE ABLE TO I, YOU KNOW, VISUALLY IDENTIFY THAT THAT'S THE SAME PUMA WE SAW ON CAMERA NUMBER ONE THAT'S NOW ON CAMERA. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT. I DIDN'T ASK IT VERY WELL. THEY'RE NOT COLLARED.
AND WE'RE NOT WITH REGARD TO THE 600 FORMER STOCK PLANTS.
HAVE REMOVED SILT FROM SOME OF THOSE STOCK PONDS THAT ARE IN THAT JURISDICTION.
YEAH. AND MOST OF WHAT WE DO IS REMOVE SEDIMENT FROM THE PONDS TO CREATE THE RIGHT HYDROPERIOD SO THAT THE RED LEGGED FROGS AND THE CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER CAN GO THROUGH METAMORPHOSIS AND SUCCESSFULLY BREED.
SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, THAT LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
DO YOU REINTRODUCE SPECIES THERE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THERE, OR DO YOU MAKE ANY EFFORT TO TRY,
[00:50:06]
PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO YOUR SPECIAL SPECIES, BROADEN THE HABITAT AREA THAT THEY COVER THAT THAT THERE? SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE DO NOT REINTRODUCE WE RELY ON WHAT'S THERE, THE NATIVE POPULATION TO REPOPULATE THE POND.AND THERE IS EDNA MONITORING GOING ON? WE ARE DOING THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S RIGHT. TO DETERMINE PRESENCE OF THE SPECIES.
CORRECT. AND WHEN ARE YOU GIVING THOUGHT TO KIND OF THE METAPOPULATION OF THE SPECIES? SO LIKE METAPOPULATIONS ARE WHEN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF PONDS THEY IF THERE'S NOT A, IF A POPULATION BLINKS OUT ON ONE POND, BUT YOU HAVE ANOTHER POND WITHIN DISPERSAL DISTANCE, THEN THOSE PONDS CAN GET REPOPULATED.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT WITH OUR DATA.
AND WHEN WE'RE MAKING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS OR KIND OF WHERE ARE THESE BIG METAPOPULATIONS? AND THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED TOO, WHEN WE'RE CHOOSING WHICH PONDS TO TO RESTORE, BECAUSE THOSE ONES WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO BE REPOPULATED IF THEY HADN'T BEEN SUITABLE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OR FOR HOW LONG. AND IN ALL OF THIS, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT WHAT IS THE NATURE OF YOUR INTERACTION WITH MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK, WHICH ACTUALLY IS A HUGE PART OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
OH, WELL. YEAH. I'M SORRY. YEAH. THE STATE PARK SYSTEM IS PART OF NATURE.
CHECK. IT'S PART OF THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
WE'RE DEVELOPING BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN CONCERT WITH THEM.
YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE RELYING ON EACH OTHER. I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FUNDING LATELY, SO WE'VE KIND OF LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN SORT OF THE LEADER.
WE WE LED THE WAY WITH NATURE CHECK. WE'RE LEADING THE WAY WITH THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
AND I'M PRETTY PROUD OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR THE LEADERSHIP ROLE WE'VE TAKEN IN THE IN THE REGION, IN THE TWO COUNTIES. YEAH. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
PLEASANTON CITY OF PLEASANTON CALTRANS BECAUSE OF 680.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A BARRIER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN PUMA POPULATION POOLS, BUT JUST HAVING MORE HUMAN AND ROAD AND BIKE CORRIDORS THAT WILDLIFE COULD USE AT NIGHT AND ENHANCING THAT, TALKING TO LANDOWNERS, WORKING WITH SFPUC TO TAKE DOWN SOME BARRIERS FOR, FOR PUMA MIGRATION.
IF I COULD ASK A CLARIFICATION QUESTION WHAT DOES THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES MEAN? LIKE THE OUTER, THE OUTER PART OF THE CIRCLE.
IS THAT A CERTAIN YOU KNOW LIFE TIME IN THE LIFE HISTORY OF THAT SPECIES, OR IS IT, AS YOU GET CLOSER INTO THE PI, WHAT IS IT? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE OUTER CIRCLES? I JUST LOVE THESE QUESTIONS. OKAY. THE CORRIDOR ONE IS.
YES, DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WE'RE ENGAGED IN.
WE'RE WORKING WITH FRASER SHILLING AT UC DAVIS.
WE HAVE MEETINGS ALL THE TIME. WE'VE IDENTIFIED CORRIDORS FOR MOVEMENT, NOT NECESSARILY ON OUR LANDS, BUT ON OUR PARTNERS LANDS. AND WE'RE WORKING TO IMPROVE THOSE CORRIDORS FOR WILDLIFE MOVEMENT.
OFTEN IT IS A CULVERT, A LARGE CULVERT THAT WILDLIFE CAN MOVE THROUGH THAT GOES UNDER 680.
BUT YEAH, WE'VE WE'VE HAD MEETINGS. WE'VE IDENTIFIED WE'RE GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO BE A WORKING GROUP WITH OUR EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING ANY BIG OVERPASSES ANYTIME SOON, BUT WE'RE IDENTIFYING KIND OF THE NATURAL EXISTING CORRIDORS RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE AND ENHANCE THEM FOR WILDLIFE MOVEMENT.
I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT QUICKLY THAT IF IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE DATA SETS FROM LIKE THE CONSERVATION LANDS NETWORK THEY'RE KIND OF AREAS FOR WILDLIFE, LIKE IMPORTANT WILDLIFE MOVEMENT CORRIDORS. A LOT OF THEM CORRESPOND WITH OUR PARKLANDS.
SO OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKLANDS ARE DEFINITELY PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, DIRECTOR ECHOLS. YEAH.
[00:55:04]
I ACTUALLY ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT SAME GRAPH, THE CIRCLE GRAPH.SO IN THE VERY OUTER CIRCLE I HAD UNDERSTOOD WHEN YOU WERE TALKING THAT THE THAT THE DIFFERENT ONES THE DIFFERENT LITTLE SQUARES AT THE, AT THE END, MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST BRING IT UP.
IT MIGHT BE. LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THOSE, THOSE THE SQUARES ALONG THE VERY EDGE OF THE CIRCLE THAT THE CONDITION DEPENDED ON SPECIES WITHIN THE BROADER GROUP. AND, AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS FOR PUMA.
IT WAS GREEN, RED, GREEN. AND SO I WASN'T SURE WHAT THAT MEANT, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ONLY TRACKING ONE PUMA SPECIES IN OUR PARKS RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING BECAUSE THIS GOT SNIPPED IS THE DIFFERENT SUBREGIONS AND THEN ALSO THE INDICATOR SPECIES. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE NATALIE READER.
SHE IS LEADS THE NATURE CHECK WORKING GROUP AND KNOWS EVERYTHING NATURE CZECH.
SO HERE'S NATALIE. HI EVERYONE. I'M A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST IN THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT.
SO YES, AS BROOKE SAID THE INNER CIRCLE IS SORT OF THE AVERAGE OF THE THREE SUBREGIONS.
AND WE EVALUATE EACH SPECIES FOR WHETHER THEY MEET THE CRITERIA FOR HEALTH OF THAT GROUP IN THE EAST BAY HILLS, MOUNT HAMILTON AND MOUNT DIABLO SUBREGIONS. SO EACH OF THOSE SQUARES ON THE OUTER CIRCLE IS THOSE THREE SUBREGIONS.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IF YOU DIDN'T LOOK AT THE SUBREGION LEVEL LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WITH PUMA, IT'S CAUTION. BUT THEN IF YOU ZOOM OUT AND LOOK AT OR ZOOM IN, I GUESS, AND LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC SUBREGIONS, THERE'S TWO SUBREGIONS WHERE THEY'RE DOING WELL AND ONE WHERE THEY'RE NOT DOING SO WELL.
AND THAT THE RED SQUARE SPECIFICALLY FOR PUMA IS THE MOUNT MOUNT DIABLO SUBREGION, WHERE THERE ARE NOT MANY OR HARDLY ANY RECORDS OF CONFIRMED RECORDS OF PUMA IN THAT AREA, WHEREAS WE DO HAVE A LOT OF RECORDS OF PUMA, INCLUDING BREEDING IN THE EAST BAY HILLS AND MOUNT HAMILTON SUBREGIONS.
GREAT. OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
MEMBER OBRINGER. THANK YOU. I JUST HAD A BRIEF COMMENT.
I APPRECIATED THIS PRESENTATION AS I THINK IT SHOWS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A YEAR NOW, HOW THE PARK DISTRICT REALLY TRIES TO BALANCE THE ACTIVE RECREATIONAL USES WITH THE CONSERVATION ASPECT.
SO I THOUGHT THIS PRESENTATION DID A GOOD JOB OF SHOWING HOW YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THAT AND HOW YOU'RE TRYING TO MONITOR THE SPECIES IN REAL TIME AND WHERE THEY ARE ACTIVE, ETC.. AND THEN I HEARD A QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT PARTNERS, AND I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, I THINK A GOOD PARTNERSHIP IS THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS AT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50. ALONG WITH THE CITY OF CONCORD, BECAUSE THE TIGER SALAMANDER, AS WELL AS THE ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE, WHICH IS NOT JUST IN ALAMEDA, APPARENTLY IT'S IN CONTRA COSTA AS WELL.
SOME OF THE SOME OF THEIR BREEDING GROUNDS ARE LOCATED ON THE FORMER CONCORD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION.
SO IT'S BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR US TO, TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND SO IT IT MADE SENSE WHENEVER WE WERE DRAWING THE THE PARK DISTRICT BOUNDARIES FOR THE NEW PARK TO INCLUDE THOSE AREAS FOR THOSE ENDANGERED SPECIES. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE TWO THOSE TWO THINGS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. I'VE GOT TWO QUICK QUESTIONS IN THE STAFF REPORT.
IT TALKS ABOUT USING REMOTE SENSING TO MAP VEGETATION COMMUNITIES.
I DIDN'T CATCH ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, AND I'M INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT MEANS.
WE ARE NOT VEGETATION ECOLOGISTS. JOSH AND I ARE.
BUT DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT JUST BRIEFLY.
LIKE SO WE ARE WE'VE UNDERTAKEN, YOU KNOW, A FINE SCALE VEGETATION MAPPING PROCESS.
AND IT'S NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT THAT KIND OF STARTS WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH REMOTE SENSING DATA, YOU KNOW, SO YOU CAN GENERALLY YOU KNOW, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, AND YOU CAN KIND OF START GENERALLY IDENTIFYING THE SIGNATURE OF DIFFERENT PLANT COMMUNITIES. AND THEN THAT'S FOLLOWED UP BY GROUND TRUTHING SO THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THE WAY YOU'RE READING IT ON THE AERIAL IMAGE IS ACTUALLY WHAT'S ON THE GROUND.
OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN SECOND ARE IS THE DATA SETS THAT YOU HAVE.
[01:00:07]
DO THEY COVER THE DISTRICT FAIRLY WELL OR ARE THERE SOME BLIND SPOTS? YOU KNOW, THE DATA SETS ARE NEVER GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, PERFECT ANIMALS ARE MOVING AROUND.YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 20 YEARS OF DATA FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER SPECIES THAT ARE JUST HARDER TO TO KNOW FOR SURE IF THEY'RE IN A LOCATION, YOU KNOW, ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE.
