Land Steward

the end

2010-10-26T21:07:00.001-07:00

And that was the end of the blog of the land steward.

two slough years

2010-09-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

It has now been two years since beginning this job at the Slough. It's so cliche to say that time flies, but it does. It really does. And I'm sure I've said it before, but it takes a long time to get to know a place. In fact, things change so much and so constantly, and cycles can be so long, that I may see something new in ten years that I've never seen before.

The connections have been the most amazing part of all of this. My connection to the place I grew up. Connecting the waters I spent ten years cleaning and bringing kids to (and the dream of restoring Carr Lake), mingling with the waters of the Elkhorn Slough. My husband's first student film about the Slough and his latest award winning film, Home for Hawksbill, in the docent den library. Not to mention the simple and deep connection to place.

After all these years working with people in different places and different habitats, I'm convinced the key (one of the keys at least) to conservation lies in repeated exposure to place. Taking time to get to know it, to be in it. This is a translatable concept to any relationship one might have. Maybe I have my head in the clouds. Maybe my experiences are a bit narrow, but I was not an "environmentalist" by any means growing up. I became so passionate about this stuff in my mid 20's when I was thrust into it for a year, outside in one place, learning and doing, definitely connecting, and something clicked. I wonder about this all the time - what does it take to make people care about taking care of the natural areas around where they live?

Let me climb down from my horse and realize the bubble I live in, the community I am immersed in, and the struggle most are engaged in. Let me do what I do and continue to love it and hope the exchange keeps happening.

Cheers to two years.

volunteers

2010-08-31T07:34:00.000-07:00

They are the best of the best. The heart and soul. The reason I do what I do.

this blog is officially re-titled

2010-07-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

I've decided to re-title this blog so that it will not tie me solely to restoration at the Elkhorn Slough or the Elkhorn Slough to me.

It's been fun and enlightening to reflect on what I do and what I see at work, but I'd like this blog to expand a bit. Until I do this, here are some great moments from the Elkhorn Slough Reserve.

images of the week

2010-07-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

My new favorite tool - the scythe. I'll need to dedicate an entire post to this amazing tool later. But this is what it can do in about one minute without gasoline.

While pulling cape ivy under the oaks in Long Valley (the other vegetation is mostly native blackberry returning!)

I found this interesting hairy growth under a leaf. I have no clue what it might be/come.

Highlight - I was lucky enough to get close to this beautiful kingsnake!

what restoration means to me

2010-07-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

I grew up in the hills of the Elkhorn Slough. Before I even knew what maritime chaparral was called, I was playing in it with plastic horses and Barbie dolls.

I am one steward in a long line of stewards and there will people doing this after I am gone. Some call it land management. Like the farmers of the Elkhorn Farm Dairy before, I too consider myself a farmer, "harvesting" Santa Cruz Long-toed salamanders, clean water, and diverse resilient native habitats.

Management might imply control, but we only have so much control over this landscape. I focus on developing relationships with this land and developing relationships with the people who live here and already have relationships with this land.

In Tending the Wild by M. Kat Anderson, she writes about two diametrically opposed extremes regarding nature - leaving it alone or destroying it. But in between those extremes lies a continuum of complex and sophisticated interactions with nature. I believe this middle ground is where the "restorationist" might fit.

". . .both in the sense that he or she is trying to re-create complex systems that arise from intimate interaction between nature and culture and in the sense that in doing this he or she is beginning to create a culture of place - a culture that is capable of interacting with nature without destroying it."

Ever since humans have been here we've manipulated, shaped, pruned, harvested, burned, and weeded to get what we want from the land. I'm just one in a continuum, hoping to contribute to the health of the area.

images of the week

2010-06-25T23:07:00.000-07:00

The underground critters are harvesting the blue wild rye

while I harvest ripe deerweed

and manzanita berries, pajaro and hookers mainly

meanwhile the chamise is still in beautiful bloom

and the acorns are green

The bark of the manzanita is peeling

the flowers of the golden yarrow have tiny insects on them

the coyote scratches its chin

and the clarkia punches bright through the browns and the greens of Summer.

Save The Bay visits the Slough

2010-06-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

Save The Bay came to visit! Well, just the restoration crew, who are awesome! We hosted an enrichment day for the group that involved Carla Fresquez explaining some of her ecotone salt addition experiments. Andrea sharing history and place and more ecotone experiments. Other ESNERR staff shared what they did and why it matters. Basically we all shared!

I have a soft spot for STB because I used to be employed there (and I'm still a member). It is an ambitious and strong organization that continues to grow and change. It seems that the restoration team is getting even more focused on science and research while beefing up the education component so it can be effectively interpreted for the general public.

I really enjoyed meeting the new faces and was so thrilled to be with everyone I had worked with. Sharing is such an important part of what we do as restorationists. Especially when others are doing something similar enough but not quite the same. We take each other further. And that's what it's all about. Or is the hokey pokey really what it's all about (wink wink Wainer).

harvesting native plants

2010-06-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

What role has harvesting plants played in the development of our California landscape? This may be simple I know, but I know how much I eat and how much food it takes for me to live. We have enough information to know that people before me harvested a lot of local plant material to sustain a family for a year.

This does have a connection to stewardship now. Land management has changed. Previous burning helped maintain productivity, cleared bugs, and fertilized the soil. It is very difficult to pull off a fire at the Reserve these days with so many permanent houses next door. It's dangerous. We're not into endangering life and property. Yet I am compelled to integrate the harvest into my management strategy. It's just a concept at this point and I'm not sure how it will all play out.

In our rich Central Coast history, we have moved from relying on local plants and animals to importing from far away. We're moving to a more "buy local" economy in some circles, but we aren't eating local. What if we started to eat REALLY local. We may not have enough to go around, but what if we farmed red maid seeds? Miner's lettuce?

Let's not limit it to natives. I just sent out the word to local herbalists that if they want to come help reduce the seed source of one of our least-wanted invasives (milk thistle), they can come gather seeds and cut down the plants.

Let's get out of the box. It's a new world.

solid stewardship

2010-06-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

I've been collecting seeds with volunteers, watering planting sites, weeding, and prepping for next year plantings and sites. And of course running the nursery, which could very well take up all my time, but it can't because I only have so much time.

