In 1994, the 1,491-acre Presidio of San Francisco was transferred from the U.S. Army to the National Park Service and began transformation into a national park. Located in the northwest corner of the city, the Presidio harbors a rich, diverse array of flora and fauna. Its rare, remnant habitats provide a home for threatened and endangered plants and animals and an important stopover for migratory birds, such as Willow Flycatchers and Snowy Plovers. More than 200 species of birds use the park annually, and more than 50 species nest there. The Presidio offers unique opportunities for habitat restoration in the middle of the second densest city in the nation.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance advocated for restoration of wetlands at the Presidio’s Crissy Field, which now attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year. We are also working with the Presidio Trust to restore habitat for the California Quail at the Presidio’s Land’s End and Quail Commons (formerly Battery Caulfield).
The Presidio Trust, an enthusiastic partner in our quail restoration efforts, faces Congressional mandates to be financially self-supporting. The trust’s pressure to increase development may conflict with preserving habitat for quail and other wildlife species, as well as with opportunities to restore rare and important natural habitats. One of these is the Tennessee Hollow watershed, an historic riparian corridor that fed the Crissy Field wetlands.
Our Goals
Golden Gate Bird Alliance is committed to helping the Presidio Trust and other partners protect and restore important wildlife habitats in the Presidio. Key goals:
- Complete Crissy Field wetlands restoration by enlarging and enabling them to be naturally self-sustaining
- Restore the Tennessee Hollow Watershed Preserve
- Enhance coastal scrub habitat at Land’s End and elsewhere in the park
- Ensure that new construction on the Presidio does not threaten wildlife
- Provide field trips and other nature experiences to increase visitors’ enjoyment of nature in an urban setting
What You Can Do
- Contact our San Francisco Conservation Committee to find out how you can help us achieve the goals of wetland expansion and coastal scrub habitat restoration.
- Take part in coastal scrub habitat workdays sponsored by the Presidio Trust and Golden Gate Bird Alliance.
- Join other efforts to restore and expand native habitats, such as the Presidio Park Stewards Program. Learn more at http://www.presidio.gov/Nature/Volunteer.htm