Pacifica Riptide

Mori Point Projects Wrap Up for the Year

Greetings, Mori Point Friends:

We’re happy to report that we’ve officially concluded this summer’s large-scale restoration work at Mori!  This year’s trail work has been completed and several restoration sites have been regraded back to a more natural state.  The chain link fences around our staging sites have been removed; now more rustic and subtle recycled redwood fences have replaced the orange plastic fences to protect the healing land.  Several volunteer groups helped install these attractive fences, including an Americorp program from Saint Louis, the GGNRA Trail Keepers, the LINC high school program, and Site Stewardship volunteers. All of the new trails are officially open for your enjoyment!   

The final stages of this project included adding a drainage swale along Old Mori Road (to help keep the road drier during the winter) and completing the Pollywog Path, including replacing the bridge that connects the Park to Fairway Drive. The new bridge is flatter than the old one, making it easier for stroller-pushing parents, bikers, and other park users passing by.  The bridge is also reinforced to support groups of nature enthusiasts who stop by the area to watch the California red-legged frogs in the water below the bridge.  Fairway neighbors have told us they’ve really been enjoying these improvements over the past few weeks.

In addition to planting native plants near the trails and along the restored areas, the next steps at Mori Point are: (1) adding a few benches in key spots along the enhanced trails, (2) adding a trash can at 2 additional entrances of the park, and (3) installing “way-finding” signs that provide trail names and distances to key destinations. If you’re interested in contributing a memorial bench at Mori Point, please contact me for more information. 

We have more exciting news to report on the San Francisco garter snake sighting front! During a routine tadpole survey, we saw a San Francisco garter snake hunting in one of the new ponds created last year!  If you’re interested in reading more about the Mori’s rare species and the park enhancement project please read the article about Mori Point featured in the last issue of the Coast and Ocean, a magazine put out by the California Coastal Conservancy. You can access the article at COAST AND OCEAN

On behalf of all the temporary staff down at Mori, I want to thank you and all the other park friends we’ve met during this year’s project! It’s been a true pleasure working down at Mori and we’ll all miss it now that we’re moving on! I’ll keep you posted about next year’s plans as they are firmed up over the next few months. In the meantime, we hope you continue to enjoy this very special park—and maybe even come volunteer with the Site Stewardship Program, who will continue to take care of Mori Point for years to come!

Susie Bennett
Mori Point Project Coordinator
[And the Mori Point Planning Team: Kate Bickert, Christina Crooker, Sharon Farrell, Darren Fong, Sue Gardner, Jen Greene, Steve Griswold, and Mary Petrilli]

PHOTOS ABOVE: Biomonitor Dan assists LINC participants in proper post-setting techniques. Daniel and I help spread straw for erosion control and weed suppression. PHOTO BELOW: San Francisco garter snake.

Mori Point Coastal Trail Completed

Greetings, Mori Neighbors and Friends,

It’s been a busy couple of weeks! The California Coastal Trail is now complete. This trail provides access from Old Mori Road all the way up to “the saddle,” which enables access down toward Rockaway Beach. This trail feeds into the “Lishumsha Trail.” “Lishumsha” is a local Ohlone word for “garter snake,” and the name’s fitting. This trail hugs the expansive grasslands north of Old Mori Road, a very important part of the San Francisco garter snake’s habitat. The lower portion of the Coastal Trail and the Lishumsha trail meet the criteria for outdoor accessibility, meaning they have a gentle incline, firm surface, and features to help the trail stay dry in the winter. These special features make this trail more inviting to park users who use mobility assistance devices (like wheelchairs or canes), stroller-pushing parents, and bikers and hikers who simply prefer a gentler trail. We hope to finish the southern half of the Lishumsha Trail before the holiday weekend and will move to the northern half next week. While creating these trails, we’ve also been restoring the unofficial “shortcut trails” that fragment the grasslands. The soil underneath the protective straw cover has been broken up (or decompacted) and the topography restored in preparation for revegetation this winter. Several different species of native California grasses are being grown at the nurseries to be planted by our wonderful volunteers once the rainy season begins.

