[00:00:02]
I CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR JUNE 24TH, 2026.
THE MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER AT 1401.
AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO ROLL
[Roll Call]
CALL.DIRECTOR DECHAMBEAU IS ABSENT.
AND DIRECTOR, OR CHAIR SAN WONG? HERE.
AND PLEASE NOTE DIRECTOR WASBY IS FILLING IN AS AN ALTERNATE.
[Approval of Minutes]
OKAY SO WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES TO A UM AND THESE ARE THE MINUTES FROM THE BOARD FROM THE BOARD NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING APRIL 29TH 2026.UH DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD OR COMMITTEE QUESTIONS COMMENTS OKAY I'LL MAKE A MOTION ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? NO.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION ITEMS, AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
[Informational Items]
SO WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 5A.I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF AND INTRODUCE THE STAFF WHICH WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING.
WE HAVE THREE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TODAY, AND I JUST WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOUT OUT.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M BECKY BREMSER.
I AM ACTING AGM FOR ACQUISITION STEWARDSHIP PLANNING.
WE HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK AROUND MANAGING OUR VEGETATION FOR A WILDFIRE AND WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION AND ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO THESE THREE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY ARE GOING TO REALLY TOUCH ON THAT AND PROVIDE GREAT EXAMPLES OF TOOLS AND THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS WE'VE GOT AT THE PARK DISTRICT TO HELP PRIORITIZE OUR WORK AND JUST INCREASE OUR PACE AND SKILL OF THE EFFORTS AND WORK THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
SO I AM HAPPY TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST INFORMATIONAL ITEM WHICH IS PARTNERSHIP IN THE EAST BAY TO STRENGTHEN STEWARDSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFICALLY AROUND EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
SO I AM GOING TO INTRODUCE DINA SHE'S WALKING UP AND ALONG WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT ON THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK EBSN. IT'S A NETWORK THAT'S MADE UP OF OVER 14 MEMBERS WHO ALL STEWARD LANDS AND SUPPORT LAND STEWARDSHIP IN THE EAST BAY.
THE PARK DISTRICT IS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE NETWORK.
AND WE'VE GOT STAFF WHO ARE GOING TO PRESENT AS WELL AS NETWORK COORDINATOR ALONG WITH OUR FISCAL SPONSOR OF THE NETWORK FROM JOHN MURALIAN TRUST.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO DINA TO INTRODUCE HERSELF AND EVERYBODY ELSE AND KICK IT OFF FOR US.
WHAT IS THIS AFTERNOON? GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR SAN WONG AND BOARD MEMBER WASPIE AND EVERYONE ELSE.
I'M THE WILDLAND VEGETATION PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
AND I AM HERE TO HELP PRESENT ON THE, AS WE MENTIONED, THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND IT JUST KEEPS BECOMING MORE AMAZING.
SO I'LL BE PRESENTING ALONG WITH LYDIA LAPORTE, WHO IS OUR INAUGURAL EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK COORDINATOR, AND JAMES WILSON WITH THE JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST.
WHO JOHN MERRILL LAND TRUST IS THE FISCAL SPONSOR OF THE NETWORK.
WITH THAT, I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK IS AND PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT AROUND LANDSCAPE SCALE STEWARDSHIP NETWORKS.
SO THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK IS A COALITION OF AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS CARING FOR OVER 250,000 ACRES OF INTERCONNECTED LAND IN THE EAST BAY AND THE EBSN GREW FROM THE IDEA THAT THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR STEWARDING THE REGIONS AND SPACES MUST WORK TOGETHER TO REFLECT THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF LANDSCAPES IN OUR APPROACH TO STEWARDSHIP.
THOUGH ALL OF THIS LAND IS PROTECTED FROM DEVELOPMENT, THE REGIONS, PARKS, AND OPEN SPACES FACE OTHER THREATS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, WILDFIRE, INVASIVE SPECIES, HABITAT LOSS, AND MORE.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, AS A RESULT OF OUR NETWORK, THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARING FOR THESE PLACES CAN STRATEGICALLY COORDINATE THEIR WORK ACROSS BOUNDARIES.
SO THE EBSN REFLECTS THE RICHNESS OF THE EBSN.
[00:05:01]
BY APPROACHING STEWARDSHIP AT A LANDSCAPE SCALE ACROSS PARTNERS, JURISDICTIONS, AND ECOLOGIES.AND HERE YOU CAN SEE A MAP OF ALL OF OUR PARTNERS' LAND IN THE REGION AND LIKE DENA MENTIONED I WAS HIRED AS THE COORDINATOR THIS PAST SEPTEMBER AND MY ROLE IS TO HELP THE NETWORK CONVENE, CATALYZE ITS SHARED ACTIONS AND COLLECT.
SO OUR PURPOSE IS TO COLLABORATIVELY ADVANCE LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP OBJECTIVES IN THE EAST BAY.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH THESE SIX FOCAL AREAS.
AND THESE AREAS REFLECT WHAT OUR MEMBERS HAVE IDENTIFIED ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES IN THEIR WORK.
AND BY COMING TOGETHER AS A NETWORK TO ADDRESS THESE TOPICS, WE DO MORE THAN JUST SORT OF BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A ROOM.
WE DEVELOP SHARED SKILLS, WE DEVELOP TRUST AMONG MEMBERS, AND WE BUILD THE KIND OF LIKE CONNECTIVE TISSUE THAT IS CRITICAL TO MOVING A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS FORWARD AT A MORE DURABLE RATE.
PACE AND SCALE THAN ANY ONE MEMBER ORGANIZATION COULD DO INDIVIDUALLY.
SO AS A NETWORK, WE THINK THAT WE CAN INCREASE FUNDING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, STREAMLINE REGULATORY PERMITTING, SHARE DATA AND ALIGN DATA COLLECTION METHODS, EXCHANGE THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES TO IMPROVE LAND MANAGEMENT, IMPLEMENT LARGE-SCALE CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL LANDSCAPE PROJECTS, AND FACILITATE PEER EXCHANGE AND LEARNING.
WHAT IS A LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK? SO AS THE CONSERVATION CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE BECOME MORE COMPLEX AND MORE URGENT, COLLABORATION AND COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY NECESSARY WAYS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES AND THIS COMPLEXITY.
LANDSCAPE SCALE NETWORKS ARE GROWING IN SIZE, NUMBER, AND RELEVANCE, AND THEY ALLOW A REGION TO SHARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EACH PARTNER'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OFFERS TO THE NETWORK.
SO LAND TRUSTS, FOUNDATIONS, PARK DISTRICTS, AND RCDS ALL OFFER UNIQUE CAPACITIES THAT LANDSCAPE SCALE STEWARDSHIP NETWORKS ENABLE, LIKE A SORT OF SHARING OF ALL OF THOSE CAPACITIES AMONG THE DIFFERENT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THE EBSN WAS MODELED OFF OF OTHER REGIONAL STEWARDSHIP NETWORKS LIKE ONETAM AND THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP NETWORK THAT HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
PROFESSIONALS IN LAND CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP KNOW THAT WORKING COLLABORATIVELY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH SHARED GOALS, AND THE GROWTH IN LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORKS REFLECTS THAT.
I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE BY DRAWING SOME CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR REGION AND OTHER COLLABORATIVE MODELS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
WE ARE THE 35TH LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK IN THE STATE, AND WE'RE CONNECTED WITH OUR PEERS THROUGH THIS UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION CALLED THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
SO THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PUT TOGETHER THIS MAP AND WHO HELPED US GET ORGANIZED.
AND THIS IS JUST A MAP OF CALIFORNIA.
NETWORKS ARE GROWING ACROSS THE U.S.
I THINK WHAT IS REFLECTED IN THIS GROWING MAP IS THAT THE WORLD IS TOO COMPLEX FOR INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS ALONE, AND THAT COLLABORATION IS REALLY FUNDAMENTAL TO GETTING WORK DONE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DINA TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE NETWORK.
SO THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE 2017 BECAUSE I STARTED WITH THE NETWORK EVEN BEFORE I CAME TO THE PARK DISTRICT AS A STAFF PERSON.
SO I THINK IT WAS AROUND 2013 WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR SHARED CHALLENGES WITH LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP.
EARLY ON THERE WERE FIVE OF US.
THEY'RE SHOWN HERE ON THE FIGURE ON THE RIGHT.
THESE WERE THE ENTITIES THAT CAME TOGETHER TO REALLY START THINKING ABOUT, LIKE, HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO KIND OF COME TO SHARED CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES? AND EARLY ON, WHEN WE FIRST GOT STARTED, WE HAD THESE GOALS AND PROJECTS IN MIND.
SO YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF NATURETECH.
I HOPE YOU'VE HEARD OF NATURETECH.
IF YOU HAVEN'T, YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT DURING THIS PRESENTATION, AND IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
SO THE LANDSCAPE LEVEL ECOLOGICAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT IS NATURE CHECK AND THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE TOOK ON AS A NETWORK AT THAT TIME.
WE ALSO ENDEAVORED TO COMPLETE A FINE-SCALE VEGETATION MAP FOR ALL THE TWO COUNTIES AND MANY OTHER THINGS INCLUDING A LIVESTOCK POND SPECIES MANAGEMENT APPROACH.
SO NATURE CHECK, I MENTIONED THIS ONE.
SO THIS ONE WAS REALLY LOOKING LIKE HOW CAN WE SEE HOW OUR HABITATS AND SPECIES ARE DOING OVER TIME.
AND WE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE IN THE BEGINNING.
AND SO THAT WAS WHAT OUR FIRST EFFORT WAS, WAS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE HAVE AND THEN TO MEASURE.
AND THEN WE'LL KEEP MEASURING IT SO THAT WE CAN SEE TRENDS FOR OUR HABITATS AND SPECIES.
[00:10:01]
DIRECTLY BEING USED FOR ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, NOT JUST AT THE PARK.DISTRICT BUT ALSO FOR ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
SO I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ONE OF THOSE INDICATORS THAT WE MEASURED FOR NATURE CHECK.
SO WE LOOKED AT GATHERED DATA LOOKING AT HOW GRASSLAND BIRDS ARE DOING IN THE EAST BAY AND THE TRENDS ARE SHOWING THAT THEY ARE IN DECLINE AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS IT'S ACTUALLY THERE'S OTHER DATA SHOWING THAT THIS IS ALSO HAPPENING AT THE NATIONAL SCALE, THAT GRASSLAND BIRDS ARE JUST, THEY'RE ON THE DECLINE, WHICH IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE.
BUT THE CAUSES OF THIS ARE MANY, AND SOME EXAMPLES ARE SHOWN HERE.
I MEAN, JUST LOSING HABITAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY THEY'RE DECLINING.
THE FOOD IN WHICH THEY EAT, THE INVERTEBRATES, ARE DECLINING.
AND THEN WE HAVE THINGS LIKE CONVERSION OF GRASSLAND TO BRUSHY COMMUNITIES OR TREE COMMUNITIES.
WHOLESALE CONVERTING TO A DIFFERENT HABITAT TYPE THAT THE GRASSLAND BIRDS DON'T USE.
SO FROM LOOKING AT THIS INFORMATION AND SEEING WHAT THE TRENDS ARE, KNOWING WHAT SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THE GRASSLAND BIRDS ARE DECLINING, WE ARE DOING THINGS AND PRIORITIZING ACTIONS WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT TO HELP THOSE GRASSLANDS.
SO THINGS LIKE REMOVING VERY SPECIFIC AREAS OF COYOTE BRUSH ENCROACHMENT IN GRASSLANDS, DOING LONG-TERM GRASSLAND MONITORING TO SEE WHAT THE GRASSLANDS ARE DOING OVER TIME.
MAKING SURE WE DO POND RESTORATION BECAUSE THE PONDS ARE WHAT ENABLE US TO GRAZE THE GRASSLANDS SO THAT THE CATTLE HAVE WATER.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE FUNCTIONING IN ORDER TO HAVE THE GRAZING THAT SUPPORTS BIODIVERSITY AND GRASSLAND BIRDS.
