J O H N
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Protecting the places that make the East Bay special
SPRING 2022
Members of the Trails Club of Rossmoor Visit Harvey Ranch
CAMPAIGN TO SAVE HARVEY RANCH What Your Neighbors Are Saying
We’ve been telling you about the remarkable 143-acre Harvey Ranch. John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) recently hosted walks on this hilly property above Saint Mary’s College in Moraga. As a result, more voices are joining the chorus of calls to save this delightful piece of the East Bay landscape. The words of these hiking enthusiasts are powerful testaments to the importance of preserving a very special place. If together we raise $4 million by December, JMLT will acquire and permanently protect Harvey Ranch as public open space. Area residents will gain new access to a 15,000-acre wilderness wonderland right next door. The views are extraordinary. The miles of trails to explore are a nature lover’s delight. This will become a gateway for future generations to explore the natural beauty of the East Bay. A vital wildlife refuge will gain an additional buffer that protects it from expanding residential development. Much more inside these pages!
CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
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HARVEY RANCH
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FEATURES • 143 untouched acres
• Gateway to 15,000 acres of pristine wilderness • New staging area, trailheads, and trail connections • Convenient to entire East Bay • Quick access to exceptional views and pathways • Enhanced buffer for wildlife • Protected viewshed • Preservation of Saint Mary’s College environs
Executive Director’s Message....................2
By the Numbers..............................................9
Family Harvest Farm......................... 14-15
JMLT Recognized for Climate Work............2
Donor Spotlight ............................................10
Harvey Ranch Campaign Video................16
Campaign for Harvey Ranch.................. 3-5
Legacy Society .............................................11
Taxwise Giving Strategy...........................16
Magee Preserve.................................... 6-8
Tidal Waters Return to Pacheco Marsh......12-13
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It has been such a pleasure to meet with folks in person again, and in particular to have the opportunity to share remarkable Harvey Ranch with you. When I experience its grand views through the eyes of new visitors and see their delight as they grasp its potential for our region, I feel renewed optimism for the future. In these unsettled times, it is gratifying to know that we can make a difference. Each of us can have a permanent impact that will benefit generations to come. This is one of the great gifts of conserving land—that it never stops giving.
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST P.O. Box 31, Martinez, CA 94553 925-228-5460 • info@jmlt.org jmlt.org Linus Eukel
Executive Director
Kristen Anderson
Director of Digital Marketing
Mary Cherry
Senior Farm Manager, Family Harvest Farm
Jay Dean
Creative Strategy Director
Brian Hayes
Technology Director
Hannah Hodgson
Associate Director, Family Harvest Farm
Melanie Hogan
Director of Development
Emily Kokernak
Associate Director, Major Gifts
Glen Lewis
Stewardship Director & Open Space Ranger
Beth Perot
Database Director
Neil Roscoe
Chief Financial Officer
Kathleen Stavis
Associate Director, Annual & Planned Giving
Brittany Wade
The great news about Magee Ranch in this issue will be especially welcome for those who live in the San Ramon Valley. Meanwhile, in northern Contra Costa, the continued progress at Pacheco Marsh gets us closer to a truly unique outdoor destination—a rare chance to experience a restored and thriving salt marsh up close. It was such a thrill to see Family Harvest Farm recognized in February by Newsmakers: Lesher Speaker Series and KTVU, and to help welcome an enthusiastic audience for the humorist Mo Rocca. We’re gradually returning to more live events this year. Be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter and not miss anything. More than ever it feels like springtime—time to lace up the hiking boots and get outdoors. And a big thank you to everyone who has donated to save Harvey Ranch. We’re making great progress toward our year-end goal! Sincerely,
Workforce Development Coordinator, Family Harvest Farm
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Katie Hill Chair
Linus Eukel, Executive Director
Arthur Bart-Williams Vice Chair
Stephanie Becker Secretary
