Eagle Scouts restore habitat at Pier 94
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Eagle Scouts restore habitat at Pier 94

ByGGBA

Thanks to Eagle Scout Troop 888 and family members who helped us restore bird habitat at Pier 94 in San Francisco on March 8!  The day was thoughtfully planned and organized by Coletrain Phillips, one of the Eagle Scouts.

The Scouts were energetic, friendly and super productive.  The day included removing non-native invasive weeds, planting 300 native plants, watering the newly planted plants, painting over graffiti on the k-rails and back of signs.

The group took a bird walk where they observed American Avocets, Whimbrel, and Snowy Egret and other birds feeding along the Bay. After the break the Troop prepared an area for future broadcast seeding by raking the area.  This was a huge amount of work accomplished in a single day.

Want to get involved? Our next habitat restoration work day at Pier 94 is on Saturday April 5 from 9 a.m. until noon. Info on the volunteer page of our web site.…

Explore the wildlife of Napa River

Explore the wildlife of Napa River

ByGGBA

Join Golden Gate Bird Alliance and Dolphin Charters on Saturday April 12 as we explore the wetlands and wildlife of the Napa River. This is a slice of the Bay Area you will never see from the highway!

Starting at the historic Vallejo waterfront, we’ll view numerous Osprey nests at Mare Island. Then we’ll into a world of vineyards, backwater homes and some of the largest contiguous marshes in the Bay Area, rich with ducks, grebes and raptors. Learn about one of the largest tidal marsh restoration projects in the country.

Cost: $75 for GGBA members or $85 for non-members. Saturday April 12, trom 10 a.m. to 2:30 pm.  Click here to sign up. Don’t wait – this trip will fill up fast!

Dolphin Charters is generously donating all proceeds from this trip to Golden Gate Bird Alliance as part of Birdathon 2014!

Osprey nesting at Mare Island / Photo by Dianne Fristrom from GGBA' 2013 Napa River tripOsprey nesting at Mare Island / Photo by Dianne Fristrom from GGBA’ 2013 Napa River trip Marsh along Napa River / Photo by Dianne FristromMarsh along Napa River / Photo by Dianne Fristrom

 

Swallow nests on a bridge over the Napa River / Photo by Dianne FristromSwallow nests on a bridge over the Napa River / Photo by Dianne Fristrom

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Spring 2014 Gull is available
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Spring 2014 Gull is available

ByGGBA

 

Gullcover_Spring2014

The new edition of The Gull newsletter for Spring 2014 is now available online. Read it to learn about how GGBA’ bird monitoring programs are making a difference for at-risk species such as Burrowing Owls, Snowy Plovers, and Least Terns.

You can also get the latest scoop on Birdathon 2014; birding in McLaren Park; and Beguiling Bushtits. And of course it includes the calendar for our Speaker Series in April, May and June!

Click here to read it:  Gull_Spring2014

Note: Because this is a large file, it may take a minute or two to download. Be patient!   🙂

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Dog Management in the GGNRA
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Dog Management in the GGNRA

ByGGBA

Golden Gate Bird Alliance has long advocated for reasonable management of on- and off-leash dogs in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). Current dog-related recreation is managed under the 1979 Pet Policy, which is not a legal regulation and which fails to protect wildlife, habitat, and park visitors.

In 2013, the National Park Service released its revised proposed Dog Management Rule and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to manage dog-related recreation in the GGNRA. The proposed rule is the biggest accommodation for on- and off-leash dogs in the National Park System.

The proposed Rule allows for four off-leash dog areas and 21 miles of on-leash dog recreation in the San Francisco portion of the GGNRA. No other National Park allow off-leash dogs, and most limit on-leash dogs to a few paved trails.

GGNRA needs to accommodate many users -- families, cyclists, dog owners and nature lovers, as well as wildlife. / Photo by Allen HirschGGNRA needs to accommodate many users — families, cyclists, dog owners and nature lovers, as well as wildlife. / Photo by Allen Hirsch

Golden Gate Bird Alliance supports better regulation of dogs in the GGNRA. While we believe that the proposed regulation is a good first step, the proposed rule does not adequately protect park resources.

We encourage you to share your opinions and experiences with the National Park Service. Click here to file an online comment. The NPS is accepting comments through February 18, 2014.

In our comments, we will emphasize the following points: 

  • The GGNRA should provide more opportunities for visitors to recreate in the GGNRA in San Francisco without interacting with dogs.  Currently, the Preferred Alternatives only provide a few areas where visitors, including those with small children, may go without having to interact with dogs. Many parents and grandparents have told us they will not take children to areas where there are many off-leash dogs. This is not fair to community members that have a right to enjoy the park without fear or discomfort due to the presence of dogs. 
  • Off-leash areas should be well defined by a physical barrier. Park visitors should have the choice of interacting with dogs during their park experience, rather than having the choice made for them. Clearly defined on- and off-leash areas will allow dog owners and other visitors to know where dog-related recreation is appropriate. It will also better protect sensitive wildlife and habitat resources, reduce conflicts with other users, and allow for less controversial enforcement of the new rules. 
  • The SEIS fails to establish that “voice control” is a valid method of controlling off-leash dogs.
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