[00:00:01]
ALL RIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYONE, AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
[Roll Call]
WELCOME TO THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.THIS IS A REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON MAY 19TH, 2025, BEGINNING AT 4:03 P.M.. IF THE CLERK CAN PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL.
THAT CONCLUDES ROLL CALL. I CAN NOW READ THE BROWN ACT MEETINGS, PROCEDURES.
TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT, THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
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, 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 2449 PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54953, 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 354 NORTHWEST NINTH AVENUE IN PORTLAND, OREGON. THIS NOTICE AND AGENDA WILL BE POSTED AT THE TELECONFERENCE LOCATIONS.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO IN PERSON OR LIVE VIA ZOOM BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL TO PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT EBPARKS.ORG 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 EAST BAY, OHLONE, BAY MIWOK, AND THE NORTHERN VALLEY YOKUT, WHO ARE POLITICALLY ORGANIZED AND REPRESENTED BY A NUMBER OF TRIBES TODAY.
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.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY DUE TO AN EMERGENCY THAT WISHED TO REQUEST THE BODY'S APPROVAL TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? SEEING NONE FOR MEMBERS WHO PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED THEIR REMOTE PARTICIPATION PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, WE WILL NOW CONFIRM IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS PRESENT AT YOUR 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 WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION.
THERE IS NO ONE CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING WITH ME.
[00:05:01]
THIS IS AN ACCESSIBLE LOCATION, SO CONCEIVABLY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COULD JOIN ME.BUT NO ONE IS HERE AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE ALISON BROOKS. SHE IS A NEW ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS AND WELCOME.
OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. I AM JOINING YOU AFTER SERVING 11 YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BAY AREA REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE, WHERE I HELPED COORDINATE REGIONAL AGENCIES AND STATE AGENCIES AROUND LARGELY WORKING ON CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES.
SO I AM REALLY DELIGHTED. I'M A LONG TIME EAST BAY RESIDENT, LIKE ALL OF YOU, LOVE THE PARKS.
AND REALLY EXCITED TO PLAY THIS ROLE. AND EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU.
SO THANKS. THANK YOU. AND WELCOME AGAIN TO TWO NEW PAC MEMBERS JOINING US TONIGHT.
MEMBER AMOLO AND MEMBER SMITH, WELCOME. ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes]
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 28TH, 2025? I SO MOVE. MOVED BY MEMBER DETJENS. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? SECONDED BY PEOPLES. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL.MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. IF THE CLERK COULD PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED ONE OF THREE WAYS.
NUMBER ONE VIA EMAIL TO PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT EBPARKS.ORG, NUMBER TWO VIA VOICEMAIL 5105442036. BY LEAVING A MESSAGE WHICH WILL BE TRANSCRIBED AND GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE AND MADE A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.
NUMBER THREE BY JOINING THE MEETING VIA THE ZOOM LINK LISTED IN THE AGENDA AND POSTED ON THE PARK DISTRICT'S WEBSITE, THE SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS NOTICED ON THE AGENDA AND IN THE PARK ADVISORY PACKET POSTED ON THE PARK DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
HAS THE CLERK RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR SPEAKER'S CARDS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA? NO, WE HAVE NOT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. 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, OUR FIRST ITEM OF THE NIGHT WILL BE WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEMS.
[Informational Items]
WE DO HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATIONS. AND THEN BOARD MEMBER ESPAÑA WILL BE JOINING US LATER THIS EVENING.THANK YOU. PAC MEMBERS I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
MY NAME IS SANDY FUNKY, AND I'M THE DIVISION LEAD FOR INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO BE SHARING HIDDEN HISTORIES OF THE DISTRICT OF THE TWO COUNTIES, AND THIS IS ALSO AN ITEM THAT IS REALLY WE'RE HAPPY TO BE PRESENTING, BECAUSE WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY AND ARE WE ABLE TO DO THE WORK WE DO. SO KEVIN WILL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE KEVIN BECAUSE HE JUST PASSED THE OFFICIAL 15 YEAR MARK, EVEN THOUGH HE'S BEEN HERE LIKE 16 YEARS. SO CONGRATULATIONS.
[00:10:03]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE.SANDY MENTIONED I'VE BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SHARING WITH YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW OUR STAFF HAVE WOVEN TOGETHER STORIES THAT WERE TRADITIONALLY UNTOLD WITHIN OUR PROGRAMS, AND INTO FIELD TRIPS THAT WE ALL DO.
IF YOU GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND, I WILL BEGIN SHARING THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT OUR PUBLIC PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AT PARKS SUCH AS THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, BLACK DIAMOND MINES, ARDENWOOD, AND ALSO ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT.
AND THESE ARE TERMS THAT FOR MANY OF US WHO WORK WITHIN EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION, WE UNDERSTAND.
SO PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PLANNED FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE.
THEY HAVE SPECIFIC GOALS THAT ARE CREATED, USUALLY CREATED BY THE STAFF AHEAD OF THAT PROGRAM.
FIELD TRIPS ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS, AND THEY ARE DESIGNED TO MEET EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS AS PART OF REQUIRED CLASSROOM LEARNING. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS ARE DESIGNED WITH AND FOR A PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY MEET SPECIFIC GOALS SUCH AS INCREASING ACCESS TO PARKS, AND THESE GOALS ARE OFTEN CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT COMMUNITY, USUALLY THROUGH THE WORK OF A PARTNER ORGANIZATION.
WHEN WE LOOK AT PLACES LIKE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.
IT'S A LOCATION THAT HAS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT HAPPEN IN IT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS US TO SHARE THOSE HIDDEN STORIES FROM INJUSTICE TO RESILIENCE AND RECONCILIATION. THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, LEARN AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. OUR HISTORY AND NATURE.
MANY OF THE PROGRAMS WE OFFER IN THIS STILL CLOSED PARK HIGHLIGHT THIS GOAL.
THE PROGRAMS DRAW UP TO 50 PEOPLE PER HIKE AND INVOLVE MULTIPLE STAFF FROM BLACK DIAMOND MINES.
THEY ENCOURAGE CRITICAL THINKING OF HISTORY AND HOW IT IMPACTS PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES TODAY.
AND IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO COME OUT ON THESE PROGRAMS WITH US, THERE ARE QUOTES AND TOOLS AND DIFFERENT MATERIALS THAT ARE USED TO HELP PEOPLE FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE PARTICIPANTS TO SHARE THEIR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES, AND ALSO TO ENCOURAGE ACTIVE LISTENING AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
THIS MODEL ALSO TRANSLATES VERY WELL TO CERTAIN TYPES OF FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY THOSE FOR OLDER STUDENTS AND OUR UNCOVERING LOCAL HISTORY. FIELD TRIP IS A CURRICULUM BASED PROGRAM THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS USING SOME OF THESE SAME TECHNIQUES, HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE THAT HAPPENED ON AND AROUND THE FORMER MILITARY BASE IN CONCORD.
THIS PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2023 AS A SPECIAL PROGRAM OFFERING THAT WAS CONNECTED TO A REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION GRANT, BUT IT HAS SINCE BECOME A STANDARD OFFERING FOR HIGH SCHOOL GROUPS RUN THROUGH OUR BLACK DIAMOND MINES STAFF.
[00:15:02]
THE THURGOOD MARSHALL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS A COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAM RUN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ORGANIZATION CALLED PEOPLE WHO CARE.THIS IS A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT WE BEGAN PARTNERING WITH AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES IN 2023.
EACH YEAR, THE PROGRAM IS MODIFIED AND REDESIGNED TO MEET THE MUTUAL AGREED UPON LOGISTICS AND GOALS THAT OVERLAP AND CONNECT WITH THE CORE GOAL TO CONNECT YOUTH TO THE PARKS THROUGH THE LENS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.
YOUTH WORK TOGETHER AND INDEPENDENTLY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC.
THIS HAS. THIS HAS INCLUDED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, MEDIA CAMPAIGNS THAT HIGHLIGHT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE PARKS, THEIR CONNECTION TO THE HISTORY THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED, AND HELPING TO EDUCATE THEIR PEERS.
IN 2025, WE ARE CONTINUING INTO OUR THIRD YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN PLANNING FOR IT, AND THE PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED TO GROW. BY THE END OF THE 2024 SEASON, THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO HAD ASKED TO BE PART OF THE NEXT YEAR'S COHORT WAS TWICE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE USUALLY ACCEPT IN.
AT THE END OF THE VERY FIRST YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM.
OUR PARTNER SHARED WITH US THAT THEY HAD THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE PARK, LEARN ABOUT ITS HISTORY AND STORIES, AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONNECTION TO SOCIAL JUSTICE.
THIS EXPERIENCE HAD NOT ONLY BROADENED OUR KNOWLEDGE, BUT ALSO INSPIRED US TO CREATE MEANINGFUL SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT THAT CONNECTS LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO THESE VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCES.
CHRISTIAN COOPER, AN AVID BLACK BIRDER THAT OCCURRED IN 2020.
THE PARK LOCATIONS CHANGE BASED UPON THE STAFF INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY ON A PARTICULAR YEAR.
IN 2025, THERE WILL BE A THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK.
BIG BREAK. REGIONAL SHORELINE. COYOTE HILLS, TEMESCAL.
SUNOL, TILDEN, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING SHORELINE.
MANY STORIES THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN TELLING WERE LOST, WHETHER DELIBERATELY OR INADVERTENTLY, BECAUSE OF PREJUDICE, HATRED, BIAS, AND RACISM.
THIS HISTORY WAS DOWNPLAYED FOR DECADES, TO THE POINT THAT MANY STAFF BELIEVED THERE WAS NOTHING TO LEARN AND LITTLE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND THE HISTORY THAT WE TOLD AT THE PARK. THIS BEGAN TO CHANGE DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HAS NOW ADJUSTED ALL OF OUR PROGRAMING.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE VERY FIRST PARK THAT I WORKED AT AS A NATURALIST WAS BLACK DIAMOND MINES, AND WHEN I ARRIVED THERE. I WAS GIVEN VARIOUS DOCUMENTS TO START TO LEARN THE HISTORY OF THE PARK.
THERE WERE ALSO EXHIBITS IN THE VISITOR CENTER THAT WE WENT THROUGH, AND ONE OF THOSE EXHIBITS IS OF A VERY LARGE CHINESE PICKLE JAR THAT HAD BEEN EXCAVATED FROM A SITE AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES IN THE 1970S.
WHICH LEADS TO THE OBVIOUS QUESTION. WHAT'S THE CONNECTION TO THE CHINESE? WE HAVE A LARGE PICKLE JAR, AND WHAT WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME WAS THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE AROUND, BUT THEY WEREN'T REALLY VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED.
WELL, THROUGH RESEARCH, WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE.
THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF CHINESE THAT WERE ACTUALLY MINERS IN THE MINE.
AND ANOTHER PORTION OF THE HISTORY THAT WE USE TO INTERPRET WAS OF KIDS THAT WERE KNOWN AS KNOBBERS.
AND THESE WERE SEVEN YEAR OLD CHILDREN THAT WORKED IN THE MINES TO PUSH THE COAL DOWN THE COAL CHUTES AS A WAY TO, WELL, MAKE EXTRA MONEY FOR THEIR FAMILY AND TO HELP OUT.
[00:20:01]
THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN UNCOVERED IS THAT THE CHINESE MINERS WHO WERE WORKING IN THE MINES WERE DOING THE WORK THAT THE KNOBBERS ENDED UP DOING, AND THAT SWITCH HAPPENED AFTER, ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1877, THERE WAS A STRIKE WHERE THE PREDOMINANTLY EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN MINERS THREATENED TO ALL NEVER RETURN TO WORK IF THE CHINESE WERE NOT DISMISSED AND THE BLACK DIAMOND COAL COMPANY COMPLIED, DISMISSING ALL CHINESE WORKERS AND HIRING THE CHILDREN OF THOSE MINERS INTO THOSE POSITIONS.ANOTHER EXAMPLE COMES FROM ARDENWOOD, WHERE WE RESEARCH SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNCOVERED THROUGH CENSUS DATA AND JOURNALS. AND THIS LED TO A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF OUR WHEAT HARVEST PROGRAM TO FOCUS ON THE WORKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO HARVESTED THE WHEAT AT THE PATTERSON FAMILY FARM. THIS CHANGE BRINGS A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND INCLUDES CULTURAL CONNECTIONS THAT WERE MISSING IN THE PAST. THIS WORK IS ALWAYS EVOLVING.