The regular and late rains made it difficult to keep up on the ambitious restoration schedule I laid out for myself this season. So I retreat back to a consistent, solid routine that gets the job done. To sustain the momentum, I keep in mind (among other things) the spiders that hang on the Nassella.

economics of restoration

2010-06-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

I like reading this kind of morning news!

"Restoring lost and damaged ecosystems--from forests and freshwaters to mangroves and wetlands--can trigger multi-million dollar returns, generate jobs and combat poverty according to a new report compiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

. . .Wetlands, half of which have been drained over the past century often for agriculture, provide annual services of near $7 trillion.

Forested wetlands treat more wastewater per unit of energy and have up to 22 fold higher cost-benefit ratios than traditional sand filtration in treatment plants.

Coastal wetlands in the United States, which among other services provide storm protection, have been valued at $23 billion annually.

In India, mangroves serving as storm barriers have been noted to reduce individual household damages from $153 per household to an average of $33 per household in areas with intact mangroves.

Pollination from bees and other insects provide services boosting agricultural production worth at least $153 billion annually.

Ecosystems are also central in natural pest control, indeed, many of the world's key crops such as coffee, tea and mangoes are dependent on the pollination and pest control services of birds and insects."

From sustainablebusiness.com
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/20440

barn swallows fledge again

2010-06-10T07:17:00.000-07:00

Last year it was July 16. This year, the first date I saw the young barn swallow emerge from their nest was June 4. Four small birds, although they don't look small when they all crowd back into the nest.

weeds

2010-06-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

For me, this weed season has been overwhelming. I have been pushed around and beat up by the invasives. Battling them all just isn't feasible. I have to pick my battles. Of course we do this as land managers. We prioritize. But even those prioritized sites and weeds got away this year.

Shifts take place. Dominant species change ranks. Areas that I knew 20 years ago dominated by mustard are now dominated by Italian thistle.

It's interesting how weeds show themselves in patterns. Rows of radish, rows of mustard, and rows of hemlock.

We have nine acres of Vinca.

Eucalyptus, cape ivy, English ivy, veldt grass, vinca, thistle, hemlock. Sometimes it's really hard for me not to get totally overwhelmed.

one, two, three . . .

2010-05-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

Four hundred and fourteen french broom seedlings pulled.

Three great horned owls spotted from a distance.

One bee on a plant, making true its name.

images of the week

2010-05-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

seed collection

2010-05-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Hands down, this is my favorite time of year. The ground is drying. Seed pods are crackling. I'm itching to roam the grounds and gather. I think those in the nursery trade can relate. I need to gather seed. I never know what I might need to grow and when. I'm fascinated by the colors and textures. I love it. Plain and simple - I love to collect seeds.

With the lupins, I have to pinch them close to the stalk, pull them away, and hold them until they reach the inside of the envelope or else they'll explode!

Some seeds, like the bee plant, are still maturing inside the little fruit.

The meadow barley is just coming in.

And then there are some things I just don't want to collect.

Maui Coastal Land Trust

2010-05-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of spending time in the beautiful and powerful Islands of Hawai'i, mainly Maui. My personal belief system is to give back, especially to place. We don't need to get into it here, but it's important to give when we take. It maintains balance. So I volunteered with the Maui Coastal Land Trust.

This Land Trust protects significant environmental and cultural resources on the coasts of Maui. One Friday morning, my husband and I volunteered on a restoration project at Waihe'e dunes. Below is the very tropical looking greenhouse/nursery where they grow plants from seed and cuttings. Some coastal plants are so rare on Maui they must go to Molokai to gather propagules.

We rode in the back of a flatbed pick-up down a bumpy dirt road past acres of invasive plants and trees to the restoration site.

Then we worked. Which is why I have no pictures. I always forget to stop and take pictures. Our task was to hand pull invasives from a budding site of native coastal species. The site was very successful with the natives taking hold and the weeds small and manageable. Approximately 50 acres are on their way to being "restored." It was a familiar method of restoration. We have sites at Elkhorn Slough that I treat in almost the exact same way. What was most important for me was to experience the success and progress made by these hardworking staff and volunteers.

At the end of the day, we relaxed by watching the peacocks and chickens cluck around our feet. Thank you Maui Coastal Land Trust and volunteers for all the hard and important work you do.

evidence

2010-04-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

One of our newest planting sites is being visited by deer.

The deer has left evidence. And it is evident to me that our new plants are attractive and tasty.

it's not carrizo . . .

2010-04-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

But there are lots of flowers around the greenhouse garden right now.

turning the tide

2010-04-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

long term
consistent
battle
persistent
unvarying
in for the long haul

These are just a few words describing how I need to be when I think of the most recent site on the reserve we are in the process of changing from a mostly non-native invasive plant assemblage to a mostly native one.

After this picture was taken, the site was planted with about 1000 plants, several different species, grown in our nursery from locally collected seed. Amazingly efficient and fun volunteers from HSBC bank came out to plant, along with super staff (thank you Nina and Steve!!), and a super volunteer (thanks Bob!).

Next to our freshwater ponds called Rookery, this site can be seen just off the trail and watched through the process.

carnage

2010-03-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

Fourteen young women and one teacher from Santa Catalina did a very nice job ripping out hemlock on the levee between upper and lower Cattail Swale during a day of environmental stewardship. They left the piles to rot in the middle of the trail. Students from Santa Catalina school worked on this levee last season too.

In the exposed bare soil, we planted needlegrass and other native plants. We'll keep plugging away at this levee for the next several years, working our way around the two freshwater ponds, restoring native vegetation and removing invasive weeds.

images of the week

2010-03-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Women Growing Natives

2010-03-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, ten women who grow California native plants and run nurseries from Marin to Carmel, gathered at the Acterra nursery in Palo Alto to connect and share experiences.

We talked about soil, shadehouses, propagation, mother beds. . .

Perhaps the first of many gatherings. We were inspired and connected. These are the people who speak the same language as me.

more than one way to eat a mango

2010-02-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

We have a few methods to get rid of cape ivy. The manual removal method is one I talk a lot about. Cape ivy is a weed that can be dealt with successfully with manual removal. But we also spray our large patches with herbicide (only one large patch left to go!). After spraying, almost everything dies back. When we look closely, not everything has gone. These trillium bloom and set light and color to the hillside.

Look more closely and California blackberry (Rubus ursinus) begins to leaf out.