YOU DON'T GET A LOT OF JUST, LIKE, INCIDENTAL OBSERVATIONS OF THAT SPECIES.
CONNECTIVITY AND HABITAT SUITABILITY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO YEAH, WE'RE YOU KNOW, IT'S DATA IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE IMPERFECT.
BUT I THINK THAT WHEN YOU TAKE THAT PERSPECTIVE INTO, YOU KNOW, MAKING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT STEP TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO ECHO A COMMENT FROM MEMBER LOPEZ REGARDING DOGS.
AND I'M A DOG OWNER TOO. I HAVE BEEN FOREVER.
I THINK THE SIGNAGE DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK, SO IF YOU'RE ON A TRAIL ALL THE TIME AND I'LL JUST SAY BULLETIN BOARD FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE THOSE BIG BOARDS AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT SIGNS ON THERE. PEOPLE DON'T SEE THEM BECAUSE THEY GO BY THEM EVERY DAY. SO ONE EXAMPLE THAT I THINK WORKS IS WHEN THE PUMAS CAME INTO PLEASANTON RIDGE, THERE WAS ALL THAT PUBLICITY.
THE CITY OF PLEASANTON PUT SIGNS UP AND AUGUSTINE BRUNELL, WHICH IS A BIG ACCESS POINT TO PLEASANTON RIDGE, AND THEN ALSO AT CASTLE RIDGE TRAILHEAD. THEY PUT NEW SIGNS UP, RIGHT, LIKE ALMOST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL.
SO THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD MISS THEM. AND THEY WERE NEW.
SO I KNOW I GO UP THERE ALL THE TIME AND I SAW THEM RIGHT AWAY.
IT DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO OBEY THEM, BUT IT WAS JUST EDUCATION AROUND, HEY, THIS IS WHAT A MOUNTAIN LION IS AND DO THIS AND DON'T DO THAT IF YOU SEE ONE. SO I THINK THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN SECONDLY, I AM NOT A FAN OF TICKETS AT ALL.
BUT YOU COULD POSSIBLY USE PD IF IT'S A REALLY BAD AREA JUST TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, NOT WRITE TICKETS, BUT PEOPLE ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO LISTEN IF THEY GET STOPPED. AND SO THAT WOULD JUST BE A SUGGESTION TO MAYBE A LITTLE BIT THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE SIGNAGE.
YEAH. THANK YOU. MEMBER DIETER. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION.
YOU GUYS CHOSE A GOOD FIELD TO WORK IN. YOU'RE VERY LUCKY.
THAT IS GREAT. I'M CURIOUS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN TERMS OF YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE GRASSLAND BIRDS ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY. AND MEANWHILE THE PARK DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF CATTLE GRAZING, EATING ALL THE GRASSLANDS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR ROLE WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE ADVICE TO SAY, LET'S LET'S NOT, YOU KNOW, GRAZE THE GRASSLANDS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
AND THE SAME FOR TREES. AS TREES DIE, DIE, THEY ARE NOT GETTING REPLANTED.
SO DO YOU GUYS ALSO SAY, LET'S TRY TO PLANT A FEW TREES FOR THE FOR THE CRITTERS FOR BOTH ABOVE AND UNDERNEATH. THAT'S A BIG QUESTION. SO FOR THE GRASSLAND BIRDS, I THINK THE CATTLE AND GRASSLAND BIRDS COHABITATE.
OKAY. I THINK THAT GRASSLAND BIRDS ARE USED TO HAVING LARGE UNGULATES ON THE LANDSCAPE, AND THEY'VE EVOLVED TO SURVIVE AND PERSIST EVEN WITH THOSE THEM PRESENT. SO THE CATTLE ARE JUST A STAND IN FOR WHAT WE USED TO HAVE, WHICH IS LARGE ELK HERDS COMING THROUGH.
OUR ROLE. YES, WE WE WOULD LOOK A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY WHEN WE SEE SOME THINGS IN DECLINE.
WE MIGHT DO AN EXTRA STUDY. FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST PUT OUT AUDIO MOTHS OR AUDIO DETECTORS FOR GRASSLAND BIRD SPECIES, IN PARTICULAR OUT IN PLEASANTON RIDGE. AND WE WANT TO COLLECT REALLY ROBUST DATA TO SEE HOW BADLY THOSE POPULATIONS ARE DOING.
MAYBE THEY'RE NOT DOING AS BADLY AS WE THINK, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY.
AND THEN WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND QUESTION? SORRY ABOUT THE TREES I LOVE TREES.
SO TREES I MEAN, IT DEPENDS WHY THEY DIE. IF IT'S A SUDDEN OAK DEATH, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT THERE AND MAKING SURE THE PATHOGEN DOESN'T GET SPREAD.
WE'RE WE'RE. I WISH WE HAD OUR IPM TEAM HERE BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY ACTIVELY TRYING TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PATHOGENS THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT, WHICH IS CAUSING A LOT OF THE SUDDEN OAK DEATH.
[01:05:03]
AND WE REPLANT TREES. WE DO. WE HAVE A COUPLE NURSERIES THAT ARE APPROVED.THEY'RE PATHOGEN FREE NURSERIES, AND WE ONLY ALLOW TREES TO COME FROM THOSE NURSERIES.
SO WE'RE PRETTY STRICT ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GETTING OUR STOCK OR OUR REPLANTINGS WHATEVER.
BUT WOULD YOU GUYS SUGGEST CERTAIN KIND OF TREES? SURE. AND THEN MAYBE TO ADD MORE THAN THAN REPLACE, JUST ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE DOING A RESTORATION PROJECT, WE HAVE TO ALLOW FOR THE DIE OFF OF A LOT OF TREES.
SO WE HAVE TO OVER PLANT AND THEN WE HAVE TO MEET SUCCESS CRITERIA.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE 90% OF WHAT YOU'VE PLANTED.
OKAY. SO WHAT I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IS THAT HAVING ALL THE GRASSLANDS BE EATEN DON'T NECESSARILY IMPACT THE BIRDS THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM GRASSLAND. NOT IN MY EXPERIENCE, NO.
YEAH. MEMBERS. PEOPLES. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VEGETATION THAT'S THERE, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS THE VEGETATION MAPPING, UNDERSTANDING IT.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'LL COME UP. IT COMES UP IN THE CASE OF FIRE MANAGEMENT ALSO, IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A FAIRLY DETAILED UNDERSTANDING FROM AN ECOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW OF THE CLIMAX VEGETATION HERE, WHICH IS THE TARGET VEGETATION I THINK WE'RE SHOOTING FOR, WHICH WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BURNING THAT OCCURS NATURALLY AS WELL AS CULTURAL BURNING.
AND THAT THAT MAY BE FEWER TREES THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
YOU KNOW, PART OF THE FIRE HAZARDS WE HAVE TODAY IS BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH VEGETATION THAT'S NOT NATURAL TO THE AREA, AND IT BURNS MORE INTENSELY, AND IT CAUSES ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS. SO WE NEED TO THINK OF THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, NOT JUST THE CRITTERS, BUT ALSO THE VEGETATION AND THE COVER TYPES, WHICH IS THEIR HABITAT. AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR WHICH BECOMES A MAP OF THE CLIMAX VEGETATION, A FAIRLY DETAILED MAP OF CLIMAX VEGETATION YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
WE SHOULD GET A PRESENTATION ON THE FINE SCALE OF EDGE MAPPING FOR YOU GUYS NEXT TIME.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NOT AT THIS TIME.
GREAT. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON. AND THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE IT. SO NEXT UP, SAFEGUARDING COMMUNITIES WHILE PROTECTING NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. GOOD EVENING. GIVE US A COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE TO SET UP THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING. PAC I'M COREY HALEY, ACTING FIRE CHIEF.
FORMER ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, IN CHARGE OF FUELS MANAGEMENT.
AND I'M PRESENTING HERE TODAY WITH THIS. GOOD.
GOOD EVENING. I AM ACTING ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR THE TIME NOW, PATRICK MCINTYRE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD PRESENTATION. AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE INFORMATION TO GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION.
WE DEAL WITH IT ALL THE TIME. OH, WOW. WE HAD A FUELS TOUR TODAY, BUT I'LL FOCUS ON THE PRESENTATION. BUT YES, THERE IS.
THANK YOU PATRICK. WE WERE OUT IN THE FIELD AND THE CRITTERS APPARENTLY WERE STILL WITH ME.
[01:10:02]
AND WE'RE ALSO AWARE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE EFFECTS OF WILDFIRE THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING.WE USED TO GO FROM FIGHTING A FIRE, A LARGE FIRE ONCE A YEAR, MAYBE EVERY TWO YEARS, TO MULTIPLE FIRES PER YEAR, GOING FROM A DEVASTATING FIRE TO EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THE FIRE SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE AND MORE DESTRUCTIVE.
AND SO AS FIREFIGHTERS, WE ARE FULLY AWARE THAT SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING, SOMETHING IS CHANGING, SOMETHING IS GOING ON REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO THINK.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES, AS WE'RE TRYING TO DO FUELS MANAGEMENT FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.
WE OBVIOUSLY FOCUS ON PROTECTING LIVES AND PROTECTING PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO OUR LANDS.
WHAT SOME DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY BOTH CONNECTED.
IF YOU DON'T PROTECT THE FOREST AND KEEP THE ECOSYSTEM IN BALANCE, TREES WILL BEGIN TO DIE OFF.
SHORT VERSION NATURAL PATHOGENS AND NATURAL INFESTATIONS AFFECTING FORESTED LANDS.
IT ALSO HAD THE BENEFIT OF SPACING WHICH CAUSED THE TREE OR THE NATURAL INFESTATIONS NOT TO JUMP FROM TREE TO TREE, WHICH WAS ALSO PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WAS KILLING OFF OUR FORESTED LANDS.
SO FOR US, IT'S TWO OBJECTIVES PROTECTING LIVES AND PROPERTY NEXT TO OUR LAND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE THAT THE FORESTED LANDS ARE PROTECTED AND ENHANCED. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT PROJECTS FROM A JUST A NORMAL CITIZEN PERSPECTIVE.
YOU'D STILL SEE VEGETATION. YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF FUELS MANAGEMENT HAS OCCURRED.
FOR US, WE'RE NOT JUST DOING FUELS MANAGEMENT ADJACENT TO HOMES, BUT WE ALSO DO FUELS MANAGEMENT IN LARGE AREAS LIKE THE ANTHONY CHABOT PROJECT, WHERE WE'RE TREATING 667 ACRES, THE LARGEST EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION FUELS MANAGEMENT PROJECT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AS WE THIN THE FORESTS IN THAT AREA, NOT ONLY IS IT MAKING IT SO THAT THE FOREST IS NOW NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO DIE OFF, BUT IF THAT AREA WAS TO CATCH ON FIRE, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE WERE IN IN 2020 WHEN WE ALL WOKE UP AND THE SUN WAS BLOCKED FROM THE SMOKE OF WILDFIRE. AND I'M PRETTY SURE WE ALL HAD THE SAME FEELING LIKE, IS THIS OUR NEW EXISTENCE IN CALIFORNIA? THAT OUR AIR IS POLLUTED, THAT THE SUN IS BLOCKED OUT? AND WHAT SITUATION ARE WE ALL IN NOW? SO AS WE'RE THINNING FORESTS, NOT ONLY IS IT MAKING IT, THE FORESTS ARE MORE RESILIENT, IT'S ALSO MAKING IT SO THAT IF A FIRE DOES OCCUR, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS CATASTROPHIC.
WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT TREATMENT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO THIN CERTAIN TREES SO THAT WE CAN CAUSE OTHER TREES TO GET MORE SUNLIGHT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S THE NATIVE VEGETATION.
SO AS WE THIN OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, A EUCALYPTUS TREE.
AND MAYBE NOT IN MY GENERATION, BUT THE NEXT GENERATION THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEW FORESTED AREA.
SO OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT TREATMENT IS TAKING THOSE THINGS INTO AN ACCOUNT.
IF WE WERE JUST FIRE CHIEFS FOR A MUNICIPALITY, WE WOULD HAVE ONE OBJECTIVE MITIGATING HAZARDOUS FUELS, LITERALLY REMOVING ALL THE FUELS. IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE OBJECTIVE.
[01:15:06]
WE CAN'T JUST REMOVE ALL THE VEGETATION. YES.IF THERE'S NO VEGETATION, THERE'S NO FIRE. THERE'S NO FUEL TO BURN WITH, WITH A FIRE.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. IT'S A BALANCE OF WHAT? OF FUELS MITIGATION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME ENHANCING ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES.
WITH THAT SAID, AT ANY TIME SOMEONE COULD LOOK AT ANY OF OUR SLIDES LIKE THIS PARTICULAR ONE HERE AND SAY, WELL, I STILL SEE TREES, I STILL SEE BRUSH, AND I STILL SEE FIRE THAT CAN BURN.
AND HEARING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS EARLIER, I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS SAME SLIDE AND THINKING, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NATIVE GRASS AND WHAT HAPPENED TO SOME OF THE OTHER PLANT SPECIES THAT WE LIKE TO SEE.
YES. SOMETIMES WE'RE REDUCING CERTAIN GRASS, CERTAIN SPECIES.
CERTAIN TREES AREN'T REMOVED. SO IT'S A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN THE TWO.
RIGHT NOW. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, THE SLIDE ABOVE IS A BEFORE PICTURE OF ANTHONY CHABOT.
ALSO, THAT FOREST IS EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY IF YOU COULD SEE IT IN PERSON.
IT'S DRY, IT'S BRITTLE. IT JUST PROBABLY GIVES MOST PEOPLE ANXIETY IS JUST LOOKING AT IT.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN? THE PICTURE ON THE BOTTOM IS A MUCH BETTER RESULT.
THAT'S AFTER OVER $11 MILLION OF INVESTMENT OF FUELS MITIGATION OVER AN ANTHONY CHABOT WHERE WE'RE MANAGING THIS EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION. LOOKING AT THIS CROWD. I CAN USE THIS ANALOGY.
WHO HERE HAS HEARD OF THE GAME SHOW FAMILY FEUD? AND IF WE WERE ALL PLAYING FAMILY FEUD, DON'T HIT THE BUZZER.
THERE'S NO REAL LIFE BUZZER. BUT IF WE WERE PLAYING IT AND I ASKED THE QUESTION WHAT IS THE MOST WHAT'S WHAT'S THE QUESTION THAT'S ASKED THE MOST OF A CHIEF OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. SOMEBODY WOULD HIT THE BUZZER AND THEY WOULD SAY, WHEN IS THE FUELS MANAGEMENT GOING TO BE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? AND THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD ANSWER, AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY HIT NUMBER TWO.
SOMEBODY ALSO ASKED THE QUESTION, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO REMOVE ALL THE EUCALYPTUS? THAT WOULD BE NUMBER ONE. IF WE WERE PLAYING A GAME FAMILY FEUD.
BUT THE TRUTH IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO REMOVE ALL THE EUCALYPTUS.
DEFINITELY NOT IN MY LIFETIME. AND THERE'S MANY REASONS WHY.
RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE EUCALYPTUS TREES AND YES, THEY BURN MORE, THEY ARE MORE FIRE HAZARD.
YES. THEY'RE NOT NATURAL TO THIS AREA, BUT THEY ARE HERE AND THEY'RE HOME TO MANY CRITTERS.
THEY'RE HOME TO ALL SORTS OF RESOURCES THAT ARE WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT LAND.
AND IF WE WERE TO REMOVE ALL THE EUCALYPTUS, WE WOULD AFFECT THE ECOSYSTEM.
WE WOULD AFFECT THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE THERE, AND WE WOULD CAUSE OTHER BRUSH TO TAKE OVER, AND WE WOULD CREATE ANOTHER FIRE HAZARD PROBLEM.
SO INSTEAD, WHAT WE DO IS WE THIN THE AREA SELECTIVE THINNING WITH AREAS WHERE WE HAVE NATURAL BAYS AND OAKS OR OTHER TREES THAT ARE NATURAL TO THE AREA. AND THOSE TREES ARE GOING TO BE THE NEW FORESTED AREAS IN ANOTHER GENERATION.
SO OVER TIME I WON'T SEE THE WORK. BUT GENERATIONS OF PARK DISTRICT WORKERS IN THE FUTURE COULD SEE AN AREA WHERE NOW THE TREES AND THE FORESTED AREAS ARE MORE NATURAL VEGETATION. BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITHIN MY CAREER.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S TAKE A TRIP REAL QUICK. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO LET'S SEE.
LET'S GO TO ANTHONY CHABOT REGIONAL PARK WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE LARGE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE'RE THINNING 667 ACRES. SOME MIGHT ASK THE QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU THINNING 667 ACRES IN THE MIDDLE OF OAKLAND AND CASTRO VALLEY? IT'S NOT 200FT WITHIN HOMES.
[01:20:01]
HIGH WINDS, THOSE EMBERS COULD AFFECT MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST OAKLAND.CASTRO VALLEY SAN LEANDRO. SO AS WE WERE DEALING WITH THE TREE DIE OFF DROUGHT, HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF LAND THAT WE NEED TO STRATEGICALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO THIN THE VEGETATION AND WHAT ARE THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
SO WE CAME IN, THINNED THE AREA. YES, THERE'S STILL TREES THERE.
A FIRE WAS TO OCCUR. THE AREA IS THINNED OUT.
BUT INSTEAD, THE FIRES SHOULD STAY ON THE GROUND, GIVING FIREFIGHTERS A CHANCE TO SUPPRESS THE FIRE, WHICH IS THE GOAL OF OUR FUELS PLAN, WHICH IS THE GOAL THE PARK DISTRICT'S FUELS MITIGATION.
IT'S STILL TO HAVE VEGETATION, STILL HAVE FORESTED LAND.
UNLIKE WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE DROUGHT WHERE THE TREES WERE STRESSED, CAUSING NATURAL PATHOGENS TO TAKE OVER, KILLING OFF THE TREES, CAUSING NATURAL INFESTATIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND KILLING OFF THE TREES.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ECOSYSTEM IS IS OFF BALANCE.
AND SO FOR US AS A PARK DISTRICT, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S A COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES, MAKING SURE THAT THE FOREST IS HEALTHY AND MITIGATING FIRE HAZARDS AT THE SAME TIME.
I'M GOING TO PASS TO ASSISTANT CHIEF PATRICK MCINTYRE.
YES. HELLO, PAC. IT'S A PLEASURE TO GET THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A FEW OF THE TREATMENT METHODS THAT WE USE IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS BALANCE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, CHIEF MENTIONED IT MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT IT REALLY IS A BALANCE IN ORDER FOR US TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE AS WELL AS ECOLOGICALLY TREAT OUR FUELS IN OUR FIRE PRONE LANDSCAPE IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY.
SO RIGHT HERE WE HAVE PRESCRIBED FIRE. SO ONE OF OUR KIND OF MANTRAS IN THE FIELD MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, I WORK WITH THE FUELS REDUCTION COORDINATORS HAVE FOR QUITE SOME TIME WAS ONE PRIOR AS WELL TO TO MOVING OVER HERE AS A CAPTAIN AND THEN ACTING ASSISTANT CHIEF.
IS THAT FUELS MANAGEMENT WHEN PERFORMED CORRECTLY CAN AND IS A FORM OF RESTORATION BECAUSE THE DESIRED OUTCOME MIGHT TAKE US TO THAT OR LEAD US TOWARDS THAT STAGE. THAT IS, YOU KNOW, MAY BE DESIRED FOR A SPECIFIC LOCATION.
SO PILE BURNING IS A VERSION OR FORM OF PRESCRIBED FIRE.
THERE'S BROADCAST BURNING AS YOU SEE IMAGED THERE IN A GRASSLAND.
THE PILE BURNING UP IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER. WE DO A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF THAT.
AND AS AN AGENCY, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB AT THAT.
WE HAVE A PROJECT TAKING PLACE TOMORROW. WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY DOING THAT TO HELP TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, MOVE ALONG THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE AND ACTUALLY REDUCE THE FUEL FOR GOOD AND FOR ALL AND IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO WORK WITH THE REGULATORY AGENCIES IN THIS AREA, CREATE PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL AS PROVE THAT WHEN PERFORMED RIGHT, PRESCRIBED FIRE CAN MINIMIZE THE SMOKE IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES ADJACENT TO US.
SO CONSERVATION PILE BURNING IS ANOTHER METHOD THAT WE'RE USING.
JUST THROUGH SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO, TO KIND OF IMPROVE UPON HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING OUR PILE BURNING AS WELL AS WE CAN ACTUALLY HELP TO KIND OF KEEP THAT CARBON CYCLE GOING, KEEP THE CARBON CYCLE MOVING IN THESE AREAS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE A LOT OF AVAILABLE CARBON JUST DUE TO THE LACK OF FIRE OCCURRENCE. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE VEGETATION, VERY DIVERSE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETATION THROUGHOUT THE FUELS TREATMENT AREAS THAT WE DO WORK.
[01:25:04]
STEWARDSHIP AS WELL AS OUR FUEL STAFF, OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT PLANS.A LOT OF THE RESOURCES THAT WERE MENTIONED PRIOR BY IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, THAT FINE SCALE MAPPING, THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TO US, AND IT ALREADY IS PROVING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY OF VEGETATION GOES INTO THE DIFFERENT GRASSLAND SPECIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE AND OR THE TYPES OF GRASSLAND SPECIES THAT WE CAN TRAIN ACTUALLY REDUCE OR GET RID OF, SUCH AS THE INVASIVE NOXIOUS GRASSLAND SPECIES SUCH AS MEDUSAHEAD OR BARBED GOATGRASS.
SO WITH THAT, WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND WE'RE CREATING OUR PRESCRIPTIONS AND DECIDING WHAT TIME WE'RE GOING TO DO AND PERFORM OUR PRESCRIBED BURNS, WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO OUR STEWARDSHIP FOLKS, HELP GET SOME ADVICE ON WHEN WE SHOULD DO THAT BURN IN ORDER TO HAVE THE HIGHEST IMPACT AND BE ABLE TO REALLY COST EFFECTIVELY GET CONTROL OF SOME OF THESE SPECIES.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOAT GRASS THAT'S IN CERTAIN PARKS, AND IT IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNPALATABLE TO CATTLE. FOR ONE, THEY DON'T REALLY EAT IT.