IT INCLUDES MORE PARKS, STORIES, AND PEOPLE. THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE THINGS FOR US TO DISCOVER.
AND THESE THREE EXAMPLES THAT I THESE EXAMPLES FROM THE PARKS THAT I.
THIS HISTORY PROVIDES A STRONG STARTING PLACE, AND THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH OTHER DISTRICT STAFF TO SUPPORT MOVING OUR PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WE OFFER, AND OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NOT AT THIS TIME. GREAT. THANK YOU. PAC. MEMBERS.
MEMBER SIMMONS. ARE THERE OTHER PARKS FOR WHERE YOU THINK THERE ARE HISTORIES THAT ARE UNCOVERED THAT YOU'RE JUST STARTING THE RESEARCH INTO, OR SUCH THAT IF YOU CAME BACK IN 3 TO 5 YEARS, WE'D LEARN SOME MORE? THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING. SO, YES YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 73 PARKS, AND I CAN GUESS THAT EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS A HISTORY AND HIDDEN STORY THAT WE HAVE NOT YET UNCOVERED.
WHERE THAT RESEARCH STANDS. IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY WERE LOST AND HIDDEN TO EVERYBODY.
MANY OF THE PEOPLE AND CULTURES AND COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE NOW INTERACTING WITH AND LEARNING THESE STORIES FROM HAVE KNOWN THEM ALL ALONG, AND I DON'T DOUBT THAT THAT CONTINUES. THE OUTREACH WORK, THE COMMUNITY WORK THAT WE DO IT ALL HELPS TO BUILD THE TRUST FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE THOSE STORIES. THAT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO LEARN MORE AND INCORPORATE MORE AS WE GO.
SO. MEMBER OBRINGER. SORRY, OBRINGER. THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I KNEW ABOUT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, BUT NOT ALL.
I'M DELIGHTED THAT THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING.
AND JUST A QUICK QUESTION, SINCE I KNOW YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS LIKE THE BLACK BIRDERS MONTH, JUNETEENTH TOUR, ETC. ARE POSTED ON THE PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE AND CALENDAR.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH? HOW DO YOU LEARN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT SUMMER WEEK PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE WORD GET OUT ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROGRAM. SOME OF THE PROGRAMS ARE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION LIKE THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AT THURGOOD MARSHALL. THAT IS DONE WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED PEOPLE WHO CARE.
SO THEY ACTUALLY ARE THE GROUP THAT HELPS TO BRING THE YOUTH INTO THAT PROGRAM.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MODELS FOR THAT THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT.
OTHERS LIKE THE WHEAT HARVESTING PROGRAM AT ARDENWOOD.
THAT'S A STANDARD PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER AS A FIELD TRIP FOR EVERYONE WHO COMES.
[00:25:10]
IT'S NOT HIGHLIGHTED AS A PART OF THAT PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT JUST IS PART OF THAT HISTORY NOW.SO IT'S WOVEN THROUGH INTO THE STANDARD PROGRAMING TO HELP SHARE THAT STORY MORE COMPLETELY.
GOT IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MEMBER MARSH AND THEN MEMBERS PEOPLES.
THANK YOU, KEVIN, FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY PRESENTATION.
SO DO WE DO SUMMER PROGRAMING FIELD TRIPS? DO WE TRY TO PARTNER WITH THE SUMMER SCHOOLS TO BRING THE KIDS? I KNOW IT'S DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT DO WE DO IT IN THE SUMMERTIME BECAUSE OR SOME OF THE SUMMER PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE KIDS IN THE PARK.
I KNOW WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE SUMMER PROGRAMS IN MY COMMUNITY EVERY FRIDAY THEY DO A TRIP SOMEPLACE, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY WENT TO A DIFFERENT PARK SOMEPLACE AND LEARN SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
ARE WE LOOKING AT PARTNER WITH THOSE KINDS OF PROGRAMS OR FOR SUMMER TRIPS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT'S KIND OF TWO PARTS THAT I WOULD ANSWER FOR THAT.
OUR FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS NEVER ACTUALLY CLOSED DOWN.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT REGISTRATION SEASONS THAT OCCUR.
SO THEY ARE ALWAYS OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY TO AND TO BE ABLE TO COME TO OUR PROGRAMS. AND WE'LL OFFER THOSE FIELD TRIPS AT ANY POINT.
SO THE SYSTEM IS ALREADY IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SUMMER SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU. MEMBER PEOPLES. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
A LOT OF CONTACTS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO FULLY DESCRIBE THE HISTORY OF THESE PARKS AND PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LARGER SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SITUATION IN THE NATION DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT IT WAS OCCURRING. AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING TO UNCOVER AND WILL SHARE, YOU KNOW, THE FULL HISTORY OF THE PARKS AS YOU GO FORWARD.
THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. I WANT TO DOVETAIL ON BOB'S STATEMENT THERE.
FUNDING OR OTHERWISE. I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT ALL OF THE WONDERFUL PROGRAMS THAT I'VE KEVIN AND SANDY AND THE STAFF HAVE BEEN UP TO FOR NOT JUST THE PAST, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS, BUT FOR DECADES.
AND I WAS JUST ON A TRIP TO VASCO CAVES WITH LATINO OUTDOORS YESTERDAY AND HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.
UPLIFT VOICES, BUT ALSO CENTER VOICES SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL SAFE IN A WAY THAT, LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED, KEVIN, NOT EVERYBODY FEELS SAFE OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY DURING BLACKBIRDERS WEEK. I THINK YOU KNOW, OUR FRIEND RUE MAPP SAYS WHO IS THE LEADER OF OUTDOOR AFRO.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE WAY THAT WE ARE CENTERING IT IS BY NOT CHANGING THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT WE ARE STILL PRESENTING AND STILL SUPPORTING AND STILL CENTERING THOSE VOICES AS BEST WE CAN THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE DOING, THROUGH THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE OFFERING AND THROUGH THE WAY THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING IT AND A RECOGNITION THAT NOT ALL OF OUR PARTNERS CAN. SO SOMETIMES OUR VOICE HAS TO BE LOUDER THAN OTHERS.
MEMBER SMITH. SO I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. REALLY FUN TO HEAR
[00:30:06]
ABOUT THIS WORK. HOW IS THE OHLONE CURRICULUM PRESENTED? AND I BELIEVE YOU SAID IT WAS BEING STILL BEING DEVELOPED.OR I'M JUST A LITTLE CURIOUS, GIVEN THAT THEY WERE THE FIRST STEWARDS OF THE LAND.
HOW AND WHERE AND? YEAH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING.
SO WE HAVE AN I HAVE TO MOVE THIS DOWN. I'M A LITTLE SHORTER.
WE HAVE AN EXISTING OHLONE CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE BEEN UTILIZING, AND IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE WORKING ON A TRIBAL FRAMEWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
THAT'S REALLY GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL TRIBES.
BUT WE CURRENTLY DO OFFER PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP.
MEMBER FARMER. THANK YOU. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING ON ONE OF THE BLACK HISTORY TOURS AT THURGOOD MARSHALL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50. IT WAS A DEEPLY POWERFUL EXPERIENCE, AND THE STAFF WAS EXTREMELY WELL PREPARED TO SUPPORT THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THAT. YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE DATA AND THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE MAKING UPON STUDENTS. DO YOU COLLECT THAT OR REPORT THAT OUT ON NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED OR GROUPS SERVED? BECAUSE, YEAH, IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL INFORMATION.
SO SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAMS HAVE VERY EXTENSIVE SURVEYS THAT GO INTO THEM WITH PRE SURVEYS AND POST SURVEYS, SO WE CAN MEASURE CHANGE OVER TIME. OTHER PROGRAMS LIKE THE PUBLIC ACCESS TOURS AND THOSE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, WE DON'T HAVE AS ROBUST A SURVEY TOOL OR METRIC TO USE AT THIS TIME, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO DO AND SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS. YEAH, I THINK THE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU. MEMBER REID. THANK YOU. I LEARNED A LOT.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW DOES THE INITIATION OF THE RESEARCH, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? WHEN WHO HEARS THAT THERE'S A HIDDEN HISTORY THAT NEEDS TO BE SPOKEN ABOUT? AND HOW DO YOU FOLLOW THAT UP? WHO DOES THAT? IN THE CASE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT I GAVE MANY OF, MUCH OF IT CAME FROM OUR NATURALISTS.
AND IT USUALLY STARTS WITH A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, LIKE AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES WITH THE CHINESE PICKLE JAR THAT WE GOT THE ANSWER TO THAT STORY OF. WELL, THERE WASN'T MUCH OF A CONNECTION, AND IT NEVER REALLY SAT RIGHT WITH MOST OF THE NATURALISTS THERE.
SO OVER TIME, PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SLOWLY FIND OTHER STORIES.
AND IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT CAME TOGETHER THAT THAT WAS ALSO THE SAME TIME FRAME THAT THE CITY OF ANTIOCH WAS BEGINNING TO ADDRESS AND WRESTLE WITH ITS HISTORY, WITH THE CHINESE IN THE CITY OF ANTIOCH AND SOME OF THE ISSUES OF RACISM THAT OCCURRED THERE.
AND FROM THE RESEARCH THAT WAS BEING DONE THERE AND THOSE STORIES STARTING TO COME OUT, IT ALLOWED US TO BE ABLE TO ZERO IN ON DIFFERENT PLACES TO DO RESEARCH AND FIND MORE HIDDEN THAN HAD BEEN IN THE PAST. SO IT REALLY STARTS WITH THOSE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE AND A DESIRE TO UNCOVER AND FIND THOSE STORIES.
AND THAT OFTEN COMES FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE SOMEONE WILL SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THAT.
PLEASE TELL ME MORE. AND THEN YOU JUST KEEP GOING FROM THERE UNTIL YOU CAN PUT IT TOGETHER.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK. IT IS IMPORTANT WORK. MEMBER VALENZUELA.
YEAH. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE BLACK BIRDERS WEEK FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS OVER AT BIG BREAK.
AND THE YOU KNOW, ANYTIME WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE COME TO THE PROGRAM AND FEEL COMFORTABLE AND HAVE FRANK CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FEELING COMFORTABLE AND ENJOYING THE PARKS, I MEAN, I ALL IN THE FEELING OF THE LAST ONE THAT WE HAD WAS REALLY, REALLY NICE. I MEAN, IT WAS WE WERE ENJOYING THE DAY, ENJOYING THE BIRDS, ENJOYING THE CONVERSATION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
[00:35:02]
I LEARNED A LOT AS WELL. THANKS. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ANOTHER INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION TO HEAR ABOUT.WILDCAT. WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED AND HABITAT RESTORATION.
MR. CHAIR. WE DID HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT CAME UP AS THE PRESENTATION WAS WRAPPING UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PERSON IS STILL INTERESTED IN SPEAKING THOUGH.
THANK YOU. OF COURSE. I SEE NORMAN LA FORCE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED AND CORINA LOPEZ HAS THEIR HAND RAISED AS WELL. NORMAN, ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR US OR CAN WE HEAR YOU RATHER? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE HEAR YOU. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GREAT. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE.
THIS IS A VERY EXCELLENT PRESENTATION AND THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT ON FRIDAY THE COURT REMOVED THE LAST IMPEDIMENT TO THE PARK DISTRICT PURCHASE OF POINT MOLATE BY REMOVING THE PENDENS OVER THE PROPERTY THAT THE SUNCAL WINEHAVEN HAD ASSERTED, AND THEREFORE THAT THE PURCHASE AND ACQUISITION WILL GO FORWARD HOPEFULLY BY APRIL 30TH OF THIS YEAR. AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS DISCUSSION IS THAT I WAS ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS INVOLVED IN THE UNDERLYING CEQA CASE.
I REPRESENTED SIERRA CLUB, AND ONE OF THE GROUNDS THAT WE ASSERTED AS WHY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WAS INADEQUATE AND WHY ALL THE PROJECT APPROVALS HAD TO BE RESCINDED, WAS THAT THE CITY HAD FAILED TO PROPERLY ANALYZE THE IMPACTS ON THE SACRED OHLONE SITES.
AND THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE PARK DISTRICT TO PROCEED WITH THE ACQUISITION WITH THE MONEY THAT NANCY SKINNER, A SENATOR, OBTAINED. AND SO WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE WHEN POINT MOLATE BECOMES A REGIONAL PARK TO DISCUSS THE RELATIONSHIP TO THAT AREA. AND IN ADDITION THE, THE AT THAT SITE WAS THE CHINESE SHRIMP CAMP THAT WAS MADE FAMOUS IN JACK LONDON'S NOVEL ON THE SHRIMP PATROL WHICH WAS LOCATED AT POINT MOLATE.
AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND AS PEOPLE MAY KNOW THIS ACT IS BEING UNDER ATTACK NOW AS BEING SOMEHOW ABUSIVE AND OBSTRUCTIONIST AND NOT BEING PROPERLY. IT HAS TO BE AMENDED AND FIXED IN SOME WAY.
THOSE FIXES, I CAN TELL YOU, THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED IN THE AT THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW WOULD HAVE REMOVED OUR ABILITY TO HAVE CHALLENGED THIS PROJECT AND WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OHLONE SACRED SITES AT POINT MOLATE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, NORMAN. KARINA, YOU ARE NEXT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PASSION AND YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR UNAPOLOGETIC, YOUR UNAPOLOGETIC ENERGIES AND TANGIBLE DISPLAYS OF LOOKING AT THE PAST, OF ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, OF LOOKING TO COURSE CORRECT, OF LOOKING TO YOU KNOW, LESSEN GAPS, HISTORICAL GAPS.
AND YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THESE DAYS AND THESE TIMES TO DO THIS VERY PUBLICLY, TO DO IT AGAIN WITH AS MUCH PASSION AS YOU DO IS HIGHLY COMMENDABLE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
[00:40:06]
OKAY. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. SO, MATT GRAUL, DIVISION LEAD FOR STEWARDSHIP.AND THEN KRISTEN VAN DAM, AN ECOLOGICAL SERVICES COORDINATOR, AND OUR STEWARDSHIP GROUP.
AND WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE. THIS IS OUR SECOND PRESENTATION THIS YEAR.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER TOPIC OUR STAFF FELT WOULD BE OF INTEREST.
THINGS WERE IN PROCESS AND OTHER THINGS WERE PLANNING AND THOUGHT IT'D BE JUST A GOOD TIME TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS. BUT ALSO, I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE A LITTLE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE LONG HISTORY OF ACTIVISM AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, PLANNING AND PROTECTION OF THE WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED AREA.
BUT ALSO, WHEN WE'RE DONE, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS AND ALSO HAPPY TO HEAR IN THE FUTURE ABOUT OTHER TOPICS THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE PAC STEWARDSHIP REALLY VALUES THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND PRESENT. AND AS WE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR AND OTHER TIMES, WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE MOST VALUABLE.
SO BUT HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT. SO JUST TO GET STARTED ON THE LOWER AREAS OF WALNUT OR WILDCAT CREEK THERE'S BEEN A LONG HISTORY OF JUST COMMUNITY ADVOCACY TOWARDS PROTECTING THE CREEK AND INFORMING WHAT HAPPENS ALONG THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE CREEK.
AND IT'S HARD TO TELL IN THIS PHOTO, BUT WHAT THE WILDCAT CREEK AND SAN PABLO WATERSHEDS KIND OF COME TOGETHER, AND BOTH THOSE CREEKS COME TOGETHER IN THE LOWER PARTS OF THE AREA.
SO YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT THE WILDCAT CREEK, SAN PABLO CREEK'S WATERSHED COUNCIL.
WE THOUGH ONLY OR OPERATE A LOT OF AREAS IN THE WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED.
SO THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. BUT BACK IN THE IN THE 50S AND 60S, THERE WAS A LOT OF PLANNING AROUND WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IN THE LOWER AREAS OF WILDCAT CREEK IN RICHMOND AND SAN PABLO.
AND SO THERE WAS A PLAN FOR PRESERVING THIS CREEK AND ENHANCING THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS, CREATING TRAILS, PARKS AND THINGS. AND THAT PLAN, THOUGH, WAS CANCELED IN THE EARLY 70S WHEN THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION CAME IN.
THEY CANCELED THAT MODEL CITIES PROGRAM. AND THEN LATER IN THE EARLY 70S, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS STARTED LOOKING TO WHAT TO DO WITH THE LOWER PARTS OF WILDCAT CREEK. AND THERE WERE VARIOUS PROPOSALS FOR CHANNELIZATION OF THE CREEK.
AND THE TRADITIONAL FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT WOULD BE TO CREATE A TRAPEZOIDAL CHANNEL, ELIMINATE MOST OF THE FLOODPLAIN, AND JUST PUT THE CREEK IN A CHANNEL FOR THE LARGEST AREAS AND TRY TO REDUCE TO GET THE WATER OUT TO THE BAY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND TRY TO REDUCE THAT POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING.
MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS, THOUGH, IN THAT MODEL CITIES PROGRAM AND OTHER THINGS AND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ANN RILEY, LUNA LEOPOLD HAD REALLY STUDIED THESE DYNAMICS AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS THAT TYPE OF PLAN WOULDN'T BE THE BEST THING FOR THE CREEK TO COMPLETELY CHANNELIZE THE CREEK.
AND SO ALL OF THIS MEMORIALIZED BY THERE WAS AN INITIAL DESIGN TEAM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE MID 80S THAT HELPED INFORM AND REALLY WORKED WITH THE CORPS AND THE FLOOD CONTROL TO DO AN ALTERNATIVE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT IN THE WILDCAT CREEK AREA.
SO THAT WAS REALLY HELPED PREVENT THE CHANNELIZATION OF THE CREEK AND DID SOME NOVEL DESIGNS IN THE 80S, TO TRY TO MAINTAIN A SINUOUS CHANNEL, TO CREATE A FISH LADDER AND THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH THE AREA.
SO IT REALLY HELPED PRESERVE A LOT OF THE HABITATS IN THAT AREA.
AND SO THAT RESULTED THEN IN, IN LIKE A MUCH BETTER PROJECT.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, THAT LOWER AREA, THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO GET ANOTHER GRANT IN PLACE AND TO DO A FULL WATERSHED PLANNING OF THE WHOLE WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN.
AND THAT'S SORT OF BEING DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 2000 TO REALLY MODIFY THAT AREA, BUT JUST REALLY WANTED TO KIND OF POINT OUT, SEE, ON THIS NEXT LET'S SEE. WELL, I GUESS THIS WILL WORK.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THERE. IT'S MOSTLY OPEN 1800S.
AND THEN QUICKLY GO TO THIS NEXT MAP. I GUESS THERE'S SOME BLANK SLIDES IN THERE.
AND SO REALLY AT THE UPPER AREAS OF THE WATERSHED ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER OF THIS FIGURE, YOU CAN SEE THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE VOLLMER PEAK AREA STARTS IN THE UPPER PARTS OF TILDEN REGIONAL PARK. AND SO THE CREEK CONTINUES THERE THROUGH WILDCAT CANYON REGIONAL PARK, THEN THROUGH THE ALVARADO PORTION OF WILDCAT CANYON REGIONAL PARK.
[00:45:02]
AND AS IT'S LEAVING THAT GOING INTO THE CITIES IT GOES IN THROUGH PARTS OF SAN PABLO AND RICHMOND BEFORE IT ENTERS SAN PABLO BAY.AND SO EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN SEE IN THOSE CHANGES BETWEEN THOSE TWO FIGURES, BETWEEN THE 1800S TO 2000, YOU CAN SEE THAT URBAN ENCROACHMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CREEK, THE MAIN PART OF THE CREEK STAYS OPEN STILL.
AND SO IT'S GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STEELHEAD RESTORATION AND FOR RAINBOW TROUT PROTECTION.
AND THEN THE OPEN TRAILS IN THE LOWER PARTS OF RICHMOND AND SAN PABLO.
AND SO IT REALLY CREATES A CORRIDOR CONNECTING THE BAY INTO THE PLACES, SPACES IN THE HILLS.
AND RAINBOW TROUT AND STEELHEAD ARE KNOWN TO OCCUPY BOTH OF THESE AREAS IN THE LOWER PARTS AND IN THE UPPER PARTS OF THE WATERSHED, AND OTHER FISH LIKE THREE SPINE STICKLEBACK, CALIFORNIA ROACH, AND SACRAMENTO SUCKERS ARE ALSO PRESENT WITHIN THE WATERSHED.
AND THEN AS WE GET DOWN INTO THE BAY, THERE'S A LOT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT USE THOSE MARSHES. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THIS CONNECTION OF THE WATERSHED BECAUSE WE HAVE RIDGWAY'S RAIL, BLACK RAIL AND SALT MARSH HARVEST MOUSE DOWN IN THE MARSHES OF WILDCAT AND SAN PABLO ADJACENT TO THE BAY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF JUST UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION IN THESE AREAS.
AND SO THIS SHOWS WELL, THIS IS PART OF THE INITIAL FLOOD CONTROL PLANNING WAS THESE PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO REACHES THE PHASE TWO REACHES NEVER WAS IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE ECONOMICALLY INFEASIBLE. BUT THAT PHASE ONE REACH IN NORTH RICHMOND WAS WHERE THAT ALTERNATIVE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT WAS FIRST IMPLEMENTED.
AND THEN THE UPPER PARTS REALLY SHOW KIND OF OUR PARKS THAT I JUST MENTIONED IN THE LAST SLIDE.
BUT THAT INITIAL WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN 2000, STARTING IN 2004, IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF PROJECTS. AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM REAL QUICK BECAUSE SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE BEEN COMPLETED SINCE THEN.
SO IN THIS FIGURE, IT'S ONLY NUMBER THREE THAT WE'RE SHOWING DAVIS PARK AND THAT AREA THAT WAS IDENTIFYING A PROJECT WHERE THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE A CULVERT THAT WAS PREVENTING FISH PASSAGE THROUGH THAT AREA. SO THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THAT PLAN. AND THE CITY OF SAN PABLO WORKED, GOT SEVERAL GRANTS AND WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THAT CULVERT AND DAYLIGHT, THAT SECTION OF CREEK.
SO THAT WAS ONE BARRIER. AND THEN ALSO IN THE AREA FROM VAIL ROAD TO CHURCH LANE HERE ON THIS MAP.
THAT WAS ANOTHER RESTORATION PROJECT THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THAT WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN.
AND THE PARK DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE FUNDING THROUGH OUR MEASURE WW AND MEASURE WW, WE HAD AN URBAN CREEKS FUNDING FOR URBAN CREEK RESTORATION, AND PART OF THAT WAS TO BE A GRANT TO CITIES AND COUNTY AGENCIES WITH PROJECTS THAT COULD RESTORE CREEKS IN THAT AREA. SO WE HAD A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS WAS THE CITY OF SAN PABLO, WHO IMPLEMENTED THE RESTORATION PROJECT BETWEEN VAIL ROAD AND CHURCH LANE TO CREATE A TRAIL AND REPAIRING BETTER REPAIRING HABITAT IN THOSE SECTIONS ON THIS MAP.
BUT THAT'S THE OVERVIEW OF THE WATERSHED AND SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS. AND JOE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE STUDIES WE'VE DONE IN THE UPPER WATERSHED TO LOOK AT SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND FISH PASSAGE OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU.
HEY, EVERYONE. PLEASURE TO BE HERE. JOE SULLIVAN, I'M THE FISHERIES PROGRAM MANAGER.
SO LET'S JUST STEP BACK REAL QUICK AND I'LL EXPLAIN KIND OF WHAT A CREEK DOES.
CREEKS ARE STREAMS, AND THEY ARE CONVEYORS OF SEDIMENT.
SO THEY PICK SEDIMENT UP, MOVE IT DOWNSTREAM AND REDEPOSIT IT.
BUT WHEN YOU STOP THAT PROCESS, SAY, WITH A RESERVOIR THAT YOU PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM, THAT SEDIMENT IS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO GO DOWNSTREAM AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPEN DOWNSTREAM.
BUT MAINLY THAT RESERVOIR IS STOPPING ALL THE SEDIMENT FROM BEING TRANSPORTED DOWNSTREAM.
SO WE WANTED WE KNEW THIS WAS HAPPENING AT JEWEL LAKE IN TILDEN PARK, TILDEN NATURE AREA.
BUT WE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS SEDIMENT WAS COMING THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED.
AND THEN WE COULD START ADDRESSING SOME OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE COULD FIX.
THE INTERESTING THING WE FOUND OOPS, DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT.