Both herbicide application and manual removal have their place in the war on weeds. Destruction and disturbance occur either way.

all I do these days is kill plants

2010-02-21T23:22:00.000-08:00

It's brutal out there and it's me that's doing the killing. I make myself feel better by telling myself (and others) that I'm freeing the natives. But really it's just about killing at the moment. It feels pretty good to pop a huge root out of the ground and fling the plant across the field.

pocket restoration sites

2010-02-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

Tucked away around the Reserve are many "pocket" restoration sites.

These are small in size. The site pictured above is approximately 20x20 meters in total area. This particular example, located within an open coast live oak woodland, is managed mainly by a dedicated volunteer. One section is planted with natives, and another is managed so the existing creeping wild rye (Leymus triticoides) has room and light to grow.

These sites serve many purposes. They allow volunteers to feel successful on a site of manageable size. Often they are complimenting a larger management regime, for example mowing. They also serve as small field laboratories where I can have a high degree of control.

I find that these sites inform what I might do on a larger scale. It takes a lot of time and effort, but in the long run, these pocket restoration sites let me see; as if I am peeking through a keyhole, looking at a future restoration of the area.

cape ivy removal

2010-01-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

We diligently work to rid the Reserve of cape ivy.

This burrito roll is close to being ready to roll around, back and forth for the next year, decomposing and being dead. Underneath are native blackberry sprouts and we also saw a lupin seedling. What a place! Hemlock is making it's home here too, but I'm not too put off. This particular site is rich with native plants and I think they'll put up a good fight, especially with a little help from their friends.

Slough Symposium

2010-01-20T22:48:00.000-08:00

We look closely to understand. Because we only love what we understand and we only protect what we love. That's why I love science.

The Slough Symposium was a place where instead of saying stick, the words cellulosic material were used. Perhaps language familiar to scientists; most people don't use that kind of language. When one of the presenters said about his graph, "This looks like a lot of zigging and zagging," I would have to agree.

But this day was about scientists and science and sharing the knowledge of new research with each other. And to that end, it was a success.

Some other memorable words and phrases of the day:

measure of tails (referring to fluvial deposition)
global dimming
magnetic susceptability
methanogens
granulometer
scatterplot

Carr Lake and the connection to Elkhorn Slough

2010-01-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

Return of the Natives is one of the greatest grassroots environmental organizations of the Monterey Bay area. "Bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on participation in restoring habitats." I volunteered Saturday at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas for the 4th annual bird count and clean-up sponsored by Return of the Natives, a project of the Watershed Institute, CSUMB.

As a land steward, I feel I need to participate in local environmental events and stay connected to the heart and soul of this community.

We counted 69 species and hundreds of individual birds. We walked a stretch of Natividad Creek, down to where the water is held in a wetland called Upper Carr Lake.

Along the creek trail, we came across this nest, partially made of green plastic used as erosion control along the creek side.

This erosion control mat was supposed to have biodegraded but has remained intact in many places for over 15 years.

The future is on the other side of Laurel Drive where the dream of restoring the historic Carr Lake is visioned. The Gabilan, Sanborn, and Natividad Creeks drain into the "rec ditch" that flow through Castroville, the Tembladero, Moro Coho, and eventually to the bay. The same Upper Carr Lake water mingles with the waters of the Elkhorn Slough. The system is connected. We need places like Upper Carr Lake and the future Carr Lake restoration to hold water and filter out pollutants and sediment as water continues the journey from the Gabilan mountains to the Monterey Bay.

An event to celebrate the Gabilan watershed opens February 5th at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. I proudly contributed to this exhibit and can't wait to celebrate with others.

I'm totally addicted to all things mushroom

2010-01-15T21:33:00.000-08:00

This cup fungus? above is a few centimeters across.

The above mushroom is maybe a centimeter across.

Come on! This should inspire our fashion designers.

fascinating fungi

2010-01-11T20:16:00.000-08:00

Can you tell I went to the fungus fair?

Oxalis pes-caprae

2010-01-05T22:04:00.000-08:00

Oxalis pes-caprae grows in many places on the Reserve and has recently shown up in a small patch where cape ivy and periwinkle were removed. I spent a few hours trying to get all the bulbs out. I will need to map this so next year I can find out if the time I spent was worth it. At the time of removal, I determined it worth my while because I don't want it to spread in this new location, so recently free of invasives. I feel awfully protective of this particular site and want it to defend it with every ounce of effort I have.

Soil cores help determine plant palette

2010-01-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

It looks so innocent and poetic unfurling from the soil. But it's hemlock. This seedling along with hundreds of other seedlings (mostly hemlock and radish) are popping up from several soil cores taken from a new "pocket" restoration site (more on pocket restoration sites later). I'm trying to determine if we have any natives left in the seed bank. I'll need to wait at least two seasons to account for dormancy. So far, the only natives to germinate are sky lupin.

Not surprising since this plant is regularly seen on disturbed sites, as this particular restoration site is.

The soil cores were taken from around the site, mixed together, then spread atop sterile seed germinating mix and placed in the greenhouse. If any particular native plant community expresses itself, I'll go in that direction when planning the revegetation. If not, I'll take cues from the nearest intact native reference site.

I realize this may not be the most riveting process in the world to read about. But the act of getting to know a site intimately is actually very engrossing. I find myself going to these trays every day to see what's come up.

veldt grass

2009-12-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

Pulling veldt grass (Ehrhara erecta) in the oak woodlands. With this weed, it's all about consistency. It's flowering now, some dropping seed. A very prolific seeder, it also reproduces by stolons.

After removing the plant, space is suddenly created for about a trillion seedlings. All of which I try to pull before they set seed the next year. Like I said, persistence and consistency. You can't turn your back on a weed like this. So my problem isn't so much the population in the woodland. It's the population along the roadside.

I've written about this weed and this problem before and I come back to it because it takes up my mental energy. I have to figure out a solution to this problem. Cut and mulch it to death? Shrubby barrier between road and woodland? Spray again?

plants not planted

2009-12-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

These flags mark a plot not planted. All the non-natives are pulled and we monitor what comes up. This plot lies within a one acre nasturtium area under coast live oaks. We are in the process of removing the nasturtium and replanting natives. This plot will hopefully tell me how much we need to replant and what might be waiting in the seed bank.

And just a few meters away. . .

is an area that one year ago was covered in english ivy. I trampled all over this place pulling and piling. Now it's nice and fluffy with woodmint, blackberry, and ferns.