Bill Wadsworth Treasurer Eliot Hudson
Immediate Past Chair
Charles Lewis IV Parliamentarian
Jan Berckefeldt Dawn Block Dan R. Carl Jack Cortis Stephen Harvey Tim Lipman Ted C. Radosevich Karen Sakata Jerald M. Weintraub Many thanks to the photographers who contributed to this issue: Jay Dean, Adam Weidenbach
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JMLT RECOGNIZED FOR CLIMATE WORK We’re honored that U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced John Muir Land Trust as his 2022 Contra Costa County Climate Crisis Champion. The resolution entered into the Congressional Record celebrates JMLT’s years of environmental work in Contra Costa and Alameda counties and recognizes our partnership with Contra Costa Flood Control and the East Bay Regional Park District to restore wildlife habitat and wetland activity at Pacheco Marsh. Read about the dramatic levee breach on page 12. With the return of the water, vegetation will grow rapidly and the marsh will quickly become a refuge for migrating birds, spawning fish, and the threatened salt-marsh harvest mouse. jmlt.org/pachecomarsh
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YOUR NEIGHBORS VISIT HARVEY RANCH Continued from page 1
On March 12th, about thirty members of the Trails Club of Rossmoor had a first look at Harvey Ranch. Rossmoor is a nearby community of active older adults. Club members are a diverse group—some prefer casual walks, while others seek strenuous hikes over miles of rugged trails. These folks are hard to impress, as they frequent the most beautiful places in the East Bay. “The 360-degree views of surrounding hills make us realize how lucky we are to live here. We loved the rolling green hills, the springtime flowers, and the amazing views. Harvey will connect many of the other trails we use, and that got us excited about the possibility of hiking far beyond our usual boundaries. This is truly one of the most beautiful hikes in the area.” —Shirley Wiegand, Trails Club of Rossmoor
“Absolutely beautiful. It connects all this open space, and it’s just gorgeous. I enjoy other trails in the area, but this is just as far as the eye can see! Mind-boggling, with miles and miles of trails. I grew up in Berkeley and I’ve hiked all over the East Bay, but I’ve never been up behind Saint Mary’s, and I knew something was up here. It’s so enjoyable, and the views are fantastic. Just awesome. Spectacular!” —Members of the Trails Club of Rossmoor
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SAVING HARVEY RANCH
WHY IT MATTERS
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Protecting the 143 acres of Harvey Ranch will allow many nature lovers to experience this delightful wilderness for the first time. It offers peace of mind for harried human visitors and peaceful respite for wild residents.
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Hidden in the center of our bustling metropolitan area is something rare: a 15,000-acre protected natural area formed by Las Trampas Regional Wilderness and the San Leandro Watershed. This wilderness wonderland is interlaced with superb trails and exceptional views of the surrounding East Bay Hills, Mount Diablo, the sparkling waters of San Leandro Reservoir, and the distant shorelines of San Francisco Bay. The rugged edges of the chaparral-covered ridges reflect a geological history shaped by major fault lines. Steep elevations shelter a largely unexplored landscape—inaccessibility makes the area unfamiliar to many avid outdoor enthusiasts. N
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We’re making great progress! Almost halfway to our goal of $4 million by end of year. To donate go to jmlt.org/harvey
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Other visitors speak to the potential for new connections. “I love the easier access that Harvey Ranch provides to Carr Ranch, Las Trampas, Bella Vista, Old Moraga Trail and Mulholland Ridge. It’s central to all of these great places, and I can do all of these great hikes starting from Saint Mary’s. That’s huge. This access is the kind of thing that JMLT does that anybody else might not be able to do.” —Ellen Holbrook Some visitors find the sprawling landscape evocative of times past. Many of us who experienced a close connection to the outdoors while growing up share a concern that young people today don’t feel the same way. Nature is a break from smart phones and busy schedules. Preserving Harvey Ranch will create a convenient northern entrance into a vast wilderness area. It will be an easy launching point for future generations of young people to get outside and explore. “Harvey Ranch and the surrounding area remind me so much of what California was like when I was a little girl. When I experience a day such as yesterday, I feel at peace. The beauty of that country transports me back to that time.” —Fran Wolfe