AND SUPPORTING THE GRAZING PROGRAM, WHICH WE DO WELL HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
COMPLETED VERY RECENTLY AND THE FINE SCALE VEGETATION MAP COVERS THE ENTIRETY OF THE TWO COUNTIES.
IT'S HIGHLY DETAILED SO WE CAN KNOW THERE ISN'T THERE WASN'T ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE THERE ARE VERY OLD MAPS THAT WERE COARSE SO YOU REALLY COULDN'T USE IT TO MAKE MANY DECISIONS OR PLANNING IN A WAY THAT THIS ONE REALLY ENABLES.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GATHER GRANT FUNDING FOR THIS AS WELL AS THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THIS STEWARDSHIP NETWORK AT THAT TIME CONTRIBUTED TO COMPLETING THIS MAP.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES WILDFIRE RISK MAPPING AS WELL.
AND THESE DATA SETS WE USE ALL THE TIME.
IT'S A CONSTANT DRAWING FROM THIS TO BE ABLE TO DO PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT.
AND IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY THAT WANTS IT ON THE INTERNET ON VEGCAMP.ORG.
SO IT'S REALLY NICE THAT EVERYONE CAN USE THE DATA SET.
IT'S NOT JUST THE FIVE NUMBERS THAT HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN.
ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE DID TOGETHER AS A NETWORK WITH OUR FIVE NETWORK PARTNERS WE WERE ABLE TO WELL THE UNIVERSITIES WERE ABLE TO GET A GRANT TO DO A STUDY OF PONDS WHERE WE WERE DOING RESTORATION SO THIS HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED WITH SPECIES WHERE THERE WERE NO SPECIES PERHAPS IN THE POND BECAUSE THE POND WASN'T HOLDING WATER AND THEN WE WOULD MONITOR AFTER THE RESTORATION TO SEE SPECIES COME BACK OR DID THEY NOT COME BACK AND WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE COMING BACK SO IT WAS SHOWING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR WORK AND ALSO THAT DATA SET HELPED US TO FIGURE OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY WHERE WE SHOULD BE DOING RESTORATION AND PRIORITIZING THAT FOR THE MANY SPECIES THAT THE PONDS SUPPORT INCLUDING LISTED SPECIES LIKE CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG AND TIGER SALAMANDER AND WESTERN AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS STUDY ALSO BENEFITED THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND INTERNS TO DO THE RESEARCH, AND THERE WAS ALSO A PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT OF IT.
AND I THINK THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JAMES TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PRESENT WITH THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WASPIE AND THE COMMITTEE.
YEAH, SO EBSN HAS NOW GROWN FROM THE IDEA OF BEING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF...
REGIONAL PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, AND NOW WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER ACROSS BOUNDARIES.
SO JUST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE COLLECTIVE'S GROWN TO 12 CORE MEMBERS, INCLUDING LAND TRUSTS AND NONPROFITS, THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY, AND EVEN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW, AND WE HAVE WELCOMING COLLABORATORS JOINING ON BOARD, LIKE ZONE 7 WATER AGENCY AND THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVANCY, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
THANK YOU TO THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION FOR FUNDING THIS, BUT ALSO TAMMY LIM AND NATALIE REEDER OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR PROVIDING CONTENT AS WELL AS VAL LIPPMAN.
THEY HELP PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE SUCCESS
[00:15:01]
OF THE WEBSITE.YOU CAN SEARCH US AT EASTBAYSTEWARDSHIP.ORG.
AND AT THE WEBSITE, YOU CAN EXPLORE NATURE CHECK, A DIGITAL FORM, BUT ALSO LEARN ABOUT PROJECTS AND FIND WAYS.
FOR THE PUBLIC TO GET INVOLVED AND VOLUNTEER ON ALL OF OUR PARTNERS' PROJECTS AND EVEN DONATE TO THE EBSN.
SO NOW THAT WE'VE CREATED A STRUCTURE, THIS IS ENABLING THE EBSN TO BE DURABLE AND TO WORK CROSS-BOUNDARY ON SOME OF OUR STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS.
THE EXECUTIVE TEAM PROVIDES EXECUTIVE SUPPORT.
THE STEERING COMMITTEE PROVIDES STRATEGIC DIRECTION.
OUR COORDINATOR CONVENES OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS AND CATALYZES THE NETWORK SUBGROUPS.
THE JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST IS ACTING AS THE FISCAL SPONSOR, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL SUBGROUPS, AND EACH GROUP IS WORKING ON SOLVING SHARED CHALLENGES AMONG THE PARTNERS.
SO THE INFORMATION-SHARING SUBGROUP GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEER EXCHANGE AROUND SHARED CHALLENGES LIKE WORKING WITH EASEMENT HOLDERS LIKE PG&E, JOINT WILDFIRE RESILIENCY PROJECTS, AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES.
THE PROJECT-BASED SUBGROUPS, ARE WHERE WE DO SHARE PROJECTS LIKE A REGIONAL PRIORITY PLAN THAT I'LL DISCUSS IN A LITTLE BIT.
AND LASTLY, THE GROW AND RALLY GROUPS ARE WHERE WE BUILD CAPACITY FOR THE NETWORK TO REACH ALL THOSE SHARED GOALS.
SO MENTIONING THE REGIONAL PRIORITY PLAN, THROUGH THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, WE WERE FUNDED TO CREATE A LIST OF OUR REGIONAL FOREST HEALTH AND FIRE RESILIENCY GOALS.
AND THE REGIONAL PRIORITY PLAN LIST IS GOING TO BE SUBMITTED BACK TO THE STATE SO THAT THIS WILL MAKE US ELIGIBLE FOR LIKE MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF STATE FUNDING FOR THOSE PROJECTS AND EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT'S SUBMITTING FIVE EXCITING PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
AND SO FIVE YEARS HAS PASSED SINCE NATURECHECK FIRST GOT PUT OUT.
AND SO WE'RE ANALYZING THE DATA AND REANALYZING AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS TO TRACK THOSE TRENDS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GRASSLAND BIRD INDICATOR.
THAT DENA MENTIONED, AND NOW WE'RE WORKING ON NATURE CHECK 2.0 TO ANALYZE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF THE DATA.
WE'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL OAK WOODLAND ANALYSIS TO SEE THE STATE OF THE OAK WOODLAND HEALTH AND ADDING OTHER INDICATOR SPECIES.
AND AS A RESULT OF THIS GREAT WORK AND RESEARCH ON THE GROUND, FOCUSING ON ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE LANDS WE STEWARD, WE'VE FOUND THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT DATA IN HELPING GUIDE AND INFORM IMPORTANT MANAGEMENT DECISIONS AND PRIORITIES IN THE YEARS TO COME.
FOCUSING BACK ON SOME OF THOSE SUBGROUPS, WE FOUND THIS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS THAT THE NETWORK COMES TOGETHER TO LEVERAGE OUR STRENGTHS AND COLLECTIVELY SOLVE REGIONAL PROBLEMS. STAFF FEEL LIKE PEER LEARNING GROUPS ARE A GREAT USE OF THEIR TIME BECAUSE THEY HELP THEM DO THEIR JOBS MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
IT ALSO HELPS COMMUNICATE ISSUES OUTSIDE OF OUR WORK GROUPS AT SCALE THAT CAN THEN SUPPORT REGIONAL AWARENESS AND CHANGE.
SO ONE OF OUR NEW SUBGROUPS IS THE FINANCE AND FUNDRAISING.
SO WE'VE ESTABLISHED A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODEL FOR EBSN THAT'S DURABLE.
WE HAVE OUR SEED MONEY THAT WE'VE USED TO HIRE A COORDINATOR, AND WE'VE ALL HITCHED OUR WAGONS TO THAT MOMENTUM, AND WE'RE NOW LEVERAGING AND GROWING OUR FUNDS TO ACHIEVE MORE.
MANY MEMBERS OF THE NETWORK HAVE ALREADY MADE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING OPERATIONAL FUNDING FOR THE NETWORK THROUGH MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS AND WORKING TOWARDS WAYS TO PROCEED WITH PROJECTS-BASED FUNDING THROUGH EXCITING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE REGIONAL.
WITH THAT, I HAND IT BACK TO DINA TO TALK ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAD OUR FIRST EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, AND THERE WERE 12 MEMBERS THAT ARE FROM EXECUTIVE LEVEL STAFF FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR CORE MEMBERS OF THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, AND WE HOSTED IT AT TRUDEAU.
AND IN THIS, WE REVIEW THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NETWORK AS WELL AS A DRAFT OF THE CHARTER FOR THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
AND CURRENTLY, THE CHARTER IS COMING TO A FINAL POINT HERE SOON, AND THAT WAS RECENTLY REVIEWED BY THE DIFFERENT EXECUTIVES OF THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK MEMBERS.
OKAY, SO WHAT IS NEXT? WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS PRESENTATION TO THE FULL BOARD FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSIDERATION OF SIGNING ON TO THE CHARTER.
AND WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO FINALIZE THE CHARTERS, THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK
[00:20:02]
STRATEGY, FUNDING STRATEGY.YES, BECAUSE WE WANT TO WRAP UP THE FUNDING CYCLE FOR 2026-2027 BY SEPTEMBER.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING.
ARE THERE ANY AGENCIES MISSING? NO ONE HAS SAID NO.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BEING A CORE MEMBER VERSUS A PARTICIPANT, BECAUSE BEING A CORE MEMBER, WE ACTUALLY HAVE GUIDANCE ON WHAT IT WOULD BE.
TO BE A CORE MEMBER, YOU HAVE TO HIT CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU WOULD.
BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE NETWORK, LIKE TIME AND ATTENDANCE OF MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO BE QUITE AT THAT LEVEL, BUT THE ONES THAT YOU SEE THAT WE MENTIONED, THEY'RE ALL CORE MEMBERS THAT REALLY ARE DIVING INTO THE NETWORK TO BENEFIT FROM IT AND BRING RESOURCES.
THERE'S NO LIKE, OH, WE'RE CLOSING THE DOOR NOW.
WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO GET OUR FEET UNDER US.
AND THERE'S EVEN A FEW DIFFERENT ENTITIES WHO HAVE ASKED TO BE PART OF THE NETWORK AND WE'RE AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO BRING THEM IN YEAH BECAUSE I I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION BECAUSE I NOTICED TRI-VALLEY CONSERVANCY IS NOT ALSO SOME OF THE CITIES WE WORK WITH I KNOW UM YOU KNOW CITIES OF PLEASONTON LIVERMORE DUBLIN SAN RAMON ALL HAVE SIGNIFICANT ACREAGE OF OPEN SPACE AS WELL BUT MAYBE WITH TRI-VALLEY CONSERVANCY THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO BRING IN THOSE CITIES TRI-VALLEY IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT IS GOING TO BE JOINING, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN AS A MEMBER, AS A PARTICIPANT, AND SEE HOW IT GOES FOR THEM, IF THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GETTING, WHAT THEY NEED, AND THAT.
THEY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST AND REACHED OUT TO US.
AND THEN I THINK HARD, I DIDN'T SEE HAYWARD AREA RECREATION ON ACREAGES IN OPEN SPACE.
WE DON'T LOOK AT HOW MUCH ACREAGE PEOPLE MANAGE AS A PRECURSOR IF THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE NETWORK.
SO THAT ISN'T ONE OF THE, LIKE, YOU MUST DO THIS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RCDS, THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, THEY DON'T OWN ANY LAND, BUT THEY DO SO MUCH TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO DO LAND STEWARDSHIP.
A KEY PART OF THE SPACE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT WALNUT CREEK OPEN SPACE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ONES THAT ARE IN THE MIX THAT WE HAVEN'T QUITE ENGAGED WITH YET.
AND THEN ALSO CITY OF OAKLAND, I KNOW, HAS QUITE A BIT OF OPEN SPACE.
SO THAT GETS BACK TO THE CITY QUESTION THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE LIST, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE ENGAGE WITH SOME OF OUR CITY PARTNERS THAT WE ALREADY WORK WITH ON OTHER.