It takes time, but we are making progress.

hands on the pulse of the rhythm of the Slough

2009-12-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

From top to bottom; non-natives bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), sow thistle (Sonchus sp.), mustard (Brassica or Hirschfeldia sp.) and the late flowering native mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana).

early Spring

2009-11-30T21:50:00.000-08:00

The oaks on the Reserve are flowering. Full boar. It's the 30th of November. I expect them to flower in March and April.

It's dry and hot and windy. The mustard and radish are flowering, and some garden plants have never stopped. Not totally unusual.

From a restoration perspective, I will need to bump up timing on weed removal efforts, expecting a very early Spring. My years paying close attention to central California weather patterns isn't nearly long enough to understand them.

weed terminator

2009-11-24T21:22:00.000-08:00

As I was pulling veldt grass (Ehrharta erecta) in the oak woodlands this afternoon, I thought of a great analogy for who I was and what I was doing. I am a weed terminator. I seek out my plant victim and kill it. I will not stop. I will find every last plant. I will persist and be consistent. Elkhorn Road runs right above this site and carries thousands of E. erecta plants and this is a problem I'll need to deal with creatively.

Here is my veldt grass bouquet, just before I bagged it. It is flowering already. I came not a moment too soon.

The veldt grass is easy to spot right now since most other plants are just greening up and it's not too thick yet. The wide lime green leaves give it away. Thankfully I have an eye for detail.

While I was pulling, a group of Townsend's warblers (I think - amateur birder here) came through, snacking on insects? on the oaks.

And another oak was beginning to flower, barely unwrapping it's stamens.

Nasturtium removal at the Springer property

2009-11-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

Last season we started working on a one acre patch of Nasturtium that had jumped the neighbors fence and is slowly taking over the understory of a beautiful oak woodland. Nasturtium is very easy to control with hand removal, even though it is a prolific seeder.

Our volunteer stewardship team planted over 600 plants in tight planting clusters and cleared five 3 meter by 3 meter experimental plots. In the small plots, we will remove Nasturtium and any other non-native plants and monitor what comes up on it's own for the next two seasons. This will help me to know if we can ease up on planting and perhaps just control the invasive species, at least in part of the site.

The extra help from the volunteers is invaluable. After our planting we had a picnic and shared stories and snacks.

Central California Invasive Weed Symposium part 2

2009-11-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, people gathered at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds to learn about invasive non-native plants. The theme was fire, water, action. Jon Keeley was the keynote and the evaluations said he was fantastic. (I was dealing with a coffee crisis so I didn't get to hear his talk.) We had some time for laws and regs so folks could get continuing education units.

Tool tailgate.

complete with goats

and a hydro-obliterator, but no picture of that. Apparently the obliterator can cut down a small tree with a fast stream of water. Good for cape ivy. Can be dangerous of not used properly.

We tried to green the event as much as we could, serving mostly local and organic food, composting, and recycling.

And we had wonderful sponsors; Cal-IPC, CHCF, Elkhorn Slough Foundation, Target Specialty, Big Sur Land Trust, CNPS, and so many more.

Thankfully, a good percentage of people filled out and turned in evaluations so we can make next year even better. The number one most favorite thing about the event - the chance to get together with others in the field, collaborating, and connecting.

Saturday was a field trip to Watsonville Wetlands Watch, High Ground Organics farm, and Ellicott Slough. It was fantastic. Such a great opportunity to see projects in action and talk about methods in the field.

Central California Invasive Weed Symposium Part 1

2009-11-12T21:41:00.000-08:00

I am excited to attend the 11th Annual Central California Invasive Weed Symposium tomorrow and field trip on Saturday. This is a joint venture between the Monterey and Santa Cruz County Weed Management Areas. I look forward to talking with others working on removing invasive plants, learning new tools and skills, and seeing projects in progress first hand. I've enjoyed helping to bring this symposium to fruition. I hope it all goes well.

women growing natives

2009-11-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back I threatened myself to start up a group of women who grow native plants for restoration. I was just getting a group like this together in the San Francisco Bay Area before I left and moved back here. Well lo an behold I sent out the word, it has spread like wildfire, and we have a substantial group very excited to get together. So the dream is happening. We have a location, a list of people, a couple of items to chat about, and I know we'll have good food.

This is about collaboration and sharing information. The nursery trade can be a bit lonely, and honestly, I think we like it like that. However, all of us collectively hold a vast amount of information and knowledge learned over many years of trial and error, and if we can share that with one another, we can be that much more effective in our work to restore function in habitats.

volunteers rock

2009-11-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

The most recent volunteer class has graduated some very awesome people, some of whom choose to spend their time with stewardship. I have had a recent boost in volunteer activity and it has given me a push and a shove into extreme productivity and a fresh look at the potential to make a difference.

We couldn't do half of what we do without volunteers. It sounds like a broken record, but it's the truth. Plus working with others is simply more fun. Today we had 25 year volunteer veterans working side by side with brand new volunteers.

So I want to take a moment to thank those who give their time and energy to causes they believe in. These Slough volunteers inspire me every day.

guzzlers and other small freshwater sites

2009-11-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

The Reserve maintains several human-made freshwater sites. A few are large seasonal ponds and some are much smaller. These smaller freshwater spring substitutes we call guzzlers, originally put in in the 80's. We have 18 in all.

Most of the guzzlers have native vegetation and cover providing refuge for lots of different critters. My goal is to recreate conditions that might exist at a freshwater spring site. Few of these reference sites remain in the watershed, but there are some.

We also have two small excavated areas that hold freshwater some months of the year. Right now, when all other large ponds are dry, these two smaller ones continue to hold water since the recent 4 inch rain event.

Shirley Murphy investigates one of the smaller ponds.

dirt

2009-11-03T21:16:00.000-08:00

Working with plants so much I can't help but contemplate soil. As the volunteers and I pulled old hemlock stalks to clear a new restoration site today, I kept thinking about dirt. How does it change with different plants? How does that change affect the progression of plants at a site? How long might it take to return to "healthy" soil? What is healthy soil anyway?

Over the years I've been told or read various things about how different plants and disturbance regimes can change the structure, composition and critter make-up of the soil. Sometimes false information is passed down, based on a few observations or poorly drawn conclusions. Sometimes not. The process of exchange between a plant, the soil, the critters (from bacteria and microorganisms to birds), and air is incredibly complex. I don't pretend to completely understand it. But I need to know certain information so I can best plan for system recovery at a site.

