J O H N
M U I R
L A N D
T R U S T
H O R I ZO N S Protecting the places that make the East Bay special
W IN T ER 202 3/2 024
CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND
FRANKLIN RIDGE
MAKING CRITICAL CONNECTIONS Campaign to Expand Franklin Ridge
Wildlife habitat and regional trails need the same thing: connectivity. John Muir Land Trust’s latest campaign to expand the protected lands along Franklin Ridge supports both conservation priorities. Intact natural corridors need to span long distances so that wild species can roam away from populated areas and adapt to climate change. People need trails for healthful recreation in nature. The value of trails increases as missing segments are added, allowing systems to connect into seemingly limitless pathways for outdoor exploration and enjoyment. We’re thrilled to report great progress toward these objectives along Franklin Ridge. Since this spring the JMLT community has raised over 60% of the funds needed to acquire and permanently protect two properties that will make new connections for native wildlife and expand our trails. Success means more robust habitat and more delightful outdoor experiences for nature lovers across the East Bay. continues on page 3
6.5
$
MILLION CAMPAIGN
BUDGET
CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
4
$
RAISED TO DATE
MILLION
$
DEADLINE
JUNE 30, 2024
• Offers essential refuge and corridor for native wildlife • Creates a nexus for three major wildlife preserves • Protects endangered and threatened species
2.5 MILLION TO GO
MILLION
FEATURES
• Connects trails that span 18,000 acres, including the Bay Area Ridge Trail • Provides healthful close-to-home public recreation • Expands protected lands adjoining John Muir National Historic Site
INSIDE
what’s
• Supports California’s 30x30 goals
Executive Director’s Message....................2 Senator Dianne Feinstein...........................2 John Donnelly Retires................................2 Campaign To Expand Franklin Ridge....... 3-5 Q & A with Janet McBride..........................4
2023 Annual Report..................................6 By the Numbers........................................7 Bay Delta Conservation....................... 8-10 Pacheco Marsh Update...........................11 Donor Spotlight ......................................12
Thank You! ............................................13 Harvey Ranch Opening............................14 A New Home..........................................14 Family Harvest Farm...............................16
jmlt.org
Dear Friends, 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
Brionna Garner Database Manager
Hannah Hodgson
Associate Director, Family Harvest Farm
Melanie Hogan
Chief Development Officer
Lisa Lomba
Director of Institutional Giving
Beth Perot
Database Director
As you’ll read in these pages, we’re making great progress to acquire two new properties along Franklin Ridge. JMLT was founded over thirty years ago to preserve land nearby. In that time we’ve protected many acres atop the ridge. There are more acquisitions in our future, but when the dust settles someday, one of the great legacies of the land trust will be the huge wildlife corridor and outdoor recreational paradise we have permanently protected for native wildlife and for generations of people who will discover the joys of exploring untouched lands so close to East Bay neighborhoods. Our expanding shoreline work is equally inspiring. You’re familiar with decades of progress made to restore Pacheco Marsh. In this newsletter we discuss early plans to protect Hoover Ranch, a 600-acre property on Bethel Island in the heart of the Bay Delta region. This is an environment in crisis. Loss of native wetlands and climate change have increased the fragility of an ecosystem that supports 750 plant and animal species. When we formally announce a campaign this spring, Hoover Ranch will be one of the most consequential conservation projects underway along our shores.
Brittany Wade
Please get your calendars and make note of upcoming events. There are fun opportunities to visit Family Harvest Farm, our urban agricultural site in Pittsburg that provides career opportunities for young adults with experience in foster care. I'm also excited to announce that the JMLT Fresh Aire Affaire returns in the Autumn of 2024 to celebrate our 35-year anniversary—stay tuned for details!
James Wilson
All of this is possible because of your generous support. Thank you!