YES, AND THIS ONE, THAT'S A GOOD POINT, AND THAT IS WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT A LIST OF A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND ENTITIES WE HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO YET AROUND THOSE ENTITIES THAT DO LAND STEWARDSHIP, SPECIFICALLY STEWARDSHIP OF LANDS.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? YEAH, AND I KNOW TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT IS A PIECE OF THIS AS WELL, SO EACH OF THESE AGENCIES WORK WITH TRIBES IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THOSE WAYS TO WHICH.
STEWARDSHIP IS IN PRACTICE AND INCLUDING THOSE TRIBES IN OUR ACTIONS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING.
WHAT ABOUT A PRIVATE RANCHER? EFFORTS TO INCLUDE THEM? NOT YET, BUT IT'S IN THE MIX.
SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT, LIKE HOW WE WOULD BE ENGAGING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, DEFINITELY.
AND THEN SECONDLY, YOU MENTIONED CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL PROJECTS.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO LIKE THE GRASSLAND BIRD PROJECT OR THE OAK WOODLAND PROJECT, OR ARE YOU SUGGESTING WE'RE ALL GOING
[00:25:03]
TO GATHER UP AND COLLABORATE AND DO A CONTROL BURN OF THE...WELL THERE IS ONE THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR AT EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, A PRESCRIBED BURN THAT'S BEING MANAGED THROUGH THE RCDS AND THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IS INVOLVED IN THAT, IN EAST COUNTY.
NOT SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE BURN ARE ALREADY PART OF THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
BUT WHAT OTHER EXAMPLE, THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IT, HOW WE'RE COORDINATING TOGETHER TO DO CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL PROJECTS.
IT MIGHT JUST BE TWO ENTITIES, IT MIGHT BE FOUR ENTITIES.
A REALLY SIMPLE ONE YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT WAS SIMPLE JUST IN THAT IT'S THE THE PARTNERSHIP IS IT'S NOT A GIANT PROJECT BUT THE SIBLEY RESTORATION PROJECT WE GATHERED SEEDS FROM EAST BAY MUD LANDS WE ASKED THEM AND GOT A PERMIT AND SO THEY THEY'RE HELPING US TO GET THAT SITE UP AND GOING BY SHARING THEIR SEEDS FROM FROM WATERSHED LAND.
AND THEN FINALLY THE PERSONAL NOTE SO I REMEMBER LOOKING 20 YEARS THIS IS GOING TO BE GONE AND IT IS GONE.
I DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING FIREWISE.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK ACROSS AT, SAY, 50 COUNTY BRUSH- AND I WANTED TO- I WAS TOLD THAT NO- WELL, SO GRASSLANDS IN GENERAL SUPPORT SO MANY MORE SPECIES THAN THE BRUSH COMMUNITIES DO.
BRUSH DO SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY FOR SURE, BUT NOT AT THE SCALE THAT GRASSLANDS DO.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK, IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO BRUSH REMOVAL.
SO A LOT OF OUR GRASSLANDS ARE CONVERTING AND IT'S HARD FOR US TO KIND OF KEEP UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF CONVERSION THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
BUT GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE BIRDS, WE NEED BOTH.
BUT THE GRASSLANDS, THEY'RE JUST DISAPPEARING RAPIDLY AND NOT JUST IN CALIFORNIA AND NOT JUST IN THE EAST BAY.
IT'S JUST SORT OF IT'S JUST REALLY THERE'S DIFFERENT REASONS ACROSS THE U.S.
OF WHY WE'RE LOSING THE GRASSLANDS.
ONE OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE WITH EAST BAY MUD IS A BRUSH REMOVAL PROJECT THAT SPANS BOTH BOUNDARIES.
WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED IT YET, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO CROSS-JURISDICTIONALLY.
SO WITH THE ALAMEDA CREEK WATERSHED, I HAVE A COPY OF THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE BOOK ABOUT THE ALAMEDA CREEK WATERSHED, PUBLISHED IN 2013.
AND ONE OF THE SECTIONS THAT I REALLY VALUE IN THAT BOOK IS IT SHOWS THE HISTORICAL NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND WHAT WAS MOST LIKELY THE NATIVE PLANT SPECIES ACROSS THAT WATERSHED.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE SFEI, ALSO PUBLISHES FOR OTHER WATERSHEDS AND MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THAT HISTORICAL MAPS AND HISTORICAL DATA.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GRASSLAND VERSUS BRUSH, YOU KNOW, DO WE EVER, DOES THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK EVER CONSULT SOME OF THESE HISTORICAL MAPS OR, YOU KNOW, THE BEST GUESSES OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT PLANT SPECIES WERE THERE NATURALLY BEFORE THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE MODERN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT? SO AS A PART OF A NATURE CHECK? WE DID DO A GRASSLAND INDICATOR.
MOST OF IT IS WILDLIFE, BUT WE DID GRASSLANDS AND WE STARTED AN OAK WOODLAND INDICATOR.
THE GRASSLAND IS COMPREHENSIVE, AND PART OF WHAT THEY DID WAS LOOK AT ANY POSSIBLE HISTORIC INFORMATION WE HAD ON GRASSLANDS IN THE EAST BAY.
SO THERE IS, THROUGH SFEI, EAST CONTRA COSTA, HISTORICAL
[00:30:01]
ATLAS.SO WE WERE ABLE TO PULL INFORMATION FROM THERE ON HISTORIC EXTENTS OF GRASSLANDS.
I THINK IT'S THE MERLINDER DATA SET WHERE THERE'S OLD DATA POINTS FROM A LONG TIME AGO WHERE THEY LOOKED AT WHAT VEGETATION WAS THERE, AND THEN YOU CAN GO BACK NOW AND SEE WHAT'S THERE.
IT'S SPOTTY, SO WE COULDN'T MAKE A LOT OF CONCLUSIONS FOR ALL THE EAST BAY, BUT THERE ARE THESE PLACES THAT HELPED US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHANGE HAS BEEN.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FASCINATING, AND MAYBE LONGER TERM, HOWEVER, TO CONNECT THAT INFORMATION FOR EVEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC COULD BE OF VALUE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HERE IN THE PAST.
YOU KNOW HOW WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT RESTORATION IN CERTAIN AREAS OF VALUE PUBLIC BUT BEFORE WE GET THERE I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHARTER SO I SEE THAT THIS NETWORK WAS FORMED IN 2017 SO WHAT IS THE STATUS FROM LIKE 2017 TO TODAY AND THEN HOW DOES THE CHARTER CHANGE THIS QUITE SO WE HAD WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHARTER WHEN WE WERE FIRST WORKING TOGETHER IT WAS JUST YOU KNOW COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT AND PIECE IT TOGETHER HOW WE CAN THE CHARTER REALLY ESTABLISHES HOW DO WE ALL CONNECT WITH OUR GREATER ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMIT TO PRIORITIES AND FUNDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S MORE OFFICIAL FOR THE NETWORK TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
WHAT ELSE IS IN THE CHARTER THAT'S WORTH MENTIONING? AND MORE GOVERNANCE FEES AROUND THE NETWORK.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE CHARTER.
AND IT ESTABLISHES FRAMEWORKS FOR SHARED DECISION MAKING.
SO LIKE DINA SAID, IT FORMALIZES OUR WORK IN PARTNERSHIP.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE ESPACE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK IS THAT IT'S BEEN VERY STAFF DRIVEN, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER NETWORKS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MORE EXECUTIVE DRIVEN.
SO I THINK THAT THOSE ROOTS OF STAFF COMING TOGETHER IN 2017 TO ADDRESS SHARED CHALLENGES ARE KIND OF REFLECTED IN WHERE WE ARE AT NOW, IN THAT NOW WE'RE GETTING MORE ESTABLISHED AND FORMALIZED AS A NETWORK.
AND THEN WITH THE COMPARISON TO THE OTHER NETWORKS, THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO SEE ALL OF THE OTHER ONES ACROSS THE STATE.
AND WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE THE, OR WE'RE GOING TO BE THE 35TH NETWORK, IS THAT 35TH IN TERMS OF FORMATION OR SIZE? I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN OFFICIAL WAY THAT YOU BECOME A NETWORK THAT'S RECOGNIZED BY THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
BUT GENERALLY IT MEANS YOU HAVE RESULTS.
BASED ON YOUR PARTNERSHIP, THAT YOU HAVE SHARED GOALS THAT YOU'RE ACHIEVING THROUGH IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT, THE FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION? YEAH, SO IT'S THE FUNCTION FIRST AND THEN THE DOCUMENTS THAT DRIVE US.
SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE GONE INTO IT LIKE, LET'S DO A CHARTER AND THEN GO OFF ON OUR WAY TO DO THE NETWORK.
IT'S MORE LIKE LET'S START TO PUT IT TOGETHER, SEE WHAT WE ARE, SEE WHAT WE NEED, AND THEN DO THE DOCUMENTS.
AND THEN HOW MUCH HAVE YOU? COORDINATED WITH OR COMMUNICATED, I GUESS IS A BETTER WORD, COMMUNICATED WITH SOME OF THE OTHER NETWORKS.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS AND ONE TAM, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS MORE SPECIFICALLY, SO HOW MUCH HAVE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH THEM, BUT THEN ALSO HEARD SOME OF THEIR CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THEIR FORMATION, LIKE WHO MIGHT BE A CORE PARTNER AGENCY, HOW THEY MIGHT DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, CITIES THAT MAY HAVE A LOT OF LAND THAT THEY'RE STEWARDING, BUT MAYBE AREN'T PART OF THE NETWORK, BUT YOU STILL WANT TO.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM KIND OF IN THAT SPHERE OF INFLUENCE OF WHAT THIS STEWART'S DOING.
SO THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, I'M ACTUALLY ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THAT.
SO THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK IF IT WASN'T FOR THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
IT'S A PRETTY BIG LIFT TO GET ONE OFF THE GROUND.
SO WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
LIKE, WE ARE HAVING THIS CHALLENGE, OR THIS THING, AND THIS THING.
LIKE, DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLE DOCUMENTS, EXAMPLE CHARTERS, EXAMPLE ALL OF THESE THINGS? SO THERE YOU GO.
REALLY PROVIDE A LOT OF DIRECTION FOR US, AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE PEER NETWORK LEARNING.
SO WE HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS THAT LYDIA GOES TO TO CONNECT WITH THE CALIFORNIA NETWORK, AND THEN IT ALSO CONNECTS US WITH OTHER NETWORKS LIKE ONETAM AND SANTA CRUZ AND REDWOODS RISING UP NORTH AND THE ORANGE COAST DOWN SOUTH.
SO WHEN WE COME UP WITH CHALLENGES OR QUANDARIES OF IDEAS OF HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS A LITTLE STICKY TOO, WE WOULD...
YEAH, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE.
AND THEN I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT AT SOME POINT THIS IS GOING TO COME TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH I'M ALSO A PART OF, AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
[00:35:01]
AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANT US TO KEEP AN EYE ON AS YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS? I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEBSITE TO SEE KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO.AND THEN I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE DRAFT CHARTER WOULD COME TO YOU, BUT IT WOULD.
COME TO YOU BEFORE I WOULD ASSUME THAT WE WOULD MEET WITH YOU AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
I GUESS IS YOUR GOAL TO COME FORWARD TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS THIS CALENDAR YEAR OR NEXT CALENDAR YEAR? THIS CALENDAR YEAR, YES.
WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK.
AND THEN BRING IT BACK IF THERE'S ANY FINAL.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW IT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD.
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, 5B, OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY ITEM.
AND I'M HAPPY TO INTRODUCE THE GROUP THAT'S WALKING UP NOW TOO.
SO CLAIRE AND KRISTEN WILL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF KICK THIS OFF.
THIS IS AROUND OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
THIS IS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY YOU ALL ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
AND LATER ON IN THE YEAR, THIS GROUP WILL BE COMING BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AGAIN.