Here's an example of the complexity of change in soil. Some folks on the peninsula at Edgewood Park, are helping the recovery of the threatened bay checkerspot butterfly by focusing on the problem of added nitrogen to serpentine soil which promotes growth of certain plants that then crowd out host plants for the butterfly. (http://www.butterflyrecovery.org/species_profiles/bay_checkerspot/)

I hope to embark on a new monitoring journey, focusing specifically on coast live oak understory, hemlock (Conium maculatum), italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus), maybe a few more weeds, and the soil before and after the addition of appropriate native plants and before and after removal of said weed. I have a bit of research and assessment to do. Maybe this has been done.

To be continued. . .

continuing cape ivy removal at the Jazwin property

2009-10-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

Manually removing cape ivy is a long and slow process, but is working beautifully at the Jazwin property. It's about persistence. I visit once a month to continue where I left off. Above is the first removal site. This was the first time no cape ivy sprouts were found!

What I did find were lots of these native blackberry (Rubus ursinus) sprouts.

The burrito roll is completely dead after one year and decomposing.

At the second site, I've got the entire patch almost rolled up into one long burrito. I'll need some help in the future rolling this over so it doesn't resprout.

The last patch that I need to remove is enormous. It's one acre and grows basically into the marsh. Here it is intertangled with pickleweed.

Nasturtium at the Springer property

2009-10-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

1pm. Mapped nasturtium infestation to fenceline of neighbor. Very windy, cool but not cold. If not for the wind, it would be warm. Edges are mixed with nasturtium sparse. Middle of infestation approx. 100% Nast. cover.

Above are notes from mapping a nasturtium infestation under the oak woodlands at our Springer property. Note: we name our properties by the last names of the most recent owner, unless we can find a better more historically appropriate name.

This is a large infestation (couldn't calculate the acreage due to operator error!). But easy to remove and replace with natives. As I may or may not have stated here before; Nasturtium is not a good competitor. At least not here at this site under the oaks. It will persist - the seed bank - but cannot compete with dense planting of species like woodmint. We continue to remove Nasturtium by hand and plant clusters of natives.

The mapping is essential to monitoring progress. One conservation goal at ESNERR is to protect, enhance, and restore coast live oak woodlands. The removal of invasive non-native species such as Nasturtium is an integral part of that plan.

Rabbit's foot grass

2009-10-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

The floating lawn. Rabbit's foot grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) seed head, bent over into the freshwater where hundreds of seeds germinated on water. This is a non-native invasive grass, especially invasive in wet habitats, and this picture exemplifies why.

logic models

2009-10-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

Yes. Logic models. My new best friend. Maybe everyone says that after they get out of a two day workshop on project design and evaluation, but I really mean it.

Now, my husband may scratch his head at me actually identifying with logic models, but isn't it about the complimentary relationship here? What I lack in logic, the model makes up for in organization? In any event, I intend to use them to map out my stewardship management objectives at the Reserve.

Here's an example taken from the web. I don't know if you can detect my excitement in this text, but believe me, it's there!

green thumb, black thumb, win some, lose some

2009-10-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

The nursery is often productive but sometimes, it's not. Most of what you see here are dead plants.

After transplanting these mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana), most of them died. This isn't what is supposed to happen, especially with this hearty species.

What should happen is this.

Same soil, different plant but just as hearty. These are bush lupin (Lupinus arboreus) and they all survived. Yep. Every last one. None show any signs of distress.

It's not easy to show the things that don't go well in restoration. But it is just as important to show what went wrong as what went right. It's advancement of knowledge either way.

I do think it's time, however, for the "Women Growing Natives" group to really get going. Better walk my talk and pull this group together.

resources and links

2009-10-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

I am updating all the great web resources that exist for us as restoration folk and native plant enthusiasts. The list to the right isn't even the half of it. These are my favorites (although not nearly all) and I would expect that if I asked a colleague, she might give me an entirely different list. Next will be a list of hard copy resources that I can actually dog ear and get coffee stains on.

As the blog grows and changes, it becomes a resource for me. I would love for it to become more of a collective, or to change and morph it into something more collective and collaborative. Or create something new that is collective??? I'm open to ideas. . . .

making lots of babies

2009-10-12T20:13:00.001-07:00

in the nursery. Not those kinds of babies. These kinds of babies.

Martha's hands are moving so fast I can't even capture her transplanting with a digital camera!

Believing we are going to have significant rainfall this season, I have ambitious goals this planting season. Judging by this storm coming in, I don't think I'll be disappointed. However, it could rain a lot, then stop for several months and start again in say late January. Who really knows??

We have thousands of plants getting ready to go in the ground. We'll start planting beginning of November and go through late February.

eucalyptus

2009-10-09T21:30:00.001-07:00

Over 200 species planted in the states in the last hundred plus years. A few became invasive and now I'm dealing with what was once hope for economic prosperity. This water sucking tree is right at home at the Reserve. It's not all bad. The little research that has been done doesn't make this species out to be the demon of all invasive species. In fact, a eucalyptus forest may support a diversity of species comparable to an oak forest (see Elkhorn Slough's Coastal Training Program references on Eucalyptus, http://www.elkhornsloughctp.org/). This is a bit dangerous to say; nevertheless it's the truth and we need facts to help inform decisions.

What I'm most concerned about is that these trees have been used to dry wetlands. I'm also concerned with fire, but we won't get into fire right now. Back to wetlands. . .one restoration strategy is to remove eucalyptus from around important freshwater wetlands that support listed species such as the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, California red-legged frog, and Western pond turtle. All of whom use a particular freshwater pond on the Reserve called Cattail Swale.

In hopes of securing as much freshwater as possible for Cattail Swale, we have begun the process of removing eucalyptus saplings from an adjacent upland canyon. By saplings I mean anything less than 12 inches diameter at breast height (DBH). Even these small trees take time and care to remove. Each stump is treated with herbicide so it won't grow back (at least I hope not).

For almost every eucalyptus removed, a coast live oak grows underneath. My long-term goal is to help this particular canyon above Cattail Swale return to native coast live oak forest. It won't be difficult. It WANTS to be a coast live oak forest. The pieces are already there. There's just one piece that doesn't really fit. Yep. The eucs don't belong here.

images of the week

2009-10-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

This praying mantis was near one of our freshwater guzzlers.