Harvey Ranch forms the natural backdrop to Saint Mary’s College of California. If protected, the ranch will secure the peaceful bucolic setting that embraces the campus and neighborhoods close by. “I feel at peace up here surrounded by so much beauty. Harvey Ranch is a vulnerable piece of the whole puzzle. Whatever your beliefs, protecting nature means showing respect to something greater than yourself. That something is very much a part of the Saint Mary’s culture. We, who are keepers of this legacy, need to make sure that it stays this way.” —Shirley DeFrancisci, Class of ‘20
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M G A E P R E S RV E
AN EXCITING NEW ADDITION TO JMLT’S MITIGATION CONSERVATION PROGRAM
What’s one of the most ecologically significant programs of John Muir Land Trust? Mitigation Conservation produces significant outcomes without significant financial cost to the JMLT community. State and federal laws require that project proponents consider the potential harmful impacts on species, habitat, and farmland when building on undeveloped land. Mitigation is the set of measures by which these harmful impacts can be minimized or offset. Actions range from avoidance to restoration to compensation.
Compensation
At JMLT, we believe that correctly handled Mitigation Conservation can be a win for everyone. Proponents are allowed to build needed new projects. Wildlife and plant species are protected.
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People are most familiar with mitigation as compensation—protecting other land that offers an equivalent benefit or resource. For example, if constructing a new highway requires the destruction of wetlands, then wetlands in another location may be protected. Protection is usually accomplished in one of two ways: acquiring and holding the mitigating land by a conservation organization such as a land trust, or via conservation easements where title to the land is held by one party, but its development rights are held by another. Easements offer great flexibility. If a property provides rare wildlife habitat, the easement might prohibit any development whatsoever. An easement on a farm, however, might allow continued farming and agricultural improvements to the land. You can see why local land trusts such as JMLT play a critical role. For mitigation to succeed, the organization that either holds title or holds the conservation
easement must have the resources, expertise, and commitment to maintain in perpetuity the mitigating property in its conserved state, and be able to closely monitor activity on and nearby. That’s why being local is so important. Because managing these properties is time-consuming and incurs long-term expenditures, the land trust receives an endowment grant that provides for ongoing stewardship. This is funded by the proponent who must treat mitigation as a cost of doing business—thus creating efficiency.
How does it work? At JMLT, we believe that correctly handled Mitigation Conservation can be a win for everyone. Proponents are allowed to build needed new projects. Wildlife and plant species are protected. The economic and quality-of-life benefits of natural lands are preserved. Outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts know that inevitable development will proceed with lower harmful impacts in important areas. Land trust supporters get even more value for their contributions. JMLT ensures that carefully measured mitigation projects are essentially self-funding, and that stewardship endowments will cover future costs.
Magee Preserve The latest addition to our Mitigation Conservation portfolio is Magee Preserve, a delightful new property that will be familiar to residents of Alamo and Danville who pass by its grassy hills and stately oaks along Diablo Road.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND • The population of the East Bay is exploding. More development means that more critically important places for wildlife need to be protected. • Mitigation Conservation is a highly efficient tool for preserving habitat while allowing land to be developed thoughtfully. • This important work is one of the many things your general support of JMLT makes possible. But, think of it as value-add. Funds provided by proponents to cover project costs and long-term stewardship make most mitigation projects self-funding.