GLIMPSE AND GIVING YOU SOME BACKGROUND AND PROVIDING SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISTRICT-WIDE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND I THINK I JUST REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS PRETTY AMAZING FOR THE PARK DISTRICT JUST BECAUSE IT REALLY IMPROVES COORDINATION IT HELPS PRIORITIZE PROJECTS IT'S KIND OF HELPING WITH LONG-TERM PLANNING AND VISIONING AROUND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR THE PARK DISTRICT SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THE OVERVIEW.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE MULTIPLE BENEFITS THAT THE MANAGEMENT PLAN PROVIDES FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, SHARE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE ALONG THE WAY, AND JUST GIVE A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF THE PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK AS WELL.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO CLAIRE.
I AM CLAIRE GRIFFING, A MANAGEMENT ANALYST IN THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND I'VE BEEN HELPING TO COORDINATE THIS DISTRICT-WIDE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A FEW YEARS.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT HAPPENS ACROSS MANY DIVISIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR MANY YEARS TO SUPPORT WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION, PUBLIC ACCESS, AND HABITAT RESTORATION.
BUT A LOT OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE BY SEPARATE DIVISIONS.
AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE REALIZED THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COORDINATE BETTER ON THAT WORK AND BE MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE PROJECTS.
AND SOME OF THAT'S COME ABOUT BECAUSE...
THERE'S A LOT OF INCREASING COMPLEXITY RELATED TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WORK, INCREASING WILDFIRE RISK, AND SO THERE'S MORE URGENT NEED FOR US TO DO THAT COORDINATION.
SO IN 2025, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, WE CONVENED A CROSS-DIVISIONAL WORKING GROUP THAT MEETS TWICE A MONTH, HAS BEEN MEETING SINCE, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE FULL SCOPE OF WHAT WE DO IN VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT, IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVED COORDINATION, AND THEN REALIZED IT REALLY WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO...
TO IDENTIFY SOME GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOP A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO HOW WE PRIORITIZE OUR WORK.
AND ONE THEME THAT EMERGED FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS EARLY ON IS THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE BENEFITS TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PRIORITIZING.
SO I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BRIEF CONTEXT, AND THEN KRISTEN VAN DAM IS ALSO HERE, AND WE'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE MULTI-BENEFIT APPROACH WE'RE TAKING.
BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.
I WILL FIRST START OFF WITH THE CHALLENGE.
WHY NOW? WHY ARE WE HERE? WHAT ARE OUR CHALLENGES RELATED TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR SOME CONTEXT? AND THEN I WILL LEAN ON KRISTEN VAN DAM IN THE STEWARDSHIP WITH THE STEWARDSHIP PERSPECTIVE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE MULTI-BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE, LIKE WILDFIRE RESILIENCE, ECOLOGICAL STEWARDSHIP, AND PUBLIC ACCESS, AMONG OTHERS.
BUT THERE'S REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS WORK.
AND THEN I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT FOR THE STRATEGY.
HOW WE'RE DEVELOPING IT, WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, AND WHEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT YOUR COMMITTEE WILL SEE THIS.
AND THEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU ALSO TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK ON THE GOALS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
SO THE INCREASING OPERATIONAL CHALLENGE, SO JUST SOME CONTEXT, YOU'RE ALL AWARE, WE'RE THE LARGEST PUBLIC LANDOWNER IN ALAMEDA AND
[00:40:03]
CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES.WE HAVE A LOT OF LAND AND A LOT OF VEGETATION TO MANAGE.
AND AS WE ACQUIRE MORE LAND, IT'S AN INCREASING CHALLENGE FOR US TO MANAGE IT ALL.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE REALLY STRATEGIC ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S ALSO, AS I MENTIONED, INCREASING WILDFIRE RISK AND INCREASING CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WILDFIRE RISK.
AND SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
THERE'S ALSO INCREASING OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO.
THIS PHOTO UP HERE, WE'VE DONE, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT DATA WE'RE USING, BUT THIS IS A PHOTO OF...
THE RISING RISK AND EXPECTATIONS PHOTO IS A ZOOM IN ON SOME OF THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO AROUND HOMES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO OUR PROPERTY AND THAT HAPPENS DISTRICT WIDE.
AND SO WE NEED A STRATEGIC APPROACH AND A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO HOW WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING THOSE PROPERTIES AS WELL AS OUR OWN.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO BALANCE MULTIPLE GOALS, LIKE I MENTIONED, RELATED TO THOSE MULTI-BENEFITS.
WE NEED TO BALANCE SAFETY, ACCESS, HABITAT PROTECTION.
WE ALSO HAVE INCREASING COMPLEXITY RELATED TO REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
AND WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES, LIMITED STAFFING, EQUIPMENT, AND FUNDING.
WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT ALL.
AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE A REALLY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH INTO HOW WE DO THIS AND THEN HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE PUBLIC.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRANSPARENT ABOUT HOW WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS.
SO AS I MENTIONED, VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS DO THIS WORK, LOTS, PRETTY MUCH EVERY DIVISION IN THE PARK DISTRICT HAS SOME ROLE IN VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
AND NOT ONLY ONE PROGRAM OR ONE DIVISION DOES IT ALL, WHICH IS WHY THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS STEPPED IN TO HELP COORDINATE THESE EFFORTS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT EXPERTISE THAT'S NEEDED FROM...
FIRE PREVENTION AND OPERATIONS TO OUR STEWARDSHIP WORK AND PLANNING AND OUR COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
SO WE NEED EVERYBODY INVOLVED, AND COORDINATION IS ESSENTIAL.
AND ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF OUR STRATEGY IS TO INCREASE THIS COORDINATION AND CONTINUE IT OVER TIME.
SO THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE DIRECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY IS TO CONTINUE COORDINATION.
SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON...
HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY, KRISTEN'S GOING TO, I'M GOING TO INVITE KRISTEN UP TO SHARE THE STEWARDSHIP CONTEXT, AND THEN I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE'RE DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY AFTER THAT.
KRISTEN VAN DAM, I'M AN ECOLOGICAL COORDINATOR.
OUR ECOSYSTEMS EVOLVED WITH DISTURBANCE, PRINCIPALLY FIRE, AND MUCH OF OUR VEGETATION IS WHAT WE CALL FIRE ADAPTED, WHICH MEANS IT BENEFITS FROM FIRE TO MAINTAIN ITS DIVERSITY.
PROLONGED FIRE SUPPRESSION HAS MADE OUR LANDSCAPES LESS DIVERSE, OVERSTOCKED, AND LESS RESILIENT, AND IT HAS MADE OUR WILDFIRES MORE DANGEROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE.
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WE SEE SIGNS OF ECOSYSTEM STRESS, DISRUPTED RECRUITMENT PATTERNS, ECOSYSTEM SIMPLIFICATION.
AND SO BECAUSE PUTTING FIRE BACK ON THE LANDSCAPE IS SO COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT, IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL THAT WE APPLY PROXY TOOLS TO MANAGE OUR ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND PROMOTE PARK AND COMMUNITY SAFETY.
SO CHANGES IN VEGETATION HAVE INCREASED WILDFIRE RISK OVER THE YEARS.
INTRODUCED SPECIES WREAK HAVOC ON CALIFORNIA ECOSYSTEMS. THIS HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH ON THE LEFT IS A NATIVE GRASSLAND, WHICH WAS PROBABLY GRAZED AT THE TIME THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN.
WITHOUT GRAZING OR FIRE, THESE DIVERSE GRASSLANDS ARE BECOMING INVADED BY BRUSH.
AND ONCE THE BRUSH IS TAKEN OVER, THEY ARE USUALLY GONE FOREVER.
THEY ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY ENDANGERED.
ON THE RIGHT IS A FAMILIAR LANDSCAPE TO US.
IN THE EAST BAY HILLS, A EUCALYPTUS FOREST OR PLANTATION.
THESE INTRODUCED TREES SUPPLANT NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND RESULT IN FIRES OF HIGHER INTENSITY AND HIGHER HAZARD.
THIS GROVE ALSO USED TO BE A NATIVE GRASSLAND, AND IT BURNED IN 2022 IN CARQUINEZ REGIONAL SHORELINE.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE.
THESE TREES ARE NOT FIRE RESILIENT.
MOST OF THEM WERE KILLED BY THIS FIRE AND INCREDIBLY MANAGED TO REMAIN A FIRE HAZARD
[00:45:01]
AS STANDING DEAD WOOD EVEN AFTER.THAT FIRE BURNED, WHICH IS PRETTY UNIQUE TO THAT VEGETATION TYPE.
I ACKNOWLEDGE COLIN GALLAGHER, ONE OF OUR FUELS DIRECTION COORDINATORS FOR THE NEXT TWO SLIDES.
HE IS AN EXCELLENT PROJECT MANAGER AND A WONDERFUL ECOLOGIST AND A WONDERFUL PARTNER TO US.
MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE OAKLAND HILLS FIRESTORM, THE TUNNEL FIRE.
MANY OF US WERE THERE TO SEE IT BURN THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS FIRE REALLY CHANGED THE WAY THAT THE PARK DISTRICT APPROACHED ITS FUELS MANAGEMENT.
WILDFIRE PLAN, THE WILDFIRE HAZARD REDUCTION RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH STILL SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT THE END, THE BE ALL END ALL.
ALL OUR APPROACHES AND TOOLS ARE EVOLVING.
THE MORE WE LEARN AND THE MORE THAT WE SEE HAPPEN IN THE FIELD.
SO ON THE RIGHT, YOU WILL SEE THE RESULTS OF A BOOTLEG FIRE, THE BOOTLEG FIRE OF 2021 IN OREGON.
THE POST-FIRE AERIAL IS SHOWING THE RESILIENCE OF A TREATED FOREST.
SO ON THE LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A STAND THAT WAS THINNED ONLY, SO SOME TREES WERE REMOVED FROM THAT STAND.
ON THE RIGHT, RECEIVED NO TREATMENT AT ALL.
AND IN THE CENTER, THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF THINNING AND PRESCRIBED FIRE.
THIS FOREST IS STILL GREEN AFTER THIS WILDFIRE OCCURRED.
SO THAT'S JUST A REALLY STRIKING EXAMPLE ON THE GROUND THAT WE DON'T GET TO SEE TOO OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR DISTRICT.
ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE MANAGEMENT CAN MEAN TO RESILIENCE.
AND THESE CATASTROPHIC OUTCOMES THAT WE OFTEN SEE FROM THESE WILDFIRES ARE ACTUALLY PREVENTABLE.
SO TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MULTI-BENEFIT GOALS, OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT REQUIRES DIVERSE APPROACHES.
GRAZING REDUCES FIRE HAZARD ON A HUGE SCALE AND MAINTAINS HEALTHY GRASSLANDS.
FIRE AND STEWARDSHIP STAFF APPLY A VARIETY OF PHYSICAL, CULTURAL, AND INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT APPROACHES AND METHODS TO REDUCE FUEL LOADING AND PROMOTE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH.
THESE APPROACHES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN COORDINATED, PLANNED THOUGHTFULLY, AND MATCHED TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE LANDSCAPE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE, ANOTHER ONE OF COLIN'S PROJECTS, BEAUTIFULLY DONE, SUCCESSFUL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT ALONG SOUTH PARK DRIVE.
THIS WAS A 25-ACRE PROJECT ALONG THE BUFFER TO REDUCE OVERGROWN VEGETATION, REMOVE DEAD AND DYING PINES, AND INCREASE SAFETY ALONG THAT CRITICAL STRATEGIC FIRE ROUTE.
IT'S NOW OPEN FOREST WITH HEALTHY NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS RECRUITING, AND TO ME I NOTICE A LEVEL OF BIRD ACTIVITY THAT TELLS US IT'S REALLY FUNCTIONING AS A NATIVE HABITAT.
IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO SEE.
SO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PERFORMED THOUGHTFULLY AND SKILLFULLY IS A BENEFICIAL ECOLOGICAL DISTURBANCE.
IT REMOVES FUEL THAT CONTRIBUTES TO DESTRUCTIVE FIRE BEHAVIOR, INCREASES RESILIENCE TO ECOSYSTEM STRESSORS, IMPROVES BIODIVERSITY, AND PROTECTS PARKLANDS, WILDLIFE, AND OUR COMMUNITIES FROM CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE.
