Monterey Salamander

This little amphibian showed up as I was pulling cape ivy from one of our newer properties, Jazwin. It's a Monterey salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii). It was under a rotting oak branch. Those large black eyes are beautiful.

The cape ivy was a challenge but oh so gratifying to pull. I started just trying to get the vines out of the trees, then three hours later I had removed a pretty large patch. I rolled the ivy into giant burrito-like rolls.

I respect this plant because of its adaptations to survive, but I really love ripping it out of the ground and off the trees.

pulling English ivy

This morning I removed a 10 x 10 meter area of English ivy. I ripped it out by hand, carefully clipping back the poison oak that was intertwined in some areas. I cut the runners going up two coast live oak trunks. Those will die back and not pose a problem again. I'll be monitoring this site every few months for a year, then once or twice a year after that.

As I removed the final runner I laid my hand on a branch that was hanging near. I was thinking in my head that I was healing the land, especially so that this particular tree could grow. The message I got though, was that the land was actually healing me.

The piled ivy will be left to die and rot. Meanwhile, the ravine once covered in ivy will recover with natives already on site.

Baby rattler . . . I mean gopher snake

This little dude or dudette happened by the bathrooms one evening and before I knew what I was doing, I leaned down and put my hand near. The tail shook violently and I JUMPED back. It is only a gopher snake but it definitely wanted me to think it was a rattler.

mapping vinca

I took the Etrex out in the field to map Vinca major - a major pain in my side.

Vinca covers acres of coast live oak understory here at the Reserve, choking out the natives that are lying in wait beneath. Mapping is such a great tool as I get ready to rid the Reserve of this weed. Yes, this is a daunting task that will take many years. You know what they say though; the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

It was quiet and cold as I was out mapping. I came out from under the oak canopy; a kite was chirping behind me. I turned around squinting into the warm and blinding sun and for a single moment, I was transported into happiness.

I'll be visiting the Vinca site once a month from here on out. I have hope that the change will be tangible and worth the upcoming effort.

Cape ivy, etc.

The point of this blog is first and foremost for me to keep a narrative of the restoration efforts. As I write, things come to me upon reflection that I may not have thought about as I was pulling weeds. And vice-versa; some things come to me when I'm pulling weeds or in the field that I may not remember unless I write them down.

I started as Stewardship Specialist at Elkhorn Slough on September 3, 2008. I concentrate on invasive weed removal and revegetation by planting native plants.

December moisture and heat has brought up the weeds and they are growing like crazy. When I started, I begged for the rains to start so I could begin planting but I knew also what comes with the rain. I dreaded the onslaught of the invasives that were sure to come and now are here.

Some of the weeds I've been working on are below.

Cape Ivy - I've been going after regrowth on a 3 acre site that was sprayed May of this year. The spraying has proven very effective. We've hauled out 5 medium bags of resprouts that have popped up in isolated patches over the entire site. After who knows how many years, native seeds that have been lying in wait are germinating with the increased light. Stachys bullata, Artemisia douglasiana, and native Rubus vines that can really get a head start. Also lots of poison oak. I've got a perpetual case!

English Ivy - removing small patches here and there around the Reserve. It stays under the oak canopy mostly and is easy to remove by hand. Even thought the seeds can keep germinating the next few years, I feel like I can really get a handle on it.

Periwinkle - this plant occupies a large area (yet tbd) of oak understory that needs to be restored to diverse coast live oak understory. We've started a project to manually remove outlying patches and will replant as needed.

Thinking about restoration in the face of our changing climate and such adverse conditions; it is the action of restoration that is so powerful. It is the laying of hands on and in the earth that will make change. Involvement of people.