   

We encountered a few surprises along the way. While preparing these areas for the restoration work, biomonitors extracted several rodents and 5 gopher snakes hiding in burrows! Over the past few weeks, biomonitors have also removed 2 coast garter snakes, several alligator lizards, and fence lizards out of harm’s way. In the next few weeks, the Park Service Trail Crew will begin work on the Pollywog Path, the path that joins Fairway Drive and Old Mori Road. The NPS Trail Crew will be clearing some of the debris in the area and replacing the bridge over Sanchez Creek to provide an understated but safe entry point for the locals who use this trail. During the removal of debris and trail work that will follow, we ask that you avoid using this area for your safety and for the safety of our workers. It will be a “hard hat zone” during  heavy equipment use from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., thus all work stops when someone enters without safety gear. We hope to progress quickly through this area and really appreciate your patience and support!

 

Remember, the use of ANY fireworks is illegal in ALL national parks. There will be additional NPS law enforcement rangers in Pacifica at Mori Point, Sweeney Ridge, and Milagra Ridge. Enforcement of this rule is especially important due to this year’s extreme dryness and high wildfire potential. If you see people using fireworks inside the park boundaries, please call GGNRA Park Dispatch at 415-561-5656 and an officer will respond quickly to the site. Thanks so much for your cooperation and interest! Please don’t hesitate to call me or stop on by with your questions!

SUSIE BENNETT

Mori Point Project Coordinator
Sbennett@parksconservancy.org or 415-683-8459

And the Mori Point Planning Team [Kate Bickert, Christina Crooker, Sharon Farrell, Darren Fong, Sue Gardner, Jen Greene, Steve Griswold, Erin Heimbinder, Mary Petrilli, and Asha Setty]

Weed Watchers: The Volunteer Eyes of GGNRA

Weed Watchers patrol national park trails in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties, detecting and mapping weeds as they first invade. Deepen your understanding of the natural world while playing an important role in the protection of unique park resources. For more information on volunteer training opportunities: Jenn_Jordan@nps.gov or 415-331-5023.

GGNRA Needs Snowy Plover Outreach Help

Directly participate in wildlife conservation! After a good pilot program in the latter half of the 2007-2008 snowy plover season here at GGNRA, we are looking to expand our Outreach program for the coming season. New recruits will join folks who worked with me through the pilot program.  I'm looking for a broad variety of folks: birders, dog owners, retired, college age, etc., because the broader the group, the more likely that visitors will be well-served. If you have any questions, call me at 415-335-8258. 

GEORGE DURGERIAN

GGNRA Back in Action at Mori Point

Hi, Neighbors and Friends of Mori Point,

A great deal has happened since the last update! Two long sections of the California Coastal Trail have been successfully transformed from rutted road to multiuse trail. Come check out the enhanced trail. One connects “the Point” and “the Saddle,” or the dip between the two hills that make up Mori’s ridge. The other connects “the Point” and the grassy “Bowl” area. Both have been recontoured to encourage proper drainage, and special swales were installed to allow water to dissipate more evenly in certain low areas. The folks at our native plant nurseries are carefully tending all the native plants (coyote brush, lizard tail, California aster, and sticky monkey flower) that will border and replenish the trail this winter. We’ve also restored two eroding “shortcut” trails back to a more natural state. This will de-fragment the scrub habitat throughout Mori to the benefit of all of its wildlife.

You may have noticed that we moved our staging area down to near the base of the timber steps.  That’s because we’re about to start our next stretch of trail—another part of the California Coastal Trail. This will connect the seawall to the other newly enhanced portion of the Coastal Trail. This trail will meet “outdoor accessibility guidelines,” meaning that it will have a more gentle incline than the other trails. It will also have subtle flatter areas where you can stop to enjoy the view or catch your breath. You may have noticed the temporary soil ramp near the base of the timber steps. That ramp is the beginning of this trail segment.