[00:50:01]
THE INTERESTING THING WE FOUND FOR ME FROM THAT STUDY WAS MOST OF THE SOURCE OF EROSION OR SEDIMENTATION TO JEWEL LAKE CAME FROM IN-CHANNEL PROCESSES. SO AS EROSION INSIDE THE STREAM CHANNEL, WE THOUGHT THERE WAS OVERLAND ISSUES THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY.THERE WERE SOME SMALL ONES, LIKE ROADS AND GULLIES AND SOME SLIDES THAT WERE CONTRIBUTING, BUT 82% OF THE SEDIMENT WAS COMING STRAIGHT FROM IN-CHANNEL PROCESSES.
TO THE POINT WHERE IN THE WINTER, THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT LOOKS LIKE A NICE, BEAUTIFUL LAKE, BUT IN REALITY IT'S ONLY A FOOT OR TWO DEEP. AND DURING THE SUMMER, IT NEARLY GOES COMPLETELY DRY.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE INTERESTED IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM SOMEHOW.
BUT ALSO JEWEL LAKE IS A FISH PASSAGE BARRIER.
SO AS A FISHERIES PERSON, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO REMOVE FISH PASSAGE BARRIERS.
AND WE ARE CONSIDERING JEWEL LAKE AS ONE OF THESE.
SO WE HIRED ANOTHER CONSULTANT IN 2020 ISH A FEW YEARS AGO TO LOOK AT OPTIONS OF WHAT WE COULD DO TO FIX THE WILDCAT CREEK AND JEWEL LAKE THAT THAT ENTIRE AREA.
SO WE LOOKED AT FOUR OPTIONS. THEY ANALYZED IF WE TAKE NO ACTION IT'S GOING TO DO WHAT IT'S DOING NOW AND EVENTUALLY CONVERT BACK TO A STREAM, MARSHY AREA AND WATER WILL JUST SPILL OVER THE SPILLWAY.
TO INSTALL A FISHWAY. SO A FISH LADDER, BASICALLY.
SO YOU'D KEEP JEWEL LAKE. PROBABLY HAVE TO DO SOME DREDGING, BUT INSTALLING A FISH LADDER TO ALLOW FISH TO COME UPSTREAM PAST JEWEL LAKE. THE NEXT WAS TO REMOVE JEWEL LAKE COMPLETELY AND RESTORE THE ENTIRE STREAM CHANNEL BACK TO A NATURAL STREAM.
THAT'S ONE OF THE ARTIST'S RENDERING IS PICTURED HERE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
SOME YOU CAN SEE SOME NEW TRAILS. BRIDGES AND WALKWAYS WOULD BE PART OF THAT.
SO PEOPLE CAN STILL INTERACT WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL WATER FEATURE.
THE FISHWAY THE FISH LADDER THAT THAT WAS LOOKED AT DIDN'T ALLOW SEDIMENT TO BE TRANSPORTED.
SO WE ALSO ANALYZED INSTALLING A BYPASS, WHICH WOULD ESSENTIALLY MAINTAIN JEWEL LAKE AND BYPASSING DURING HIGH FLOWS, WATER AROUND JEWEL LAKE SO THAT ALL THAT ALL TURBID, FULL OF SEDIMENT WATER WOULD JUST PASS JEWEL LAKE AND NOT FILL IN THE LAKE. AND IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE FISH PASSAGE.
SO THAT WOULD THAT ALSO MET THE TWO CRITERIA.
THIS IS AS FAR AS WE'VE GONE WITH THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WERE INVOLVED.
WE HAD MANY PUBLIC MEETINGS ABOUT I THINK WE HAD 2 OR 3 PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF INPUT, TOOK A LOT OF SURVEYS.
AND WE HAVE YET TO DECIDE WHICH ACTION IS GOING TO BE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THIS.
SO THAT'S THE STATE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW FOR THIS PROJECT.
BUT IT'S THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT. THERE ARE THERE WERE HISTORICALLY MIGRATORY FISH, STEELHEAD AND CHINOOK SALMON THAT ACCESSED WILDCAT CREEK. WE HAVE NOW BLOCKED THAT WITH TWO DIFFERENT DAMS, LAKE ANZA AND JEWEL LAKE WHICH ABOVE THOSE RESERVOIRS PROVIDES THE BEST SPAWNING HABITAT FOR THESE SPECIES.
SO THESE PHOTOS I'M SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE TROUT, THE LITTLE TROUT, THE YOUNG OF THE YEAR MIGHT BE FROM WILDCAT CREEK OR REDWOOD CREEK, BUT ON THE, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE TOP RIGHT, THAT'S STEELHEAD THAT CAME INTO ALAMEDA CREEK AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESCUE IT AROUND WHAT WAS A FISH PASSAGE BARRIER AND MOVE IT UPSTREAM SO IT CAN CONTINUE ITS MIGRATION UP AND DOWN BELOW.
DUE TO A NUMBER OF FISH PASSAGE BARRIERS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
THE MAIN ONE BEING WHAT WE CALL THE BART WEIR BEHIND QUARRY LAKES.
[00:55:04]
ACCESSING FREELY ALL OF ALAMEDA CREEK. I'M GIVING THAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE IN WILDCAT CREEK TO HAVE SAME RESULTS.THESE PROJECTS TAKE A LONG TIME. THEY TAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY TAKE A LOT OF PARTNERS. BUT IT'S IT CAN BE DONE.
AND IT TOOK 25 YEARS IN ALAMEDA CREEK TO HAVE MIGRATORY FISH.
BUT THE FIRST SEASON THAT THEY HAD ACCESS, WE SAW ALL THREE RETURN TO THE CREEK.
SO FIRM BELIEVER IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
HERE'S ANOTHER BARRIER IN WILDCAT THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON AS WE SPEAK.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH BROOK ROAD IT'S AN ACCESS POINT TO WILDCAT GORGE TRAIL BELOW LAKE ANZA.
IT'S A CONCRETE CROSSING. IT USED TO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR TRUCKS TO CROSS.
WE DON'T USE IT FOR THAT ANYMORE. NOR DO WE USE THE TRAIL FOR TRUCKS THAT SIZE.
AND IT IS A FISH PASSAGE BARRIER. YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS IS LOOKING AT THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF IT.
WHEN WATER IS NOT RUNNING, FISH AREN'T CAN'T GET THROUGH IT.
WHEN IT'S REALLY HIGH FLOWS, THEY CAN, BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
THIS DESIGN IS COMPLETE. YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
IT INVOLVES A LARGE I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW LONG THAT BRIDGE IS.
50 OR 60 FOOT BRIDGE GOING ACROSS THE CREEK AND A SMALLER ONE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT.
SO A COOL PROJECT WE'RE IN THE IT'S 100% DESIGN READY TO GO.
WE HAVE SOME FUNDING, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING SOURCES TO FINISH THIS.
SITES ARE SET ON JEWEL LAKE AFTER THIS, BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S PEOPLE LOVE JEWEL LAKE.
SO IT'S A FAIRLY CONTENTIOUS TYPE OF PROJECT.
SO BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING ON IT. SO THAT'S IT FOR ME NOW.
I'M GOING TO TOSS IT OVER TO KRISTEN. THANK YOU.
THANKS, JOE. THANK YOU, MEMBERS, FOR HAVING US.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE. KRISTEN VAN DAMME, I'M AN ECOLOGICAL SERVICES COORDINATOR IN WILDLAND VEGETATION IN THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT. IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE SHARING AND TALKING ABOUT SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF HISTORIES TODAY AND SOMETHING THAT WE GRAPPLE WITH A LOT AS A PARK DISTRICT AS WELL AS IN STEWARDSHIP, IS THE HISTORY AND LEGACIES OF SOME VERY POOR LAND USE DECISIONS AND THE WAYS THAT WE'VE HARMED THE LAND. AND WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO UNDO THOSE HARMS. AND THAT'S MAINLY WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IN MY PORTION TODAY IS JUST TO INSPIRE YOU AND REALLY TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ALL OVER THE PARK DISTRICT, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THIS INCREDIBLY SPECIAL WATERSHED TO REALLY MAKE IT A BETTER AND MORE FUNCTIONAL PLACE FOR WILDLIFE AS WELL AS FOR PEOPLE. SO MATT DID MENTION I WAS GOING TO SHARE THERE IS A NEW ITERATION OF THE WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN FOR THE WILDCAT AND SAN PABLO CREEKS WATERSHEDS, AND THIS IS BEING HEADED UP BY THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PROJECT THROUGH FUNDING FROM AN EPA FUNDING SOURCE, WHICH LUCKILY IS STILL INTACT.
AND A NUMBER OF IT'S A VERY LARGE COALITION OF AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE PARK DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE WATERSHED PROJECT AND URBAN TILTH, WITH WHOM WE HAVE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP TO REALLY BRING A NEW VISION.
YOU KNOW, A FEW OF THE PROJECTS FROM THE ORIGINAL PLAN HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. AND THERE'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO CONTINUE THIS INCREDIBLE LEGACY OF COMMUNITIES WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BOTH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE NATURE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THIS WILL INCLUDE A 65% DESIGN.
THAT'S A CONSTRUCTION TERM. THAT JUST MEANS WE'RE HALFWAY ISH TO 100% DESIGN FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ALVARADO ALVARADO CULVERTS, WHICH ARE NOT CURRENTLY FUNCTIONING AS 100% OF A BARRIER.
BUT THEY ARE VERY OLD, THEY HAVE A LIFE SPAN AND WE ARE AT THE END OF THAT LIFESPAN.
SO A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS REPLACING CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE.
HAVEY CANYON IS A SMALL SUBWATER SHED OF WILDCAT CREEK.
IT'S A VERY SPECIAL CANYON. IT'S ABOUT HALFWAY UP WITHIN WILDCAT PARK.
[01:00:03]
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A DESIGN CHOICE THAT WAS MADE VERY EARLY ON IN THE HISTORY OF THE PARK.OVER TIME, THE ROAD, THE LOCATION OF THE ROAD AND LAND PROCESSES RESULTED IN A VERY UNSTABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TRAIL AND NOW. NOW IT'S JUST A TRAIL AND THE CREEK. SO THE CREEK IS INCISING.
IT'S NOT VERY SAFE. AND BECAUSE OF GROUNDWATER AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TRAIL TO THE LAND, IT'S BASICALLY IMPASSABLE IN WINTERTIME. SO WE TOOK AN OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND PARK STAFF TO DO A SITE VISIT.
AND OUT OF THAT SITE VISIT JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, EVOLVED THIS PROJECT PLAN TO BASICALLY DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE WATERSHED AND TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING WRONG, WHERE IS IT GOING WRONG, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR US TO FIX IT, BOTH FROM THE PARK STAFF? MAYBE THEY COULD DO A VOLUNTEER DAY WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, WITH A GROUP AND DO A TRAIL PROJECT ONE DAY ALL THE WAY UP TO WE NEED TO REROUTE THIS TRAIL, OR WE NEED TO DO A CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT HERE.
SO WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PROCESS NOW. WE'RE WORKING WITH AN EXCELLENT CONSULTANT, REALLY, REALLY RENOWNED FOLKS WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO TO WRITE US THIS MENU OF SOLUTIONS THAT IS REALLY GOING TO BE INTENDED NOT ONLY TO MAKE THE TRAIL MORE SUSTAINABLE, BUT TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE CREEK AS WELL.
AND IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A MODEL FOR OTHER, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE PARK HAS THESE TYPES OF ISSUES OLD TRAILS, OLD RANCH ROADS THAT ARE REALLY CAUSING PROBLEMS AND MAKING THE PARK LESS USABLE FOR USERS AS WELL AS HARMING NATURE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT DONE BY OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH STEWARDSHIP, AS ALL OF OUR PROJECTS ARE WITH FIRE. AND THIS WAS DONE ALONG SOUTH PARK DRIVE, WHICH IS A CRITICAL EVACUATION ROUTE.
AND THIS IS JUST A BEFORE AND AFTER. BEFORE IS A LOT OF OLD, YOU KNOW, SENESCENT PINES.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THE AFTER PHOTO IS ALL OF THOSE HAVE BEEN CLEARED OUT, AND YOU SEE A BEAUTIFUL UPCOMING YOU KNOW, SOON TO BE FOREST OF OAK AND BAY, THAT NATIVE OAK AND BAY.
AND NOT ONLY IS THIS A MORE ESTHETICALLY PLEASING RESULT, IT'S MORE FIRE SAFE AND IT PROVIDES A HUGE BOOST FOR NATIVE NATIVE HABITAT. SO IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL PROJECT WITH, WITH MULTI OBJECTIVES.
AND I REALLY APPLAUD OUR PROJECT MANAGER COLIN AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PLANNER.