IT PRESENTS A FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS IT WILL TAKE OVER A PASTURE.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO USE PRESCRIBED FIRE, THE OTHER MEANS MIGHT BE STUFF THAT WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO USE, SUCH AS HERBICIDE OR OTHER OTHER TREATMENT TYPES.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP TO BE ABLE TO WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP PARTNERS, TO BE ABLE TO TRY AND PROMOTE SOME NATIVE SPECIES, PROTECTED SPECIES. SO PALLID MANZANITA HAPPENS AND OCCURS IN MULTIPLE AREAS THAT WE DO OUR FIELD TREATMENT WORK.
IT'S AN ENDEMIC ENDEMIC SPECIES TO THESE BAY HERE AS WELL AS IT'S LISTED AS WELL TOO.
BUT TO SEE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY USE THE PILE BURNING PROCESS, CREATE LOW INTENSITY PILES OR BURN THEM FAIRLY LOW INTENSITY, GET THE THE THE CARBON OUT THERE AND SEE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY GERMINATE SOME OF THE SEEDS.
SO MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE. DO THIS RIGHT OKAY.
SO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUELS TREATMENT THAT WE ARE I'LL GO BACK ONE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. AND ONE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE IS WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO RE BRING BACK FIRE RECURRENCE INTERVAL IN AREAS OR LOCATIONS THAT THE THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE FROM WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS TO, YOU KNOW, WESTERN CIVILIZATION. SO YOU KNOW, CULTURAL BURNING WE ALL KNOW TOOK PLACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO FIRE SUPPRESSION AT THE SCALE THAT IT TAKES.
NOW, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, LIGHTNING FIRES, NATURAL IGNITIONS WOULD TAKE PLACE.
THEREFORE WOULD BURN CERTAIN PERIODS OF TIME, PROBABLY LOWER.
BUT THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES AS WELL AS FIRE SUPPRESSION, WE'VE KIND OF WOUND UP IN THIS, THIS PERIOD OF TIME WHERE OTHER TREATMENT METHODS ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO GET AN AREA TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY USE PRESCRIBED FIRE. SO THAT BRINGS US INTO MECHANICAL TREATMENT AND OR TRYING TO SEIZE UPON A WILDFIRE THAT TOOK PLACE, TO ACTUALLY USE THAT, TO ACTUALLY GO BACK AND THEN CREATE FROM THAT STEP OF THAT WILDFIRE, OR WHEN THAT WILDFIRE TOOK PLACE AS A AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BACK FIRE AT A LOWER INTENSITY, AT THE RIGHT TIMES TO KIND OF HELP MAINTAIN IT.
AND A LOT OF THE TIMES THESE AREAS DO GET KIND OF OVERTAKEN BY NON-NATIVE VEGETATION AS WELL TOO.
SO FIRE CAN ACTUALLY BE REALLY HELPFUL IN CONTROLLING THAT.
OKAY. SO MECHANICAL TREATMENT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE'S A FEW IMAGES OF THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT ONE OF WHICH IS IN THE EUCALYPTUS FOREST OUT IN ANTHONY CHABOT. THE OTHER ONE IS I BELIEVE ANTHONY SHOWED UP AS WELL TOO.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE ARE BIG PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
THAT IS IN A NUTSHELL, YOU KNOW, FORESTRY MANAGEMENT, FUELS MANAGEMENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, CUTTING EDGE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EMPLOY.
WE HAVE TO WHEN WE USE THOSE PIECES OF MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT THAT REALLY IS LARGER SCALE, LARGER SCALE PROJECTS DOWN TO THE THE SMALLER SCALE, BUT THAT'S TO MEET SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS MECHANICAL TREATMENT.
WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL OF OUR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
[01:30:05]
ANY MITIGATION, MINIMIZATION OR MITIGATION MEASURES THAT ARE OUTLINED AS FAR AS OUR FUELS PLAN, AS WELL AS WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP TEAM AND OUR BIOLOGISTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRACTICING AVOIDANCE OF ANY SENSITIVE OR THREATENED SPECIES AS WELL, TOO. SO WE'VE REALLY HONED IN ON THAT AND BECAME A VERY EFFECTIVE TEAM AT THAT.THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
WE CAN'T DO THAT YEAR ROUND. THERE'S CERTAIN TIME, TIME PERIODS WHERE WE AVOID WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE OR CREATE MORE DISTURBANCE THAN NEEDED, AND OR WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE EROSION ISSUES BY THE USE OF THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
SO WE'LL CREATE EXCLUSION ZONES, WE'LL AVOID WATER COURSES, WE'LL CREATE BUFFER ZONES AROUND NESTING SPECIES OR ANY, YOU KNOW, NESTING NEST NESTING BIRDS, AS WELL AS ANY THREATENED SPECIES OR ANY SENSITIVE SPECIES.
WE THE STAFF'S GOTTEN REALLY GOOD AT ACTUALLY IDENTIFYING A LOT OF THE THE SPECIES THAT WE PROTECT IN, IN, THROUGHOUT OUR FUELS TREATMENT AREAS. AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD DO ANOTHER TOUR AT SOME POINT, OR DO A TOUR AND GET YOU GUYS OUT TO GO AND LOOK AT SOME STUFF ON THE GROUND, NOT JUST ON THE SLIDE SHOW, BUT WHEN YOU GO INTO A TREATMENT AREA THAT'S GOING TO BE MECHANICAL, YOU'LL NOTICE A LOT OF FLAGGING OUT ON THE GROUND ALL OVER.
NESTING BIRD BUFFER ZONES ARE ALL FLAGGED OFF, AND WE DO REALLY GOOD TRAINING WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP FOLKS AND ALL THE CONTRACTORS IN OUR INTERNAL CREWS THAT WE USE ON THE GROUND. SO THAT KIND OF LEADS TO, IF NECESSARY, THERE'S CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE JUST DON'T USE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT BECAUSE OF SENSITIVITIES. AND THAT'S WHERE OUR HAND CREWS AND OUR CONTRACTORS THAT GET DOWN, GET TO WORK ON THE GROUND ARE ALWAYS WE'LL END UP USING THEM IN THOSE KIND OF AREAS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW, MECHANICAL TREATMENT, IT IS NECESSARY FROM TIME TO TIME. AND REALLY, IT DOES ALLOW US TO GET TO THAT KIND OF LANDSCAPE SCALE BECAUSE WE REALLY ARE LOOKING TO BE COST EFFECTIVE WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, WITH THE FUNDS THAT COME TOWARDS US TO DO THIS, THIS FUELS TREATMENT WORK.
AND A LOT OF THE TIMES WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE, YOU KNOW, LARGE SCALE TREATMENTS LIKE THE EUCALYPTUS, THOSE TREES ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE ALL BY HAND.
IT REQUIRES MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT TO COME INTO WHEN YOU GET INTO LARGE TREE REMOVALS.
OKAY. SO PRESCRIBED GRAZING. THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE USE.
AND AS AN AGENCY OVERALL WITH OUR CATTLE AND BETWEEN OUR CATTLE AND OUR GOAT GRAZING.
WE ACTUALLY DO 85,000 ACRES OF GRAZING AS A DISTRICT, WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT AS YOU SEE HERE. THE GOATS IN THAT IMAGE. THE GOATS ARE WHAT WE PRIMARILY USE IN THE URBAN INTERFACE.
I KNOW THAT THEY ARE DEFINITELY BELOVED BY MOST OF OUR PARK VISITORS.
THEY'RE A TOOL FOR US THAT WITHOUT WE WOULD NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE FLASHY FUELS AS AS WELL AS THEY HELP TO KEEP THE BRUSH FROM COMING BACK INTO THE AREAS THAT WE MAYBE HAD DONE SOME KIND OF BRUSH REDUCTION OR BRUSH BREAST REMOVAL.
THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT ACTUALLY GETTING TO THE BREAST, WHEREAS THE CATTLE ON THE GRANDER, LARGER SCALE ARE VERY THEY THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT PROGRAM, BUT IT'S MORE SO FOR THE GRASSLANDS.
GOATS HAVE THEIR OWN BENEFIT. SO THE GOATS ALSO KIND OF HELP TO MIMIC THE DIFFERENT NATURAL GRAZING PATTERNS, OR GOATS AND CATTLE OF THE UNGULATES THAT WERE HERE PRIOR TO THE EXCLUSION OF GRAZING.
SO ON THE GRANDER SCALE, THEY REALLY DO HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT AS AN AGENCY, WE'RE TENDING TO AND KEEPING OUR GRASSLANDS LOWER IN FIRE, FIRE RISK AND FIRE HAZARD, BUT ALSO JUST NOT REALLY ALLOWING THEM JUST TO TURN INTO DIFFERENT AND TO BRUSHLAND.
AND THERE'S SOME GOOD EXAMPLES WHERE EXCLUSION OF GRAZING HAS REALLY JUST CAUSED AREAS TO JUST REALLY JUST TRANSITION OVER INTO BRUSHLAND WHERE THERE'S NO GRAZING. SO I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THE THE OTHER WAY WE KIND OF DO OUR GRAZING AS WELL TOO, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS WE'LL DO TARGETED, PRESCRIBED HERBIVORY. SO WE CALL SO-CALLED BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING IN THE GOATS USING USING THEM RIGHT AT THE RIGHT TIME SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THEM
[01:35:05]
REDUCE AND GET A LOT OF THE NOXIOUS WEED POPULATIONS.SOMETIMES AFTER A FUELS TREATMENT, THERE IS A LEVEL OF DISTURBANCE. SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO BRING IN, YOU HAVE TO DO SOME FORM OF, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE MAINTENANCE IN THERE.
AND THEY DO KIND OF FERTILIZE AS THEY GO AS WELL TOO.
SO AS FAR AS GRAZING IN, IN THE GRANDER SCHEME, WE HAVE 35 PARKS THAT HAVE GRAZING.
WE HAVE 130 DIFFERENT TOS THAT ARE GRAZED. AND AS A DISTRICT IN, IN WHOLE.
SO IT'S A LARGE UNDERTAKING AND CAN'T DO, CAN'T GIVE THEM ENOUGH CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY DO.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A GREAT THING BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES.
THE GRAZING PROGRAM REALLY DOES KIND OF HELP IN A, IN A WAY TO KEEP THE CATTLE HERITAGE, I THINK IN THE, IN THE BAY AREA KIND OF GOING BECAUSE THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF THAT HERITAGE OF THAT.
AND EVERY SO OFTEN I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TO GO TO THE GRAZING DINNER AND THAT AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RUB SHOULDERS WITH, WITH A LOT OF THE GRAZERS AND IT'S A, A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT HELP TO, YOU KNOW, CARE FOR OUR LAND. AND THEY REALLY DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, A LOT ABOUT THE ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES.
SO I'M SORRY, I USE ACRONYMS EVERY SO OFTEN. THAT'S RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AREAS.
THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF MOVE ON ALONG AND OVER TO KIND OF A NOVEL APPROACH THAT WE RECENTLY TOOK AT A PROJECT OR THE LARGE PROJECT THAT CHIEF MENTIONED, THE THE FUELS MANAGEMENT PROJECT IN ANTHONY CHABOT.