Previously owned by the Magee family for decades, a 29-acre portion of the
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A significant 99 acres of the conveyed property is considered vital wildlife habitat for species including the threatened California red-legged frog. While EBRPD will hold title in perpetuity, JMLT will hold a conservation easement, and help steward the property as protected habitat. Development is inevitable. The populations of the towns of Danville and Alamo have grown an amazing 10 fold since the 1960s, and dramatic growth will continue. Creating local parks and protected areas just minutes from homes is a gift to residents—present and future, human and non-human— that all lovers of the outdoors can celebrate. Alamo
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This parkland owned and managed by EBRPD occupies two major ridges south of Mount Diablo. The terrain is grassland and savanna spotted with valley oak, coast live oak, and buckeye trees. Steep-sided gullies drain into Sycamore Creek. These drainages, along with several ponds, provide wetland habitat for garter snakes, Pacific tree frogs, and California red-legged frogs. Other residents include raccoons, gray fox, striped skunks, deer, and coyotes. The variety of bird life is a seemingly endless: including acorn woodpeckers, scrub jays, Western bluebirds, Northern orioles, lazuli buntings, and logger-head shrikes, redtailed hawks, great-horned owls, California quail, wild turkeys, ruby-crowned kinglets, chestnut-backed chickadees, vireos, warblers, red-winged blackbirds, and great blue herons. Raptors include the northern harrier, Cooper’s hawk, and white-tailed kite. Whew, that’s a long list!
property is being developed into a new residential neighborhood. As mitigation for this development, it is proposed that East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) will allow conveyance of 382 adjacent acres to expand Sycamore Valley Open Space Preserve to a total of 1,085 acres. This public park will provide over 3.5 miles of trails and beautiful vistas of Mount Diablo and the Tassajara Valley.
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BY THE NUMBERS
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The fraction of the total funds needed to acquire Harvey Ranch that will be reached soon. We have raised $1.8 million. Almost halfway there!
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In inches, the length of a large adult California red-legged frog, a threatened species characterized by the rich red coloration of the under-surfaces of their hind legs. JMLT’s conservation easement on newly protected Magee Ranch preserves vital habitat.
In miles, looking north, the distance you see from the highest point of Harvey Ranch to Pacheco Marsh and Suisun Bay. Looking south is a seemingly endless series of hill tops and valleys that will delight anyone who appreciates the outdoor beauty of our area.
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The number of lag bolts installed by hand by 5 volunteers during the restoration of the old windmill at Almond Ranch. It is a nostalgic reminder of the property’s working history. And a testament to the hard work of dedicated people who help us steward our lands.
The size of the pristine wilderness area for which Harvey Ranch will be a new gateway. Miles of trails and spectacular views await you.
5 Million
The size of the community to which you belong. JMLT is one of over 1,300 land trusts across the country working every day to protect the special places people love. That work is made possible by 5 million people who express their passion for nature through contributions of time and gifts. Thank you! PAG E N I N E
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DONOR SPOTLIGHT Katie Hill JMLT Board Chair
“Being in nature brings me peace. I hike several times a week and enjoy every minute that I am outside. The trails are where I find solutions—answers just come to me.” JMLT Board Chair Katie Hill grew up in New York State at the edge of Adirondack Park where a love of the outdoors was a basic family value. “My father was an avid birder and I don’t think he ever left the house without his binoculars. All family vacations were in the outdoors.” After college Katie moved to the Bay Area where she and husband Scott Compton bought a few acres and built the home where they raised their two grown children and have lived ever since. They harvest rainwater, have had goats and sheep, and frequently hike around Briones Reservoir or on the many nearby JMLT properties. It was perhaps inevitable that Katie would seek out and become a volunteer at her local land trust. Since retiring from a position in marketing at a global tech company, Katie’s engagement with JMLT has increased. One of her favorite weekly routines is preparing lunch with the apprentices at Family Harvest Farm. “I show up on Thursdays, see what they are harvesting that day, and we improvise. Somehow it always works out.” Other memorable activities include erecting the repaired windmill at Almond Ranch, taking a group of young explorers on a tour of Fernandez Ranch, and watching the tides return when the levee was recently breached at Pacheco Marsh.