Neil Roscoe
Chief Financial Officer
Kathleen Stavis
Associate Director, Major & Legacy Giving Workforce Development Manager, Family Harvest Farm Stewardship Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Arthur Bart-Williams Chair
Stephanie Becker Vice Chair
Karen Sakata Secretary
Bill Wadsworth Treasurer
Katie Hill
Immediate Past Chair
Jan Berckefeldt Dan R. Carl Jack Cortis Stephen Harvey Eliot Hudson Tim Lipman Ted C. Radosevich Jerald M. Weintraub Many thanks to the photographers who contributed to this issue: Jay Dean, Adam Weidenbach, James Wilson, Susan Wood, Ana Homonnay and Wendy Sparks and Jeff Torquemada
PAG E T WO
jmlt.org
Linus Eukel, Executive Director
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN With sadness we reflect on the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein, a champion for conservation among countless accomplishments in her trailblazing career in public service. She and Kamala Harris were responsible for passing legislation in the Senate that allowed the National Park Service to accept JMLT’s donation of West Hills Farm. Without her leadership such an act of Congress would have been impossible. We have posted a short video of the late Senator speaking to the JMLT community a few years ago: jmlt.org/feinstein
JOHN DONNELLY RETIRES Heartfelt congratulations go to John Donnelly on his retirement as Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). For decades John's strong leadership has been instrumental in protecting California’s land and waters, restoring vital ecosystems, and helping all Californians gain access to the outdoors. For 75 years WCB has invested an extraordinary $3 billion to protect more than 2 million acres of California’s precious natural resources, including very generous support for many JMLT campaigns over the years.
P r o te ct i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND FRANKLIN RIDGE
WILDLIFE & PEOPLE Mountain Lions HOW SPECIAL ARE FRESH TRACKS? We’ve all had encounters with wildlife. These can be as simple as the sight of soaring raptors overhead or deer glancing up from a meal before dashing into the brush. Some encounters are special because of the signs an animal leaves behind. This remarkable photo of mountain lion tracks was taken by James Wilson, JMLT’s Stewardship Director, atop Franklin Ridge after a fresh rain. What would you do? Stop and look around? Or be too excited to take your eyes off the ground as you look for more? With the National Park Service and the Felidae Conservation Fund’s Bay Area Puma Project, JMLT is researching the movements of these magnificent, elusive creatures. As you can see in the second photo, with remote camera technology we’ve captured images of them at night on Franklin Ridge. Mountain lions and other wild creatures need space away from populated areas because they want to avoid us. The East Bay hosts several thriving refuges, but these are incomplete—lacking the size and interconnectedness that many species need. For over three decades, JMLT has been adding key parcels to the 10,000-acre Franklin Ridge Wildlife and Trail Corridor, an area with the potential for unobstructed miles of habitat and ridgeline supporting over 20 local species including endangered and threatened wildlife. Vital corridors are shrinking as residential and commercial development eats away at their edges. This is an opportunity for us to do something about it.
Nature FOR PEOPLE, TOO Franklin Ridge is a place on the map where it seems “all trails lead here.” This confluence of regionally significant trails includes the Bay Area Ridge Trail, the 50-mile Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail, San Francisco Bay Trail, the Great California Delta Trail, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. These trails connect Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline, and Briones Regional Park. The potential is boundless. We’re seeking to make new, much needed connections. Turn the page for an interview with an expert on the topic— Janet McBride, executive director of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
PAG E T H R E E
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P r o te c t i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND FRANKLIN RIDGE
BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL
& QA
WITH JANET MCBRIDE,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL COUNCIL
FRANKLIN RIDGE AND THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL The Bay Area Ridge Trail was founded in the late 1980’s at the same time as John Muir Land Trust to advance a very bold idea. Its mission is to unite the ridges encircling the Bay Area into one continuous park with a 550-mile trail loop. Each year new sections are added, and today an extraordinary 400 miles of trail are open to the public. The Ridge Trail works with land trusts and others to make this happen. The Campaign to Expand Franklin Ridge will add vital missing sections.