As last year, we’ve found all kinds of interesting pieces of Mori’s history while preparing for the construction crews. This year, we’ve found countless motor oil bottles, beer bottles, car pieces, mud flaps, concrete chunks, tires, and even a license plate or two. It’s great to be able to clean up this special place for all of us to enjoy. Biomonitors have also uncovered several salamanders, alligator lizards, coast garter snakes, gophers, and mice while preparing the project sites for the ground-moving work. All of these creatures were gently moved out of harm’s way. Please stop by and see all the action! Although certain trails are closed during the week while we’re working on them, all of the trails are open Friday-Sunday. Thanks for your patience. As always, we welcome your feedback, questions, and concerns! Meanwhile, check out the photos below showing some of the things we’ve unearthed during the trail work. There’s also a before-and-after shot showing one of the Coastal Trail segments and a healed scar left over from the days of off-road vehicles. 

SUSIE BENNETT
Mori Point Project Coordinator
415-683-8459

[And the Mori Point Planning team: Kate Bickert, Christina Crooker, Sharon Farrell, Darren Fong, Sue Gardner, Jen Greene, Steve Griswold, Erin Heimbinder, Mary Petrilli, and Asha Setty]

antes

despues

leftovers from the past

unearthed trash

Mori's Warriors Make Progress at Mori Point

Hi, Friends of Mori Point,

This year’s habitat restoration and trail project is in full swing! The overall goal of the project is to rehabilitate certain areas back into wildlife habitat while creating sustainable, well-drained trails for people to enjoy. Those of you who have visited Mori recently have already noticed some temporary changes. There’s a temporary staging area for our equipment around the big cement platform near the Point. Also, we’ve temporarily smoothed out some large trails to allow water trucks (for dust control) and dump trucks (to help move soil around the site and to bring in some brown shale for use in the trail work) to safely drive up the hills. Rest assured, we have biomonitors on-site throughout the work to ensure the safety of all the wildlife, too! These wide trails are only temporary, and the final trail will look very different. Ultimately, the trails will be narrower and the surface of the trail will be natural. Most of the trails will have the natural soil already there while a few wetter spots will be surfaced with brown shale. This is the same natural brown shale placed on Mori Road by the ponds and roadside seep last year.    

Now that we’re set up, we’ve begun the restoration and trail work. We’re recontouring part of the California Coastal Trail to allow for more natural drainage and converting two smaller trails just downslope back to a more natural state. Then, with winter rains, our volunteers will revegetate the area with the thousands of plants being grown at the Oceana High School and Fort Funston nurseries. By allowing the trail to “heal,” we’re providing more space for wildlife to thrive, de-fragmenting the habitat. For your safety, certain trails are closed while we’re working on them, but there are still plenty of ways for you to reach your favorite destinations during these short-term closures. Check out the detour map above to help plan your route. Please note: All permanent trails are open Friday through Sunday.

Also, just a few weeks ago, we held a Celebration of Mori Point. Approximately 150 friends and neighbors stopped by to commemorate the protection of this special place. The day was filled with activities such as seeing “Mori” the S.F. Zoo’s San Francisco garter snake, crafting art projects, taking guided tours, joining in on a volunteer project, and performing a snake dance. 

Even the wildlife came out to help us celebrate. Two red-legged frogs greeted visitors along Mori Road from the seep, while whales breached off the coast, and wildflowers spread their own golden sunshine on the point. (Even a coast garter snake was seen swimming in the southern pond!) We honored our many supporters and reflected on the great work of the late Congressman Tom Lantos. It was the perfect way to kick off this year’s field season, so stop by to see the work in action. We’ll keep you posted! Thanks again for your patience and support! 

SUSIE BENNETT
Mori Point Project Coordinator

And the Mori Point Planning Team [Kate Bickert, Christina Crooker, Sharon Farrell, Darren Fong, Sue Gardner, Jen Greene, Steve Griswold, Erin Heimbinder, Mary Petrilli, and Asha Setty]

Celebrate Spring: Mori Point Work Begins

Greetings, Friends of Mori Point,

Come enjoy the amazing wildflower display on the site’s western bluffs! Our focus this year is providing sustainable trails around Mori Point’s fragile, rare species habitat and up Mori’s steep slopes. We’ll convert two formerly used roads (from Mori’s tumultuous past as a sand-dredging and concrete-making operation) into rustic-looking, properly drained trails. We’ll also consolidate the mishmash of trails that crisscross Mori’s grasslands into a more sustainable trail for hikers, equestrians, and bikers to enjoy. All this work will most likely be completed by the end of August this year. Then, in the winter, the Site Stewardship Program will harness volunteer support to plant more than 15,000 plants in the areas around the trails and grasslands. 