SO NOW CLAIRE WILL COME BACK UP TO SHARE HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THIS STRATEGICALLY.
SO AS KRISTEN MENTIONED, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT SERVES MANY PURPOSES.
AND SO CHOOSING HOW WE DO IT IS COMPLEX, AND WE NEED A MORE STRATEGIC APPROACH.
SO WE'RE DEVELOPING THIS DISTRICT-WIDE STRATEGY AND ALSO A PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK.
WE HAVE WORKED OVER THE PAST YEAR TO DEVELOP A SET OF GOALS THAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU NEXT TO GUIDE OUR WORK.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DEVELOP A SET OF CRITERIA FROM THOSE GOALS TO HELP US PRIORITIZE PROJECTS.
AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS INFORMED BY DATA, SO I'LL ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
BUT BASICALLY, GOALS AND DATA WILL GO INTO THIS PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK.
WE ARE WORKING WITH EXPERT CONSULTANTS AT OTTEN RESOURCE CONSULTING.
THEIR CONTRACT CAME TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL LAST APRIL.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH THEM TO USE THEY'RE BASICALLY CREATING A DECISION-MAKING TOOL FOR US USING SPATIAL DATA AND OUR PRIORITIES AND BRINGING THAT TOGETHER TO HELP US DETERMINE, LOOK DISTRICT-WIDE WHERE OUR HIGHEST WILDFIRE RISK AREAS, AMONG MANY OTHER PRIORITIES, INCLUDING FIND SCALE VEG MAP, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS GOING TO GO.
INTO THIS FRAMEWORK TO HELP US DECIDE HOW WE PRIORITIZE THIS WORK, WHAT DO WE DO FIRST.
WITH THE GOAL, THE END GOAL OF HAVING, UTILIZING THIS FRAMEWORK TO HELP US WITH STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING, IMPROVE OUR COORDINATION, INCREASE TRANSPARENCY SO WE CAN EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE MAKING OUR DECISIONS WITH THE PUBLIC, AND ALSO HELP US WITH SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS AND RESILIENT LANDSCAPES.
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE ARE BEING REALLY STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE DO THIS WORK SO THAT WE CAN...
[00:50:01]
GOING TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME AND NOT BE SUCH A BURDEN ON OUR DIVISION AS WELL.SO THAT'S THE GOAL, AND THAT'S HOPEFULLY WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THE WORKING GROUP THAT I MENTIONED, INTERDIVISIONAL GROUP, HAS BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPING GOALS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
I'LL MENTION THESE IN A SECOND, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT.
THESE ARE THE GOALS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF IT THAT WE'D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON.
WE BROUGHT A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERSION OF THIS, A DRAFT VERSION, TO THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN FEBRUARY, AND THEY WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ASKED THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IN GENERAL AND WHAT THEIR INTERESTS AND CONCERNS WERE.
AND WE USED THAT FEEDBACK TO HELP GUIDE THESE GOALS.
WE ALSO BROUGHT THEM TO STAFF, AND STAFF ACTUALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, WE HEARD, THEY THOUGHT THAT THESE WERE PRETTY RIGHT ON, BUT THE FIRST THREE ARE MORE LIKE WHAT OUR GOALS ARE, AND THE FOURTH IS ABOUT HOW WE DO THE WORK, AND SO STAFF WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUSED ON THE HOW WE DO THE WORK PIECE.
BUT THIS IS SORT OF WHERE WE LANDED.
SO THE FIRST GOAL IS REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES.
WE SAW FROM OUR RECENT COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT IS THE TOP INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND CERTAINLY THAT WAS A BIG THEME FROM THE PAC ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AND A BIG DRIVER OF THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WORK WE DO SO WE WANT TO MANAGE VEGETATION TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK MAINTAIN DEFENSIBLE SPACE SUPPORT EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PROTECT PARK VISITOR STAFF AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES PARKLANDS AND PARK DISTRICT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE SECOND IS PROTECT AND RESTORE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS WE WANT TO MANAGE VEGETATION TO PROTECT AND RESTORE HABITAT BIODIVERSITY NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES WILDLIFE WILDLIFE WATERSHED HEALTH, AND ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION WHILE ADDRESSING INVASIVE SPECIES AND STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE IN CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
THERE WAS SOME DESIRE FOR US TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALSO TAKING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO ACCOUNT WITHIN THIS GOAL.
AND THEN WE WANT TO MAINTAIN SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE PARKS AND TRAILS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE, PASSABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE.
AND THEN THE STRENGTH AND COORDINATION COMMUNICATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IS KIND OF A CATCH-ALL.
IT'S CERTAINLY WHERE WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE MULTI-BENEFIT PROJECTS, AS KRISTEN TALKED ABOUT, AND REDUCE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE NEEDS, USE RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY, EXPAND COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS, AND THEN COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH THE PUBLIC.
THE COMMUNICATION PIECE WAS A HUGE THEME THAT CAME FROM THE PAC.
IT SOUNDED LIKE IN GENERAL, THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT WHAT WE DO RELATED TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
A LOT OF THEM AREN'T AWARE THAT OUR CATTLE GRAZING PROGRAM IS A VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO PARTNER WITH BOTH EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND INR TO DO A LOT MORE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION RELATED TO THIS.
AND THERE'S ALSO A DESIRE WHEN PROJECTS ARE GOING ON TO USE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNICATION AND I THINK SOME OF THAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE THERE'S PARTNERSHIPS IN INR TO ACTUALLY BRING PEOPLE OUT DURING A DURING A VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT TO SHOW SHOW PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING ON AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR OUR COMMUNICATION SO THOSE ARE OUR GOALS AND I CAN BRING THIS BACK UP ON THE SCREEN LATER IF TO TALK ABOUT IF YOU'D LIKE BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE ALSO THIS THIS IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS STRATEGY BE INFORMED BY DATA SO WE HAVE A SHARED DASHBOARD TO SUPPORT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, PLANNING, AND COORDINATION.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PATRICK KEEPS GETTING A SHOUT OUT HERE, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH OUR GIS TEAM TO DEVELOP A DASHBOARD WE'RE HOPING TO BE PUBLIC FACING AT SOME POINT.
AND IT INCLUDES INFORMATION SUCH AS OUR CURRENT DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING WORK NOW.
FUEL TREATMENTS AND PROJECT WORK YEAR BY YEAR, GRAZING AND OTHER VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, AND OUR FINE-SCALE VEG MAP AND RISK TO STRUCTURES.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO USE IT TO, AGAIN, CREATE THIS PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK AND TRACK CURRENT AND PLANNED WORK, BUT THEN ALSO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHERE WE'RE DOING WORK.
SO IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'VE IN 2005, WE SORT OF DID THIS BACKGROUND WORK TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE NOW AND OUR GOALS, WORKED WITH THE PAAC AND STAFF TO DEVELOP THE GOALS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU FOR SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK
[00:55:02]
ON THOSE.WE'RE GOING TO FINALIZE THE STRATEGY AND DEVELOP THE PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK THIS SUMMER, MAYBE EARLY FALL, AND THEN IN THE FALL, WE'LL BRING THAT FINAL LIST OF GOALS BACK TO YOU, HOPEFULLY FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD.
TO REVIEW AND ACCEPT THOSE GOALS AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION AND DEVELOP OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE I DIDN'T MENTION THAT THE CONSULTANT WE'RE WORKING WITH WILL ALSO HELP US DETERMINE SO THEY'RE CREATING THIS TOOL FOR US TO MAKE DECISIONS BUT THEY'LL ALSO HELP US DETERMINE WHAT ARE THE BEST TREATMENT TYPES FOR CERTAIN VEGETATION TYPES AND SORT OF TRANSLATE THAT INTO OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE FOR FIELD STAFF AS WELL SO IN 2027 WE'LL BE ROLLING ROLLING THAT PROGRAM OUT UM SO I'LL STOP THERE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DIVISIONS HERE WHO CAN PROBABLY ANSWER.
THIS IS REALLY COMPREHENSIVE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I KNOW WE ON THE BOARD, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PROGRAM, AND SO IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE HOW IT'S HERE.
LET'S START WITH SOME QUESTIONS.
COMMITTEE DO YOU HAVE ANY UM WELL ONE OF OUR OVERALL I KNOW I KNOW FOR SURE THAT IT'S PART OF OUR GOAL, IT'S PART OF OUR TREATMENT METHODS.
THERE IS A SLIDE ABOUT WHAT OUR TREATMENT METHODS ARE, AND PRESCRIBED BURN IS ONE OF THOSE.
AND THERE'S A REAL GOAL TO DO MORE OF THAT, AND SO THE STRATEGY WILL HELP US HOPEFULLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO.
I DON'T KNOW IF PATRICK WANTS TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT IT WILL BE, THE STRATEGY WILL BASICALLY MEMORIALIZE THAT IT IS A PRIORITY OF OURS, BUT IN TERMS OF HOW WE GET THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF, PATRICK, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT PIECE.
AND DIRECTOR WASPE, GREAT QUESTION.
PATRICK MCINTYRE, FIRE CAPTAIN.
SO, OVERALL, OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT PLAN DOES INCLUDE PRESCRIBED FIRE AS A MAINTENANCE TOOL, AND AS A TOOL ALSO IMPLEMENTATION, GRASSLAND RESTORATIONS, AND IT IS BY ALL MEANS A CRITICAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT WILL NEED SCALE OBJECTIVES.
OF OUR PARKS AND THE OVERALL NEED ON THE LANDSCAPE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS WAS SPOKEN AT THE, OR WITH THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT TO TRY AND FIND DIFFERENT METHODS AND WAYS TO BRING MORE PRESCRIBED FIRE BACK IN.
SO WITH FIRE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THIS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP KIND OF MOVE THAT PORTION OF IT ALONG AND KEEP PRESCRIBED FIRE AS AN IMPLEMENTATION TOOL AND REALLY THANK YOU.
SOME OF THESE AREAS, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THEM OR WE LOOK AT WHAT THE OTEN TEAM PUTS TOGETHER AND THEN HELP TO INFORM THEM, WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT THE TREATMENT IS AND THEN SEE WHERE PRESCRIBED FIRE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MAINTENANCE TOOL OR TOOL TO MAINTAIN AND GET WHAT WAS SPOKEN TO AS THE MULTI-BENEFICIAL NEED.
BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PRACTICE OR DO PRESCRIBED FIRE EVERYWHERE, BUT I THINK WE CAN KEEP MOVING.
TOWARDS MORE OF THAT, AND THIS WILL ABSOLUTELY HELP US.
BUT THEN I'VE GOT TONS OF MONEY.
HE SAID, YOU GUYS NEVER TAKE ANY OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE SAID IT IN THAT QUOTE, BUT IT WAS OBVIOUSLY BASED ON THE BAY AREA AIR CORPS.
AND THAT ALL OF HIS MONEY WENT TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG GIANT, IT'S IN THE OUTLINE, COULD GET IT RIGHT.
IT'S EASY TO PROVE THAT IF WE COULD BURN A GREAT TRAINING TOOL, SIMPLICITY TOO.
WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS MEETING THOSE GOALS THROUGH THE AIR QUALITY, THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LOCAL BOARD OR AIR QUALITY CONTROL BOARD.
JUST THIS LAST YEAR ALONE FROM OUR PRESCRIBED BURNING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, OUR PILE BURNING PROGRAM, WHICH YOU SAW SOME OF OVER ON THAT HILL ACROSS FROM THE RESIDENCE AT LAKE ERIE AT ANTHONY CHABOT CAMPGROUND.
WE'VE BURNED, I BELIEVE, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE ORDERS LIKE GETTING UP AROUND 900 PILES.
[01:00:49]
AND JUST THAT ALONE IS A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF PROVING TO THE AIR QUALITY CONTROL BOARD THAT WE CAN PUT SMOKE INTO THE AIR AT THE RIGHT TIMES WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE LEAST IMPACT ON OUR NEIGHBORS AND REALLY KIND OF BUILDING THAT TRUST.AND A FEW OF THE PILE BURN PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE HAVE BEEN THE LARGEST IN NUMBERS THAT THEY'VE HAD.