JANET, WHY DOES FRANKLIN RIDGE MATTER TO THE RIDGE TRAIL? This is a big deal. Wildlife habitat and regional trails need the same thing: connectivity. Connecting the Ridge Trail from Martinez south and then west is a must-have if we are to complete the grand vision of a continuous loop. JMLT’s acquisition of Almond Ranch a few years ago added a crucial missing piece. The Kenneth Gerlack Preserve enhances that connection. Barnett Ranch makes possible what is likely to be our only path across Highway 4. Getting across the highway has been a conundrum, and this helps solve it! I should also point out that this campaign is a “2 trails for 1” opportunity. The Ridge Trail and the equally visionary Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail align here. In fact, so many regional trails come together at Carquinez Strait, that it’s really a “Lots for 1” opportunity! These two acquisitions are just as important as things like the completed bicycle and pedestrian paths across the bridges. By the way, if people haven’t been out to explore that, it’s really impressive.
HOW DOES PROGRESS ON THE RIDGE TRAIL COME ABOUT? Exactly like this. With inspiration and perspiration. The Council works with partners to fill in missing pieces, and no partners are more important than our Bay Area land trusts and their supporters. Land trusts such as JMLT do the heavy lifting. They negotiate with landowners. Their generous supporters provide the funds needed to buy the land. Then, after acquisition, land trusts steward the land and maintain the trails for the public to enjoy. The Ridge Trail helps any way that we can: as advocates, as fundraising partners, and as messengers to get the word out. At the end of the day, it all happens only if the land trust community succeeds. Our website has information on this, and trail maps, stories, photos, and much more.
WHY IS THIS WORK IMPORTANT? There is growing recognition that exercise and exposure to nature are essential to human health and well-being. How many metropolitan areas have the potential for a continuous trail loop—a single park—that connects all of our communities together? This is an opportunity for epic adventure near where we live and work. To recreate with friends and to connect to nature. But we can only succeed piece-by-piece. Let’s do these two new acquisitions, and then get on to the next ones. We can do this with the help of JMLT and the JMLT community of supporters.
Learn more: jmlt.org/franklin and ridgetrail.org On a Council visit to Almond Ranch are left to right: Executive Director Janet McBride, board member Charlie Bowen, and volunteer Jan Neufeld. Photo courtesy of Bay Area Ridge Trail
PAG E F O U R
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P r o te ct i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND FRANKLIN RIDGE
TWO NEW PROPERTIES Two New Properties
Expanding Franklin Ridge is one of our best opportunities in the East Bay to acquire newly available privatelyheld lands—parcels large and small—that will fill in gaps, expand boundaries, and connect previously protected lands to buffer existing wild places. Kenneth Gerlack Preserve is a 100-acre former ranch that completes the missing gap along the ridgeline that was partially filled with the acquisition of Almond Ranch. It’s beautiful. Well-defined ravines, hilltops, plateaus, open grasslands, and deciduous native oak woodlands carpet northerly facing slopes. Barnett Ranch occupies 134 acres at the area’s western end. Its sweeping north-facing grasslands draw the eye out to San Francisco Bay, the Marin Headlands, and dramatically across San Pablo Bay to northern wine country valleys. Acquiring the Barnett property is an essential step toward a hoped-for future unbroken connection to Fernandez Ranch and East Bay Regional Park District’s Crockett Hills.
