The Socio-ecological Past, Present, and Future of an Urban Lake
Jonathan Young
San Francisco
Thursday, April 18
6:30 p.m. refreshments,
7p.m. program
Please Note: New venue for San Francisco Speaker Series
Sports Basement
1590 Bryant Street
San Francisco 94103
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)helping out on a fish removal day at Mountain Lake
San Francisco’s Mountain Lake, neglected and degraded through centuries of urbanization, became a cesspool of invasive wildlife, toxic algae blooms, and poor water quality. Many native species that depended on the lake succumbed to local extinction, pushing the lake’s health further past the precipice. Beginning in the early 21 st century, the newly formed Presidio National Park began to actively shift the ecological trajectory by restoring the health and function of the lake. From terrestrial and aquatic vegetation to wildlife reintroductions and stormwater runoff management, join Presidio Trust Wildlife Ecologist Jonathan Young as he journeys through the socio-ecological past, present, and future of Mountain Lake.
Jonathan Young, a native southern Californian, began his relationship with the Presidio restoring habitat as a volunteer in 2010. During a three year stint as a Presidio ecological restoration intern, Jon completed his Master’s degree studying amphibian conservation and disease ecology at San Francisco State University. Throughout this time is when he became intimately involved in the Mountain Lake project. Upon completing his graduate studies he became the first Presidio Trust staff member fully dedicated to the park’s wildlife and has been continuing to build the Presidio’s wildlife program over the last five years.…
Since 1997 Golden Gate Bird Alliance has partnered with the Port of San Francisco to enhance shoreline wildlife habitat at Pier 94, located along the south eastern bay shoreline, on property owned and operated by the Port of San Francisco. After completing successful wetland and beach enhancement projects, in 2013 Golden Gate Bird Alliance initiated habitat enhancements in the adjacent upland areas of Pier 94. Through creative partnerships and modest funding, Golden Gate Bird Alliance mobilized materials, equipment, and people to transform a mostly barren area of shoreline rubble and road into a viable place for native plants and wildlife. This project is a model for beneficial sediment reuse – using clean local “waste” sediment from mining, dredging, and excavation projects for habitat enhancement rather than disposal
The Tricolored Blackbird is a colonial breeder that is nearly endemic to California. Historically, these birds bred on wetlands in the Central Valley. As a result of the loss of 90 percent of the wetlands, Tricolors increasingly nest in agricultural fields. When nesting and farmers’ harvest schedules conflict high proportions of the Tricolor population are put at risk. Tricolored Blackbirds were listed as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act in April 2018 due to sharp, ongoing population declines. In this presentation Conservation Project Director, Samantha Arthur, will discuss Audubon California’s multi-pronged approach to save the Tricolored Blackbird. This approach includes creating new wetland habitat, working with dairy farmers to delay harvest until after chicks have fledged from nests, and advocating for protections under the state and federal Endangered Species Acts.