Hello!
Dear Friend,
Fall is a transition in many ways. For One Tam’s Conservation Management Program, it means winding down the busy fieldwork season and turning toward analysis and reflection on our successes.
Our team’s work to track and manage invasive plants is critical to protecting Mt. Tamalpais’ unique biodiversity and mix of habitats. This year, we’re particularly proud of our early detection-rapid response results. Our consistent effort produced an impressive reduction in several priority weeds, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), and Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica).
And that’s not all. We also monitored rare and endangered plant species, protected grasslands and chaparral from encroachment, and rediscovered two plants feared extirpated from our local landscapes. These were lesser baby innocence (Tonella tenella, last seen in Marin County in 1958) and sugar scoops (Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata, never vouchered before in Marin).
I also want to give special thanks to our team members who joined us for the 2024 field season, and who will be moving on to other opportunities soon—Gina Galang Park, Sadie Hickey, and Eric Goldbeck-Dimon. Their support this season has been invaluable.
Read on for more updates from One Tam’s work to protect the mountain, and fun ways you can get involved this season.
Best,
David Greenberger
Program Manager, One Tam Conservation Management
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FALL IS EVENTS GALORE!
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Help restore habitat, learn about local ecology, and more this fall! Photo: Marin Water
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October 5, 10:00 am-2:00 pm: Mt. Tam Science Quest Day >>
Join One Tam at Friends of Mt. Tam’s Science Quest Day! We're offering activities for all ages plus cold drinks at the Tam Van. At 11:30 am, join our guided walk to explore a nearby prescribed burn, led by Marin Water's Ecologist and Volunteer Coordinator, Suzanne Whelan, and One Tam's Forest Health Engagement Fellow, Luis Reyes. You can also pick up a self-guided "Fire Walk" activity in English or Spanish for your own exploration. Learn more and register >>
October 19, 9:00 am-3:00 pm (and more dates!): Habitat Restoration and Nature Walk >>
Enjoy a day on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed on October 19, November 16, November 26, and December 21. In the morning, remove invasive French broom to help uncover healthy plant communities that support a high diversity of wildlife. This work bolsters the health of the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed, where the majority of our local water is sourced. In the afternoon, join our guided walk to learn more about Marin’s biodiversity and how we can all protect our natural resources. You may participate in one or both family-friendly activities! Sites may include Lake Lagunitas, Phoenix Lake and Rock Spring. More information and registration for each date available here >>
November 4, 1:00-3:00 pm: Members’ Forest Walk >>
Join us for a walk along the beautiful Rock Spring trail! Learn more about how One Tam partners promote the resilience of forests and woodlands. This event is exclusive to One Tam members. Not a member? Become one today by joining here >>
November 15, 1:00-4:00 pm: Lichen & Friends Bioblitz >>
Join us at Rock Spring for a naturalist adventure! A bioblitz is a quick, intense survey of the species present in an area. It’s part nature walk, part open-ended treasure hunt, and lots of joyful, careful observation. This event will focus on observing lichens, along with other forest friends. Learn more and register >>
November 16, 10:00 am-1:00 pm: Lichen & Friends Bioblitz >>
Take advantage of a second opportunity to join us for a naturalist adventure at Rock Spring! Learn more and register >>
See our calendar for more events from One Tam partners >>
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: APPLy FOR I-YEL!
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I-YEL program participants take a field trip to Rosie the Riveter National Monument. Photo: Kobe Park
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Inspiring Young Emerging Leaders (I-YEL) is a high school leadership program for youth attending San Francisco and Marin public schools. Since 2001, I-YEL has been supporting youth explore environmental and social justice issues relating to their community through hands on learning, project-based learning and participating in community service projects, and planning events and outdoor trips for other youth across the bay. I-YEL is committed to uplifting and being inclusive of Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Queer, Trans, and Gender Non-binary folx and people with different abilities. Applications are due September 25 for Marin residents and October 2 for San Francisco residents. Apply to IYEL today >>
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MARIN WILDLIFE WATCH TURNS 10! PLUS A VOLUNTEER UPDATE
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Who doesn't transform a little from day to night? These gray foxes were photographed by our Marin Wildlife Watch cameras and show some of the differences between daytime and nightime images that our volunteers catalog. Marin Wildlife Watch is a One Tam program that uses motion-activated cameras to study wildlife on public lands in Marin County. These images may not be reproduced without permission.
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One Tam has another anniversary to celebrate this year. Our Marin Wildlife Watch program turns 10 in September! This program, which uses motion-activated cameras to study wildlife on Mt. Tam, was the first mountain-wide monitoring effort we undertook as a One Tam partnership in 2014. Many dedicated volunteers, staff, and scientists have contributed to this program over the years. We're looking forward to updating you on what we've learned about Marin's wildlife in 2025. Stay tuned!
