• Osprey nest next to Pier 94

    ByGGBA

    Osprey have nested atop a maritime crane next to GGBA’ wetlands restoration site at Pier 94 – the first documented Osprey nest in the city of San Francisco.  The Chronicle wrote a story about it on July 6. (Alas, no birds were visible during the photographer’s brief visit so she only got a photo of the nest.)

    Many thanks to the Port of San Francisco for their support of the nest: They stopped crane operations for the duration of nesting season.

    And many thanks to the thousand volunteers who, since 2002, have planted over 500 native plants, pulled 80 cubic yards of non-native weeds, and removed 1,500 gallon bins filled with trash and material for recycling. YOU have helped recreate a small Eden of wetlands that is a good place for Osprey to call home!…

  • GGBA Disappointed by Beach Chalet Decision

    ByGGBA

    Golden Gate Bird Alliance is deeply disappointed in the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ decision to proceed with artificial turf and powerful night lighting in western Golden Gate Park.

    The City’s own General Plan calls for the western part of the Golden Gate Park, including the Beach Chalet soccer field area, to retain a natural, less-developed character. We are disappointed that the Supervisors rejected a win-win alternative that would have met the needs of both soccer players and nature lovers – by improving the natural grass fields at Beach Chalet, while installing artificial turf and expanding night lighting at the nearby West Sunset playground, which is already more developed for active recreation.

    “San Franciscans shouldn’t have to choose between nature and active recreation when there are ways to easily accommodate both needs,” said Mike Lynes, Conservation Director for Golden Gate Bird Alliance. “We owe future generations something better than taking the natural jewel that is western Golden Gate Park and paving it into a suburban-style soccer complex.”

    On July 10th, the Supervisors voted 10-1 — with Supervisor Christina Olague dissenting — to deny the appeal to the project’s Environmental Impact Report that had been filed by GGBA and Golden Gate Park neighbors.

    “I think it goes against the character of Golden Gate Park to introduce something like AstroTurf,” Olague said. “I just don’t believe the environmental impact report was an adequate analysis.”

    GGBA appreciated the questions raised by some Supervisors about the impact of night lighting at Beach Chalet on migratory birds. It hopes to work with the city to minimize impacts of this project, including the lighting, on bird populations.

    GGBA also plans to appeal this decision to the California Coastal Commission, which has authority to review development projects like Beach Chalet that will impact the coast.…

  • Coastal Commission highlights GGBA Eco-Ed programs

    ByGGBA

    You know those whale-tail license plates that you see all over California? Some of the money from those special plates goes to educating children about coastal habitat — including to Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s Eco-Education programs.

    Now our Eco-Ed programs have been written up by the Coastal Commission, the folks who oversee the whale tail grants! You can read their story about us here. Their writer hangs out at Pier 94 with a group of third-graders from Bayview/Hunter’s Point, looks for crabs, and even tastes pickleweed with them.

    More on the whale tail license plate program here.

     

     …

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