IN THE AIR QUALITY CONTROL DISTRICT SINCE THEY'VE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF THAT.
SO WE'RE MOVING THINGS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I GUESS ONE MORE FOR CLAIRE.
SO THE AUGHTON CONSULTANTS YOU WERE REFERRING TO, WHEN WILL THEY HAVE...
YEAH, AND SO WITH THAT, THE HIGHEST WILDFIRE RISK, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT, RIGHT? AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN INVESTING A LOT IN, YOU KNOW, OUR FUELS MANAGEMENT IN THE EAST BAY HILLS, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THE DEAD AND DYING TREES, AND THAT'S A REALLY HIGH PRIORITY.
BUT THEN THERE ALSO CAN BE THE PRIORITY OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR LARGEST FIRES IN TERMS OF ACREAGE, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT WITH BOTH.
I THINK OUR NUMBER ONE FIRE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IN TERMS OF ACREAGE WAS SCU FIRE IN 2020, AND NUMBER TWO WAS THE CREEK FIRE IN SUNOL A FEW YEARS AGO.
YOU KNOW, SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES IN TERMS OF HOW WE PRIORITIZE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CONSULTANTS ARE WORKING ON THIS AS PART OF THE TOOL THAT THEY'RE DEVELOPING.
AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, MY POINT IS IT'S NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY BE ONE AREA THAT CAN BE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
CAN BE KIND OF A MULTI-VIEW APPROACH WHERE WE KIND OF WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS AND THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT REASONS WHY THERE'S RISK.
AND I EVEN THINK OF, IN TERMS OF RISK, AND I SAW IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, SO JUST, I GUESS IT'S THIS MONTH, WE'RE STILL IN JUNE, THERE WAS A STUDY THAT CAME OUT OF EVACUATION RISK ZONES.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU SAW THIS, THE EAST BAY TIMES DID PUBLISH, YOU KNOW, A STORY ABOUT THIS STUDY BEING RELEASED.
AND IN IT THEY ACTUALLY FOCUS ON ALHAMBRA VALLEY IN MARTINEZ AND ALSO TALK ABOUT CLAYTON AND WHAT THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON AND WITH THESE EVACUATION RISK ZONES IS THE PHRASE IS EGRESS LIMITED COMMUNITY SO THERE MAY NOT BE AS HIGH OF A POPULATION AS LARGE OF A POPULATION AS WE MIGHT SEE NEAR THE EAST BAY HILLS BUT THEY MIGHT BE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LIMITED LIKE THE EGRESS LIMITED EVACUATION ROUTES AND I ALSO SEE THIS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT KILLCARE WOODS IN SONOMA, AND IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT THE MAP, YOU'LL SEE THAT SONOMA IS UP THERE IN REGARDS TO BEING AN EGRESS LIMITED COMMUNITY AND HAVING THIS EVACUATION RISK ZONE.
SO EVEN THOUGH I THINK THE POPULATION OF SONOMA IS ABOUT 900 PEOPLE, SO IT MAY NOT BE QUITE AT THE POPULATION LEVELS OF THE EAST BAY HILLS, I THINK THAT THERE IS STILL RISK, CERTAINLY, AND STILL SHOULD BE PRIORITIZATION TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THE POPULATION MIGHT BE LOWER, BUT THERE STILL MAY BE THAT RISK.
AND SO I HOPE WHEN WE DEVELOP THIS TOOL, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE PRIORITIZATION AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TAKE ONE PASS AT THE TOOL, YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHERE'S THE HIGHEST POPULATION RISK.
IF YOU TAKE A SECOND PASS, WHERE'S THE HIGHEST ACREAGE LIST? IF YOU TAKE A THIRD PASS, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THIS LIMITED EGRESS? AN EVACUATION ROUTE.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY GET DIFFERENT RESULTS FOR THAT.
BUT I THINK EACH OF THESE COMMUNITIES, THEY ARE PART OF OUR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
AND SO WE DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK TO PASS ON TO THE CONSULTANT AS THEY'RE DEVELOPING THIS TOOL, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY POINTING TO THE STUDY.
I THINK IT CAME OUT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, BUT THEN THEY ALSO MENTIONED UC SANTA BARBARA.
SO IT'S STATEWIDE WHERE THIS MAP WAS DEVELOPED AND WITH THAT SO I'LL TRY
[01:05:02]
TO GET THIS TO A QUESTION YOU KNOW I KNOW LAST SUMMER WE DID HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH CALCARE WOODS NEXT TO PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK AND WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES I I HAVE THE INTERPRETATION THAT MAYBE OUR 2012 PLEASANTON RIDGE LAND USE PLAN WASN'T CONSULTED IN SOME OF THAT DECISION-MAKING SO I'M JUST CURIOUS YOU KNOW AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, HOW MUCH ARE WE OR ARE WE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE LAND USE PLANS THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH OF OUR PARKS? BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT EVACUATION ROUTES, WILDFIRE RISK, AND THE COMMUNITIES IN OUR LAND USE PLANS.AND, YOU KNOW, I'D HATE FOR US TO REINVENT THE WHEEL WHEN WE MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
I THINK WE CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE STUDY AS WELL AS LAND USE PLANS.
I ALSO WANT TO, I MAY ASK FOR KRISTEN AND OR PATRICK TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO WILDFIRE RISK MAPPING THAT WE'RE INCLUDING AND SOME OF THE OTHER MAPPING THAT WILL BE INCLUDED, BECAUSE I THINK THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO SHARE.
BUT I WILL SAY ALSO IN TERMS OF CRITERIA, WE'RE GOING TO BE PRIORITIZING, WE HAVEN'T CREATED SORT OF OUR CRITERIA OR WEIGHTING SYSTEM YET FOR SELECTING PROJECTS, BUT CERTAINLY LIFE IS GOING TO BE, PROTECTING LIFE IS GOING TO BE NUMBER ONE.
SO TO YOUR POINT, I THINK HAVING THE DATA IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT IT'LL ALSO BE ABOUT TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
DO EITHER OF YOU WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OTTEN'S GOING TO BE USING IN TERMS OF WILDFIRE RISK MAPPING? THANK YOU.
YEAH, SO OUR TEAM IS GOING TO BE WORKING INTERDISCIPLINARILY WITH OUR TEAM.
SO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS TAKING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOUR DATA SET IS GOING TO BE VOTING ON.
I THINK IF I COULD JUST SHARE WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THE WAY I ENVISION IT, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ONE PRIORITIZATION LIST BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WEIGHTING OR DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT.
AND SO IT MAY BE THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I JUST GAVE THREE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DENSE POPULATION, EAST BAY HILLS, OR WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE LARGER ACREAGE RISK, OR WHERE THERE MIGHT BE THAT EGRESS LIMITED COMMUNITY.
AND SO I CAN SEE THAT IF YOU...
SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED, THEN OKAY, MAYBE THAT PUTS SONOL LOWER ON THE LIST.
BUT IF THEY'RE EGRESS LIMITED, I THINK WE STILL NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT SONOL SINCE THEY ARE PART OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
SO IT JUST MIGHT BE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH, BUT STILL JUST AS IMPORTANT COMMUNITY.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS PARTNERSHIPS AND THEN HOW WE COMMUNICATE THIS.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I FIND A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB COMMUNICATING ABOUT ALL OF OUR GREAT WORK IN THE EAST BAY HILLS.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GO TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, DR.
COFFEY'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT HE TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE ALHAMBRA VALLEY AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WHILE, YES, WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT THE WORK IN THE EAST BAY HILLS IS IMPORTANT.
WHEN WE GO TO ALHAMBRA VALLEY AND TALK ABOUT IT, THEY SAY, WELL, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN BRIONES? AND, UM, AND I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT ABOUT A LOT OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT AREN'T TO THE EAST BAY HILLS.
SO I THINK WE WILL ALSO, AS PART OF THIS ROLLOUT OF THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, THINK ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE OTHER PARTS OF THE EAST BAY THAT AREN'T DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE EAST BAY HILLS.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT.
AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THAT'S SORT OF...
THIS IS PART OF THE IMPETUS FOR THIS DISTRICT-WIDE STRATEGY, SO WE CAN REALLY THINK DISTRICT-WIDE.
AND IT IS TRUE, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE GRAZING, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS, HOW THAT HELPS WITH MITIGATING WILDFIRE RISK.
SO JUST EVEN BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE COMMUNICATING AND SHARING THAT MESSAGE, I THINK GETS US REALLY FAR WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL JUST...
CHECK AND SEE IF WE HAVE PUBLIC
[01:10:02]
COMMENT REAL QUICK.WE'LL OPEN AND COMMENT AND THEN WE HAVE ONE HAND.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS OF THE DISTRICT TO DATE TO DEVELOP THIS.
WILDLAND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OR PROGRAM.
IT'S AN ESSENTIAL STEP THAT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FURTHER.
HOWEVER, I JUST WANT TO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT IS THAT THE FOCUS IS ON THE CURRENT PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE BE IT TRAIL VEGETATION OR PARTICULARLY WILDFIRE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THOSE ARE REAL PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH, BUT I THINK THAT THE PROGRAM OUGHT TO ALSO TRY TO TAKE A MUCH LONGER, BROADER PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER CONCERNS TO BE DEALT WITH, AND, YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE FACING NOW ARE EVOLVING, YOU KNOW, AS THE DISCUSSION HAS POINTED OUT, EVEN FIVE, TEN YEARS AGO.
WE HAD PLANS TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NOW OUTDATED.
SO THE WHOLE EFFORT NEEDS TO BE VERY NIMBLE AND FORWARD-LOOKING.
AND I THINK THAT THIS WOULD HELP WITH MORE EFFECTIVELY PRIORITIZING PRESENT EFFORTS.
I THINK THE PROGRAM NEEDS TO THINK IN TERMS OF DECADES, YOU KNOW, 40, 50 OR MORE YEARS.
STATED LONG-TERM PURPOSES AND GOALS, YOU KNOW, BOTH NEAR-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS AND STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE STEPPED DOWN TO IMMEDIATE ACTIONS.
I THINK ONE KEY INITIATIVE THAT I CAN SPEAK TO FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND I THINK OTHER NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IS THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO BUILD ON THE NEW EAST BAY FINE VEGETATION MAP DEVELOPED BY MARK TUCK, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE, TO IDENTIFY THE LONG-TERM SELF-MAINTAINING VEGETATION DESIRED WITH THE INTENT OF, OVER THE LONG TERM, MINIMIZING WILDLAND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT COSTS.
YOU KNOW BOTH THE THE FINANCIAL COSTS AS WELL AS HEALTH AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS THAT COME WITH MANAGING IT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT CLIMAX VEGETATION WOULD BE IN THE FUTURE, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION CLIMATE CHANGE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
THERE IS NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANKS SO MUCH, BOB, FOR COMMENTING IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR FROM A PAC MEMBER BOB PEOPLES IS A PART OF OUR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND I'LL BRING IT BACK TO US HERE ON THE COMMITTEE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY FINAL QUESTIONS COMMENTS NO, THE GOAL IS TO PRIORITIZE THE WORK SO WE CAN USE EXISTING RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT.
YEAH, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
I THINK PERHAPS, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS ABOUT OVERALL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, AND SO MAYBE ALSO HOW WE PAIR, YOU KNOW, THIS WORK WITH THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND THEN ALSO HOW IF POSSIBLE IT IS TO LOCALIZE SOME OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AROUND THIS PLAN BECAUSE I DO THINK WE GOT ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK I BELIEVE FROM SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN LAFAYETTE AND IT CAME THROUGH DIRECTOR DE CHAMBEAU WHERE THAT PERSON ATTENDED OUR WE HAD THE WEBINAR ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THEY FELT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO SPECIFIC TO OAKLAND, BERKELEY, AND NOT AS SPECIFIC TO LAFAYETTE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS DISTRICT-WIDE.
BUT JUST TO KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY TO LOCALIZE.
