Sunshine in July

Photo Courtesy Aurora Perez

Newborn birds emerge
The sun hides behind the fog
Rays peek through the trees

June was a month full of adventure for our team. We celebrated Eid—celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan—at Lands End with Bollywood dancing, samosas, and habitat restoration. We also went to Yosemite National Park with our LINC (Linking Individuals to their Natural Community) program for a week full of camping, hiking adventures, and campfires!  

Announcements

Want to become a long-term Steward at Lands End? Read on!

If you love being outside, are interested in habitat restoration, and want to make a positive impact in your local national park, we encourage you to sign up for our Lands Ends Volunteer Steward Program.

This volunteer opportunity provides flexibility and is perfect for anyone looking to spend some quiet time and relax in the company of the natural world at Lands End. Volunteers will be trained and be a part of the greater National Park Service Volunteer-In-Parks (VIP) Programs. For more information and the application, please click here.

Restoration and Volunteer Management Internship 
Park Stewardship Program - Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Are you excited about working in the outdoors and learning about natural resources management?  Are you interested in engaging communities in the Golden Gate National Parks through volunteer programs and land management projects? 

Working in some of the Bay Area’s most dramatic and beautiful landscapes, home to 36 rare and endangered plant and animal species, the Park Stewardship Program engages and sustains vibrant communities in the conservation of park lands. Established in 1993, the Park Stewardship Program is part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the non-profit support partner of the Golden Gate National Parks.

Overview of Internship 
We have internship positions with all three of Park Stewardship’s regional teams- San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin. Through a one-year position on one of these teams, you will be a field ecologist, environmental educator, and community builder. As an intern, you will be introduced to many aspects of habitat restoration and help maintain climate resilient ecosystems by managing invasive plants, planting natives, and species monitoring. Throughout the year, you will also participate in various elements of land stewardship which include developing and running volunteer programs for youth, adults, school groups, corporate groups, and community organizations. Interns also have the opportunity to build a strong professional network, as well as benefit from considerable formal and on-the-job training.

Most importantly, you will be an integral part of a diverse and fun Park Stewardship team, and will obtain an in-depth understanding of the values of the park system through shared experiences, workshops, and ongoing dialogue.  

For more information, click here 

Events

For a complete list of upcoming events please visit the Presidio Trust and Parks Conservancy events homepages!

July 7, 8:45 AM – 3 PM: Alcatraz Gardens Class Series: Building Mosaics

Join us in the beautiful Alcatraz Gardens for this hands-on workshop to build your own mosaic tile with instructor Kristi Halva. Kristi has been involved with the arts since her days in high school and has recently studied under the direction of Laurel True, a well-known mosaic artist at the Institute of Mosaic Arts in Oakland California.

This day-long course will begin with a tour of the historic gardens with Parks Conservancy’s program manager Shelagh Fritz to gain inspiration for you to create your own mosaic. With ideas in mind, Kristi will walk through the steps of creating a beautiful piece of art of your own. Please dress for the variable weather of the island—bring water, sunscreen, and a hat—also please wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. 

Cost: $50, click here to buy tickets. For more information, click here.

July 18, 2 – 4 PM: Mindfulness & Meditation in the Park
We invite you to join us for a quiet, peaceful, and meditative walk through the forests in the Presidio. Let’s experience the beauty and magic of nature in this part of the city, and find ways for calm and balance within and around us.

We will explore simple ways to connect and reconnect with nature through short mindful meditations and other interactive activities. No prior experience is necessary, just an open mind!

To register for this event, click here.

July 24, 4:30 - 6 PM: For Members: Sutro Baths Exploration

 Park historian John Martini will lead a short but strenuous exploration walk in, around, and through the ruins of Sutro Baths, once the world’s largest indoor swimming complex. Find out how Adolph Sutro built his great Baths, how they operated, who went there, and what recreation was like at “The Cliff" 120 years ago. Registration for this event will open at 9 am on June 24. Please return to this page to register at that time.

The event is free, but register here to receive special instructions to be in the park after-hours!

Click here for more information.

August 11, 9 – 11:30 PM: Mindfulness & Meditation in the Park
We invite you to join us for a quiet, peaceful, and meditative walk through the forests in the Presidio. Let’s experience the beauty and magic of nature in this part of the city, and find ways for calm and balance within and around us.

We will explore simple ways to connect and reconnect with nature through short mindful meditations and other interactive activities. No prior experience is necessary, just an open mind!

To register for this event, click here.

  July Wildlife

Yosemite Wildlife
Photos Courtesy Vincent Nicolosi & Aurora Perez

The Quail Songs

By Vincent Nicolosi
 Ecological Restoration and Volunteer Management Academic Intern

Photo from freeimages.com

Chic-ca-go! The familiar mating call that belongs to the female quail can be heard throughout California. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge in the Marin Headlands, the California quail can be seen in large groups—or coveys—foraging for seeds and leaves. But in San Francisco, you are more likely to see quail served on a dinner plate than in your local park.