We're also pleased to announce that the next quarter of the Marin Wildlife Watch volunteer program will launch this autumn. Invitations to apply for participation will be extended to folks who applied and were waitlisted earlier this year, along with experienced folks who wish to continue volunteering. At this time, this popular program does not have capacity for new volunteer applications. To get involved, stay tuned to future newsletters to hear when the next information and recruitment session is scheduled.
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ROY'S REDWOODS TO REOPEN THIS FALL
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We're looking forward to visiting Roy's Redwoods later this year! Photo: Alison Taggart-Barone/Parks Conservancy
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In the heart of San Geronimo Valley, Roy's Redwoods Preserve holds an old-growth redwood forest. As part of One Tam, Marin County Parks collaborated with the local community on a restoration plan. This project will protect the redwoods, while offering visitors an immersive experience into the forest. The second year of construction is underway, with plans to reopen later this year. We’re excited to share more soon! Until then, please respect closure signs in the work areas of the preserve. Learn more >>
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PROGRESS AT BOLINAS WYE
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The Bolinas Wye project aims to support several species at risk, including the California red-legged frog, steelhead trout, and California black rail. Photo: Marin County Parks
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Excellent progress is being made on the Bolinas Wye Wetlands restoration project, along the North End of Bolinas Lagoon. A full-span bridge will help reconnect the original wetlands, and return Lewis Gulch Creek to its former floodplain. This will offer flood protection from sea level rise, and preserve habitat for special status species such as the California black rail, California red-legged frog, and steelhead trout. Learn more >>
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Construction Begins on Marin Water Project to Support Endangered Species in Lagunitas Creek
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Work is happening in Lagunitas Creek to support endangered species such as coho salmon. Photo: Marin Water
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Construction is well underway for Phase 1A of Marin Water’s Lagunitas Creek Watershed Enhancement Project, which aims to improve habitat for endangered coho salmon and California freshwater shrimp, as well as threatened steelhead trout populations.
The restoration work will occur in three phases over multiple years, with seasonal pauses for weather and environmental factors. This first phase involves work at three of the 13 distinct sites identified for habitat enhancement.
The full project will cover 4,550 linear feet of channel from Peters Dam at Kent Lake through Samuel P. Taylor State Park, where over 270 logs and approximately 11,000 tons of gravel will be added to create favorable habitat for salmon spawning and rearing. Learn more >>
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Un-bee-lieveable Find: the San Francisco Leaf-cutter Bee!
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This photo is one of the first images ever taken of the San Francisco leaf-cutter bee (Trachusa gummifera) in its entirety. The bee had not been seen for decades before One Tam’s community science program found it in Marin County in 2024. This photo was taken by a professional biologist. Wildlife monitoring is conducted with appropriate training and handling under agency permits. ©Sara Leon Guerrero/Parks Conservancy
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The San Francisco leaf-cutter bee (Trachusa gummifera) is a rare pollinator endemic to the Bay Area. Leaf-cutter bees are characterized by their unique habit of collecting leaves, potentially resin, and other material to build their nests. This species is currently known only from the greater San Francisco Bay Area and hadn't been detected in Marin since 1977—until now.
The species didn’t turn up in our initial surveys to inventory Marin County’s native bees. Sara Leon Guerrero, Community Science Program Manager at the Parks Conservancy and Tamalpais Bee Lab leader, designed a new community science effort to try to find it—a search party. Sara and colleagues were scouting sites for the search earlier this year when she unexpectedly came across a bee that fit the description. Through her photographs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed it was indeed a male T. gummifera.
Finding T. gummifera is good news in a time when scientists are documenting biodiversity loss due to climate change, habitat loss, and other stressors. We’re hopeful for other species that may still be found. It also underscores the importance of community science and local survey efforts.
Additionally, it wouldn’t have happened without our collaborative effort to monitor the health of the Mt. Tamalpais region, where we identified bees as an important knowledge gap and subsequently formed the Tamalpais Bee Lab to address it.
There’s still more to learn about this special species, and we’re working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain the permits necessary to continue investigating. There will also be opportunities for community scientists to help!
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About Us
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California newt at Lake Lagunitas, Mt. Tamalpais. Photo: Monica Stafford/One Tam
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One Tam is the community-supported partnership of Mt. Tamalpais’ land agencies. We lead efforts to care for the mountain, inspire our next generation of land stewards and strengthen our local community. We invite you to join us.
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Going Further, Together
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| One Tam brings together inspired community members with its five partners to support the long-term stewardship of Mt. Tam. |
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