This guzzler just had a face lift (thank you Shirley Murphy!) with new native plants and a brush pile for refuge.

Rush rose (Helianthemum scoparium) seeds about to go into the toaster oven. 250 degrees for 5 minutes helps them to germinate.

Rush rose seeds.

Found this beauty while I was moving bricks.

Deerweed (Lotus scoparius) seeds.

Deerweed seeds in a hot water bath. You know, to help them grow.

And who is this sweet heartbreaker and why is she in the Slough images of the week? Well, I picked her up after work as she charged out of the marsh into the busy Elkhorn Rd. She's safely at a shelter, and if no one claims her. . .let's just say she made an impression on me in the 15 hours we spent together.

birds in the mist and other beautiful things

2009-09-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have these images of beauty in my head from the week. For whatever reason, the sort of spiritual beauty of the slough punctures me. Who knows why, but as I walk, as I drive, as I look around, the sun breaking through the fog, the silhouette of birds on the water. All works magic.

I first started writing and posting here as an outlet, a way to reflect, to compile, to order, to think about what I was doing out there. At times I try to be realistic and methodical with concrete examples of what I'm doing. But for me, for who I am, I find I think more in terms of spirit. Not in any religious sense. It's a reflection of the meaning of what I do.

synergy

2009-09-20T21:17:00.001-07:00

During a practice facilitation session with fellow Slough folk and some Monterey Bay Sanctuary friends, those of us present took part in a small but meaningful activity. We were asked to write down one word we would say to a child five generations from now about how we felt about the Slough. One by one, we spoke our word and the words came together on one page. I felt quite moved by this activity and took each and every one of those words and rearranged them in a poem.

explore
magnificent diversity
clams rich sustenance thriving
spectacular sunset
amazing spiritual treasure
diverse precious natural habitat
changing
changing relationships
environment answers hope

manzanita berry cider and how we use our wild lands

2009-09-13T18:43:00.001-07:00

From berry to cider, the process became much more than making something to drink.

A special batch of manzanita berry cider was made for the Chuck Haugen Conservation Fund annual picnic. Berry picking was a community affair on Friday, September 11 with eight people (I'm taking the picture) spending half a day out on beautiful Fort Ord public lands collecting.

Some of us went back to Marina and spent a few more hours sorting through to clean the berries. What a relief because it would've taken me five times as long to do it myself and it would never have been as much fun. Since all the berries were clean, I could spend Saturday making cider. Note - it's called cider but is simply juice from the berry. Simple. Refreshing.

I put the clean berries, one cup at a time, in my little cuisinart to grind.

Small bits of yerba buena were in the mix and the aroma of the crushed berries with a little of the herb was sweet and light.

The dry berries are powdery and at this time of year the berries still on the plant, if you can find them, are perfect for the cider. The ground berries were mixed with water and left to sit. I tried cold water and hot. The berries mixed with cold water sat for 9-12 hours in the refrigerator and yielded a liquid much more clear than the hot. The hot water treatment included boiling the water and pouring it over the crushed berries, letting it sit for one hour before straining. The hot water cider was darker.

The taste of each was distinct. The cold water cider was light, tart, and sweet. The hot water cider was a bit more mellow without the bite, with a taste that wasn't bitter but darker or "more woody" as Eric Van Dyke put it. Most people, myself included, preferred the cold water cider. I did sweeten a hot water batch with agave nectar. This was a good addition but one I would not make with cold water cider.

OK. Enough about the cider. Let's get to how we use our wild lands. This process of collecting, cleaning, grinding, and extracting the juice, throws me deep into thought about the modern use of wild places. The history of California has changed so much over the last 20,000 years. Understatement, I know. But our management of the land has drastically changed throughout this time. Right now at the Elkhorn Slough for example, we don't harvest wild plants and animals for food and materials for household use. Why? Different goals. Would people even be interested in this type of use? California Department of Fish and Game owns the land that is the Reserve. Would they even allow such a different type of management strategy on this land? Could I connect with a local community to even brainstorm ideas on a more sort of indigenous management regime?

It's been the rule that whoever owns or occupies the land makes the decisions about what is to be done with that land. Plants and animals have to adapt to that - whatever land use is currently being employed. Or they die or move out and others move in. People, the general public, may or may not know what's going on and may or may not care. We don't need to get into modern land use policy and public participation here. But I do want to explore this subject - go a bit further and expand our ideas of management - think creatively about our goals.

timing weed removal

2009-09-10T22:30:00.001-07:00

In order to best time weed removal, I need to know when a plant will set viable seed. I need to know how much material I can leave on site and when to bag it and haul it out. Needless to say, it's much more work to bag and haul then to cut and leave.

The bull thistle pictured above, even though barely beginning to flower, already has seed inside the head that can mature and become viable. But I found out through seed growing trials that if the bull thistle is in bud without any purple showing, the seed does not mature to be viable.

Italian thistle has a more forgiving timeline. Even though some purple shows, the seed inside has proven not viable when dried and subsequently sown in the greenhouse. Therefore it can have a bit of purple tinge to the opening flower but it can't be too far along.

Ripgut brome proves to be the trickiest so far. It can look very immature with soft milky seeds. But when dried and sown in the greenhouse, the seed germinates within a few days.

I'll continue to collect weed seed from different species at different maturities in different parts of the Reserve to grow in the greenhouse. This will directly inform my weed management strategies. I need all the help I can get.

reflection on one year

2009-09-03T21:13:00.001-07:00

One year ago today I started my new job as Stewardship Specialist at the Elkhorn Slough. Really I'm a land steward and nursery manager. My actual title doesn't explain very much about what I do. And on that first day at work I remember feeling overwhelmed. Of course. It's 1500+ acres, brand new greenhouse nobody wants to step foot inside, new faces, new place to live. All very new. I remember going back to my little room in Moss Landing and wondering if I had made the right decision . . . leaving Oakland and coming back home to a very small town.

One year later I know I made the right decision. So thankful for the quirky people who work here; all so different. The greenhouse cranks out plants. The volunteers come back time and again. The quiet times working the land. The birds and the lizards and the deer and the mice and rats and the bees. The connection to a place. It's all happening in a good way here.