SO AS PART OF THAT FUELS MANAGEMENT PROJECT, WE WERE FACED WITH A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF BIOMASS THAT WAS GOING TO BE CREATED FROM THE THINNING OF THAT EUCALYPTUS FOREST. IN PART, WE ASKED FOR NOVEL APPROACHES TO ACTUALLY THE THE FUELS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AND BIOMASS PROCESSING OR BIOMASS DISPOSAL FOR THAT IN ORDER TO KIND OF NOT INCREASE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, NOT EXACERBATE THE CARBON ISSUE. SO WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS PROPOSALS.
SO ONE OF OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT STAFF KIND OF HELPED TO TAKE ON THAT PROJECT AND WAS TASKED WITH FINDING LOCATIONS TO UTILIZE THE BIOCHAR WITHIN OUR WITHIN OUR DISTRICT LANDS. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT BIOCHAR, IT IS A BASICALLY IT'S JUST PURE CARBON THAT RESULTS FROM THE PYROLYSIS OF, OF WOODY MATERIAL AT A VERY, VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE.
SO IT DOES HAVE BENEFICIAL, BENEFICIAL USES WHEN IT'S PUT OUT ON THE THE LANDSCAPE.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE AREAS WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF USES FOR IT OR WAS GOOD POTENTIAL WAS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, SO TO SPEAK. SO SOME OF IT WAS TAKEN DOWN TO ARDENWOOD FARMS IN DIG DEEP FARMS WAS ABLE TO USE THAT AS A SOIL AMENDMENT KIND OF HAS A LOT OF WONDERFUL USES, BUT IT CAN ACTUALLY HELP TO REDUCE IT INCREASES THE SOIL MICROBES, AS WELL AS CAN HELP TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER NECESSARY. BECAUSE IT'S VERY POROUS, THE POROSITY OF IT IS REALLY GOOD AT ACTUALLY WATER HOLDING CAPACITY IN THE SOIL CAN INCREASE THAT. SO WE'RE ABLE TO ALSO USE IT FOR EROSION CONTROL.
AND OYSTER BAY. AND AT WILDCAT CANYON REGIONAL PARK, THE PICTURE DOWN IN THE THE RIGHT OR DOWN IN THE BOTTOM THERE, THAT WAS WHERE IT WAS USED ON SOME LANDSLIDE SOILS IN WILDCAT CANYON.
AND IT'S KIND OF AN ONGOING STUDY THAT WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THAT REVEGETATE WITH LESS NON-NATIVE ANNUALS, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WHEN YOU HAVE SOIL, SOIL SPOILS, PILES, OFTENTIMES THOSE JUST GET, YOU KNOW, GET TAKEN OVER WITH NON-NATIVES AND CAN BE PROBLEMATIC.
WE ALSO TOOK IT TO AND USED IT AT THE MCCUSKER RANCH, WHERE WE WERE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN IPM ON THE MCCUSKER PROPERTY THERE AS PART OF SOME OF THE PLANTINGS FOR THE RESTORATION PROJECT.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH WATER MANAGEMENT IN EMPLOYING A BIOSWALE IN THE MARTINEZ SHORELINE OFF A PARKING AREA WHERE THE BIOCHAR CAN ACTUALLY HELP TO KIND OF COLLECT AND ACTUALLY LOCK UP SOME OF THE
[01:40:09]
POLLUTANTS THAT MIGHT BE WASHING OFF OF THE PARKING LOT.SO HERE ARE A FEW OF THE LOCATIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO EMPLOY THE BIOCHAR AT.
SO IF YOU SEE, IT WAS A PRETTY, PRETTY LARGE UNDERTAKING AND A LOT OF THE LOCATIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PARK DISTRICT, PRACTICALLY ONE OF THE OTHER HIGHLIGHTED AREAS THAT WE'RE USING.
IT'S OUT IN ANTHONY CHABOT IN THE TREATMENT AREA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT IN WORKING WITH THE UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION ON A STUDY THAT'S IN PART WITH THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL CONSERVANCY, IN ORDER TO SEE IF THE BIOCHAR CAN ACTUALLY HELP TO REDUCE THE SOIL COMPACTION FROM LOCATIONS THAT WERE USED AS SKID ROOTS OR SKID ROW OR SKID TRAILS THAT WERE HEAVILY TRAVELED DURING THE THE FUELS TREATMENT WORK IN THAT AREA.
JUST A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE. LET ME THINK.
GARIN REGIONAL PARK WAS ONE OF THE LOCATIONS THAT WE TOOK FOR THE HISTORIC APPLE ORCHARD, APPLE ORCHARDS, AS WELL AS AFTER THE GARDENS FLOODED A FEW YEARS BACK TO KIND OF HELP TO RESTORE THE SOILS IN THERE AND WORK WITH THE GARDENER IN ORDER TO RESTORE SOME OF THE SOILS THAT WERE WASHED AWAY DURING THE FLOODING THERE.
ON DRY CREEK. SO PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION OR COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES.
SO WE'RE VERY MUCH A COLLABORATIVE BUNCH. I THINK ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES I CAN SPEAK TO AS FAR AS COLLABORATION IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE REGIONAL SIDE OF THINGS.
SO WORKING WITH OUR IPM PROGRAM IN STEWARDSHIP, WE'VE STARTED A, A GROUP CALLED FLAME.
SO IT'S THE, THE, THE TITLES ARE FIRE ADAPTED OR.
OH GOSH, IT'S A REALLY IT'S NOT REALLY AN ACRONYM, BUT IT'S FUELS MANAGEMENT AND THE THE MANAGEMENT OF EVERYTHING, BUT IT DOESN'T MATCH FLAME. SO YEAH, BUT WE WANTED IT TO BE FLAME.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE CHUCKLE. IT'S A REALLY IT'S A KIND OF A TOUGH ONE.
BUT SO FLAME IS A GROUP THAT WAS CREATED THROUGH OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP FOLKS TO GET PRACTITIONERS TOGETHER TO GO OUT AND DO LITTLE MINI KIND OF LIKE SYMPOSIUMS OF SORTS, BUT OUT WITHIN THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE FOLKS ARE DOING SIMILAR WORK TO US. SO IT ENCOMPASSES, GOSH, THE SIX COUNTIES.
THERE'S BEEN FOUR OF THEM TO DATE. ONE TO STATE PARKS, ONE TO THE MARIN ONE DOWN ON THE PENINSULA.
TWO HERE IN THE PARK DISTRICT. IN THE LAST ONE JUST TOOK PLACE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO OUT IN ANTHONY CHABOT, WHERE WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THAT FUELS TREATMENT WORK OUT THERE.
AND IT'S REALLY YOU KNOW, THAT THAT KIND OF MENTALITY THAT WE CAN'T JUST DO ALL THIS ON OUR OWN.
WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING. WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP OTHER FOLKS LEARN AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PRACTICES ARE ARE WORKING, AREN'T WORKING. AND IT REALLY DOES TAKE A LARGE AMOUNT OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN US, ALL OF US HERE IN THE DISTRICT AS WELL TOO.
SO OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT INCLUDES EVERY SINGLE DIVISION.
WHEN WE'RE PLANNING AND PUTTING TOGETHER PROJECTS, WE'RE WORKING WITH EVERY SINGLE DIVISION, IT SEEMS, WITHIN THE AGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING ABOUT THINGS RIGHT.
SO I BELIEVE THAT TAKES ME ON OVER. DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE OUT, CHIEF? JUST THANK YOU. AND WE'RE READY FOR ANY TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BASED OFF OUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE PAC SITE TOUR YOU GUYS DID LAST YEAR.
THAT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE AND YOU MENTIONED IT BEFORE.
IT'S ONE THING TO SEE ON A SLIDE, BUT TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE IT IN PERSON IS AMAZING. SO THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING. MEMBER DETJENS AND THEN MEMBER VALENZUELA I HAVE A TWO PART QUESTION. FIRST OFF IS THERE ANY CONFLICT BETWEEN THE INTENSITY OF THE GOAT GRAZING AND THE NATURAL REVEGETATION AND REGENERATION OF OAK WOODLANDS? I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE 25 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT SOME PROPERTY IN MARTINEZ.
IT CAME WITH A BONUS GOAT. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE GOAT CAME WITH THE PROPERTY.
[01:45:04]
THE GOAT WAS REHOMED, AND MY BACK PASTURE HAS GONE FROM BARE DIRT TO AN AMAZING OAK WOODLAND.WITH A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT ON MY PART, BUT MOSTLY IT WAS THE REMOVAL OF THE INTENSE GOAT GRAZING, AND I'M JUST. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY CONFLICT WITH NATURAL REGENERATION OF OAKS? BECAUSE I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE ALL THE LITTLE ONES ON MY PROPERTY AND I'M BENEFITING FROM THAT NOW, 25 YEARS LATER, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF BABY YOLKS IN THE PARKS THAT I'M I'M AT NECESSARILY, AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A COMMENT ON THAT.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS THE BERN BOUGHT THE FOR PRESCRIBED BURNS.
I'M CURIOUS WHETHER THE EXPERTS SAY THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN.
THOSE ARE MY TWO QUESTIONS. I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST, AND YOU CAN ANSWER THE SECOND.
NOT NECESSARILY. I CAN'T GIVE YOU FACTS ABOUT OAK REGENERATION, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, GOAT GRAZING DEFINITELY COMPETES WITH OTHER OBJECTIVES.
BUT HE REPRESENTED ONE OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS.
AND HERE I AM VERY PROUD OF THE GRAZING AND THE FIRE MITIGATION AND HOW LOW THE FUEL IS AND HOW SAFE THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE BECAUSE OF THAT AMAZING WORK.
IN THAT SAME AREA, THERE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE WHO WAS CONCERNED AS WHAT HE CALLED THE LITTLE GUYS.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SMALL GRASS BLADES THAT THAT WERE CHEWED BY THE GRAZING, AND THAT THE GRASS HAD BEEN EATEN AWAY FROM THE GOATS. AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT'S LITERALLY OUR MISSION. AND I ALWAYS SAY WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LOVE ALL THE TREES.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. AND SOMETIMES OUR OBJECTIVES WILL COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE'RE SEEKING FOR THAT, THAT BALANCE.
BURN BOX. YEAH. I'M AS FAR AS THE BURN BOX GO, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE IT A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE HOPEFULLY GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FAIRLY SOON TO SEE A DEMONSTRATION OF ONE THROUGH WORKING WITH ALAMEDA COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE WORKING ON ARRANGING ONE HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO I'LL HAVE MORE AFTER I SEE THAT IN PERSON.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW, THE UTILITY OR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERESTED IN OR, YOU KNOW, GETTING DEPLOYED YOU GUYS PARTICIPATE IN THE ONE OUT AT FERNANDEZ RANCH? WE DID NOT MAKE IT OUT TO THAT DEMONSTRATION.
NO, NO. SO I WASN'T ABLE TO SEE IT THERE. SO IT'LL BE HERE SOON.
THE FIRST TIME WE'LL GET TO SEE ONE IN IN ACTION.
IF THERE ARE SOME, YOU KNOW, YOUNG SAPLINGS THAT WE DO LOOK TO PROTECT OR WE DO NOT WANT THE GOATS TO GIRDLE, SAY WE CAN GET AND WE DO HAVE THE GRAZER. IT'S A PROVISION IN THE CONTRACT FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY PROTECT IT.
SO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S LIKE A LITTLE, A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, GROUP OF THEM, WE CAN HAVE THEM FENCE IT OFF WITH FENCING OR, YOU KNOW, OR JUST A SINGLE TREE. WE CAN ACTUALLY AND WE DO HAVE THEM ACTUALLY PROTECT THOSE AT TIMES.