680
780 San Pablo Bay
Benicia
Suisun Bay
Crocke Hills Regional Park
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Briones Regional Park
JMLT Property Proposed New JMLT Property Other Public Open Space Trail Connections on Proposed Properties
San Pablo Reservoir
JMLT & Partner Property Trails Wildlife Corridor
WE NEED YOU! YOUR GIFT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE
Mo s Peak
Briones Reservoir
Support Franklin Ridge today at jmlt.org/givefranklin or by scanning the QR code PAG E F I V E
jmlt.org
P r o te c t i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
Fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2022
CONDENSED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 2022
2023
Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 654,126 Grants, Pledges & Accounts Receivable 1,334,907 Investments & Notes Receivable 1,761,643 Deposits, Prepaid Expenses & Other Assets 885,874 Land and Conservation Easements 48,802,768 Right of Use - Premises 45,730 Property/Equipment Used in Operations 529,479
$
Total Assets
991,679 257,321 2,691,585 438,487 20,520,165 83,771 550,034
$
54,014,527
$
25,533,042
Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses $ Accrued Payroll Liabilities Lease Payable - Noncurrent Portion Lease Payable - Current Portion Other Noncurrent Liabilities Subtotal Liabilities $
206,747 120,717 28,324 19,020 19,374
$
142,544 85,533 47,344 38,040 29,061
394,182
$
342,522
Without Donor Restrictions $ With Donor Restrictions Net Total Assets $
46,460,376 7,159,969 53,620,345
54,014,527
2023 ANNUAL REPORT
Liabilities & Net Assets Liabilities
Net Assets
Total Liabilities & Net Assets
$
21,140,455 4,050,065 25,190,520
$
25,533,042
CONDENSED STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETS 2023
Revenue/Support & Additions to Net Assets
Grants and Contributions $ In-Kind Contributions Other Income
Total Revenue & Additions $
4,822,285 26,165,835 43,516
2022 $
4,543,939 796,476 54,384
31,031,636
$
5,394,799
28,884,765 940,519
$
1,735,541 781,309
Expenses & Reductions to Net Assets Program Services Conservation Activities Environmental Education & Outreach Total Program Services
Supporting Services
Management and General Fundraising and Development Total Supporting Services
Total Expenses & Reductions
Change in Net Assets Before Investment Earning
$ $
29,825,284
$
2,516,850
$
$
$
432,536 705,648 1,138,184
$
359,317 586,197 945,514
$
30,963,468
$
3,462,364
$
68,168
$
1,932,435
Investment Income, net
79,055
(104,427)
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets
$
147,223
$
1,828,008
Land Acquisition Costs Capitalized Net Assets at Beginning of Year
$
28,282,602 25,190,520
$
248,709 23,113,803
Net Assets at End of Year
$
53,620,345
$
25,190,520
Notes
Condensed financial information as of and for fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2022 has been derived from JMLT’s financial statements. Information for 2023 is preliminary and unaudited. Our auditor is Regalia Associates. The change in Net Assets from $25.2M to $53.6M is due to an increase in land holdings with the acquisition of Harvey Ranch and the conveyance to JMLT of full title to Pacheco Marsh. Find more information at jmlt.org and get copies of financial statements on request to info@jmlt.org
PAG E S I X
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P r o te ct i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
BY THE NUMBERS
LARGEST
Ok, that’s not really a number, but did you know that Pacheco Marsh is Contra Costa County’s largest ever public works project? We’re restoring a salt marsh habitat and creating a unique resource for human visitors. See p.11
largest
The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta forms the largest estuary on the west coast of the Americas. One glance at a map shows how central Bethel Island is to this critical ecosystem. Learn more on p.8
Tassajara
the most
That’s not really a number, either, but we’re very proud that we receive the most stars and highest rankings by Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and similar services that review nonprofits for efficiency and effectiveness.
4
LARGEST
Hoover Ranch is among the largest privately-held undeveloped properties in Contra Costa County. We’re working to preserve it in a natural state. See p.8
Four
For every $1 contributed by individuals, we receive $4 from other sources. That means your dollar works even harder as it gets multiplied 4x to protect land in perpetuity.
Forever & Infinite
Forever is how long JMLT properties will be preserved. That’s the power of permanent conservation as practiced by land trusts—a place protected and preserved in its natural state will stay that way. Not many investments have that sort of ROI! Infinite is how many moments of joy future generations will experience in nature because we are protecting so many special places. Together, we’re making this beautiful future a reality. PAG E S E V E N
jmlt.org
P r o te c t i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
BAY DELTA CONSERVATION
COMING UP: HOOVER RANCH
An Imperative Few conservation priorities are as important to Bay Area residents as restoring and protecting the health of our San Francisco Bay waters and the rivers that flow into them—especially the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta system. The health of the Bay Delta region is essential to the health of local freshwater and marine ecosystems and to the well-being and economic vitality of the area’s many human communities.