I do love the places we save, but I also love meeting all the delightful people involved. Someone once saw the JMLT license plate holder on my car and talked my ear off about what a wonderful organization it is. I know that I’m making a difference. My efforts and donations are having a big impact. — Katie Hill Katie contributes many hours of volunteer time, makes an annual gift, and has included JMLT in her estate plans. Philanthropy is a deeply held value. “My siblings and I make loans to our kids, and instead of asking them to pay us back, we ask them to make contributions to a charity of their choice. As for me, I give to land. It’s a wonderful way to pass something on to future generations.”
JMLT thanks Katie and Scott for their generosity and for everything they do on our behalf. To learn more about what you can do, visit jmlt.org/get-involved Photo above: Katie is recognized by Paul Detjens, Melanie Hogan, and Linus Eukel PAG E T E N
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Your life and legacy
are worth planning. Have you ever heard the terms estate planning, planned giving, or legacy giving and wondered what they meant? These are all terms for considering and taking action to ensure that your hard-earned resources go where you want them to after you pass away. If you own any asset of any value amount, legacy planning is for you. There are a number of ways you can make JMLT part of your lasting legacy: • Beneficiary designation forms are simple, easy, and available for a variety of accounts. Just call or visit your account administrator’s website to obtain the form. It only takes a few moments to complete it. U Savings account U Checking account
Color Pala e
U Investment account U 401(k), IRA and other retirement accounts
• Bequest from your will or trust U You can gift a specific dollar amount or asset U You can gift a percentage of your estate U You can gift from the balance or residue of your estate
• You can take advantage of tax-favored giving from your IRA or other retirement accounts. U Anyone over 70 1/2 can make a qualified charitable distribution from their retirement account U When you do, you do not pay income taxes that would otherwise be due
For more information or to inform JMLT you have included the organization in your legacy plans, please contact Kathleen Stavis at kathleen@jmlt.org (925) 293-4807 or return the envelope included in the newsletter with your information.
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TIDAL WATERS RETURN
TO PACHECO MARSH A MAJOR MILESTONE “Who wants to see a levee breach?” Paul Detjens asked the assembled crowd of about 250
partners, supporters, engineers, construction workers, and journalists. The resounding cheers affirmed that this much anticipated moment had indeed arrived. A news helicopter hovered overhead to record the proceedings. Two huge excavators moved the dirt that would allow a five-foot tall wall of water to gush into the recently carved channels of the new Pacheco Marsh. On a sunny day last October, twenty years of conservation work had reached this important milestone. Paul, whose title, Senior Civil Engineer and Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project Manager, Contra Costa County Flood Control & Water Conservation District (CCCFCD), is almost as long as he is tall, had reason to celebrate. The one missing ingredient to the restored marsh was the twice daily tidal flow from Suisun Bay, and it was now streaming in beside him.
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John Muir Land Trust and CCCFCD have been working together to reverse a century of industrial abuse and restore this 232-acre saltwater marsh in Martinez. Years of hard work—land acquisition, permitting, biological surveys, design, environmental engineering, and construction— had entered the home stretch. The water was flowing again.
“We’ve completed 7 months of heavy construction, done dozens of biological surveys, excavated nearly 35,000 dump truck loads of soil, constructed over 5 miles of new tidal channels, and built 2.6 miles of roads and trails for future public access. Pacheco Marsh vividly demonstrates how we can reverse the effects of adverse human activity on the natural environment.” — Paul Detjens A restored Pacheco Marsh will be a haven for wildlife and a place where visitors will learn firsthand about the salt marsh ecosystem as they enjoy birdwatching and informative walks along the shore of Suisun Bay. The project is vital for threatened bird species, marine invertebrates, and coastal fish. Pacheco Marsh is home to ten specialstatus plant and animal species, including the salt-marsh harvest mouse and the Black Rail, a must-see of avid bird watchers.