AND HE DOES PROJECTS VERY, VERY THOUGHTFULLY.
SO IN STEWARDSHIP, WE REALLY FOCUS ON THRIVING ECOSYSTEMS. I WAS TALKING ABOUT LEGACIES. YOU KNOW, ALMOST EVERY PARK THAT WE THAT WE TAKE THAT WE INHERIT COMES WITH A LEGACY OF DEGRADATION.
SO WE SEE A LOT OF INCISED STREAMS THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT THE, YOU KNOW, LOSING SOILS, HARMING BIODIVERSITY AND CONNECTIVITY. BY REMOVING EUCALYPTUS, OTHER NON-NATIVES, WE CAN ACTUALLY RESTORE BASEFLOW AND NATIVE FORESTS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO BOOST AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THAT STREAM.
WE'RE ALSO ACTIVELY DOING RE-OAKING, ACTUALLY, EVEN IN THE WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING WE CAN DO THAT'S ACTUALLY REALLY LOW TECH.
IT DOESN'T COST A LOT OF MONEY. IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO INCREASE COVER OF OAK WOODLANDS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHICH WE'VE LOST ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT.
AND WE'RE ALSO RESTORING GRASSLANDS. HEALTHY GRASSLANDS DON'T LOOK LIKE OUR GOLDEN RIGHT HILLS.
[01:05:02]
AND WE ARE DOING A TON OF WORK. ACRES AND ACRES TO RESTORE GRASSLANDS ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT AS WELL.REALLY IMPROVING BIODIVERSITY. OH, SORRY ABOUT THE FORMATTING.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED HERE. THERE'S ANOTHER WONDERFUL UPCOMING PROJECT.
MANY OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF LAUREL CANYON.
IT'S ANOTHER SMALL SUB WATERSHED OF WILDCAT CREEK.
IT'S AROUND THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A BEFORE PHOTOGRAPH.
WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY MANAGEMENT YET. BUT THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DEGRADED THIS SITE IS, RIGHT? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A HEALTHY FOREST. AND THERE'S BEEN SOIL'S BEEN MOVED AROUND.
THERE'S INCISION AND EROSION IN THE CREEK CHANNEL AND IT'S SURROUNDED BY EUCALYPTUS.
SO REALLY DEGRADED, YOU KNOW, LOWERED HABITAT FUNCTION.
AND ANOTHER WONDERFUL FIRE DEPARTMENT PROJECT ALSO GOING TO BE LED BY COLIN THIS SUMMER WILL BE TO REMOVE, I THINK, OVER 100 ACRES OF EUCALYPTUS AROUND THE EEC AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER.
AND THE REDESIGN OF THAT OF THAT CENTER COMING HOPEFULLY SOON, HAS A WING THAT ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON OAK WOODLANDS, SO BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE THIS PROJECT AND RESTORE OAK WOODLANDS AROUND THAT AREA AND REALLY CONNECT FOLKS BACK TO THE OAK WOODLANDS.
AND THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THE LAND IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THE TRIBUTARY OF WILDCAT CREEK THAT'S LOCATED THERE.
MATT, WERE YOU GOING TO. NO. OKAY. THANK YOU.
YEAH. SO JUST WANT TO WRAP IT UP THEN THAT JUST THEY REALLY SET THE STAGE FOR THERE'S THIS REALLY INCREDIBLE RESTORATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS OPEN WATERSHED. AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY REESTABLISH THESE THRIVING FORESTS FULL OF BIRDS AND FISH. AND I THINK A LOT OF THE HUMAN IMPACTS WE TALKED ABOUT, A LOT OF THIS HAPPENED MANY WAYS BEFORE WE EVER OWN THESE LANDS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE REAL THING IS A LOT OF THE EUCALYPTUS WERE BROUGHT THERE FOR PLANTATIONS AND THEY'VE REALLY EXPANDED AND REALLY ELIMINATED A LOT OF THE KEY HABITATS FOR THE NATIVE SPECIES IN THIS AREA.
SO WE DO HAVE FUNDING IN MEASURE F THAT IS HELPING US DO SOME OF THESE THINGS AND WILL HELP US TO DO SOME OF THE REVEGETATION PROJECTS AS WE DO MORE FUEL MANAGEMENT, CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO RESTORE NATIVE VEGETATION.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS? NO, WE DO NOT AT THIS TIME, MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU.
AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THE PARK DISTRICT ATTENTION, BECAUSE WE ARE THE RECIPIENT OF ALL THE SEDIMENT THAT COMES FROM THE PARK DISTRICT LANDS THAT MAKE UP A MAJORITY OF THIS WATERSHED. AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THE RETENTION OF FLOW REST, AND ALL THE SEDIMENT ANALYZES AND SUCH WERE DONE UP ON JEWEL LAKE.
A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I'LL TRY TO SUMMARIZE THEM ALL AND THEN TOSS IT OVER YOUR WAY.
IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS FOR JEWEL LAKE? NUMBER TWO IS KRISTEN TEASED US ON THE WAS IT HAVEY HARVEY CANYON TRAIL WITH THIS WORLD RENOWNED EXPERT CONSULTANT. AND I'M DYING TO KNOW WHO EXACTLY IS YOUR WORLD RENOWNED EXPERT CONSULTANT? AND IS THERE ANY PLANS FOR REINVIGORATING EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE WILDCAT CREEK TRAIL UP PAST THE RAILROAD TRACKS? THAT LAST PART. WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, UP PAST? CURRENTLY, THE WILDCAT CREEK TRAIL STARTS AT THE STAGING AREA DOWN BY THE LIVING LEVEE PROJECT THAT WEST COUNTY SANITARY IS WORKING ON [INAUDIBLE] WASTEWATER AND CONTINUES UPSTREAM THROUGH THE SEDIMENT BASIN AREA AND THE STAGING AREA OR THE SEDIMENT DISPOSAL AREA AND THEN TERMINATES.
AND THOSE WERE TABLED YEARS AGO. AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS WATERSHED, IF THERE ARE ANY EFFORTS TO REINVIGORATE THAT PROCESS? OKAY. SO YEAH, JUST BACK, STARTING WITH YOUR FIRST ONE ON, YOU KNOW WE, YOU KNOW, WE FINISHED THE WHOLE PLANNING PROCESS AND THEN THERE WAS NEVER,
[01:10:02]
THERE WASN'T A DECISION MADE ON THE ON THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE THERE. AND SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE FOR THAT.SO THAT'S KIND OF ON THE SHELF FOR NOW. AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON THAT.
YEAH. WE DON'T. SO THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC TIMELINE FOR THE JEWEL LAKE DECISION.
THE CONSULTANT WORKING ON THE HEAVY CANYON PROJECT IS RESTORATION DESIGN GROUP.
AND SO THEY, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US ON DEVELOPING THE OPTIONS.
AND THEN THE TRAIL PROJECT YOU IDENTIFIED THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT IN THE WRAP.
I THINK IT WAS ABANDONED IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND THAT AND IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A VERY LONG PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT WAS GOING TO BE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND IT SEEMED TO BECOME INFEASIBLE JUST BECAUSE OF THE LARGE SPANNED ACROSS BOTH THOSE RAILROAD TRACKS.
BUT THE WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION PLAN THAT THE ESTUARY PROJECT IS DOING WITH THE EPA GRANT THAT KRISTEN MENTIONED IS GOING TO RELOOK AT THAT AREA AND TRY TO SEE ABOUT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. MEMBER FARMER. YES, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE JEWEL LAKE DISCUSSION AND SEE IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS BETWEEN OPTIONS THREE AND FOUR? THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT ARE STILL IN DISCUSSION.
YEAH. YEAH. SO THOSE WERE THE TWO THAT WERE CONSIDERED KIND OF THE POTENTIAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES.
I THINK STAFF REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF THE WILDCAT CREEK REESTABLISHING WILDCAT CREEK THROUGH THERE.
AND PRIMARILY IT WAS BECAUSE THE BYPASS OPTION WOULD REQUIRE ONE A LOT OF ENGINEERING DESIGN AND A LOT OF AND CREATING THAT BYPASS, IT WOULD BE DONE IN THAT NATURAL AREA THAT'S REALLY UNIMPACTED IN MANY WAYS.
AND SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE STAFF DEDICATED TO OPERATING THAT BYPASS.
SO I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE REAL CHALLENGES, I THINK WITH THAT WAS BECAUSE THIS THE ENGINEERING DESIGN AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND THEN THE LONG TERM OPERATION OF THAT WOULD HAVE, I HAVE, I THINK, BEEN VERY CHALLENGING TO MANAGE. SO THEY WOULD BOTH PROVIDE FISH PASSAGE, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE FOURTH OPTION WAS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE BYPASS AND THEN HAVE THIS ONGOING MANAGEMENT BURDEN.
AND SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED THOUGH TO MAINTAIN THAT JEWEL LAKE THERE.
SO I THINK IN THE CREEK RESTORATION OPTION, AND I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS OR THE PROS AND CONS WAS IF WE LOSE ACCESS TO JEWEL, LIKE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS NATURE AND BE REALLY CLOSE TO THE WATERSHED AND THE STREAM SYSTEM OR I MEAN, THE LAKE THAT'S THERE NOW. AND I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT WAS TO CREATE SIMILAR OVERLOOKS AND ACCESS INTO THAT NEWLY RESTORED RIPARIAN HABITAT.
SO I THINK WE COULD MAINTAIN A VERY SIMILAR VISITOR EXPERIENCE. WE JUST MIGHT NOT HAVE THE OPEN WATER EXPERIENCE, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE A RIPARIAN HABITAT EXPERIENCE AND BE ABLE TO SEE THE STREAM AND EXPERIENCE THE, YOU KNOW, THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT ARE IN THAT SYSTEM.
MEMBERS SIMMONS. OH MEMBER PEOPLES. MINE IS A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
OKAY, THANKS. WELL, YOU MAY NOT BE SURPRISED.
THE I WOULD SUSPECT, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A VISUAL ASPECT THAT HAVING A NATURAL STREAM THROUGH THERE WITH FULL RIPARIAN HABITAT WAS GOING TO LOOK MORE ATTRACTIVE IN THE SUMMER THAN THE EXISTING LAKE.
A DRY LAKE BED WOULD. SO, I MEAN, THAT'S A FACTOR TOO.
I, I, I UNDERSTAND THE TWO OBJECTIVES YOU HAVE HERE OF IMPROVING RECREATIONAL ACCESS AND ALSO RESTORING AND IMPROVING THE HABITAT.
BUT THOSE ARE REAL POTENTIALLY MAJOR CONFLICTS IN TRYING TO DO THAT.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL BALANCING ACT. I GUESS I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT PROPORTION OF THE CURRENTLY PRODUCED A RAINBOW TROUT THAT SPAWNED THERE NATURALLY.
WHAT PROPORTION OF THEM DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE AS TO HOW MANY OF THEM MIGRATE OUT TO SEA? YEAH, THAT'S ONE THING WE DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, AND THAT'S THE REAL CHALLENGE ABOUT HOW MANY ARE MIGRATING OUT.
BECAUSE WE IT'S A VERY RELATIVELY SMALL POPULATION.
SO HERE, I MEAN, I THINK SOME AREAS OF BELOW LAKE ANZA HAVE THE POPULATION HAS REALLY DECREASED AFTER THE DROUGHT AND THEY'RE VERY LIKE WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING THEM BELOW ANZA, BUT WE KNOW THERE'S A GREAT POPULATION ABOVE LAKE ANZA.
SO I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF THOSE FISH DO MOVE DOWN AND REPOPULATE SOME OF THE MIDDLE PARTS OF THE WATERSHED? BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW. YEAH.
[01:15:06]
ASPECTS. IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THAT POPULATION THERE TO HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL, AND THAT'S GOING TO OFFSET SOME POTENTIAL OTHER USES.AND I GUESS THE OTHER COMMENT I HAD DEALT WITH THE SEDIMENTATION STUDIES.
I, I KNOW THAT'S A CONCERN. IT HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT ALL OF, YOU KNOW, MOST OF WEST SAN PABLO AND RICHMOND ARE TODAY ARE ON ALLUVIAL PLAINS THAT WERE CREATED BY THE SEDIMENT THAT WASHED OUT OF THESE CANYONS.
AND IT'S A VERY NATURAL PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE INCISED.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE NATURE OF STREAMS IN THE BAY AREA HERE IN THE EAST BAY.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AWFUL LOT OF SEDIMENT.