It has taken a year to get a sense of this place. The plants and the soil. The paperwork and the commitments. The wind and the fog. The giant hearts. The singing maintenance man. Center of the Universe? I can't do it. I can't say it. But it is magic.

growing in the greenhouse

2009-09-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

The grasses sown in the greenhouse a few weeks ago are taking off and growing well. I counted every one that had germinated. I needed to know if we were on target for the 3200. We're not quite there yet. But we will be. I'm determined.

Some species, grown for other restoration projects around the Reserve, completely tanked. None of the deerweed (Lotus scoparius) came up, despite the hot water treatment followed by a 12 hour soak. Worked last year. Hmmm. Tidy tips (Layia platyglossa); 3 plants from 294 seeds, give or take a seed. Last year we had so many we didn't know what to do.

Thankfully our ceanothus (Ceanothus cuneatus rigidus) is popping up despite our almost missing the seeds this year. And all our other plants we sowed are doing well. I suppose it's those few that don't do well that I think about more.

All in all it's a thriving, vibrant place, the greenhouse. I played Maria Callas for the seedlings today. Then some 70's Nigerian funk. It was also for the lonely lizard I named Azul.

aster, lizard, seeds

2009-08-28T18:29:00.001-07:00

California aster (Aster chilensis), western fence lizard, fiesta flower seeds (Pholistoma sp.)

germination

2009-08-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

When seeds become seedlings, it's a very hopeful thing. Spring from Winter. Life from death.

cape ivy at the old Jazwin property

2009-08-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

The cape ivy burrito rolls are decomposing nicely. They weigh about 1/8 of what they used to weigh. One or two green stems grow out of them. I pulled those green stems and rolled the burritos a turn or two. Eight months after first pulling and rolling and I think this will do it.

Work on the second patch continues. I roll the edges inward and take out any ivy beyond the borders. For only a few hours a month, the progress is tremendous.

As I was working I scared up an alligator lizard, uncovered a sleeping bumblebee, and pulled up multiple abandoned small mammal nests.

roadside hazards for the oak woodlands

2009-08-18T20:04:00.001-07:00

Today I spent many hours pulling veldtgrass (Ehrharta erecta) from one of our oak woodlands. This grass is originally from South Africa and makes thick mats that prevent other species from growing. It reproduces both from seed and vegetatively.

Surprise! the veldtgrass is growing right below Elkhorn Rd. where a large population of E. erecta is happily thriving. In the woodland, it is spreading in areas where animals pass through.

At this stage, the grass is dropping or has already dropped seed. I've been pulling here for months. Why am I pulling since it disturbs the soil and brings up more seed? The land manager before me kept copious and detailed notes about her activities with all the weeds on the Reserve, including this patch of veldtgrass. Her recommendation after years of spraying is to pull - if the patch is small enough to manage. Being the optimist that I am, I assume this patch is small enough to manage. I give myself five years.

Other items that come down the hill from the road into the oak woodland . . .

Sowing seeds for grassland restoration

2009-08-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

All our seed is collected within the watershed for our restoration projects. This year, in addition to growing for our regular restoration projects, we will grow approximately 3200 grass plugs for increase plots on a neighboring property owned by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. Once planted and growing, we can harvest the seed in a way that resembles farming.

First we mix vermiculite and a peat/coir mix.

I mix 3 parts vermiculite to 1 part peat/coir. This mix is moistened until it feels like a moist sponge and holds together when squeezed in your hand but shouldn't drip water. We fill seed trays with the mix and press down on top with an empty seed tray to create small dimples to lay the seeds in.

The seeds shown above are blue wild rye (Elymus glaucus). One of four species we are growing for the increase plots. The other species are California oat grass (Danthonia californica), hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), and nodding needlegrass (Nassella cernua).

Shown above is the "toothpick method" of covering up the seeds. Rule of thumb is most seeds are covered approximately 2x the diameter of the seed. The equation can be difficult to judge. This is where the toothpick comes in. Slide the toothpick around the edges of the cell to dislodge and move the mix to the center and over the seed. Gently press for good seed to soil contact. If you can see the seed, place a bit more mix on top.

These amazing and wonderful Elkhorn Slough volunteers and staff demonstrate the joy of propagation. It's a party in the greenhouse.

Grow seeds grow!

Thank you Santa Cruz work crew!

2009-08-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

10 youth from Santa Cruz helped out at the Slough this week. They removed invasive weeds around one of our freshwater ponds and worked a roadside fuel reduction project for fire safety. They were such a great crew to work with and we accomplished so much.

For me, working with people who are a bit apprehensive about this kind of work is a welcome challenge. The quick conversations, questions and answers, small freakouts over bugs. . .I love it. It's a bit more work usually, to motivate or explain, but I have to believe that the rewards will come later in ways I'll never know.

Thank you Megan, Donna, Evan, Chemo, Gabriel, Juan, Jose, Jovan, Terrance, Shane and supervisors Gerry and Gabrielle.

Restoration Dilemmas

2009-07-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

In restoration, there are times I find myself in a dilemma. What am I managing for? Which path should I take? So many roads to take. No right answers. Nothing clear cut. I seek out the experts, try to take the best route.

I find there is no best route. I take a path. Hope for the best and accept the consequences. It's a judgement call.

In a hundred thousand years it won't matter; the little that I do. Why should it matter so much now? But it does.

a day at the nursery

2009-07-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

The nursery might be my favorite part of my job. Collecting seed, sowing it, watching seedlings pop out of the soil and grow . . . it's hopeful. I work with amazing volunteers who spend valuable time and energy doing something good. They don't have to do this and they don't have to be here.

Others visit the nursery too. Prompted by the volunteers to find out who was munching the clarkia at the greenhouse demo garden, we set up our motion sensor camera. We caught this little deer walking through in the evening when everyone else had gone home.

I love it here. I love growing plants. I love tuning into the seasons and the micro-climates. I love the dedicated people who care.

fledgling barn swallows

2009-07-16T21:43:00.001-07:00

Just today, under the eaves outside our research offices, fledged a family of barn swallows.

I had no idea when I started this job almost a year ago how much I would watch birds.