BAY DELTA
AT A GLANCE
• The Delta drains more than 40 percent of California and forms the largest estuary on the western coast of the two Americas. • Nearly half of California's migrating waterfowl and shorebirds and two-thirds of the state's spawning salmon pass through this vital habitat, home to 750 animal and plant species. • Salt marshes along the Bay provide essential nutrients, refuge, and nursery habitat for fish species at risk. Some species are found nowhere else on Earth. • 25 million Californians depend on the Delta for drinking water. The system supplies water to millions of acres of farmland where nearly half of the country’s produce is grown. • The health of the Bay Delta is crucial for wildlife preservation, the state’s economy, public welfare, and our quality of life. PAG E E I G H T
jmlt.org
Photo courtesy of: Jeff and Wendy Photography
John Muir Land Trust’s work at Pacheco Marsh has piqued the interest of many of you who are eager to learn more about our initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Delta. Here's a sneak peak at Hoover Ranch, to be announced formally as a campaign next year. It just received an award of $2.2 million to JMLT from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy.
P r o te ct i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
HUGE STRATEGIC PRIORITY
The Bay Delta is in crisis. Invasive species, pesticide runoff, nutrient pollution, industrial discharges, dredging, water diversions, and poor management have put this ecosystem at high risk. Human activity has resulted in the loss of more than 90% of historic tidal wetlands. Climate change increases the region’s fragility, bringing saltwater into freshwater areas and placing additional pressure on weakened levees. The good news is that conservation groups are tackling these issues. JMLT’s Pacheco Marsh is just one example of decades of progress.
Hoover Ranch On the JMLT horizon is Hoover Ranch, a 600-acre purchase/design/restore project on Bethel Island in eastern Contra Costa County. We’re in the early stages, but eager to share some aspects now. This is among the largest privately-owned properties in Contra Costa County. Its nearly 2 miles of shoreline along the northeastern edge of Bethel Island provide sanctuary for fish, birds, and wildlife. As a destination for birders, the area is known for greater sandhill cranes and snow geese, and as nesting for species such as loggerhead shrikes. Migrating salmon pass by its shores every season.
Ambitious Plans One of the greatest threats in the Delta is subsidence—sinking that is caused by the drainage of wetlands and the subsequent oxidation of peat soil. This harmful process releases carbon dioxide and has caused elevation loss as much as 25 feet below sea level in some areas. Bordered by about 2 miles of levees, parts of Hoover Ranch have subsided as much as 12 feet. JMLT’s early-stage restoration planning for Hoover Ranch uses nature-based solutions to address the multiple threats of encroaching development, levee failure, carbon emissions, and subsidence. Elements of the plan include:
• Establishing wetlands and riparian forest, with special consideration of existing sand dunes • Improving habitat for native wildlife, including special status species • Actively stewarding the land, employing scientists and partners for monitoring and ongoing maintenance • Raising surface and groundwater levels, reducing hydrostatic pressure and thus mitigating the risk of failure along the property’s 2 miles of levee
• Reducing carbon emissions through carbon sequestration • Increasing resilience to natural disasters • Creating new access for passive recreation and preserving the rural character of Bethel Island for the health and well-being of residents and visitors.
Learn more and receive updates: jmlt.org/hoover PAG E N I N E
jmlt.org
P r o te c t i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
BAY DELTA: MUCH TO DO
Generations ago, the San Francisco Bay Delta supported abundant upstream freshwater marshes and downstream salt marshes and mudflats. These serve as vital pathways for migrating birds and fish species that spawn in streams and then live adult lives in the ocean. Piece by piece we’re protecting what remains and bringing these places back. Protecting Hoover Ranch will establish wetlands, expand forest, reverse subsidence, create flourishing habitat for native plants and animals, and reduce carbon emissions. It will protect the welfare of human communities who love and depend on this region of unique natural beauty. Through these projects and more to come in the Bay Delta, JMLT donors and volunteers like you are protecting and restoring one of the most important ecosystems on the planet. 113
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LEGEND Proposed New JMLT Property
Tassajara
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BAY DELTA: PACHECO MARSH UPDATE
The news from Pacheco Marsh is about as good as it gets! The county's largest public works project is flourishing. 28,000 out of 31,000 new native plants survived their first year, shorebirds are nesting, newly-built channels are flowing, and seasonal ponds are full. Next up: construction of 2.6 miles of trails, kayak launches, viewing areas, boardwalks, and interpretive displays in preparation for a 2025 opening! JMLT’s Pacheco Marsh restoration project is a decadeslong effort to bring back a salt marsh habitat suffering from a century of harsh industrial overuse. Along Suisun Bay we are creating a pristine wildlife refuge, an unprecedented opportunity for recreation, and an educational center that will teach young people about marsh ecosystems and how we can successfully reverse decades of harmful human activity.