AND SOMEHOW OR OTHER, YOU NEED TO BEGIN TO THINK OF ACCOMMODATING HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT SEDIMENT, PARTICULARLY DOWNSTREAM. COULD IT BE USED TO YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, ONE OF THE ISSUES IS WITH SEA LEVEL RISE IS THE LACK OF SEDIMENT SUPPLY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THESE WETLANDS AND SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM WAVES AND WHATNOT ON THE SHORELINE.
SO AS YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, DEALING WITH THAT SEDIMENT AND ACCOMMODATING THAT SEDIMENT NEED TO THINK LONG TERM AND HOW THAT CAN BE USED, PERHAPS TO HELP WITH ADAPTATION TO SEA LEVEL RISE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
YEAH, CERTAINLY. I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DEFINITELY THINKING ABOUT AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AREAS. I MEAN, IT COMES UP IN OTHER THE TEMESCAL CREEK WATERSHED IS ONE TO THINK ABOUT AND HOW THAT AREA WOULD SUPPLY SEDIMENT TO EMERYVILLE CRESCENT IN THOSE AREAS.
ALSO THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE HAS A GRANT NOW TO LOOK AT.
IT'S CALLED SEDIMENT SOLUTIONS PROJECT. IT'S LOOKING AT SITES AROUND THE BAY, BUT ONE OF THEIR SITES IS RHEEM CREEK AND LOOKING AT HOW TO GET THE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT FROM RHEEM CREEK INTO DOTSON MARSH. SO THAT'S ONE SITE THEY'RE STUDYING.
AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT. AND THAT DESIGN CAN HELP INFORM OTHER AREAS.
IT CAN BE A SOLUTION TO OTHER PROBLEMS AND CAN BE USED IF USED CONSTRUCTIVELY.
YEAH, CERTAINLY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK VERY LARGE SCALE.
RIGHT. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE JUST ONE STREAM OR A SEGMENT OF A STREAM OR A WATERSHED.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE NORTH BAY AREA.
THE SEDIMENT, FOR THE MOST PART, COMES FROM EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT LANDS, AND THEY END UP DOWN IN THOSE ALLUVIAL PLAINS IN THE FLOODPLAIN, IF YOU WILL, THAT'S POPULATED. AND SO THE CONVOLUTED SITUATION THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE IS THAT WE, WE I SPEAK FOR MY FORMER EMPLOYER, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL ARE TASKED WITH KEEPING PEOPLE PROTECTED FROM FLOODING, BUT ALSO MAINTAINING THE CHANNEL FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT VALUES THAT IT HAS.
SO ONE OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS THAT WE HAVE IS A SEDIMENT BASIN THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO TRAP ALL THE ADDITIONAL SEDIMENT RIGHT DOWNSTREAM OF THE TRIPLE CONCRETE CHANNELS THAT GO RIGHT BETWEEN THE BOUNDARY OF SAN PABLO AND THE CITY, OR THE AREA OF NORTH RICHMOND. SO REALLY, THE UPSTREAM END OF THE THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECT, THERE IS A LARGE SEDIMENT BASIN THERE, AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING THAT SEDIMENT OUT AND STOCKPILING IT, WAITING FOR A FUTURE USE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT ITSELF SERVES AS A BARRIER BECAUSE ONCE YOU TAKE IT OUT, THE SEDIMENT BASIN IS AN OPEN POOL, AND IT QUICKLY GETS POPULATED WITH TREES AND VEGETATION, AND THEN IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG FOR SO MUCH SEDIMENT TO COME IN.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND MANY OTHERS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS FOR THAT, BUT ALSO NOT JUST FOR THE FISH PASSAGE PART OF IT, BUT HOW DO WE SUSTAINABLY REUSE THAT SEDIMENT? AND SO WE'VE BEEN BROKERING THAT MATERIAL TO LANDSCAPERS AND OTHERS THAT MIGHT WANT TO TAKE THAT MATERIAL AND REUSE IT.
[01:20:04]
BE SPECIFICALLY SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENT. AND SO THAT EXTRA SEDIMENT IS RECOGNIZED AND IS SPECIFICALLY BEING HELD AND STOCKPILED.AND IN FACT, WHEN OUR STOCKPILE GETS FILLED, WEST COUNTY WASTEWATER HAS MATERIAL FOR US TO STOCKPILE ADDITIONAL ON THEIR SITE JUST SO IT COULD BE STAGED FOR THIS FUTURE SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCY PROJECT.
SO JUST TO BRING SOME CONTEXT TO YOUR CONCERN AND TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER THAT THERE IS DEFINITELY A LOT OF THOUGHT THROUGH THAT AND USING A LOT OF OTHER RESOURCES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY PARK DISTRICT RELATED, BUT DEFINITELY ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. YEAH, I ASSUMED THANKFULLY, CORRECTLY, THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS, THAT IT WAS BEING LOOKED AT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY POINT WAS THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO LOOK BROADER THAN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS GOING TO BE ACCOMMODATING THAT SEDIMENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ELIMINATED.
IT'S STILL GOING TO COME DOWNSTREAM. AND THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED A PROBLEM, OR IT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TO OTHER PROBLEMS. I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY, AND I WILL JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT THE PARK DISTRICT ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR ROLE IN PROVIDING THE EXCESSIVE SEDIMENT COMING DOWN. SO I THINK REALLY THE FOCUS IS, IS THAT UPSTREAM STABILIZATION AND THE MORE THAT THE PARK DISTRICT CAN HOLD ON TO SOME OF THEIR OWN SEDIMENT RATHER THAN SENDING IT DOWNSTREAM, THE BETTER OFF THE WATERSHED HEALTH WILL BE.
YEAH. AGAIN, THAT THAT'S DIFFICULT IN THESE THESE HILLS HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN ERODING EVER SINCE THEY ROSE UP AND THE THEY'RE NOT SOLID ROCK. THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF UNCONSOLIDATED SEDIMENT ON THESE HILLS, AND IT CUTS WITH WATER PRETTY EASILY. AND AND SPECIFICALLY WITH THIS WATERSHED I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH ALL THE WATERSHEDS IN WEST COUNTY AND ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SHORELINE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY. AND WILDCAT CREEK IS REALLY IN OUR TOP FIVE FOR YIELD OF SEDIMENT PER UNIT AREA.
SO I IT'S INTERESTING. THE OAKLAND MUSEUM MAP FOR THAT AREA TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE WILDCAT WATERSHED WATERSHED IS MUCH STEEPER THAN THE SAN PABLO WATERSHED, SO IT CONTRIBUTES MORE SEDIMENT BECAUSE OF THAT.
MEMBERS SIMMONS, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MATT AND JOE AND KRISTEN FOR THE PRESENTATION I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN WATCHING AND LEARNED A LOT. I'LL HAVE ONE COMMENT ON JEWEL LAKE AND IT IS THIS.
I JUST GOT BACK FROM A HIKING TRIP WITH MY HIKING CLUB TO SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK.
IN THE BEGINNING OF ONE OF HIS CHAPTERS, HE SAYS, AND I QUOTE, IF THERE IS MAGIC IN THIS PLANET, IT IS IN WATER. THE AMOUNT OF MAGIC IN A STANDING BODY OF WATER, LIKE A LAKE, IS INFINITESIMAL COMPARED TO THE MAGIC IN A FLOWING STREAM.
IF THAT HELPS YOU AT ALL IN HOW YOU WANT TO PROCEED, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
YOU DID? I THINK IT WAS YOU BEING HERE? I THINK KIND OF.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT PART, BUT I KIND OF SMILED WHEN I HEARD THAT.
IN PART OF THIS, JUST TO GIVE YOU A REPORT AND THEN I'M GOING TO THE REQUEST IS I'M GOING TO ASK IF WE CAN SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF MY BOARD AND MEMBERS OF YOU AND MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF, AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY IN A MINUTE.
LAST YEAR, OUR REPORT IS GOING TO BE PRINTED, IS BEING PRINTED NOW.
WE COMPLETED THREE THINGS. I COMPLETED A SORT OF A YOU.
THESE THINGS INVOLVE OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL. SO COMPLETED. SOMETIMES IT'S NOT JUST US, BUT ONE IS.
THESE ARE LOCATED IN THE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND NOT IN THE UPLAND AREAS WHERE THERE'S A STATE PARK, SOME EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK PROPERTIES, AND THE IN THE WALNUT CREEK OPEN SPACE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THAT INTO OTHER AREAS.
[01:25:01]
ASKING THAT THEY INITIATE WHAT'S CALLED AN 1135 STUDY FOR FISH PASSAGE ALTERNATIVES, A PASS DROP STRUCTURE.NUMBER ONE, JOE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AND WE GOT MORE WORK AFTER THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T QUITE HEARD FROM THE CORPS YET.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE APPLIED FOR A BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WATER SMART GRANT FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING OF FOR A WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN. BY THE WAY, WILDCAT IS ABOUT 30 YEARS AHEAD OF US ON THIS PART OF IT.
AND WE HAVE TO WE HAVE ABOUT THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE THAT PROCESS.
AND THAT'S MY LEAD IN TO SORT OF THE QUESTION TO YOU. AND I SAW YOU NOD YOUR HEAD ALREADY AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT OFFLINE, BUT WE'RE REALLY PLEASED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND I'LL ADD ONE OTHER THING. THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS ALSO LAUNCHED ITS EFFORT TO DO A WATERSHED PLAN, WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED PLAN, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE FOCUSING MORE ON ITS FACILITIES.
AND IT WILL BE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE TO DO SOME REALLY GREAT RESTORATION WORK THAT I PROBABLY WON'T BE AROUND TO SEE, BUT IT'S GOOD TO BE STARTING IT. YEAH. THAT'S GREAT.
IT'S EXCITING. SO I HAVE A CHANCE TO KNOW. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE GRANT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS YOU IDENTIFIED. AND YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND I MEAN, I EVEN I THINK PAUL CAN PROBABLY ADDRESS THIS MORE THAN I, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THE LOWER WALNUT CREEK WORK AND THE PACHECO MARSH PROJECT, THAT RESTORATION WAS INFORMED BY THESE OTHER, YOU KNOW, PAST PROJECTS AND THEN THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, RESTORING FLOODPLAIN ACCESS AND RESTORING A LOT OF THE FUNCTIONS THERE IN THAT LOWER WATERSHED WERE PROBABLY, I MEAN, INFORMED BY SOME OF THESE THINGS IN WILDCAT AND SAN PABLO IN THE PAST, BUT IT'S WHAT A GREAT PROJECT. I MADE ONE SLIGHT OMISSION. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. ERIC FULLER AND LISA BOLGER WERE HELPFUL IN CRAFTING A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE WATER SMART GRANT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MATT, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ALSO TO KEVIN AND SANDY FOR THE PRESENTATION FOR I THINK A MAJOR THEME BETWEEN THE TWO PRESENTATIONS IS HOW IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP IS NOT ONLY WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OBVIOUSLY BUT ALSO WITHIN DEPARTMENTS AND WITHIN STEWARDSHIP.
HOW WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WINTER, I BELIEVE, TO HAVE A PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOUR OF THE BERKELEY HILLS AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH UC BERKELEY AND THE CITY OF BERKELEY.
AND, YOU KNOW, COLIN DOING A LOT OF WORK AND FUELS MANAGEMENT WITH PAT PATRICK AND CHIEF CARREY.
I THINK THERE WAS A PRESCRIBED BURN THAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT WAS JUST GREAT. AND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE AT WILDCAT CREEK WITH SIMILAR PARTNERS LIKE URBAN TILTH CITY OF SAN PABLO, IS THAT KIND OF WORK BEING REPLICATED ELSEWHERE? FOR EXAMPLES OF FRIENDS OF SAN LEANDRO CREEK IS REALLY ROBUST RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE HEADWATERS AT LAKE CHABOT HAVING ONE OF OUR BEST ACCIDENTAL RESTORATION EFFORTS OF AN EARTHEN DAM BEING WASHED OUT, MAKING ARROWHEAD MARSH AND MLK SHORELINE, HAVING MAYBE OUTDOOR RECREATION, TO CANOE TRIPS UP AND DOWN THE MOUTH THERE WITH SAN LEANDRO CREEK IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS. ALAMEDA CREEK ALLIANCE DOES A LOT OF WORK.
AND JOE PROBABLY ALLUDED TO THAT WITH, WITH THE WORK WITH, FISH MONITORING OVER AT ALAMEDA CREEK.