One little bird sat on the edge of a table so quiet and still. Still and quiet as I was, an adult boldly flew right in front of my face, trying to scare me off. Adult bird and baby bird were in the middle of something and I was not invited to the fledge party. Still I watched them as they sat on the gutters and looked around while parents flew back and forth, coaxing them out of the comfort of the courtyard.

under the oaks

2009-06-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

I spent a day under the oaks monitoring what's growing. We had cows grazing last season, as they will again this season, on a small area of the Reserve. They ate the leaves on the oaks and everything underneath. I go on either side of the electric fence and write down what is there. I spooked an owl twice on my monitoring journey.

Then I spent some time weeding around the 500 or so plants we planted in the nasturtium. The bottom picture shows the native clusters of woodmint, mugwort, and beeplant thriving. I am totally jazzed about this project. The nasturtium is easy to pull. The ground is easy to plant in. The poison oak is far away. Volunteers helped in every step of this project so far. I'd like to double the planting next year.

native flowers bloom after cape ivy removed

2009-05-21T17:49:00.000-07:00

These natives are flowering in an area once completely covered in cape ivy. Seeds lying in wait and persisting. Two of these, phacelia (top) and miniature lotus (bottom), are new to our Elkhorn Slough plant list. The miniature lotus is about 4 inches long and about an inch high. The flowers only a few millimeters. I find them because I crawl on my hands and knees to pull weeds and look closely at every plant about to flower. I think it's being so intimate with a new place and witnessing Spring. Even though I grew up in these hills, I didn't know these plants then. Now I am so close and familiar with them on a regular basis. It's like any new relationship - you can't wait to see them again.

The Slough expresses itself

2009-04-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I would take a hiatus, the Slough explodes and I have to share. I had a day of discovery and I fell completely in love with a new flower. It's a little rush. Pink curly stigmas. . . I swear if I ever start a girl band that would be our name.

I need to go back and see if the stem is round or flat. That will determine what its name is, according to modern botanists. Though it is what it is, despite any name we give. It's growing next to a beautiful wet meadow that is off limits to the public.

Then I went to scout for seeds of an annual lupine I was SURE was growing in a field off trail. I found my lupine (yay!) and then turned to see bluedicks. I don't see many of these out here so I got in closer to take a picture and saw this spider taking down a bee. Again, the Slough expresses itself.

haitus

2009-04-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

I am going on a haitus from the restoration blog. I'll return when interesting things are happening around the Slough. Of course interesting things are always happening around the Slough! I'll return when I want to write about it OR if I can get others to share their stories about the restoration efforts.

Meanwhile, the flowers are exploding. The weeds are growing over my head. The ticks are crawling and biting. The poison oak is leafing out with oil and shine. The freshwater is drying. The wind is blowing. The birds are nesting. The bees are pollinating. I could go on and on and on and on. . .

the art of restoration

2009-04-01T22:15:00.001-07:00

Restoration is not always done by the rule and law of peer reviewed journal articles. Often it's the subtleties of finding oak seedlings where you thought you would plant them next year. Or forgetting you had seed for many years only to find that once sown, they germinated better than any other batch you'd ever sown. It's the observation with all the senses; spending lots of time in the field; taking copious notes. Then, just when you thought you had something figured out, mama nature pulls the rug right out from under your feet.
I'm humbled out there.

keep on planting

2009-02-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

We continue to plant through the month of February to take advantage of the rains. The ground is soft and our trowels work easily through the soil.

For every plant planted, 100 more need to be. We have places around the slough so riddled with invasive species, they crowd each other out. I search out natives hiding within, and every occasionally, I find one. Sometimes it's a weedy native like the Epilobium. Sometimes it's a little annual lupine. Either way, I get so excited when I find it; hanging by a thread of hope that some day it will be joined by others.

More flowers. . .

2009-02-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

currant

yarrow

tidy tip

wood mint

I can't help but post what's happening right now at the Reserve. What a magical place.

early spring flowers

2009-02-03T16:56:00.001-08:00

trillium

black sage

poison oak

blackberry

wild cucumber

Jazwin cape ivy project

2009-01-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

I've just returned from my monthly cape ivy removal project at our Jazwin property. Last month I manually removed a large patch of ivy by rolling it into large burritos. Those are decomposing nicely. It took me 45 minutes to sweep through and pull any resprouts. I got about half a bag for the entire site. Wood mint, blackberry, and wild cucumber are happily taking the place of the ivy; along with some hemlock and italian thistle.

Then I started on the next largest patch, pulling the edges inward toward itself. I took the growth from off the trees and dead hemlock stalks. Here's a case of one weed facilitating another to spread. Hemlock stalks remain after they die and the ivy loves to climb along and get to it's next destination by way of hemlock stalk.

I feel that these smaller patches are extremely manageable by hand. On the site are 4 small patches (@ 30m x 30m) and one large patch 4 times the size of the others. I'll return monthly, hopefully with volunteers (although lots of poison oak is present) and be consistent and thorough. In the end, I have no doubt that the ivy will be eradicated.

Planting in Coast Live Oak Woodlands

2009-01-09T15:47:00.001-08:00

We are planting native oak woodland understory in a few places around the Reserve. One of these areas is currently 99% Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). Cal-IPC evaluated this plant but did not list it. It certainly seems to be gaining ground in one of our drainage areas and I consider it invasive. It came from a neighboring property and crept under the fence. This annual isn't hard to remove and I doubt it will be a serious competitor with our natives, once established.

Wood mint (Stachys bullata) was planted in tight clusters so that it might gain some defensible space against the Nasturtium. About 30-35 plants per cluster, 6-12" apart. Next year I'll get a bit more diversity in and plant blackberry, coffeeberry, and others.

California Red-legged Frog

2009-01-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Today we supplemented water to one of our dry ponds on the Reserve. It was recently excavated to create a small area in the deepest part of the pond that could be inundated with water early and retain water later in the season. The reason we are doing this is to create breeding habitat for the California Red-legged frog, a threatened amphibian with a significant population here at Elkhorn Slough. The rain we have had so far has not been enough to fill the excavation, thus our supplementation. Let's hope for some procreation!

Planting Greenhouse Demonstration Garden

2009-01-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

Volunteers Gwen, Ellie, Martha and I planted another section of the greenhouse demonstration garden. Two types of annual lupin (L. bicolor and L. succulentus) and tidy tips (Layia platyglossa) were planted in clusters, taking up space that would otherwise be occupied by non-native annuals. We win.

Monterey Salamander

2008-12-31T16:46:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-23T14:42:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-20T15:49:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-12-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

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.