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P r o te c t i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
Jerry Weintraub
DONOR SPOTLIGHT “I might be a bit of a latecomer.”
What Jerry Weintraub means is that he spent his years after college working hard and raising a family, and not spending as much time on himself. He founded and ran a successful hedge fund. That meant working Melody and Jerry at Briones Regional Park long hours. Discovering his love of nature and of being outdoors came later, when at the age of 52 he realized that life is too short, and he wanted to do other things than get up every morning at 4 a.m. and sit at a desk. “So, I retired and started traveling. I went hiking in Patagonia, to Europe, to the Middle East, and the Galapagos. I've been backroads cycling in Cuba. I've backpacked through Laos and Cambodia. Then Covid happened. That meant no travel. So, I started exploring more locally.” Jerry grew up in the East Bay, went to college locally, and has lived here ever since.
I especially like projects. Our signage on properties needs an upgrade. We should have QR codes so that people can get more information including maps with their smart phones. I'm an avid cyclist. I'm on a mission to make sure that mountain biking clubs in the East Bay have JMLT materials and
Jerry and his wife Melody have explored many places that allow East Bay residents to enjoy nature so close to home. “We love Briones because we live right next to it. Of course we visit the places JMLT has saved. There was a period when we decided to visit a new park every week in the East Bay Regional Park District. We gained a profound appreciation for what people did here 100 years ago. They set all this aside for us. Just imagine if they hadn’t. I feel enormous gratitude to them, and now I have the same opportunity. I can save special places for future generations to come. It's really an honor.”
know about places like
Jerry is a JMLT board member. He supports JMLT with annual gifts and by volunteering. JMLT is deeply grateful for what he, Melody, and so many supporters do to help save the East Bay's special places. P.S. Jerry claims he is “retired,” but he still puts in 40 hours a week working on his family office activities.
great about it.
P A G E T W E LV E
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Franklin Ridge. These are small things, but I know I'm making a difference. I am having a good time and feeling
— Jerry Weintraub
P r o te c t i n g t he pla ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
THANK YOU!
In the past we’ve used the Winter Newsletter to list the names of our many generous supporters who, by joining the John Muir Land Trust community, make it possible every year to save and protect more places that make the East Bay so special. We’ll be providing the list in a new publication this spring. We’re always at a loss as to how we can fully express our gratitude. From time to time we’re fortunate to do that in person at events and celebrations, hikes, volunteer occasions, and next year at the not-to-be missed Fresh Aire Affaire. A special shout out to our Leadership Circle and John Muir Legacy Society members who give generously to JMLT and who have made long-range plans to remember JMLT. Thank you for joining us, and if you haven’t already, sign up for e-news to find out what’s coming up next at jmlt.org!
PAG E T H I R T E E N
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HARVEY RANCH OPENING
Harvey Ranch is your new gateway to a 15,000-acre wilderness wonderland in the heart of the East Bay. Celebrating its public opening on a rainy day last May, about 200 enthusiastic JMLT supporters cheered from under tents as participants spoke passionately about the personal meaning of this moment. Charlene Harvey and her family shared stories about 60 years on the ranch as a cherished refuge. Executive Director Linus Eukel thanked everyone, especially the project partners and donors whose collaboration made this acquisition possible: an anonymous couple who made an extraordinary gift of $1 million, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Saint Mary’s College, Town of Moraga, EBMUD, EBRPD, Fennemore Wendel, dk Engineering, and so many others. Staff felt especially appreciated when Don Tatzin, representing Senator Steve Glazer said, “Many people come asking what we can do for them. JMLT always comes offering what they can do for us.” Go for a visit! jmlt/org/harvey
A NEW HOME Shown here is a release of two rescued acorn woodpeckers from the Lindsey Wildlife Experience. One arrived as a fledgling and the other with a broken clavicle. After spending a few months bonding as a unit—woodpeckers often fly in “tribes”—these two females were released at Mt. Wanda. The site was chosen because of its proximity to where the older was found, and for its abundance and variety of oak trees. Lindsey Wildlife Experience is our partner in a shared conservation mission, and JMLT is delighted when we can offer new homes to our wayward native neighbors.