Also, we’re pleased to report that the ponds built last year are doing quite well. California red-legged tadpoles are happily swimming amongst the emergent vegetation lining the banks of the wetland pond built last year. Adult red-legged frogs frequent the ponds under the cover of night, probably on the prowl for tasty treats like insect larva and Pacific chorus frogs and tadpoles.  Check out the photo above of a red-legged frog to the right of the sticks posing for a photo during a night survey. Park users may have noticed that one pond is losing water a little faster than we expected, but that sure hasn’t stopped the wildlife from continuing to enjoy using that area! A neighbor recently told me that he saw a female mallard, followed closely by her group of ducklings, circling the water of this receding pond. And we continue to see frogs frequent the water and the pond banks. It’s great to see this immediate wildlife colonization of the ponds! 

Stay tuned for future updates from the field and come on by to see the site yourself! Thanks for your interest and support.

SUSIE BENNETT
And the Mori Point Planning Team [Kate Bickert, Christina Crooker, Sharon Farrell, Darren Fong, Sue Gardner, Jen Greene, Steve Griswold, Erin Heimbinder, Mary Petrilli, Asha Setty]

The Historic Presidio: A New Web Site

JAKE SIGG SEZ: Check out this new website about the historic Presidio, started by Doug Kern who, as a member of the public, has been a concerned and involved Presidio  activist for more than15 years. In addition to being a teacher at both the high school and college level,  Doug is the moderator of the Presidio Restoration Advisory Board, a community-based board whose mandate is to advise and work with the Presidio Trust to clean up toxic materials on the Presidio, toxic materials which are remnants of the Army occupational days.  Public comment is encouraged and it is hoped this site will provide a value to all its users and Presidio followers wherever they are in the world. 

THE HISTORIC PRESIDIO

Weed Watchers: Citizen Scientists

WEED WATCHERS - Become a citizen scientist - a volunteer-based invasive plant early detection program. As a weed watcher you will learn to identify invasive plants of the region and report your findings. Weed Watchers patrol the roads and trails of the national parks in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties, detecting weeds as they first invade. Discovering weeds before they become well-established is critical to reducing damage to ecosystem integrity, preventing the loss of habitat for rare plants and animals, and preventing costly natural resource management. Deepen your understanding of the natural world while playing an important role in the protection of the unique resources at the park.

GET THE SCOOP ON THE WEED WATCHERS

Mori Point Progress Report: Ponds, Steps, Trails

There’s great news to report at Mori Point! The Golden Gate National Recreation Area and its partner, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, have completed the pond work and new steps up to the point and will now be fixing up the trails with some big improvements this summer! These trail improvements will help fix some of the severe erosion and drainage issues and create a safer tread for pedestrians and bike-users to enjoy. 

We plan to start this work in May, when the ground is drier. Unfortunately, this is also the peak of bird nesting season. To ensure that we don’t disturb any bird nests during our trail work, we need to brushcut scrub around the trails before the start of bird nesting season. After the project is complete, we’ll work to revegetate these cleared areas with native plants grown at the Oceana High School Native Plant Nursery and other park nurseries. The finished trail will maintain its rustic character while still providing an enjoyable park experience.

Once we start working in May, the project should take about five months to complete.  During the project, there will be some trail detours to get to your favorite destination points. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you continue to come out and enjoy your neighborhood national park, Stay tuned for more updates. For more information, please contact us at 415-561-3054 or e-mail TrailsForever@parksconservancy.org.

Thanks for your continued support,

SUSIE BENNETT
Mori Point Project Coordinator
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
415-561-3075

(And the Mori Point Planning Team—Sharon Farrell, Kate Bickert, Sue Gardner, Steve Griswold, Jen Greene, Christina Crooker, and Darren Fong)