IS THAT HAPPENING? EITHER AT SAN LEANDRO CREEK OR ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE DISTRICT? I'M NOT SURE. I MEAN, I'M CERTAINLY AWARE OF A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN SAN LEANDRO CREEK. I'M NOT SURE WHERE AS MUCH OF THE PARTNERSHIP AND WORKING ON ACTIVE PROJECTS.
BUT I KNOW THE PARK DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THOUGH, AND WORKING TO KIND OF BRING THEM UP AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ALSO WORKING MORE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND KIND OF STANDARDIZING HOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING WITH PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY ACTIVE THINGS RIGHT NOW.
BUT AS FAR AS ACTIVE RESTORATION, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING GOING ON IN SAN LEANDRO CREEK,
[01:30:03]
AT LEAST. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.THANK YOU. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO PRESENTED FOR THE INFORMATION. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
AND WELCOME TO THE VERY RECENT FORMER VICE CHAIR OF PAC.
I THINK WE HAVE THESE. WE ALREADY GOT ONE. NOW YOU HAVE TWO.
HI. GOOD EVENING. SO MY NAME IS LUANA ESPAÑA AND I SERVED AS A VICE CHAIR OF THE PAC.
I BEGIN MY FOUR YEAR TERM IN JANUARY 2025 AND I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IS THE LARGEST REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IN THE NATION.
THE PARK DISTRICT'S MISSION GUIDES US IN ALL OF OUR WORK.
THE BOARD APPROVED A RESOLUTION IN FEBRUARY AND REAFFIRMED THE PARK DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO CREATING A SELF A SAFE, WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES AND PARKS FOR ALL.
THE BOARD APPROVED THE PROPOSED SPECIAL INTERESTS MONTHS AND OBSERVANCES DESIGNATION, DESIGNATION, PROCESS AND CALENDAR. I ADVOCATED FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE OBSERVANCE OF THE PORT CHICAGO REMEMBRANCE DAY, AND THE BOARD APPROVED THE AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $400,000 WITH CIVICORP TO PROVIDE CREW SUPPORT TO THE DISTRICT WIDE NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND FUELS MANAGEMENT WORK.
PARKS PRESERVE HISTORY AND CULTURE AND INVEST IN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CIVICORP WHO HELP UNDERSERVED GROUPS LEARN IMPORTANT WORKFORCE SKILLS AND BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY.
THE REGIONAL PARKS AND WARD FOUR ARE THE ROBERT CROWN MEMORIAL STATE BEACH, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR REGIONAL SHORELINE, OYSTER BAY REGIONAL PARK, SHORELINE, LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK, AND HAYWARD REGIONAL SHORELINE.
WARD FORD IS HOME TO OVER 390,000 RESIDENTS LIVING IN AN URBAN AND SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES OF OAKLAND, HAYWARD, AND SAN LEANDRO, AS WELL AS THE CENSUS DESIGNATED PLACES OF ASHLAND, CASTRO VALLEY, CHERRYLAND, AND SAN LORENZO. THE WARD FOUR POPULATION LIVES IN.
RELATIVELY DENSE, DEVELOPED AREAS, AND THE WAR DOES NOT CONTAIN UNDEVELOPED RURAL AREAS.
MOST NEW DEVELOPMENT IS LIMITED TO INFILL PROJECTS AND REDEVELOPMENT WITH URBANIZED AREAS.
THE FORMER ALAMEDA NAVAL AIR STATION IS THE ONLY MAJOR UNDEVELOPED AREA WITHIN THE WARD.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS? LET'S TAKE A LOOK. I ATTENDED THE 2025 SACRAMENTO STATE
[01:35:09]
ADVOCACY CONFERENCE IN JANUARY 2025, AND ADVOCATED FOR THE PROPOSITION FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN THE EAST BAY HILLS CONSERVATION PROGRAM. LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL. PROPOSITION FOR IMPLEMENTATION FOCUSED ON ADVANCING FUNDING FOR COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE 2024 CLIMATE BOND TO SUPPORT WILDFIRE AND COASTAL RESILIENCE, WATERSHED HEALTH AND EQUITABLE ACCESS, WHICH WILL BENEFIT THE PARK DISTRICT AND EAST BAY COMMUNITIES.I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH SENATOR GRAYSON AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER ORTEGA STAFF ABOUT THE RELEVANT PROPOSITION FOR COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS FOR OYSTER BAY REGIONAL SHORELINE PUBLIC ACCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND WHAT SENATOR [INAUDIBLE], STAFF AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR REGIONAL SHORELINE PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT.
THE EAST BAY HILLS CONSERVATION PROGRAM LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL AIMS TO CREATE A CONSERVATION PROGRAM WHICH WILL PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE EAST BAY HILLS, A SIGNIFICANT ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL AREA WITHIN THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AND SPANNING OVER 30,000 ACRES IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES. CURRENTLY, SENATE BILL 392, AUTHORED BY SENATOR TIM GRAYSON, IS PROGRESSING THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN LATE APRIL.
FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY PILOT PROGRAM.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS PROGRAM ON MAY 4TH, 2024.
THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO FOSTER CONSISTENT AND COORDINATED INTERACTIONS WITH LOCAL ELECTEDS ACROSS CITIES, COUNTIES, AND SPECIAL DISTRICT AGENCIES IN THE EAST BAY.
ITS PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO FACILITATE REGULAR STRATEGIC MEETINGS BETWEEN THE PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE GENERAL MANAGER AND THEIR DESIGNEE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS TO ADDRESS KEY PARK DISTRICT PRIORITIES AND STRENGTHEN REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS.
THE MEETING FOCUSED ON GATHERED INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THE PARK DISTRICT'S PLAN.
WE DISCUSS CURRENT ISSUES, SERVICES AND AMENITIES, PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND TAILORING SERVICES, SERVICE DELIVERY TO MEET THE COMMUNITY NEED, AND INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
WE HAVE MORE MEETINGS SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH THE SUPERVISORS WITHIN MY AREA.
SO I'VE PARTICIPATED IN PARK PROGRAMING AND SPECIAL EVENTS, ATTENDED MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES, MET WITH LOCAL LEADERS, SPOKE TO YOUTH GROUPS AND STUDENTS, AND LISTENED TO IDEAS AND CONCERN FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO IF YOU THINK YOU'VE SEEN ME AROUND SOMEWHERE, YOU PROBABLY DID.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE TRAILS AND GREENWAYS CONFERENCE.
IT HAS IMPACTS ON THE REGIONAL PARKS, SHORELINE AND MARSH EROSION, WHICH FLOODING FROM SEA LEVEL RISE, INCREASED WILDFIRES, WATER QUALITY ISSUES, PARK ACCESS ISSUES.
PROGRAM ACCESS LIMITATIONS. SO CREATING RESILIENCE PARKS WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL FLOOD LINE, SHORELINE FLOODING AND MARSH EROSION. AND THE PARK DISTRICT IS WORKING TO MAKE PARKS, TRAILS AND FACILITIES MORE RESILIENT AND FACTORS CLIMATE CHANGE INTO ALL THE PLANNING, POLICY AND DECISIONS.
WILDFIRE SAFETY IS A 365 DAYS A YEAR EFFORT TO REDUCE FIRE FUELS DISTRICT WIDE, INCLUDING LARGE FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS, A 16 PERSON YEAR ROUND FUELS REDUCTION CREW, AN ANNUAL GOAT, SHEEP AND CATTLE GRAZING.
[01:40:07]
IN 2024, THE PARK DISTRICT'S FUEL REDUCTION CREW REMOVED HAZARDOUS FIRE FUELS ON 140 ACRES IN 11 PARKS.MORE THAN 86,000 ACRES OF PARKLAND ARE GRAZED ANNUALLY BY CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOATS.
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES ARE TRAGIC REMINDER OF HOW DESTRUCTIVE AND DAMAGING THE FIRES CAN BE TO LIFE, PROPERTY AND ENVIRONMENT. THE FUEL REDUCTION GOALS THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT WORKS YEAR ROUND TO REDUCE FIRE FUELS, WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING FIRE INTENSITY AND ENHANCING FIREFIGHTERS ABILITY TO CONTAIN WILDFIRES WHEN THEY ARISE.
THE FUEL REDUCTION FUNDING IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, THE NUMBER OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL FOCUSED ON FUEL REDUCTIONS INCREASED FROM 6 TO 23, AND ADDITIONALLY, IN THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS ALONE, THE SPENDING ON WILDFIRE PROTECTION HAS INCREASED FROM 2.2 MILLION TO 9.4 MILLION. SUPPORTED BY A COMBINATION OF PARK DISTRICT FUNDING, VOTER APPROVED FUNDING, AND STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS. MAJOR FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS.
THE ANTHONY CHABOT 667 ACRE FUEL REDUCTION PROJECT TO THIN AND REMOVE HAZARDOUS TREES AND VEGETATION, INCLUDING EUCALYPTUS. IT'S THE LARGEST FUEL REDUCTION PROJECT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WITHIN A EUCALYPTUS FOREST, AND THEN ALSO THE GRIZZLY PEAK STRATEGIC FUEL BREAK THAT'S UNDERWAY AT TILDEN PARK IN COLLABORATION WITH ADJACENT FIRE AGENCIES.
ALL RIGHT. THE SECOND DISTRICT, THE SECOND CENTURY DISTRICT PLAN IS GOING TO SERVE AS A LONG TERM STRATEGIC ROADMAP TO GUIDE THE PARK DISTRICT INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, ADDRESS CHANGING CONDITIONS INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE, THE ECONOMY, DEMOGRAPHICS, AND PARK USAGE. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL MEETINGS, ONLINE SURVEYS AND ACTIVITIES, AND INFORMATION BOOTHS AND TABLES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.
I'VE HANDED OUT A DISTRICT PLAN INFORMATION WITH A QR CODE TO YOU.
THESE MATERIALS WILL BE USED AS PART OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, SO PLEASE SHARE THESE MATERIALS WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES AND THE ONLINE SURVEY IS AVAILABLE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS DISTRICT PLAN.
AND LET'S WATCH A SHORT VIDEO ABOUT THE DISTRICT PLAN.
OH. SEE? DO YOU WANT TO? OKAY. WE'RE HAVING A. HELLO. I'M SABRINA LANDRETH, GENERAL MANAGER HERE AT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
I AM PERSONALLY INVITING YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN ITS DEVELOPMENT.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM PARK VISITORS, NEIGHBORS, AND EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE EAST BAY'S ENVIRONMENT TO HELP ESTABLISH CLEAR 100 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITIES OF ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES.
IT IS A FOUR. CAN WE JUST PAUSE THE VIDEO AND MAKE IT.
HI, SO THIS VIDEO IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S A GREAT INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAN THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY, SO THEY CAN GET AN IDEA ON HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO TAKE PLACE, TO TAKE PART IN THE SURVEY, TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS SO WE CAN GUIDE THE PARK INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
THE ONLINE SURVEYS IS JUST THE FIRST PART OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
LATER ON THERE WILL BE MORE FOCUS GROUPS, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING TO DIFFERENT PAC MEMBERS TO SHARE WITH US DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE TARGETED OUTREACH WITH. ALL RIGHT.
[01:45:06]
OKAY. SLIDE TEN.ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME PARK SPECIFIC UPDATES.
SO AT ROBERT CROWN MEMORIAL STATE BEACH. MCKAY AVENUE MASTER PLAN AND PARK EXPANSION.
THE DISTRICT IS WORKING ON THE PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION OF UTILITIES.
PHASE ONE CAN PROCEED ONCE UTILITIES ARE INSTALLED AND FUNDING IS SECURED.
LAKE CHABOT PARK STAFF ARE CLEARING VEGETATION ALONG THE TRAILS AND WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR FIREBREAKS NEAR THE PARK, NEIGHBORHOODS AND ON THE FIRE TRAILS. PARK STAFF ARE ASSISTING STEWARDSHIP WITH PLANT SURVEYS.
FAIRMONT RIDGE IS THE SECTION OF LAKE CHABOT THAT IS WITHIN MY DISTRICT.
JUNE 2025 THERE'S GOING TO BE A VOLUNTEER RESTORATION PROJECT TO REMOVE INVASIVE PLANTS.
AND IT'S SCHEDULED IN THE LOWER FAIRMONT AREA.
AT THE TIDEWATER USE AREA PROJECT. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE ADDITIONAL PARKING, PICNIC SITES, BATHROOMS, BATHROOMS, AND WATER FOUNTAINS. A PHASE ONE IS COMPLETE, INCLUDING A RELOCATION OF UTILITIES AND IMPORTING OF SOIL TO PROTECT AGAINST SEA LEVEL RISE. PHASE TWO IS PLANNED FOR 2026 ONCE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND PERMITS ARE SECURED.
