|
|
|
San Francisco for Democracy Home
|
Report on GG Park Oak Woodland Workparty, Aug 11 Hi Everybody, Eight volunteers, led by Natural Areas Program staff Jon Campo and Dylan, worked in the GG Park Oak Woodland last Saturday AM. The volunteers included - Michael Murphy, Calvin Moore, Patrick Cahill, and Dean Corps members Terese Lawler, Nancy Rosenthal, Jean Tokarek and Alane Bowling.
We returned to the north side of Casino Hill, just west of Conservatory Drive / JFK Blvd intersection, to continue clearing Cape Ivy and other pesky invasives. We have extended the cleared area both east and west to cover almost the entire area featuring Coast Live Oaks and some native understory. Removing a thick mat of Cape Ivy, Dylan discovered a young Red Elderberry. He speculated that a bird, perched overhead, had pooped out an Elderberry seed that took root. The Red Elderberry, we are told, is often a prime understory species in the Oak Woodlands. Dylan, who is an energetic raconteur and plant specialist, gave us a thorough account of the Elderberry's value to the indigenous people.
The border between the ' lawn ' and woodland slope is still incomplete due to a ground wasp's nest and some as yet to be cleared Maytens . There had been a fire on the east side of the cleared area. This was fueled by extensive fallen deadwood piled up around a very large Monterey Cypress. One oak tree suffered some minor burn. We cleared some invasive shrubs and ivy from the top of Casino Hill and trimmed back some of the recently planted trees and shrubs with the purpose of providing sight corridors to discourage illegal camping and drug use. There was evidence that despite the recent crackdown these activities still take place in this location. Today, Thursday Aug 16, the top of Casino Hill was being watered, in my view inadvisable due to this encouraging the growth of Ehrharta and Cape Ivy. Two steps forward - one ( or more ) step back. Now that the border of the Oak Woodland along Fulton Street has undergone major clearing of non-native shrubs, some small trees , and major infestations of both Ivy species, there is an opportunity to plant native trees and shrubs. Already two or more Oaks have been daylighted and one can imagine this border area being integrated with the rest of the Woodland surrounding Coon Hollow. On Sunday, during a walkthru, I came upon a man and his young son strolling thru the Woodland to the south of Coon Hollow adjacent to Conservatory Drive. This was an area that, until just over a year ago, was choked with overgrown Acacia , Maytens and English Ivy. It was also a place plagued by illegal camping, drug use and trash accumulation. Natural Areas staff and volunteers worked to clear brush, plant natives, cut modest view corridors and open up an access trail. The man perched his son on one of the Oak's low spreading boughs and took a photograph. We exchanged smiles and I moved on feeling that all those who have contributed to the Oak Woodland Restoration share in this moment. Best Regards,
ROBERT BAKEWELL Community Liason Volunteer OAK WOODLANDS RESTORATION
|
Meetup Wed May 7
Quote of the Day:
"The last time people listened to a Bush, they wandered in the desert for 40 years." Working Groups SF for Democracy's Five Strategic Issues
 Play Whack-a-Murdoch Boom Boom (a very funny video) Join our Yahoo group (discussion, etc.) No Longer New ! Air America radio in the Bay Area...960 on your AM dial (or on the web here). |
|||||||||||||||
|
©2008 San Francisco For Democracy |