COMING SOON! FRESH AIRE AFFAIRE
AUTUMN 2024 Mark your calendars to help us celebrate our 35th anniversary! PAG E F O U R T E E N
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First, I learned simple things like communication, getting to work on time, and collaborating in a team. Then came skills such as leadership, mentoring, and problem-solving. Now I’m working on hard skills. Things like mending a plant bed, setting up irrigation systems, and organizing a greenhouse. I have so many skills now. It’s a skill belt!
—Rachel, former foster youth
Family Harvest Farm: MEET AN APPRENTICE. Young adulthood is stressful. But for some, this period of transition presents more than its fair share of challenges. When Rachel left the foster care system she struggled to find her place. “I had the idea in my mind that I wasn’t good enough. That I couldn’t measure up to expectations.” Family Harvest Farm (FHF), a JMLT program, is removing obstacles that Rachel and her peers face. “I experienced homelessness and food insecurity,” says Rachel. “I truly value this program because we give free organic produce to people in the neighborhood. They could be experiencing what I experienced. Last week someone hollered ‘Thank you so much!’ when she picked up free produce. When she asked for a sunflower, I gave her a whole bunch!” Enterprising young people leave foster care with high hopes and aspirations, eager to find a productive path into adulthood. At FHF you see them practicing sustainable agriculture, nurturing seedlings in the greenhouse, working the irrigation system, and prepping and cooking lunch. You see the direct impact they’re having locally—offering fresh organic produce at our farm stand and to Growing Healthy Kids, a program of the Mount Diablo School District. Importantly, the farm grows more than food. “I had no confidence when I joined the farm. Today, the negative self-talk has stopped, and I can say it is ok to not be perfect. I have received support along the way to grow. I’ve learned from my mistakes. I do good hard work, I lead tours, I teach apprentices, I engage and train volunteers,” beams Rachel. Young people leaving foster care are at risk, vulnerable to experiencing homelessness, unemployment, poor health, and poverty. FHF sets them on a road to meaningful careers.
So Many Reasons to Drop By! You can make a huge difference in young people’s lives. Receive our newsletter. Come for a visit. Sign up for a volunteer event. Most importantly, please donate today. jmlt.org/farm
ABOUT FAMILY HARVEST FARM On a former vacant lot in a city neighborhood, this 3.5-acre thriving organic farm in Pittsburg, CA employs young adults with experience in foster care. Here they find career training and learn new skills. Family Harvest Farm encourages healthy living, nurtures the environment, and feeds the local community. 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
Limited Offer:
Legacy Match Challenge up to $30,000!
Legacy gifts are a wonderful way to make a lasting impact on protecting East Bay open space. For a limited time, you can have an immediate conservation impact by disclosing your future legacy gift. Members of our Board, who have included JMLT in their own legacy plans, invite you to join them in securing the future of these lands through the Legacy Match Challenge: for every legacy gift disclosure JMLT receives, they will donate $1,000 to JMLT to honor the donor, up to $30,000. If you have included JMLT in your long-range plans and have not informed us, now is the time to do so. Share your legacy intention with JMLT and unlock a $1,000 gift to protect open space today. For more information or to fill out a Legacy Giving Intention Form, go to jmlt.org/legacymatch or contact Kathleen Stavis, Associate Director, Major and Legacy Giving, at kathleen@jmlt.org or (925) 293-4807
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