MEMBERS VALENZUELA. YES. THANK YOU. I REALLY ENJOYED THE TOUR THAT WE TOOK LAST YEAR.
I WAS SAD WE DIDN'T SEE THE BIG. CARBON MISER.
I GUESS IT WASN'T A DAY IN OPERATION. MY QUESTION ACTUALLY IS DOES SO DOES EACH PARK HAS ITS OWN FUEL MANAGEMENT PLAN EACH YEAR, OR IS IT A SCOPE OF 2 TO 4 YEAR PLAN OR FIVE YEAR PLAN? SO WE HAVE ONE ENCOMPASSING PLAN. BUT WITHIN THAT PLAN WE HAVE FUELS, PRESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE NOT JUST DETAILED PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE PARK, BUT THE RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AREAS THAT ASSISTANT CHIEF MCINTYRE MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND IMAGINE WE HAVE LET'S NOT DO A BIG PARK, BUT LET'S JUST SAY AN AVERAGE SIZED PARK.
AND WITHIN THAT PARK, IT HAS SEVERAL RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AREAS.
AND THOSE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRESCRIPTIONS, BECAUSE EACH OF THOSE AREAS HAVE DIFFERENT FUEL TYPES, DIFFERENT RESOURCES, DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES. AND SO WHEN WE MENTION THE TOS OR RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AREAS,
[01:50:01]
THE FUELS PRESCRIPTIONS ARE DETAILED PRESCRIPTIONS OF HOW TO DO THE WORK WITHIN THOSE TOS.AND THOSE RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AREAS OR THE FUELS PRESCRIPTIONS ARE RELOOKED AT AND ADJUST IT, AS SOMETIMES THE PARK OR RTA CHANGES. THEY CAN BE ADAPTIVE AND SET FOR THE CURRENT STATUS OF THAT RTA. SO WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE PLANS, DOES YOU I MEAN DO YOU INCORPORATE IF WHAT IS IN THAT AREA THAT MIGHT BE HABITAT THAT, THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT AT OR HOW HOW DO YOU GO AROUND SAVING CERTAIN THINGS IN CERTAIN AREAS, OR IS IT JUST BETTER COMING THROUGH TO SAVE FOR, YOU KNOW, FIRE, FIRE FOR FUEL? LET ME TRY TO CLEAN OUT CLEAN OUT AN AREA.
DO YOU ALSO INCLUDE THE PEOPLE THAT MANAGE THAT PARK AND THE RANGERS THAT MANAGE THAT PARK? AND SO IS IT A GROUP CHOICE OR IS IT MORE YOUR CHOICE? SEEING FUELS THAT MIGHT BURN. IT'S DEFINITELY IT'S COLLABORATIVE.
SO A PARK STAFF. WELL, LET ME ACTUALLY BACK UP AND ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION BEFORE I FORGET IT.
RIGHT. GOOD QUESTION. SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE RANDOM.
I CALL IT RANDOM BUT RANDOM FLAGGING OUT IN THE PARK.
THERE'S SOME TYPE OF RESOURCE THERE. IT COULD BE THAT'S A PROTECTED SPECIES LIKE PILOT MANZANITA.
IT COULD BE THAT IT'S A HOME OF THE DUSKY FOOTED WOODRAT.
YOU KNOW, A KEY SPECIES THAT'S AN INDICATOR OF A HEALTHY WOOD OAKLAND FOREST.
SO THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT REASONS WHY WE KEEP CERTAIN VEGETATION TYPE OR KEEP CERTAIN RESOURCES.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IT.
THEY SEE BRUSH AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHY IS THAT THERE? WHY HAVEN'T YOU WIDENED THIS FUEL BREAK? THERE'S A BUNCH OF BRUSH ON THAT HILLSIDE.
THERE'S SO MANY REASONS WHY OUR WORK IS SO COMPLICATED AND WE DEAL WITH.
IT'S NOT JUST THE RESOURCES OF OURSELVES, BUT STEWARDSHIP PARK STAFF THAT HAVE, LIKE ON THE SITE, DETAILED INFORMATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON. IT COULD BE FOR RESOURCES.
IT COULD BE FOR LANDSLIDE ISSUES IF WE WERE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
IT'S EXTREMELY COMPLEX, WHICH ALSO MAKES IT VERY EXCITING.
BUT THE CHALLENGE IS TO SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
YOU LOOK AT OUR WORK AND YOU'RE GOING, I STILL SEE TREES.
I STILL SEE BRUSH. I STILL SEE A HAZARD. AND WHY? I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION. I WAS HOPING THAT WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU LEARNED TODAY, SINCE YOU REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN TAKE THIS INFORMATION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP INFORM OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT STYLE AND TREATMENT AND WHY AT TIMES YOU STILL DO SEE BRUSH TREES AND FUEL IN OUR PARKLANDS.
AND TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT PARK STAFF. SO MAINLY WHEN IT COMES TO FUELS TREATMENTS, IT'S BEING DISCUSSED WITH STEWARDSHIP AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BUT WE'RE PARK STAFF HAS INFORMATION.
IS THAT ON THE GROUND INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE PARKS DAILY.
SO THEY KNOW MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
OR IF THERE'S A CHANGE OCCURRING OR A DIE OFF HAPPENING OR EROSION ISSUES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARSH. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I REALLY ENJOYED IT. DIDN'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS DID AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO I APPRECIATE IT. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE, HOW DO YOU GIVE NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE WORK YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO? SO NO ONE IS THERE? OR DO YOU GUYS BLOCK IT OFF AT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME? WHAT'S LIKE THE TIMELINE TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, DOING FIRE ABATEMENT IN THIS AREA.
SO THE TRAILS ARE CLOSED AND DIFFERENT STUFF LIKE THAT.
HOW IS THE TIME MANAGEMENT FOR THAT DONE? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE FUELS TREATMENT IS.
[01:55:03]
FOR THE PUBLIC'S CONCERN. BUT WHAT IS IS WHEN WE DO PRESCRIBED BURNS.IT'S NOT JUST ON THE WEBSITE, IT'LL BE ANNOUNCED AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
ALSO, WE LITERALLY WILL FLIER ANYWHERE THAT PEOPLE CAN SMELL THE SMOKE OR SOMEHOW BE IMPACTED.
SO WE'RE LITERALLY HANDING OUT FLIERS AT THE HOME TODAY.
WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT'S LIKE KIND OF THE GIVEN, BUT EVERYBODY ISN'T AWARE OF.
WELL, EVERYBODY FORTUNATELY, IS NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THOSE ARE THE SMART ONES OUT THERE. SO WE ACTUALLY HAND FLIERS TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES SO THAT THEY CAN STILL GET THE INFORMATION. AND THAT'S HOW WE NOTIFY PEOPLE.
THE WEBSITE HAS ITS PLUSES AND MINUSES. THE PLUSES ARE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THERE.
THE BIAS IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THERE. AND SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST TIPS I LEARNED AFTER BEING 23 YEARS HERE AT THIS AGENCY WAS TO GO INTO OUR SEARCH ENGINE OF OUR WEBSITE AND LITERALLY TYPE IN WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE.
SO IF YOU LIVED IN WILDCAT CANYON AND YOU WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WORK IS HAPPENING THERE, TYPE THAT INTO OUR WEBSITE AND INFORMATION IS GOING TO POP UP SHOWING WHAT TYPE OF WORK THAT'S GOING ON THERE. OR IN THIS CASE, WHAT FUELS MANAGEMENT TREATMENT IS OCCURRING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
MEMBERS LOPEZ. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I, I IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.
HAVING BALANCE SO MANY VARIOUS ELEMENTS AT ONCE.
I SERVED ON THE FIRE ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR ALAMEDA COUNTY FOR EIGHT YEARS.
AND I HAVE TO SAY. AND THERE WAS NEVER A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS ONE.
AND ALL THE TIME THAT I SERVED ON THAT. SO THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX AND MULTI-LAYERED.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONTENTION COMMUNITIES HAVE AROUND EUCALYPTUS TREES AND SO FORTH BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NATIVE. AND AS YOU STATED, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BECOME INTEGRATED INTO OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND OUR SERVE AS HABITAT.
SO MY QUESTION IS AROUND ARDENWOOD AND HOW THE EUCALYPTUS TREES THERE ARE NOW HABITAT FOR THE FOR FOR BUTTERFLIES OR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES MIGRATING THROUGH THE STATE.
AND WHAT WHAT APPROACHES DO YOU TAKE WITH KIND OF THINNING OUT EUCALYPTUS GROVES AND PROTECTING HABITAT FOR SPECIES THAT ARE PROTECTED OR ARE BELOVED, ETC..
THERE'S LIKE I SAID, THERE'S THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE YOURSELF, JUST SEE EUCALYPTUS AS ANOTHER TREE THAT DESERVES TO HAVE EXISTENCE, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY, AND THAT IT SERVES AS HABITAT FOR RESOURCES.
AND IT'S TRUE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR IT.
AND THAT TREE NEEDS TO BE GONE. AND EVERY DAY THAT I SEE IT, IT'S CAUSING ME STRESS.
I JUST JUST BASED OFF YEARS OF BEING HERE, DEALING WITH THOSE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS, BUT I'M CURSED WITH SEEING THINGS FROM BOTH PERSPECTIVES CURSED IN SO MANY WAYS BECAUSE I CLEARLY SEE THINGS AND BENEFITS OF OF EACH.
AND AS A PARK DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ARE WEAVING BETWEEN THE LINES.
NOT FOR POLITICAL REASONS, BUT TRULY BECAUSE OF OUR MISSION.
WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE TREES THAT ARE NESTING IN THESE EUCALYPTUS.
IT WOULD AFFECT OTHER THINGS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, BEING SOMEONE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MANAGING HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF A EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION, I CAN ALSO SAY IT'S NOT FISCALLY IDEAL FOR ANYBODY.
IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, AND THE LONG GAME OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANAGE A EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE, A CHALLENGE FOR US AS AN AGENCY AND A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US AS TAXPAYERS.
AND SO BOTH GROUPS ARE CORRECT. AND SO WE'RE KIND OF WEAVING BETWEEN THE LINE.
[02:00:03]
BUT LONG TERM, WHEN YOU DO HEAR US SAY THAT WE ARE DOING SELECTIVE THINNING AND TO BE TRANSPARENT THINNING EUCALYPTUS, ESPECIALLY EUCALYPTUS, WHEN WE CAN. BUT AT THE SAME TIME DOING IT IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THERE ARE NATIVE TREES THERE.THE REASON WHY IS, AS OUR CLIMATE STARTS TO CHANGE, THE TREES THAT ARE HERE, THAT ARE THE NATURAL TREES THAT ARE IN THIS AREA, THEY'RE MORE RESILIENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER SPECIES.
NOW, WHERE THAT COULD BE DEBATABLE IS EUCALYPTUS ARE PRETTY, PRETTY DARN RESILIENT.
THEY CAN PROBABLY SURVIVE MOST SITUATIONS. BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING IT, ALL THE LITTER THAT'S DROPPED FROM IT, THE VIGOROUS GROW BACK THAT IT DOES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE A CHALLENGE.
