fall 2002 muir heritage land trust newsletter

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Fall 2002 MUIR HERITAGE LAND TRUST

(Continued on page

MHLT AWARDED FUNDS TO PROTECT RARE PLANT

Contra Costa Goldfields Easemen

The Muir Heritage Land Trust is one

step closer to permanently preserving

habitat for a rare native plant. The

Land Trust recently received $200,000 from

the Contra Costa Transportation Authority,

the county’s transportation planning and

funding agency. The funds will be used to

protect a creekside area and the endangeredContra Costa Goldfields. As part of an

effort to minimize disruption to the

environment following the recent expansion

of Highway 4, a 30-acre conservation

easement in Franklin Canyon will be

donated to the Land Trust. The property is

adjacent to the highway between Cummings

Skyway and Interstate 80 in Hercules. The

Land Trust plans to manage the site

in a way to encourage the propagation of

the Goldfields.

Partnerships with various agencies have

made the project possible. In addition to the

Land Trust and the Contra Costa

Transportation Authority (CCTA), the effort

has involved Caltrans and the Native Plant

Society. “The Contra Costa Transportation

Authority is committed to preserving and

enhancing these environmentally sensitive

areas as part of our Route 4 freeway

construction project. Partnering with an

organization as well respected and

experienced as the Muir Heritage Land Tru

will ensure that the environmental value of

these lands will be preserved for future

generations,” said Paul Maxwell, Deputy

Director of Projects for CCTA. Transfer of the conservation easement to the Land Trus

is expected to be completed in 2004. The

property, now owned by Contra Costa

County, will be transferred to the state of

California in 2004.

The property encompasses several types of

habitat for a variety of plants and animals.

all, 177 species of animals and 300 species



2

plants inhabit the area. Nine species observed in the area are classified as special status

(species that are listed as threatened or endangered). The easement will protect one of the la

sites of the endangered Contra Costa Goldfields in the Bay Area.

The Contra Costa Goldfields ( Lasthenia conjugens) is a spring annual in the aster family, an

its bright yellow flowers bloom from March to June. It is actually an herb that grows to a

height of 4 to 12 inches with light green, feather-like

leaves. Only 13 known populations exist in four counti

The Goldfields are located in the grassland habitat

of the property. The grasslands support myriad plant

species, and foraging and nesting habitat for many bird

Among these are short-eared owls and northern harrier

hawks. Also observed in the area are American kestrel

white-tailed kites, turkey vultures, western bluebirds,lesser goldfinches, American goldfinches and a host of

other species.

Rodeo Creek runs through the Goldfields easement,

providing a rich habitat populated with native and other

fish species. The creek area is also habitat for amphibi

and frogs, including the red-legged frog, a federally list

threatened species. Numerous birds, including mallard

great egrets and belted kingfishers have been observed

foraging along the creek. The area also hosts mammals

such as coyotes, raccoons and small rodents.

Land Trust Executive Director Tina Batt describes the

project’s importance to preservation of natural resource

in our area: “This property is a important piece of

habitat,” she said. “In addition, it may be one of the las

stands for the Contra Costa Goldfields in the area for

which it is named.”

CONTRA COSTA GOLDFIELDS (Continued from page 1)

MUIR HERITAGE LAND TRUST

P. O. Box 2452M ARTINEZ, CA 94553(925) 228-5460 F AX (925) 372-5460

EMAIL: [email protected]

www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

S TAFF

Tina Batt, Executive Director Marilyn Rigdon, Executive Associate

Beth Pardieck, Stewardship Associate

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Pardieck, Chair

Nancy Schaefer, Vice Chair

Mary Ann Gaebe, Secretary

Sheila Grilli, Treasurer

Dick Awenius

Peter Colby Roger Dolan

Ken FischerPeter Langley

Don ManningKathryn Petersen

Marj Ross

Bill Weiner

Mark Wilson

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS

Hulet Hornbeck

Hal Olson

Jack Telfer

Everett Turner

HONORARY BOARD MEMBER

Jim Cutler

EDITOR

Sherida Bush

NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS

Tina Batt, John Kopchik, Beth Pardieck,

Marilyn Rigdon

P HOTO CREDITS: Tina Batt, John Game,

Todd Kiker, Stephen Joseph,

Chris Manning, Bob Walker

“Preservation of open space is vital to our quality o

life in the Bay Area. Through Muir Heritage Land

Trust’s excellent leadership, scenic Contra Costa

wildlands are being saved for future generations.

—Congressman George Mille



3

GARY BOGUE TO SPEAK AT LAND TRUST ANNUAL MEETING

Contra Costa Times columnist Gary

Bogue will be the featured speaker at

the Land Trust Annual Meeting to be

held on Wednesday, December 4 at 7:30 pm.

This year, the event will be held at the Orinda

Community Center, which is a new location

for the meeting.

Gary’s topic is “Creatures of the Urban

Wilderness”. His popular columns about

animals and nature draw loyal readers and

make him a perfect speaker for the Land

Trust. On behalf of the Land Trust, he waskind enough to include an appeal for funding

in a series of his columns in October. The

columns have brought in nearly $21,000 (as

of Nov. 1) in funds to pay off our loan on the

Gustin property. We appreciate his support

and look forward to a great evening. All are

welcome—please plan to attend. The Orinda

Community Center is at 26 Orinda Way. Call

the office for more information or directions

at (925) 228-5460.