Just over 100 years ago, the California quail population was estimated to be well over a thousand. By the late 1980s, the population had reduced to under 200, and by the new millennium less than 50 remained. Today, there is only one quail known to be living in the City.¹²³ 

Whereas some birds can move when they need to, the quail is a non-migratory bird that rarely travels farther than 10 miles from its birth site. Lacking the ability to fly great lengths, the quail is susceptible to land predators and habitat destruction. These factors likely contributed to the dramatic decline of the San Francisco population.¹²³

            Somewhat ironic, the California quail was named the official state bird of San Francisco in 2001- when the quail population was at an all-time low and on the brink of local extinction. As a social bird who lives in large family groups, shares nests and raises their young together, the quail seemed an apt pick for a city that once was home to the Summer of Love. Unfortunately, the attention gained from receiving such a title did little to save the San Francisco population. Today, there is only one Quail left in San Francisco.¹²³ 

            The quail population in California is very strong. They are not endangered or threatened outside of San Francisco; in fact, despite being regularly hunted, the population has increased in recent years. This raises a unique question: Is the loss of a local population justified because it exists elsewhere in the wild?

            The story of the quail in San Francisco allows us to reflect on how humans interact with the plants and animals that we cohabit the land with. We have the ability to ask ourselves, what, if anything, should we do when we see the steady decline of a local species? These aren’t easy questions, and their answers are equally challenging; nevertheless, they are important to ask ourselves as individuals who have so dramatically altered the land around us.

Quail Facts² 

• The plume atop a quail’s head is actually 6 feathers.
• Quails often do not need to drink water, instead they obtain liquid from insects and succulents.
• Oldest recorded California quail was 6 years and 11 months old.

Photo from freeimages.com

Our Neighborhood Trees

By Aurora Perez
 Ecological Restoration and Volunteer Management Intern

Summer time is the perfect time to wander around the city and look up at all our flowering trees of the season. With a busy city like San Francisco, it is sometimes easy to forget how much green the city has to offer. Because of the driving wind, foggy summers, and sandy soils, trees can have a hard time in San Francisco. San Francisco’s urban forest is a relatively recent experience. To understand the city and have a flashback image of what it looked like 200 years ago we can look to Marin and our coastal lands, where we see grassy hills, sand dunes habitat, and coastal scrub (for more information read the trees of San Francisco by Mike Sullivan, 2013).

San Francisco has welcomed a unique mix of trees from around the world that thrive in our unique conditions. These trees all provide many environmental, community, and personal benefits:

• Trees can help soothe and relax us while connecting us to nature and our surroundings.
• The color green relates to balance and harmony. From a color psychology perspective, it is the great balancer of the heart and the emotions, creating our wellbeing and equilibrium.
• Green is also the color of growth and is known to renew and restore energy from the stresses of modern, fast-paced living.¹

People often respond to the presence of trees beyond simply observing their beauty. We feel peaceful and tranquil in a grove of trees. Trees have been reported as having a relaxing effect on students studying for exams and on easing a patient’s recovery from an illness.² My favorite study spot while I was in college was the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden—it was my green sanctuary that is filled with majestic redwoods and oak trees.

After reading The Trees of San Francisco by Mark Sullivan, I was inspired by his suggested tree tours around the city and decided to go on one of my own. I went for a walk around the presidio and observed some of our flowering trees. I photographed a couple of my favorites and had great time doing so. Before moving to the city, I thought that San Francisco was just a hilly place, with tons of people and buildings, but my perspective has completely changed since then. There are so many beautiful trees and parks all around us for us to enjoy. I encourage everyone to take a stroll around the neighborhood and look up at all our wonderful trees.

Photo Courtesy Aurora Perez

1. California Buckeye (Aesculus californica)

The California Buckeye grows to a height of 10 to 20 feet and has a broad oval, deciduous spreading canopy. It has clusters of fragrant white/pale rose flowers and a toxic fruit. All parts are actually toxic, unless you’re a squirrel.

Photo Courtesy Aurora Perez

2. Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa)

Pohutukawa is native to New Zealand, where its often referred to as the Christmas tree. The Pohutukawa is popular in cultivation and is commonly seen as a street or lawn tree in San Francisco. It has vibrant red flowers made up of the male fertlizing organ, the stamens.

Photo Courtesy Aurora Perez

3.    Wattle (Acacia retinodes) 

The Wattle tree is often also classifed as a evergeen shrub. It is native to South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. It has perfect yellow flowers (meaning both male and female parts are in each flower) that bloom all throughout the year.

Photo Courtesy Aurora Perez

4.    Southern Magnolia (Magnolia  grandiflora)

The southern magnolia grows to a height of 80 feet. It has large, white, fragrant lotus-like shaped flowers. I wasn’t tall enough to see the opened flowers, but I was still able to catch a sniff of their beautiful scent.

Highlights from the Field

Photos Courtesy Yakuta Poonawalla & Vincent Nicolosi

• Celebrated Eid with Sheer Khurma, Samosas from Kasa and Bollywood dancing with Shruti Marathe Devdhar from SF Doonya

• Joined the Youth team and LINC Program on a weeklong camping trip in Yosemite!

Drop-In Volunteer Programs