AND SO WE SLOWLY ARE TRYING TO DO THAT. BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT WILL BE A GENERATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT.
IT WON'T HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
ACTUALLY, I'M NOT I'M FAIRLY AGNOSTIC, HONESTLY, BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO IN A FORMER ROLE.
I'VE HAD TO TAKE TAKE DOWN EUCALYPTUS TREES TO PROTECT STRUCTURES AND TO PROTECT HOMES AND CREEK CREEK ENVIRONMENTS ALONG SAN LEANDRO CREEK AND SO FORTH. BUT I'VE ALSO HAD TO MANAGE, YOU KNOW, EUCALYPTUS TREES ON ALONG A MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE THAT WAS HABITAT FOR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES. SO I APPRECIATE HOW COMPLEX IT IS.
AND THERE'S NO EASY ANSWER. I WOULD JUST I WOULD SUGGEST CHIEF AND I AND I SAY THIS VERY RESPECTFULLY, IS THAT THE PUBLIC PROBABLY. AND IT PROBABLY HAS A LITTLE BIT TO DO WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF TIME TO UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLEX IT IS AND, AND ALL THE NUANCES AND SO FORTH. SO YOU KNOW, CLEAR MESSAGING BY THE DISTRICT I THINK IS IS IMPERATIVE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN CERTAIN RESOURCES ARE CUT BACK AND, AND WHY OR WHY NOT.
MAYBE SOMETHING THAT'S AND AND IT MAY ALREADY EXIST, SO I MAY BE COMPLETELY OFF HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, A GOOD FIVE SENTENCES OR SOMETHING, SOMETHING VERY CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC.
BECAUSE IT IS AS YOU SAY, IT'S A VERY EMOTIONAL AND VERY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE.
SO THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, EXPEDITIOUS TO THINK ABOUT.
HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU DO THIS WITH THE PUBLIC THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF PATIENCE FOR EXPLANATIONS AND SO FORTH, YOU KNOW. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR INFORMATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND ALL YOUR WORK.
AND IT'S IT'S VERY VERY COMPLICATED. THANK YOU.
YEP. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. THANK YOU. THIS WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND FILLS IN A LOT OF GAPS IN MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE FUELS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AT THE PARK. WAS IT THE BEST PRESENTATION EVER? I PRETTY MUCH DON'T.
DON'T ANSWER. I DON'T GET OUT MUCH, BUT I DID SEE I DID SEE A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION LAST WEEK THAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT ON FIRE HARDENED TRAILS IN THE SIERRAS, CAL FIRE AND SIERRA BUTTES TRAIL STEWARDSHIP ARE PARTNERING ON A STRATEGY THEY CALLED FIRE HARDENED TRAILS, SO TRAILS HAVE FUNCTIONED IN AREAS WHERE THE FUEL LOAD HAS BEEN REDUCED TO WORK, LIKE A HANDLINE BEING IN PLACE ALREADY BEFORE THE FIRE COMES THROUGH.
SO THEY ARE TARGETING SOME AREAS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING TRAILS AND DOING FUELS TREATMENT AROUND THE TRAILS DIFFERENT TREATMENTS AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES AWAY FROM THE TRAIL. SO IN THE 15 FOOT FROM THE TRAIL, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN TREATMENT AND THEN OUT 30 TO 50FT DEPENDING ON HILL SLOPE AND OTHER FACTORS, IT MAY VARY ON THE WIDTH, BUT IT'S SIMILAR TO A SHADED FUEL BREAK.
BUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING TRAILS AND THE ACCESS THAT THOSE CAN PROVIDE IN FIREFIGHTING AND AS SERVING AS A BREAK, HAS THE PARK DISTRICT CONSIDERED THAT TYPE OF STRATEGY OR HAS THAT COME UP? WE HAVE. AND I'M GOING TO TAG TEAM THIS BECAUSE I KNOW MCINTYRE HAS MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE CALLED IT THAT TERM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT.
[02:05:06]
BUT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS FUELS MANAGEMENT IN MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.IT'S ROADS AND TRAILS. IT'S STEWARDSHIP. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE DOING FUELS MANAGEMENT, BUT JUST HOW WE FUNCTION AS AN AGENCY, WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING IT AND JUST REPRESENTING, YOU KNOW, OUR PORTION OF IT, WHICH I CONSIDER IT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE HIGH COMPLEXITY FUELS MANAGEMENT THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR.
BUT THERE ARE FUELS MANAGEMENT HAPPENING ON TRAILS.
AND BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT TERM? YES. YEAH, YEAH. AND NO, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP, BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY IS SOMETHING THAT'S OTHER AGENCIES ARE ARE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT PLAN AND WHAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS STRATEGIC FIRE ACCESS ROUTES.
SO THROUGHOUT THE WILDFIRE HAZARD REDUCTION RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN STUDY AREA, THERE'S SPECIFIC TRAILS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS STRATEGIC FIRE ACCESS ROUTES. SO WITH THAT COMES THE ABILITY TO OR THE NEED TO MAINTAIN THOSE TO A CERTAIN KIND OF PRESCRIPTION.
SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S 14 FOOT CLEARANCE. YOU CAN GET A TYPE THREE ENGINE THROUGH.
AND THEN YOU CAN GO OUT TO AS MUCH AS 50FT FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE THE TRAIL, DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NECESSITY IS THERE. BUT ULTIMATELY THAT'S REALLY FOR SOME SPECIFIC IDENTIFIED AREAS.
AND WE DON'T DO SPECIFICALLY THAT IN EVERY SINGLE PLACE OR LOCATION.
SO THE THE EIR, WE IDENTIFIED AREAS AS FUEL BREAKS.
BUT IT MIGHT JUST IT'S JUST A IT'S JUST A ROADWAY REALLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TARGETING.
AND THAT COMES WITH SOME SPECIFIC PRESCRIPTIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY WRITE AND HAVE ADAPTED INTO THAT PSA, WHICH IS THE THE PSA. SO IT'S OUR PORTION OF IT.
SO WE ARE MOVING MORE ALONG IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS CHIEF SAID, PARK OPERATIONS AND ROADS AND TRAILS DOES THEIR SHARE.
WE'RE STARTING AND WE'RE WORKING WITH AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IN ORDER TO KIND OF SAY, OKAY, LIKE THESE SPECIFIC AREAS, WE CAN ACTUALLY OR WE SHOULD LOOK AT TREATING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN JUST KEEPING THE TRAIL OPEN, BUT ACTUALLY MAKE THIS MORE OF A FUEL BREAK THAT WOULD SUIT THE NEEDS EXACTLY AS YOU MENTIONED.
SO VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? SURE. I WOULD SAY THAT WE PROBABLY WANT TO IF YOU HAVE A BURNING DESIRE TO ASK A QUESTION I DON'T HAVE YOU ON. THAT WAS A HORRIBLE JOKE THAT NOBODY GOT. AND PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OTHERWISE WE PROBABLY WANT TO MOVE ON SO WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR DIRECTOR ECHOLS AS WELL. OKAY.
HAS THERE BEEN A PROJECTION ON WHAT THE MAINTENANCE COSTS WILL BE TO MAINTAIN THESE TREATED AREAS OVER TIME AND FUNDING RESOURCE FOR THAT? YEAH, I'LL TRY TO I WILL ANSWER IT VERY QUICKLY.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, LITERALLY WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS WE RECEIVED LIKE $8 MILLION OF FUNDING OF GRANTS WITH A $2 MILLION THAT ARE MATCHES TO THE DISTRICTS.
AND TYPICALLY GRANTS WANT TO FUND INITIAL TREATMENT.
I'VE BEEN TOLD, BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE IT GIVES A BIGGER IMPACT VERSUS MAINTENANCE.
BUT NOW THE STATE IS STARTING TO HEAR OUR MESSAGE, AND THEY'RE NOW STARTING TO BE MORE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR MAINTENANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BENEFIT FOR EVERYBODY, ALL OF US AS TAXPAYERS.
SO WE'RE VERY COMMITTED, AT LEAST WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. WELL, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
THAT FOLLOW UP QUESTION. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH IS THIS SORT OF LINES UP WITH? ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS WITH THE FEDERAL LANDSCAPE BEING SO CAUTIONARY NOW IN TERMS OF FUNDS AND
[02:10:01]
AT THE BEHEST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT WANTING DIE PRINCIPLES, WHICH IS AN ANTITHETICAL TO THE BOARD RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, SUPPORTING BIPOC PEOPLE, IS THAT A CONSIDERATION THAT HAS BEEN BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THE POSSIBILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS GOING AWAY BECAUSE OF THAT, AND THEN ALSO JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE NOT JUST THIS PRESENTATION, BUT LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED CHIEF CORRY, THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TO MITIGATE FIRE AND FUELS AND HAVE STEWARDSHIP HAS, YOU KNOW CHAIR HENRY HAS SAID THAT WENT BIKING.ONE SAW SOME SHEEP OVER AT PLEASANTON RIDGE AND THEN GOATS IN PLACES WHERE THEY CAN CHEW UP THE YELLOW STAR THISTLE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT EATING THE NATIVE PLANTS. ALONG WITH TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THAT. WHEN I WORKED AT COYOTE HILLS AN ELDER THERE, AN HAWAIIAN ELDER DINO, MANY OF US KNOW DINO WOULD MAKE FIRE, AND HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE FIRE.
BUT THERE ARE MANY NATIVE PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY'RE ALONI POMO WAILUKU, PATWIN THAT THAT ARE DOING THAT WITH THE TRIBAL RESTORATION ECOLOGICAL ALLIANCE TERRA AND MAYBE YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT THEM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INSTANCES OF THAT GOING ON UP AND DOWN THE STATE WITH CAL FIRE, WITH MID-PEN JUST NEXT TO US, AS WELL AS SONOMA COUNTY REGIONAL PARKS.
SO PAT PROMISED A MEETING. MAYBE WE CAN TALK LATER ABOUT THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE WAS A BIG BRUSH FIRE OFF OF KELLER AVENUE A FEW MONTHS BACK, NOT MUCH NEWS WAS HEARD BECAUSE Y'ALL WAS WORKING AND ALL THAT INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION WAS WORKING.
REALLY? I WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT THAT HAPPENED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THE OPPOSITE OCCURRED WITH THE TWO FIRES IN PACIFIC PALISADES AND ALTADENA.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU.
A SHORT ANSWER KNOW OUR POSITIONS ARE NOT FEDERALLY FUNDED.
WE'RE CONTINUING ON WITH THE SAME THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE, AND WHICH INCLUDES THE SAME VALUES WE'VE ALWAYS HAD, REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY GOING ON. MEMBER FARMER.
MANY OF THEM WHO WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CARBONATOR.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TELL THAT STORY MORE.
AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO DO SO IN, IN VIDEO FORM, TO TRY TO SHOW PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THOSE IMAGES WERE GREAT. THE ARTICLES.
THERE ARE A FEW. BUT TO SHOW PEOPLE THE WORK IN ACTION.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE YOUR AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SUCH A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
IT WAS REALLY INNOVATIVE APPROACH THAT THE DISTRICT TOOK THAT THEY TOOK A RISK.
BUT IT HAS REALLY PROVEN TO BE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAD THE LA FIRES. THE INSURANCE CRISIS AND WILDFIRE SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
YEAH. THANK YOU. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO TELL IT MORE.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY NEWS STORIES AND VIDEOS AND WRITTEN STORIES, BUT IT'S STILL NOT OUT THERE AS MUCH AS IT COULD BE. BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE TOURS, THAT'S NOT NORMAL.