GRANGER’S WHARF

DEDICATION FEATURED

GEORGE MILLER

The Granger’s Wharf area of the

East Bay Regional Park District’s

wildlife preserve on the Martinez

Waterfront was dedicated on June 22.

Congressman George Miller was a

featured speaker, along with EBRPD

Board Member Ted Radke and other

public officials.

Restoration of the wetland was completed as a partnership with the City of Martinez, Caltrans,

the Bay Area Toll Authority and the East Bay Regional Park District. The well-attended

event’s many highlights included the release of rehabilitated birds. Take your binoculars for a

good look at a variety of beautiful shorebirds.

Preserving the Future

You don’t have to be wealthy to be a benefactor or major donor to the Muir Heritage Land

Trust. Most everyone can benefit from tax-advantaged estate and financial planning and

leave a deeply satisfying legacy as well. For information on bequests, charitable trusts,

and other financial plans, call the Land Trust office at (925) 228-5460.

Congressman George Miller (right), EBRPD Board Member Ted

Radke (left) and retired EBRPD Public Relations Manager Ned

McKay (center).



4

LAND TRUST WELCOMES BETH PARDIECK

Beth Pardieck

recently

joined theLand Trust staff as

the new Stewardship

Associate. Funding

for the position was

awarded to the Land

Trust by the Packard

Foundation. Her

duties will include

study of the lands

under—or soon to beunder—Land Trust

stewardship.

Beth’s first project

was to produce a

baseline report for

each property,

including Sky Ranch,

Gustin, Goldfields

easement, Stonehurst

easement andPacheco Marsh. Her

reports include

background details,

property descriptions,

boundaries, legal

papers, ecological

information and the

monitoring reports.

This was the first

step in establishing a

monitoring program,

an important part of

her job. She will be

visiting each property

consistently and

documenting any

changes or violations.

“I am proud to be a

part of this

organization,” said

Beth. “Over the next

year, I hope to

contribute my energy

and ideas towards

stewardship in a

positive way. I look forward to working

with everyone and I

am excited for the

coming year.

“As I have been

learning, acquiring a

piece of land or

taking responsibility

for a conservation

easement is just the

beginning for a land

trust. We have the

responsibility to

preserve, protect and

steward this land

forever. The only

way to ensure our

conservationeasement conditions

are being upheld and

our property

managed is through

regular, systematic

and documented

monitoring.”

Beth is assisting in

monitoring the

Contra Costa

Goldfields easeme

Hercules (see page“Come spring,” sh

said, “we hope to s

these beautiful yel

flowers making a

comeback.”

The Stonehurst Op

Space committee h

been helping to res

a few minor violat

of the Stonehurst

easement in Alham

Valley and the

homeowners have

been cooperative.

Beth will also be

working on the

Pacheco Marsh

restoration with th

East Bay Regional

Park District and thContra Costa Coun

Flood Control Dist

The project, which

take several years

complete, will rest

the 123 acres to a s

marsh habitat.

Beth is a native of

Martinez and

graduated in June,

2001 from the

University of

California, Santa

Barbara with a maj

in Environmental

Studies. She is alr

a great asset to the

Land Trust.

OUR MI SSI ON

“The Muir Heritage Land Trust works to ensure

a lasting quality of life for future

generations by preserving and stewarding

open space and fostering environmental

awareness.”



5

COUNTY OPEN SPACE FUNDING MEASURE

LANDMARK PROPOSAL

W

ith perhaps a new level of

cooperation between diverse

private and public groups, the

natural resources in our county are closer to

receiving the funding needed to protect them.

Two and a half years ago, the Contra Costa

County Board of Supervisors created the Ad

Hoc Committee on Open Space Funding to

make recommendations on “whether and how

to create new local funding for open space,

parks, recreation, natural resource, and

farmland preservation needs throughout the

county”. The Muir Heritage Land Trust is

one of the many organizations participating inthis effort. Representatives from numerous

cities, organizations, agricultural interests,

property owners, business owners, city

commissions, and county agencies (including

the Contra Costa Farm Bureau and the Contra

Costa Council) have attended the meetings.

The Ad Hoc committee convened the current

Contra Costa County Advisory Committee on

Open Space Funding, which has

recommended a $130,000,000 fundingmeasure be placed before the property owners

of the county. An independent committee

would grant the funds to appropriate

organizations to fill a wide variety of open

space needs. The Muir Heritage Land Trust

would be one of the organizations receiving

funds. The draft plan identifies a number of

projects, one of which is preserving the Muir

Heritage Corridor—the Land Trust’s project

area. This corridor, described as “the area

where John Muir walked and worked when hewasn’t traveling through the Sierra”, has two

sections: one in the Hercules/Martinez area

and the other near Lafayette and Orinda.

Protection of lands in both project areas

would preserve open space between public

lands and existing development.