BUT OTHERWISE, I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED
[01:15:01]
TO DO.WE NEED TO LOOK DISTRICT-WIDE, AND WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT TRYING TO PRIORITIZE.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A VERY SIMPLE OR STRAIGHTFORWARD TASK.
THERE CAN BE MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE NEXT STEPS.
AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU THINK OF IN THE MOMENT THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT INFORMATIONAL ITEM.
AND ARE YOU OKAY TO KEEP ON GOING, OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK? OKAY, LET'S KEEP ON GOING.
I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR FINAL ITEM AS WELL, 5C, THE RENEWAL OF THE BUNCH OF GRASS.
FEEL FREE, GO AHEAD AND KICK US OFF AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR SAN JUAN, DR.
GILLESPIE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS ROSE SAMUELSON, I'M AN OCCULT IN OUR STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT IN WILDLIFE VEGETATION.
AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT TODAY ON THE SIBLEY BUNCHGRASS MEADOW RESTORATION PROJECT.
SO YOU'VE HEARD TODAY SOME UPDATES REGARDING EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL AS THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
SIBLEY MEADOW IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A MULTI-BENEFICIAL COLLABORATIVE PROJECT THAT'S ALREADY UNDERWAY.
WE ARE ENHANCING A HIGHLY NATIVE MEADOW CHOCK-FULL OF AN INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY OF NATIVE GRASSLAND SPECIES.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTO, VERY COLORFUL.
SO I GET TO END YOU TODAY ON A PRESENTATION WITH LOTS OF PRETTY PHOTOS.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT ALMOST ALL BUT ONE PHOTO IN THIS PRESENTATION IS FROM THE SIBLEY RESTORATION SITE ITSELF.
ALL RIGHT, SO BEFORE THE PROJECT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF AND MY PASSION FOR OUR WILDLANDS.
I LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT OTHER FOLKS, THE EXPERIENCES THAT DREW THEM OUTSIDE, WHETHER IT'S EARLY IN THEIR LIFE OR WHETHER IT'S A DEVELOPING RECENT PASSION.
I GREW UP IN TOWNS ALL THE WAY FROM SAN DIEGO UP TO REDDING, BAY AREA OUT TO THE SIERRAS.
TO MY PARENTS' CONSTERNATION, I'M ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO ALWAYS ASK WHY.
I WAS ALWAYS NOTICING THE DIFFERENCE IN VEGETATION, THE DIVERSITY THAT CALIFORNIA HAS TO OFFER IN OUR PLANT COMMUNITIES.
SO I WAS ASKING WHY DIFFERENT PLANTS ARE IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD A SOFT SPOT FOR MANZANITAS.
SO I LOVE THE MANZANITA AND THAT SMOOTH BARK.
SO, SIDLEY MEADOW, WHERE IS IT, BOTH ON OUR PROGRAM AND PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE? SO SIBLEY MEADOW IS JUST ONE PROJECT IN THE HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM WITHIN THE WILDLAND VEGETATION UNIT.
WE HAVE A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS THAT SPAN ALL THE WAY FROM CARQUINEZ STRAIT TO COYOTE HILLS OUT TO BRUSHY PEAK.
THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT SIZES, DIFFERENT ECOLOGIES WITH DIFFERENT GOALS.
YOU CAN SEE OUR STORY MAP ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE HAS MORE INFORMATION ON EACH OF THESE PROJECTS ALONG WITH PHOTOS.
SO EACH OF THE PROJECTS HAS DIFFERENT GOALS AND DIFFERENT METHODS.
BUT WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT STEWARDSHIP IS DEDICATED TO SEEING THEM STEWARDED FORWARD THROUGH TIME.
WITH THE ADDITION OF OUR INAUGURAL NATURAL RESOURCE TECHNICIAN, RYAN JONES, AND GRIZZLY CORPS INTERN, EVA GIBBS-ZENDER, WE'RE BUILDING OUR CAPACITY AND INVESTMENT TO THESE SITES.
SO ON THE LANDSCAPE, SIBLEY MEADOW IS ABOUT A 5 TO 10-MINUTE WALK FROM THE SKYLINE GATE STAGING AREA.
IT'S RIGHT OFF OF ROUND TOP LOOP TRAIL, SO YOU CAN EASILY GO SEE THIS SITE.
THE SITE WAS SELECTED DUE TO THE DENSITY OF NATIVE PLANTS AND ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY THAT IT PROVIDES TO THE PUBLIC.
SO YOU'VE SEEN A FEW CHARISMATIC PHOTOS SO FAR, VERY COLORFUL, BUT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HERE'S WHERE WE STARTED IN 2023.
SO THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES WILL SHOW YOU THE PROGRESSION OVER TIME.
SO I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, IT'S NOT VERY EXCITING.
A LITTLE DRAB, A LITTLE FOGGY.
WHY HOUSE A RESTORATION SITE HERE? SO ALL THAT PLANT DIVERSITY IS THERE.
IT'S JUST HIDDEN BENEATH THAT BRUSH AND BENEATH THE BUILDUP OF ANNUAL GRASS THATCH BUILDUP.
SO THE PROJECT WAS SELECTED AFTER A FIELD VISIT WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE NATIVE GRASSLAND RESTORATION WOULD ALSO REDUCE FUELS LOADING, LOWERING WILDFIRE SO IN 2023, OUR OPERATIONS MADE THE FIRST PUSH TO TREAT A SIGNIFICANT TEASEL POPULATION, AND STEWARDSHIP OVERSAW A LARGE COYOTE BRUSH REMOVAL THROUGHOUT THE MEADOW.
AND HERE IS THE EFFECT AFTER ONE YEAR.
AFTER CONSULTING AND PARTNERING
[01:20:05]
WITH EAST BAY MUD AND CMPS-SPONSORED SKYLINE GARDENS, STEWARDSHIP, WITH SUPPORT FROM OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICES, STARTED A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO HAND-WEED THE MEADOW.AND WITHIN ONE YEAR YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACT TAKING SHAPE.
WE'RE ENHANCING THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE MEADOW.
WE'RE SEEING MORE DIVERSITY, MORE COLORS AS THOSE MULES EARS, POPPIES, POPCORN FLOWERS, LUPINS, TIDY TIPS, AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BUNCH GRASS BLOOM, SWAY IN THE WIND, AND SUPPORT ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE.
AND THE MEADOW CONTINUES TO FLOURISH AS THE INVASIVE PLANT COMPETITION IS REDUCED.
AND WE HALT THAT ENCROACHMENT OF WOODY VEGETATION INTO THE MEADOW.
SO I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE BUILDING ON THE MOMENTUM.
WITH THE ADDITION OF NATURAL RESOURCE TECH POSITIONS, WE'RE ABLE TO EXPAND THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT WITH RYAN'S SUPPORT.
SO HOW DO WE BUILD THE PROJECT, AND HOW ARE WE MEETING THE MULTI-BENEFICIAL GOALS? SO EACH OF OUR HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS HAS A RESTORATION PRESCRIPTION, WHICH OUTLINES THE INDIVIDUAL GOALS.
IT HELPS US COMMUNICATE PROACTIVELY WITH OUR COLLABORATORS AND SOLICIT SUPPORT WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT HAS MULTI-BENEFITS.
SO SIBLEY MEADOWS SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE THE MULTI-BENEFITS HERE? SO STEWARDSHIP.
WE'RE ENHANCING AND PROTECTING ONE OF OUR RAREST PLANT COMMUNITIES, NATIVE GRASSLANDS, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS.
AND INCREASING THE BIODIVERSITY.
PARK STAFF ARE REDUCING INVASIVE POPULATIONS, IMPROVING THE TRAIL EXPERIENCE.
SIBLEY GETS A LOT OF FOLKS LOOKING FOR WILDFLOWER BLOOMS AND NOW WE'VE GOT A SPOT TO POINT THEM TO.
VOLUNTEER SERVICES IS ABLE TO PROVIDE THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PUBLIC TO ENGAGE WITH HABITAT RESTORATION, GET THEIR HANDS IN THE DIRT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND WE'RE REDUCING WILDFIRE HAZARD BY REMOVING BRUSH.
AND MAINTAINING THOSE OPEN GRASSLANDS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT ECOLOGY AND FOR THEM TO SEE FIRE ON THE LANDSCAPE.
SO THE BURN PILES THAT HAPPENED OUT HERE WAS A GREAT CHANCE FOR PEOPLE, HIKERS, TO COME THROUGH AND SEE THE SMOKE, FOR OUR NEIGHBORS TO EXPERIENCE THE SMOKE AS WELL, AS WELL AS WILDLIFE.
THERE WAS A NESTING EAGLE SO WE PARTNERED WITH DOUG BELL AND WILDLIFE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE EAGLES WERE OKAY WITH THAT SMOKE SO THEY GOT TO SEE THAT AS WELL AND NOT OVERREACT UM AS WELL AS UH TO YOUR POINT EARLIER DIRECTOR WASPY UM THIS BURN PILE UH OPERATION WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT A BAY AREA QUALITY UH REPRESENTATIVE CAME OUT AND WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE CREW IN ACTION AND TO SEE THESE PILES BURN SO THEY WERE ACTUALLY ATTENDED THIS PILE BURN UM EXTERNAL AFFAIRS THE DISTRICT GETS TO TELL OUR STORY IN FACT WE HAVE AN OPEN ROAD EPISODE JUST AIRED FOUR DAYS AGO THAT INCLUDES FOOTAGE FROM SIBLEY MEADOW, KARKINA STRAIT, AND THE FUELS REDUCTION THAT'S HAPPENING OUT IN ANTHONY CHABOT OUT AT THE CLYDE WOOLRIDGE STAGING AREA.
SO THROUGH THIS PROJECT, WE'RE STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR NEIGHBORING EAST BAY MUD AND COMMUNITY PROJECT SKYLINE GARDENS.
SO A BIG THANK YOU TO GLENN SCHNEIDER, PICTURED HERE, WHO HELPED US WITH THE METHODS FOR GRASSLAND RESTORATION AND EAST BAY MUD FOR THE PERMIT TO COLLECT SEEDS FROM THEIR PROPERTY, INCLUDING SOME RARE SPECIES SUCH AS BENT FLOWERED FIDDLENECK, WHICH PROBABLY AT ONE POINT SPANNED THE EAST BAY HILLS RIDGETOP.
AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO VOLUNTEER SERVICES, JESSICA SLOAN, NATALIE HURTADO, CAMERON CELESTIA, FOR BEING AMAZING PARTNERS IN ESTABLISHING A REWARDING VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
AND HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO PARK STAFF OPERATIONS AS WELL, RINGO FUERTA AND BRIAN KILGORE.
THEY EVEN COME OUT TO THE VOLUNTEER EVENTS.
BRIAN HAS COME WITH HIS DAUGHTER.
AND IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS ACT AS WELL.
SO VOLUNTEERS STARTED IN 2024.
WE'VE HAD OVER 32 VOLUNTEER EVENTS, 240 PARTICIPANTS, REPRESENTING MORE THAN 1,600 HOURS.
BUT I WOULD SAY THOSE ARE NUMBERS, AND THE THINGS THAT NUMBERS CAN'T CAPTURE IS THE AMAZING ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE DEDICATED THEIR TIME
[01:25:01]
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO THIS PROJECT.SO SIBLEY MEADOW HAS BECOME A COMMUNITY FOR ME.
AND FOR OTHERS OF ALL AGES, ALL BACKGROUNDS.
I'VE SEEN FOLKS CONNECTING TO THE LAND, THE SEASONS, ONE ANOTHER.
TURNING FACES AND WELCOMING NEW FOLKS.
THE EVENTS BRING IN ALL KINDS OF FOLKS INCLUDING RETIRED EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK EMPLOYEES DENISE DEFREEZE, EAGER TO SHARE HER BOTANIC KNOWLEDGE AND TEACH ECOLOGY TO OUR VOLUNTEERS.
ALBERT WHO'S BEEN TO ALMOST EVERY SINGLE EVENT SINCE WE STARTED IN 2020.