186 VOLUNTEERS ATTENDED THE EARTH DAY CLEANUPS.
AT OYSTER BAY REGIONAL SHORELINE. THE PARK DEVELOPMENTS AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
THE BOARD HAS RECENTLY AUTHORIZED FUNDING FOR THE DESIGN OF A NEW STAGING AREA OFF NEPTUNE DRIVE.
A BIKE SKILLS PARK IS A VISION. ONCE FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION AND ONGOING OPERATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED, AND THE STAFF RECENTLY FINISHED MOWING THE PARK, INCLUDING THE DISC GOLF COURSE.
150FT OF ERODED BAY TRAIL WAS REPAIRED IN JANUARY, AND STAFF ARE CURRENTLY MOWING THE DRY GRASS ALONG THE TRAILS AND ALAMEDA POINT. THE ALAMEDA POINT NAVAL AIR STATION REUSE PLAN DESIGNATES APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES FOR A NEW REGIONAL PARK, AND THE EXTENSION OF THE BAY TRAIL ALONG THE SHORELINE.
ALAMEDA POINT IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHILE A REMEDIATION CLEANUP EFFORTS PROGRESSES, AND THE PARK DISTRICT IS INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE CITY OF ALAMEDA TO ADVANCE BAY TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS WHILE THE CLEANUP CONTINUES. PAC UPDATES. WE HAVE TWO NEW PAC MEMBERS.
WE HAVE JUDY SMITH FROM WARD TWO, AND WE ALSO HAVE THOMAS OMOLO.
SO I HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SAY ABOUT THOMAS, AND THEN I HOPE THAT HE'LL JOIN ME.
THOMAS IS GUIDED BY A BELIEF IN THE VALUE OF PARKS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
THOMAS IS AN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT CONTRIBUTING TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT WITH A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND CITY PLANNING FROM UC BERKELEY, GO BEARS, WHERE HE FOCUSED ON THE ESSENTIAL LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PLANNING, COMMUNITY HISTORY AND PARKS.
[01:50:07]
RECREATION, AND ADVOCATES FOR PARKS IN VARIOUS PUBLIC SPACES DEEPLY DEDICATED TO EQUITABLE PROCESSES.THOMAS UNDERSTANDS THAT HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE IS CRUCIAL FOR RESTORING TRUST BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS, A PRINCIPLE THAT SHAPES THEIR EFFORTS. AS A RESIDENT OF EAST OAKLAND WHO ENJOYS BIKING AND HIKING AT ROBERTS REGIONAL WARD WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, ONE WHO LOVES A PUMP TRACK AND THE OTHER WHO ENJOYS REDWOOD TRAILS.
WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR LETTING ME JOIN YOU GUYS TODAY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS.
MY REAL CONNECTION OR THOUGHT IS I USED TO TEACH STUDENTS AT GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RESERVE, AND I WOULD HAVE STUDENTS THAT WOULD COME IN FROM SACRAMENTO OR VALLEJO AND PLACES LIKE THAT WHO HAD NEVER SEEN THE OCEAN, AND REALLY STARTING TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE BUILD SPACES AND HOW DO WE CONNECT OUR YOUTH TO THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING OUT AND REALLY HEARING EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE'S DOING.
AND ALSO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE GET SOME OF THE KIDS FROM THE FLATS, UP INTO THE HILLS AND INTO THE TO THE WONDERFUL PARK SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE? IN MY WORK, I'VE SEEN AND TALKED TO FOLKS FROM DETROIT AND PHILADELPHIA AND PLACES LIKE THAT, AND THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS THAT WE HAVE.
SO IT'S A REAL SHAME WHEN SOME STUDENT DOESN'T KNOW THAT ALL THESE THINGS EXIST.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT THIS WORK.
THANK YOU. AND JUDY WOULD YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR FIRST MEETING? I KNOW I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT AND EVERYTHING.
NO, I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE. AND MY CONNECTION WITH NATURE STARTED OUT OF THE WOMB.
NATURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST THING. MY FIRST PRIORITY.
AND I WAS INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS 17.
AND THAT RADICALLY LIMITED MY ABILITY TO BE IN NATURE, AND NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITY, BUT BECAUSE OF BARRIERS. SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, HELPING PARKS BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE, GETTING MORE DISABLED PEOPLE OUT IN THE PARKS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH, DISABLED YOUTH.
AND I'M JUST EXCITED. IT'S THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN.
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A STEEP LEARNING CURVE.
I HAVE A HISTORY OF ADVOCACY, AND I'M AN ENVIRONMENTALIST FIRST AND FOREMOST.
SO I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE.
OKAY. THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US AND BECOMING PAC MEMBERS.
OKAY. GREAT. UPCOMING EVENTS? EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK IS CELEBRATING BLACK BIRDERS WEEK 2025 FROM MAY 25TH THROUGH MAY 31ST. IT'S A WEEK LONG PROGRAM, SERIES AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT NATURALIST STAFF AND THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BLACK EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE MEMBERS TO CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR GUIDED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BLACK EXPERIENCES AND THE OUTDOORS. SO I'M HIGHLIGHTING THESE TWO EVENTS BECAUSE I'LL BE ATTENDING THEM.
AND SO PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE BLACK BIRDERS EVENT AT MLK JUNIOR SHORELINE ON SATURDAY, MAY 31ST FROM 9 TO 11. WHERE WILL WE WILL OBSERVE BIRDS IN MARSHLANDS, OPEN WATER AND ON LAND.
I HOPE IRENE DIETER. SHE IS THE WARD FOUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALAMEDA.
WILL JOIN ME. AND ANY PAC MEMBERS IN THE LONGEST INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE IN THE COUNTRY, SPANNING 3.3 MILES AND FEATURING MORE THAN 200 AND. 2500 PARTICIPANTS FROM ACROSS THE BAY AREA, INCLUDING BANDS, FLOATS, COMMUNITY GROUPS,
[01:55:01]
DANCERS, PERFORMERS, CIVIC LEADERS, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND MORE.SO THANK YOU. AND THAT WAS JUST A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN WARD FOUR SINCE JANUARY. SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO ALWAYS CONNECT WITH ME VIA EMAIL.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. OKAY, THANKS. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MEMBER MARSH HAS A COMMENT. YEAH. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION FOR BOARD MEMBER ESPANA.
WE'RE GETTING SET UP HERE. PLEASE GO AHEAD. SO I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN YOUR DISTRICT NOW WITH THE PARKS, AND I RECENTLY REQUESTED THAT THEY DO MORE RESEARCH IN ORDER TO PUT RECYCLED PIPING UNDER ANY CONSTRUCTION THAT GOES UNDERGROUND, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO HAVE RECYCLED WATER NOW, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE. HAS THAT BEEN EXPLORED YET IN YOUR DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CONSTRUCTION GOES ON IN REPAIRING PARKS OR UPDATING ANY GROUNDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHEN THEY'RE OPENING THE, YOU KNOW, CEMENT OR STREETS OR WHATEVER, THEY'RE ALSO INSTALLING THE PURPLE PIPE FOR RECYCLED WATER.
I WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH OUR TEAM HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
I DO KNOW THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY PAC MEMBER IRENE.
ABOUT, LIKE, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AT ALAMEDA POINT.
BECAUSE THERE'S A POTENTIAL IN THAT AREA OF HAVING RECYCLED WATER SO THAT I WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW YOU UP ON TO LET YOU KNOW THE STATUS OF THAT.
AND JUST AS FAR AS HAS IT BEEN TO WHAT LEVEL IT'S BEEN RESEARCHED IN MY AREA.
THANK YOU. WE MEMBER LOPEZ ALSO HAS A COMMENT. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ESPAÑA, I JUST WANT TO SAY I AM SO EXCITED THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING ME IN WARD FOUR IN SAN LEANDRO. AND I KNOW YOUR VISION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU IMPLEMENTING YOUR VISION OVER THE YEARS.
I APOLOGIZE THAT I'M NOT THERE IN THERE IN PERSON TODAY.
THERE WAS A COMMENT, SOME COMMENTS ABOUT SAN LEANDRO CREEK.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING PERSONAL. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO HABITAT RESTORATION IN TERMS OF WATER OF THE CREEK AND HAVING CREEK FLOW, WHICH IT DOESN'T CURRENTLY DO.
THE HABITAT IS THERE. IT HAS BEEN A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR FOR MANY YEARS.
BUT DANGEROUS SPECIES TO REPRODUCE. USEFUL TO YOU AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. ALONG THE WATERWAYS. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THERE ARE SOME PLACES. YOU'RE BREAKING UP MEMBER LOPEZ.
IT'S. IT'S HARD TO HEAR YOU. YOU'RE BREAKING UP.
I DIDN'T GET TO HEAR ALL OF PAC MEMBER CORINA LOPEZ'S STATEMENT AND QUESTION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WAS CURRENTLY WITH BEAUTIFY SAN LEANDRO AND I WAS REMOVING BLACKBERRIES AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES SORRY, INVASIVE PLANTS FROM THE SAN LEANDRO CREEK WAY OVER BY THE ANTHONY CHABOT PARK IN THE SAN LEANDRO SIDE.
[02:00:04]
YOUR DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH THAT ORGANIZATION WITHIN SAN LEANDRO.IF I COULD SUGGEST MEMBER LOPEZ, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, MAYBE TYPE IN YOUR QUESTION IN THE CHAT.
AND I WAS JUST GOING TO ECHO WHAT WE GOT FROM MEMBER LOPEZ WELCOMING THE NEW MEMBERS ON BOARD.
ALSO, THOMAS, I LIKE YOUR SHIRT. THAT CAN VARY IN LINE WITH BLACK BIRDERS WEEK.
THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF BLACK BIRDERS WEEK EVENTS.
SO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ON THE WEBSITE. I'M ALSO DOING A BIRD WALK IN YOUR WARD AT CRAB COVE.
DIRECTOR ESPAÑA WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR.
I MENTIONED THAT LAST MONTH AS WELL. SO THAT'S AT CRAB COVE ON SUNDAY, MAY 25TH FROM 9 TO 11.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU IDENTIFY LIKE THAT, FEEL FREE TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT EVENT WITH ME. AND JUST AS FAR AS ANY PAC MEMBERS.
DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT WITH REACH OUT TO ME VIA EMAIL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNS.
I DEFINITELY HAVE ENJOYED BEING A PACK MEMBER, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE ALREADY WHO WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH OVER TIME, AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE THOSE DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIPS.
AND THEN FOR THE NEW PAC MEMBERS A LOT OF OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS SPENT TIME ON THE PAC. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. AND I ALSO DO HAVE HANDOUTS ON BLACK BIRDERS WEEK.
THAT I WILL LEAVE OVER TO THE LEFT FOR EVERYONE TO PICK UP TOO.
ALSO TO ECHO DIRECTOR COMMENT. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT'S AT LEAST IT'S AT LEAST FOUR BOARD MEMBERS, CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS, MAYBE FIVE WHO ARE ON PAC. OUT OF THE SEVEN, IT'S AT LEAST FOUR I KNOW.
ME, IT'S FIVE COLIN YES, IT'S FIVE. SO ANYWAY, IT'S FIVE.
FIVE OUT OF THE SEVEN ARE FORMER PAC MEMBERS.
SO CHAIR REPORT? NO REPORT. HOWEVER, MAKE SURE YOU GET THIS PACKET.
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO US BY THE CLERK.
IF FOR SOME REASON YOU DID NOT OR WE RUN OUT, EMAIL THE CLERK TO GET ONE.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMENTS FROM ANY PAC MEMBERS?
[Announcements]
NONE. OKAY. GOING ONCE NO, I HAVE A QUESTION.SO I SENT AN EMAIL BACK TO STAFF IN REGARDS TO CUTTING DOWN SOME HIGH GRASS ON SOME TRAILS HERE IN PITTSBURG. AND THAT WAS OVER A MONTH AGO. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING, BUT THE GRASS IS STILL TALL AS ME.
SO I'M WONDERING, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO ROTATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM TO GET DONE? I WAS TOLD STAFF WILL GET BACK TO YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU.
I DON'T HAVE ANY INFO ON THAT. YEAH. AGAIN, WELCOME TO OUR TWO NEW PAC MEMBERS.
THE NEXT PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 23RD, 2025 AT 4 P.M..
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.