WE TYPICALLY WOULD DO MAYBE 4 OR 5 A YEAR. SO TO DO THAT MANY WITHIN ONE YEAR JUST TELLS THE STORY ABOUT HOW UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT WAS.
AND WITHOUT TO HAVE INNOVATION, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO RISK, BUT ALSO BE WILLING TO FAIL.
AND SO WE HAD THE SUPPORT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS INNOVATIVE, EVEN IF IT MEANT THAT THE END RESULT, THAT WAS THAT THIS IS NOT A GOOD PROJECT. FORTUNATELY FOR US, THAT WASN'T THE END OF THE STORY, BUT IT TELLS US A BACK END STORY ABOUT THE TYPE OF BACKING YOU NEED TO HAVE AS AN AGENCY TO PUT YOURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN BE
[02:15:01]
INNOVATIVE AND HAVE THE TYPE OF SUCCESS WE'VE HAD.LAST QUESTION FROM MEMBERS DIETER. ARE YOU SURE? OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? NONE AT THIS TIME. GREAT. DIRECTOR ECHOLS, CAN YOU THANK? THANK YOU. I REALLY WANT TO THANK. BOTH OF THESE PRESENTATIONS WERE JUST INCREDIBLE.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE HOW YOU REALLY WERE EXPLAINING THE BALANCE AND SOME OF THOSE IDEAS. I WAS, OF COURSE, ALREADY AWARE OF, BUT I LIKED THE WAY HOW YOU EXPRESSED IT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HELP ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO MY CONSTITUENTS.
SO SO IT'S YEAH, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PARKS, OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.
I THINK IT'S VERY STRATEGIC AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU. BUT NOW LET'S SEE. SO NOW MY COMMENTS.
[Board Member Comments]
SO WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU AS MEMBERS OF THE PAC FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE YOU ALL PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN TERMS OF REPRESENTING YOUR COMMUNITIES, BRINGING YOUR PERSPECTIVE FORWARD.HELPING TO ADVISE THE BOARD AND STAFF HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
AND I THINK THEY'RE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TODAY, JUST AS A AS A PLACE OF PEACE AND REFUGE AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUTSIDE AND, AND CENTER OURSELVES AND REFLECT AND REJUVENATE AND SO I, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF, OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND OUR STAFF IS DOING SO. IN ADDITION TO THESE GREAT PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD TODAY, I WANTED TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT BY WAY OF UPDATE ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON IN MY DISTRICT.
AND SO I'M VERY FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION.
AND ALSO ADDRESSING ISSUES LIKE WHERE THERE'S A SEPARATION FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ON ONE SIDE OF I-80 AND THESE BEAUTIFUL PARKLANDS ON THE OTHER, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO TO GET THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY SAY A COUPLE OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING.
YOU'VE ALREADY YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD A LOT ABOUT A LOT.
SO I WON'T, WON'T, WON'T TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT.
BUT I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS CREATING A WORLD CLASS PARK IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SOME UNDERSERVED AREAS, AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVING NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES AT THAT SITE.
WE ARE STILL DOTTING THE I'S AND CROSSING THE T'S ON ON THAT PURCHASE BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
BUT BUT WE ARE. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THE TRAIL.
AND ALBANY, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THE GOLDEN GATE FIELDS HAS LEFT.
THEIR THEIR STUFF IS STILL THERE, BUT THE HORSES HAVE LEFT.
AND SO WE'RE ACTIVELY TALKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS OUT THERE AS WELL, JUST TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT POSSIBILITY THERE MAY BE TO INCREASE THE OPEN SPACE AND PARKLAND IN, IN ALBANY.
AND THEN JUST TODAY, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE THE I-80 OVERCROSSING AND INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT AT GILMAN.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE NOW PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TRAVEL FROM, FROM WEST BERKELEY TO, TO THE SHORELINE TO EAST BAY, TO OUR BEAUTIFUL EAST BAY PARKS, MCLAUGHLIN, EAST SHORE AND CONNECT UP WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL.
[02:20:01]
AND OF COURSE, ONCE YOU'RE ON THAT BAY TRAIL, YOU CAN GET TO RICHMOND OR OAKLAND, AND FOLKS FROM OAKLAND AND RICHMOND CAN COME COME TO BERKELEY OR FROM RICHMOND TO RICHMOND ALL THE WAY TO OAKLAND, WHATEVER, WHATEVER.BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUTE BY BIKES AND IT'S.
BUT THIS NEW CONNECTION WILL BE JUST ONE MORE CONNECTION OF, OF YOU KNOW, OF BEING ABLE TO CROSS THAT, THAT, THAT HIGHWAY AND GET PEOPLE SAFELY BOTH BY BIKE AND WALKING.
FROM, FROM THE, THE WEST WEST SIDE OF THE CITY TO TO THE SHORELINE.
SO, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME, SOME VERY QUICK UPDATES.
AND I DON'T THINK I WROTE UNLESS ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS.
SO BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS THEM.
NOBODY. WELL, NOW, I APOLOGIZE FOR KIND OF RUSHING US ALONG AND THROWING OUR GUESTS OUT OF HERE, BUT THAT'S OKAY. NO QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. OKAY. REPORT FROM CHAIR.
I DO NOT HAVE A REPORT, BUT JUST A REMINDER, AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
[Announcements]
THERE IS A BOARD SITE TOUR AT QUARRY STARTING AT QUARRY LAKES ON MARCH 9TH AT 10:00.AND THEN IT MOVES ON TO ARDENWOOD. MAY. DID I SAY MARCH? GOD. GETTING OLD? KIND OF. YEAH. THANK YOU. MAY.
YEAH, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCING. MARCH WOULD HAVE BEEN KIND OF FUTILE. IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN TO A BOARD SITE TOUR YET, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
MAYBE SEE A PARK YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE, AND ALSO A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH STAFF.
AND ALSO YOU NEED TO RSVP BACK TO THE PARK DISTRICT BY MAY 6TH IF YOU ARE GOING TO ATTEND.
AND IF FOR SOME REASON YOU DID NOT GET THAT EMAIL INFORMING YOU ABOUT THE SITE TOUR, THEN PLEASE, I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'D CONTACT, BUT PLEASE CONTACT OUR CLERK TO LET HER KNOW IF HE DIDN'T GET THAT EMAIL.
THANK YOU. SO MOVING ON. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE GROUP MEMBER VALENZUELA.
PACHECO MARSH IS HAVING THEIR GRAND OPENING THROUGH THE JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST.
IT'S THIS SATURDAY. THERE ARE 2.4 MILES OF TRAILS THAT ARE INCLUDE WALKING AND KAYAK TRAILS AND A MY THING THAT I'M ALWAYS STRESSING. THEY HAVE A ADA ACCESSIBLE TRAIL ALSO THERE TOO.
AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE SOMEDAY THE IRON HORSE TRAIL WILL REACH THAT ALSO.
THANK YOU. MEMBER OBRINGER. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE.
YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE ERIC AND ELSA AND LISA AND THE NATURALISTS WHO CAME OUT TO THE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50, ON APRIL 12TH. I PARTNERED WITH DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND WE DID A WALK AND TALK.
SINCE THE PARK IS NOT YET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THERE ARE ABOUT 60 PEOPLE THERE.
JULIE PADMORE, WHO MANY OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WAS ALSO PRESENT AND IT WAS JUST IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE MOSTLY FROM CONCORD CLAYTON.
SOME CAME FROM MARTINEZ. AND SOMEONE CAME FROM DENNISHA.
AND IT WAS JUST AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO HIKE UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND JUST ONCE AGAIN REINFORCED WHAT AN AMAZING GEM THAT IS, AS ALL OF THE PARKS ARE WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO. BUT I JUST REALLY WANTED TO THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING ON.
IT WAS JUST IT WAS A VERY NICE EVENT. AND IF ANYBODY HASN'T BEEN OUT THERE YET I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A PARK DISTRICT JUNETEENTH EVENT AS WELL, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE MY THANKS HERE, SINCE I THINK WE KNOW MOST OF THE STAFF WHO WERE INVOLVED.
MEMBER MARSH. I DON'T HAVE AN EVENT, BUT I HAD A QUESTION.
AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THEY NEED THE GRASS AREAS NEED TO BE TRIMMED.
[02:25:02]
ALMOST. SO WE WANT TO GET IT CUT DOWN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHO I WOULD SEND THAT OUT TO.I SENT IT TO ELSA. PLEASE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TOLD.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR. MENDOZA.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WERE SO MANY. 30 UPWARDS OF 30% IDENTIFY AS THAT.
SO I'M LEADING A BIRD WALK, A DECOLONIZING BIRD WALK AT CRAB COVE IN THE END OF MAY.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO, IT'S ON A SUNDAY. SUNDAY MORNING.
IT'S FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR.
IF YOU IDENTIFY AS THAT, THEN JUST LET ME KNOW.
OR YOU KNOW, EMAIL ME ON THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER LIST.
ANYBODY ELSE? MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. CALIFORNIA TRAILS AND GREENWAYS CONFERENCE FOR 2025 HAPPENED LAST WEEK, BUT THEY ANNOUNCED AT THE END OF THAT THAT THE 2026 CONFERENCE WILL BE IN SAN RAMON, SO IT WILL BE MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
SO NEXT APRIL IN SAN RAMON, DO WE KNOW THE DATE? I WANT TO SAY THE 16TH TO 17TH, BUT I'M NOT 100% SURE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION? MEMBERS SIMMONS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE EVENT AT PACHECO MARSH AND JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THAT EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT ALL EXCEPT FOR THE VERY HARD WORK OF OUR MEMBER PAUL DETJENS WITH A LOWER WALNUT CREEK PROJECT, AND HE EVERYTHING THEY DID WAS JUST OUTSTANDING AND IT CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS FOR JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST TO OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.
IT'S JUST AN OUTSTANDING END OF THE CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR PAUL.
THANK YOU. BOB. I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I WAS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE OVERALL RESTORATION PROJECT AND WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SPIRITUAL PARK DISTRICT STAFF, AS WELL AS JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST, MANY PARTNERS, MANY GRANTERS, MANY FUNDERS. AND I STARTED THAT IN 2003. SO A 20 YEAR JOURNEY.
GOT IT TO A CERTAIN POINT. RETIRED. AND NOW I'M HAPPY TO BE THERE ON SATURDAY FOR THE GRAND OPENING.
ANYBODY ELSE? GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE. OKAY. I HAVE ONE REALLY, REALLY FAST THING, I APOLOGIZE.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I READ RECENTLY THAT A YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC INTERESTED IN BIRDWATCHING, BIRDING AND AND IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH EVERYONE BEING LOCKED DOWN DURING COVID.
AND ALSO ABOUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES IN OUR IN THE FIRST PRESENTATION.
SO IT JUST KIND OF GIVES ME HOPE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS ACTIVITY, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE GOOD ADVOCATES AND STEWARDS OF OUR PARKS AND OUR WILDLANDS. AND NOW I'M DONE, I PROMISE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANYONE? OKAY. THE MEETING OF APRIL 28TH, 2025 IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 6:29 P.M..
THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE. GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.