MAC WHO JUST GOT KNEE SURGERY AND WAS OUT THERE RIGHT AWAY, READY TO VOLUNTEER AND SPEND HIS TIME OUT THERE AGAIN AS SOON AS HE WAS ABLE.
JEN, WHO'S BEEN IN THE PARK FOR 15 YEARS, HIKING THE TRAILS, AND IS ABLE NOW TO GIVE BACK AND SEE A WILDFLOWER BLOOM THAT SHE HASN'T SEEN IN THE PARK DISTRICT BEFORE.
AND ONE OF OUR YOUNGEST VOLUNTEERS HERE, ADA, NOT AS MUCH INTO THE WEEDING, BUT...
LOVES CLEANING BOOTS, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL CLEAN WHEN WE GO INTO THE SITE, AS WELL AS READING US BERENSTAIN BEAR BOOKS WHILE THE REST OF US DO WEED.
SO THROUGH THE EFFORTS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT 86 NATIVE PLANT SPECIES.
ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, JOHN, JUST ADDED TO THAT NUMBER.
HE FOUND TWO NEW SPECIES OUT THERE IN THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, AND WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO 93.
WITH THE SEEDING EFFORTS THROUGH THE PERMITTING WITH EAST BAY MUDD.
SO THE ENTHUSIASM OF OUR VOLUNTEERS AND DEDICATION OF STU AND OBSTINE'S GIVES ME SO MUCH JOY, INSPIRATION, ENERGY.
I KNOW I'M NOT IN THIS ALONE AND I GET TO FEED OFF OF THAT SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESS THEY SEE OVER TIME.
IN THREE YEARS, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SUCH DRASTIC CHANGE.
SEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT COLORS CYCLE THROUGH THE SEASONS, INCREASE IN NATIVE COVER AS THE POPCORN FLOWERS, SOAP PLANTS, STAR LILIES, PURPLE NEEDLE GRASS EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINTS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT.
SO TO THAT EFFECT OF MEASURING CHANGE OVER TIME.
WE HAVE MONITORING PLOTS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED TO EMPIRICALLY MEASURE CHANGE OVER TIME.
SO THIS IS A PHOTO POINT FROM ONE OF THOSE MONITORING PLOTS.
WE COLLECT THIS DATA TO INFORM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, WHAT'S WORKING WELL, WHAT WORKS OKAY, MAYBE WHAT DOESN'T WORK, SO THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY USE OUR TIME AND OUR RESOURCES AND THEN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH OTHERS WHO ARE UNDERTAKING SIMILAR PROJECTS.
SO IN THIS PHOTO YOU CAN SEE THE REDUCTION IN FROM 2023 IT IS A MONOCULTURE OF TEASEL WHICH IS AN INVASIVE PLANT.
IN 2023 PARK OPS DID A BIG HIT ON THIS TO REDUCE THE POPULATION AND SINCE THEN WE'VE DONE HAND WEEDING WITH THE VOLUNTEERS AND A LITTLE BIT OF SEEDING.
AND SO FROM THAT TO 2026 YOU CAN SEE ALSO REDUCTION IN COYOTE BRUSH IN THE FOREGROUND OR IN THE MIDDLE GROUND.
AS WELL AS THE TIDY TIPS AND CHIA AND PURPLE NEEDLE GRASS, SOAP PLANT POPPING UP IN THE FORBS.
SO A FUNCTIONING ECOSYSTEM ACCOMPLISHES MANY GOALS.
IT SUPPORTS A VERY DIVERSE WEB OF LIFE, AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
THIS YEAR I'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN POLLINATORS.
REPTILES AND LARGE MAMMALS IN THE PROJECT AREA, INCLUDING THIS BEAUTIFUL KING SNAKE.
I'VE SEEN ABOUT FIVE SPECIES OF SNAKE IN THE PAST MONTH OUT THERE UTILIZING THE SITE.
I THINK THEY LIKE THAT BARE OPEN GROUND.
WE HAVE SEEN, THIS IS THE BENT FLOWER FIDDLENECK ON THE BOTTOM LEFT WITH A NATIVE POLLINATOR ON IT AND THAT POPULATION HAS BEEN RESEEDING SUCCESSFULLY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND EXPANDING.
WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME REALLY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE OUT THERE WITH BUTTERFLIES HILL TOPPING.
WE HAD ONE EVENT WHERE WE WATCHED ALL THE BUTTERFLIES COME UP THE HILL AS THEY CONGREGATE AT THE TOPS OF THE HILLS TO REPRODUCE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO WATCH ALL THESE BUTTERFLIES FLUTTER UP THE HILL.
[01:30:01]
UTILIZING ALL THE DIFFERENT POLLINATOR RESOURCES IN THE MEADOW AS WE HAVE THIS DIVERSITY OF PLANTS THAT BLOOM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.SO TO CONCLUDE, WE'RE WORKING AS A DISTRICT TO INTEGRATE OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
OUR GOALS, PRIORITIES, IMPACTS...
METHODS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE EFFECTIVELY STEWARDING THE LAND FOR MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THINK BIG ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH EACH OTHER INTERNALLY AND ACROSS JURISDICTIONS AND WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMUNITY.
AND INCLUDE SOME INFORMATION HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME OUT AND SEE THE SITE.
YOU CAN VOLUNTEER VIA SAMARITAN ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE.
I'VE ALSO INCLUDED INFORMATION FOR SKYLINE GARDENS IF ANYONE...
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION TO CONCLUDE WITH TODAY.
I REALLY LIKED THE, I EVEN UNDERLINED, THE LONG-TERM MONITORING PLOTS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT DIFFERENCE IN THREE YEARS FROM THE SAME SPOT.
I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY SUCH A GREAT STORY.
AND I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, BUT LOOKING THROUGH THIS I'M LIKE OH THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH INTEREST IN THIS ACROSS THE ENTIRE EAST BAY DISTRICT YOU KNOW HOW DO WE SCALE THIS TO BRING IT TO OTHER PARTS OF THE EAST BAY AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WORK PLAN AS A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO LOOK AT YOU KNOW THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS I ANTICIPATE THOSE WILL PROBABLY COME FORWARD IN THE FALL POSSIBLY AND THEN ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WORK WITH SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT PAIRS NICELY WITH EARLIER PRESENTATION FROM THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, BUT THEN ALSO THERE'S SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT AREN'T PART OF THAT NETWORK THAT ALSO COULD BE POTENTIALLY GOOD PARTNERS AND ALREADY DO RESTORATION WORK ON OTHER LANDS NOT WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, LIKE THE ALAMEDA CREEK ALLIANCE, TRI-VALLEY CONSERVANCY HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. ALSO, THE ALAMEDA COUNTY RESOURCES CONSERVATION DISTRICT HAS THE LIVING ARROYOS PROGRAM.
PROGRAM FOR ALL THE CREEKS IN EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL OUT THERE.
BUT THEN I KNOW IN TERMS OF SCALING THAT AND THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT, THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR EAST BAY.
SO FOR US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
AND PROBABLY WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THE NEAR-TERM AGENDA ITEM IN REGARDS TO OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO START TO THINK ABOUT SCALING.
AND AS AN EXAMPLE, THIS IS WONDERFUL.
SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANYWAY, ECONOMICS.
I GUESS, WILL YOU REPLICATE THIS IN OTHER PARKS? YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
IT DOVETAILS OFF OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, CHAIR SAN JUAN.
GRASSLAND RESTORATION CAN BE HIGHLY TECHNICAL, SO IT IS VERY NOVEL THAT WE'RE DOING IT WITH VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THERE'S 86 DIFFERENT SPECIES, AND FOR VOLUNTEERS TO LEARN EACH OF THOSE IS A LITTLE DAUNTING, AND WE TELL THEM, ONE PLANT AT A TIME.
AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO KNOW, RIGHT? AND SO WE'VE SEEN, LIKE, A PROGRESSION OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO COME BACK TIME AND AGAIN WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THE SITE WATCHING THAT PLANT PROGRESS THROUGH ITS LIFE CYCLE AND SEE THE NEXT GENERATION'S ANNUAL SEEDING.
BUT IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF STAFF TIME, RIGHT, TO OVERSEE THAT AND TO TEACH THAT ECOLOGY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN A MEANINGFUL MANNER.
AS FAR AS REPLICATION, I'D LIKE TO...
SAY THAT WE ARE STARTED ANOTHER PROJECT OF THIS NATURE IN SONOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SFPUC.
SO IT'S ON, IT'S AT LIKE THE ENTRANCE TO SONOL.
SO SFPUC IS THE SPEARHEAD ON THAT ONE, ALONG WITH SONOL PARK STAFF AND VOLUNTEER SERVICES.
AND IT'S A VERY SIMILAR PROJECT TO THIS ONE.
SO YES, WE ARE EXPANDING THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF THESE VOLUNTEER EVENTS AT SIBLEY SELLS OUT.
EMAILING TO SAY CAN WE COME AND WE'RE LIKE SO UM THERE'S DEFINITELY A A HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THIS TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENGAGING COMMUNITY YEAH, AND I'LL ADD, YOU KNOW,
[01:35:02]
IN 2024, I WENT THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM WITH THE ALAMEDA CREEK ALLIANCE, AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO RECEIVE TRAINING ON, YOU KNOW, ECOLOGY AND STEWARDSHIP, AND COMPLETING THAT PROGRAM, YOU THEN BECOME THIS TRAINED VOLUNTEER WHO'S AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS ONE YOU HIGHLIGHT OR WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND THERE'S A WHOLE NETWORK ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.IT'S RUN THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION AT UC DAVIS.
AND I KNOW THE OAKLAND ZOO ALSO RUNS THIS CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM, AND A FEW OTHERS IN THE EAST BAY RUN IT.
AND SO THERE IS A WHOLE GROUP OF TRAINED, CERTIFIED, VOLUNTEER CALIFORNIA NATURALISTS THAT EXIST IN THE EAST BAY.
AND I THINK ONCE WE GET THROUGH OUR AGENDA ITEM TO THINK ABOUT VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NEXT.
PHASE TO THINK ABOUT OKAY NOW HOW DO WE SCALE THIS RIGHT SO THAT WE CAN REPLICATE THIS GOOD WORK AT OTHER IN OTHER PARTS OF THE EAST BAY WITHOUT UTILIZING YOU KNOW AS MUCH STAFF TIME AS WE HAVE BEEN RIGHT NOW FOR YOU KNOW THESE EARLY EXAMPLES LIKE AT SIBLEY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE CAN REPLICATE IT IF WE'RE USING AS MUCH STAFF TIME AT SIBLEY ACROSS ALL THE OTHER PARKS BUT IF WE HAVE REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIPS AND ALSO LEVERAGING TRAINED VOLUNTEER NATURALISTS THAT MIGHT ALSO BE ABLE TO HELP US. YOU KNOW DO THIS AT SCALE AND REPLICATE ACROSS YOU KNOW THE ENTIRE EAST BAY AREA SO IT'S HOPEFUL AND EXCITING AND I AND I THINK I REALLY LIKED YOUR POINT DIRECTOR WASPY YOU KNOW ENGAGING COMMUNITIES AND MAKING FRIENDS THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK YOU KNOW AVENUE TO ACHIEVE THAT FOR THIS LIST REAL QUICK CHECK IN AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK FOR ANY FINAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE. I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
[Announcements]
SO THANK YOU. AND SO WITH THAT, WE THEN ARE COMPLETE WITH THIS ITEM. WHEN WE MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE DO HAVE A BOARD SITE TOUR ON FRIDAY. IT WAS AT JUNE 26TH, AND WE ARE MEETING, I BELIEVE, 10 A.M. IT'S AN OPEN MEETING TO THE PUBLIC AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS. SO THAT WILL BE OUR FINAL... BOARD MEETING BEFORE OUR LEGISLATIVE BREAK, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK, I THINK IT'S AUGUST 4TH, FOR OUR BOARD MEETING. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO, THERE ISN'T. JUST CLARIFYING THE BOARD SITE TOUR IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON FRIDAY. WE'RE STARTING AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS AND MAKING A COUPLE OTHER STOPS. PERFECT.OKAY. WELL, WITH THAT, WE'RE NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.