The plan identifies categories of open space

that needs protection, including: scenic

landscapes and regional parks; creeks/ watersheds; farmland; historic preservation;

local and municipal parks/recreation;

shorelines; trails/public access facilities; and

wildlife habitat and corridors. The funding

mechanism recommended by the Advisory

Committee is a Benefit Assessment District.

Assessment Districts place a charge on real

property to pay for the special benefit

conveyed to that property from a government

service. Establishing the district would

require a weighted majority of propertyowners in an election conducted by mail.

Votes are weighted according to the amount

of the assessment that would be paid.

Currently voters are being polled to assess the

feasibility of placing the measure on the

ballot. The proposal has some hurdles to

overcome before it becomes reality. If

successful, it will be a phenomenal victory in

the effort to preserve the natural resources in

our community. As the proposal states,

“…economic growth must be complemented

with continued protection of our many open

space resources if our quality of life is to be

maintained.”

The draft proposal is available online at:

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/

water/OS/index.htm

BobWalker



6

FRESH AIRE AFFAIRE SPARKLES AGAIN

The 7th Annual Fresh Aire Affaire attracted

an animated group of guests who dined

under a canopy of stars. The weather was just

fine, and the food was fabulous. Englund’s

Catering was new to us this year and did an

outstanding job. Even with nature center stage

and history suffusing the air—or aire—the best

part of the evening was the wonderful people

who came to support the Muir Heritage Land

Trust. Our thanks to Shell Oil Products US and

Tesoro Golden Eagle for underwriting this great

event. Special thanks to Fresh Aire Chair Mary

Ann Gaebe for her dedication and hard work.

We hope you will plan to attend next year!

Watch for the date in the Spring newsletter.

SKY RANCH SPIFFED UP

Thanks to Ken Gerlack, the LandTrust’s Sky Ranch is looking better

than ever. Earlier this year, Ken

brought in the equipment needed to

remove old lumber and debris from the

property (photo, right). Fall is a good

time to go up and see it before the rains

come. Put on your hiking shoes and

take in the great outdoors... Call the

office for directions at (925) 228-5460.

Happy raffle winners show off their prizes (above, top

and right). Above: MHLT Executive Director Tina Batt

with Nancy Wenninger of the East Bay Regional Park

District. Center: Board Member Roger Dolan with

Kathy Radke. Above, right: MHLT Vice Chair Nancy

Schaefer with Chair Steve Pardieck and Stewardship

Associate Beth Pardieck.

Fresh Aire photos by Todd K



7

The fundraising success of the Muir Heritage Land Preservation Campaign has been

gratifying. We are now in the third year of the Campaign, which began in August 2000.

In recent weeks, Gary Bogue’s appeal in his Contra Costa Times column has brought in

nearly $21,000 (see p. 3), and our fundraising letter added about $8,500 to the total.

To date we have raised $2,495,500 through grants from state and federal agencies, as well

as contributions from public agencies. We raised $713,682 from private individuals,

foundations, and corporations. We have also received donations of land and easements

with a value of $900,000. Our total raised to date is $4,109,182. Much of the funding is

attached to specific projects under way.

We hope to reach our campaign goal of $5,000,000 by August 2003. If you would like to

help, please use the enclosed envelope for your contribution. Thank you for your support.

RIDERS RAISE FUNDS FOR LAND TRUST

On September 14, the Martinez

Horsemen’s Association held a benefit

ride that raised nearly $8,000 for the Land

Trust. Riders obtained sponsors, and the

funds they raised were matched by Bay Area

Barns and Trails thanks to Barbara Weitz.

The money will go toward paying off the

loan on the Gustin property. Our thanks to

key organizers Chip Hankins and Barbara

Glen, and to all participants and their

sponsors. Got horse? Plan to ride next

year...or, you are welcome to walk along...Benefit ride photos by Chris Manning

MUIR HERITAGE LAND PRESERVATION CAMPAIGN UPDATE



N o n p r o f i t O r g a n i z a t i o n

U . S . P O S T A G E

P A I D

M a r t i n e z , C A

P e r m i t N o . 1 8 9

i r H e r i t a g e L a n d T r u s t O . B o x 2 4 5 2

r t i n e z , C A 9 4 5 5 3

C ELEBRATE THE STRAIT BRIGHTENS AUGUST WITH EVENTS

D D R E S S S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

The second Celebrate the Strait series of

events in August included an array of fun and

scenic outings. One sponsored by the Land Trust

was a scenic bus tour of the highlights around the

Carquinez Strait. On August 17, participantsenjoyed the scenery and points of interest, led by

Bill Weiner and Doug Burgess.

Another event on August 25 was a colorful Kite

Festival coordinated by our Executive

Associate Marilyn Rigdon and Darla Guenzler of

the Carquinez Strait Heritage Area Committee.

Held at the breezy Waterfront Park in Martinez,

about 500 people gathered to

fly and watch. Some

enjoyed participating ina contest, others made

their own kites and

some just enjoyed the

fun. The event was co-

sponsored by Old City

Kites in Sacramento.Carquinez Strait Bus T

fall 2002 muir heritage land trust newsletter

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