“Generations ago, abundant marshes supported a healthy, essential ecosystem along the shores of San Francisco Bay. Human activity has caused the staggering loss of more than 90% of these historic tidal wetlands. Deeply scarred by industrial activity, Pacheco Marsh is now well on the way to recovery, and that is great news for marine wildlife and for all of us.” — Linus Eukel
We thank everyone in the JMLT community whose generous support made this possible. Stay tuned for the best milestone of all: the day when we will open this beautiful marsh to the public so that all of you can come and experience it for yourself. In the meantime, go to our website for more photos, videos, and links to news broadcasts about the breach. Jmlt.org/pachecomarsh
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Family Harvest Farm July 2015 Jack Cortis envisions the farm as a labor of love. His daughter is fostering infants, and he learns of the challenges facing transition-age foster youth. Jack sets out to build a program that centers on agriculture as a means of healing and personal growth. He meets with Kim Overaa to search for farm sites in Contra Costa County and Kim introduces Jack to John Muir Land Trust.
January 2018 John Muir Land Trust creates the farm site on land it licenses from PG&E and establishes the program as a Conservation Horizons initiative. John Muir Community Health Fund partners with JMLT to create and implement a business plan where core collaborating agencies refer and support young adults in the program.
November 2018 City of Pi sburg approves the site plan.
June 2020
March 2020
FHF hires its first
Lamorinda Sunrise and other local rotaries provide shipping containers for tool storage and help with greenhouse planning & construction.
January 2021
Pole Barn is built—a place to cook, enjoy meals, build community and find rest.
October 2021
FHF hires Workforce Development Coordinator, Bri Wade, LCSW, to help strengthen the program. PAG E F O U R T E E N
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apprentices into the workforce development program.
March 2021
FHF begins distributing produce to the surrounding community through our farm stand.
December 2021
Senator Steve Glazer visits FHF with Pi sburg City Council members and enjoys the beautiful napa cabbage.
OUR JOURNEY ABOUT FAMILY HARVEST FARM
Once a dusty vacant lot in an urban neighborhood, this 3.5-acre parcel in Pittsburg, California is being repurposed into a thriving organic farm. Its mission: to empower youth and adults to discover and participate in a local food system that encourages healthy living, nurtures the environment, and feeds the community. I wasn’t expecting to find family here. Or to feel as comfortable as I have. Everyone has been so supportive and we’re all trying to figure out what works and discovering what doesn’t. It’s good practice for ourselves and creates possible job opportunities in the future. — FHF Apprentice
July 2020
The farm comes to life with the installation of water and irrigation.
October 2020
August 2021
First graduation of Family Harvest Farm apprentices.
Excited apprentices and members of the community enjoy our first harvest of delicious corn.
September 2021
Growing Healthy Kids and the Mount Diablo School District begin distributing FHF produce.
February 2022
Family Harvest Farm is recognized by: KTVU 2’s Giving Day and the Lesher Center for the Arts Speaker Series. Mo Rocca, that evening’s featured speaker, loved our mugs.
To support FHF visit: jmlt.org/FHF PAG E F I F T E E N
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Nonprofit U.S. Postage PAID Martinez, CA Permit No. 189
P R I N T E D O N R E C Y C L E D PA P E R
P.O. Box 31, Martinez CA 94553
Watch the JMLT Virtual 2022 Kick-off! Painted Rock
Learn about how we preserve and protect our beautiful East Bay region, and how you can help.
CARR RANCH
Scan the QR Code or go to jmlt.org/kickoff
Looking for a Tax-wise Giving Strategy? Many people age 70 1/2 years or older are making direct distributions from retirement accounts to qualified charities such as John Muir Land Trust. This may meet the required minimum distribution, tax-free. If you are moving to the standard deduction, this could be especially beneficial. Be sure to talk to your tax advisor. For more info, contact: Kathleen Stavis (925) 293-4807 or kathleen@jmlt.org. John Muir Land Trust does not provide tax advice, and this information is not intended as such. JMLT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our taxpayer identification number is 68-0194652.
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