John Muir Land Trust Horizons Spring 2023

Protecting the places that make the East Bay special

SPRING 2023

ANNOUNCING THE CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND FRANKLIN RIDGE A Must for Conservation

Preserving intact natural corridors is essential if wild species are to adapt to climate change. The goal of our latest campaign is to do precisely that—prevent incursions into a pristine open space that nurtures the welfare of native wildlife. Humans will benefit, too. This ridgeline features miles of trails and panoramic views. It’s a delight for nature enthusiasts across the East Bay.

For three decades, with the help of generous donors like you, John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) has been adding key parcels to the 10,000-acre Franklin Ridge Wildlife and Trail Corridor southwest of downtown Martinez in northern Contra Costa County. A fully protected Franklin Ridge offers a potential 5 unobstructed miles of habitat and ridgeline that allows the natural movement of over 20 local species and protects the home of endangered and threatened wildlife.

The Campaign to Expand Franklin Ridge seeks to acquire two missing pieces—a total of 234 new acres to be protected—that will preserve the integrity of this vital refuge. continues on page 3

CAMPAIGN GOAL $6.5M |

DEADLINE: JUNE 30, 2024

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

Director of Development

Lisa Lomba

Associate Director, Institutional Giving

Beth Perot

Database Director

Neil Roscoe

Chief Financial Officer

Juliana Schirmer

Associate Director, Philanthropic Partnerships

Kathleen Stavis

Associate Director, Major & Legacy Giving

Brittany Wade

Workforce Development Manager,

Family Harvest Farm

James Wilson

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

Dear Friends,

The winter rains have made this an exceptionally beautiful time to get out on the trails and explore the places that make the East Bay such a pleasure for nature lovers. Hills are lush and wildflowers abound. I suggest two destinations not to be missed.

Thanks to thousands of generous donors like you, this January we successfully acquired Harvey Ranch in the Moraga Hills. It opens to the public in mid-May. Be sure to download a trail map today and make good use of it. Harvey Ranch is your new gateway to Carr Ranch and the extraordinary 15,000-acre wilderness beyond. Just a short walk up the slope rewards you with unobstructed scenes of the surrounding hills and wide-ranging views north to Suisun Bay. You’ll enjoy miles of trails and hours of peaceful time in nature.

Our new Campaign to Expand Franklin Ridge will delight those who know this remarkable spot in northern Contra Costa. JMLT has been at work here for three decades. You can get close to the new places we are hoping to acquire when you hike up to the summit of Mount Wanda and past the restored windmill on Almond Ranch. All the hustle and bustle below is left far behind. On a clear day you’ll see Mount Tamalpais to the west and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada to the east. We hope to acquire properties that are missing pieces to a patchwork landscape that, with your help, is being stitched together into one seamless whole. This is a treasure for wild creatures and humans alike!

See you outside!

Sincerely,

Linus Eukel, Executive Director

SOLD-OUT CROWD FOR CONSERVATION JANET POPESCO ARCHIBALD CONCERT

The Lowell Ensemble with special guest artists Karen Hutchinson, Zachariah Spellman, The Cecilia Ensemble (musicians from the SF Opera and Ballet Orchestras), and Yuzo!, presented a magical afternoon of "Music Inspired By Nature" on March 12 at the Campbell Theatre in Martinez. Enjoying a beautiful program of eclectic musical favorites, the sold-out audience was thrilled by an unforgettable concert bursting with spirit and joy. The proceeds from all ticket sales were donated to JMLT. Our sincere gratitude goes to all the performers and attendees for their truly generous gifts!

THE CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND FRANKLIN RIDGE (CONTINUED)

Critically Important Habitat

Intact wildlife refuges and corridors are indispensable places that wild species need to survive a changing world. The East Bay hosts several thriving refuges, but these are incomplete, lacking the size and interconnectedness required. Expanding Franklin Ridge is one of our best opportunities to acquire newly available privately-held lands that will fill in gaps, expand boundaries, and connect protected areas that buffer our existing wild places.

Southwest of Martinez, Franklin Ridge is critical habitat for the threatened Alameda whipsnake and the endangered California red-legged frog. Mountain lions and American badgers are generally unseen, but there is abundant evidence that they use these lands as thoroughfares. Patrolling overhead are stunning raptors such as golden eagles and white-tailed kites. This is a natural treasure within one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas.

A Record of Success

The fact that protected wild places exist today is due to the foresight of conservationists in the last century who valued the preservation of wild lands over unchecked development. Our responsibility today is to complete the task and move it forward for generations to come. JMLT works with willing landowners who want to preserve their former family ranches and farms. This process can take years, even decades.

New Opportunities

Kenneth Gerlack Preserve is a beautiful 100-acre property that completes the missing segment along the ridgeline partially filled with the acquisition of Almond Ranch. Well-defined ravines, hilltops, plateaus, open grasslands, and deciduous native oak woodlands carpet its northerly facing slopes. The views are stunning. The southwest corner adds to the Bay Area Ridge Trail on wide fire trails—something that has been in the planning stages for decades.

Barnett Ranch occupies 134 acres at the area’s western end. Its sweeping grasslands draw the eye out to San Francisco Bay, the Marin Headlands, and a dramatic view across San Pablo Bay to northern wine country valleys.

Protecting the places that make the East Bay special

PROJECT GOALS:

EXPAND: Increase the permanently protected portion of a vital 10,000-acre wilderness corridor.

STRENGTHEN: Bolster climate resilience through biodiversity, healthy watershed, and fire mitigation.

PROTECT: Preserve vital habitat for native species.

CONNECT: Extend trails of historic importance that advance bold visions for connecting the entire Bay Area.

Foster generations of nature enthusiasts by providing exceptional close-to-home outdoor recreation.

Continued from page 3

Acquiring the Barnett Ranch property is an essential step toward a hopedfor future unbroken connection to Fernandez Ranch and East Bay Regional Park District’s Crockett Hills. This interconnection would make for a protected landscape of state-wide importance.

TRACKS!

JMLT Stewardship Director

James Wilson came across these tracks on Sky Ranch in January. The telltale is the three lobes on the heel and no nails. Tracks were also discovered on Mount Wanda. Predators need open space to roam freely, and places such as Franklin Ridge are among the few they have left. It’s one thing to know mountain lions are up there; quite another to walk alongside their fresh tracks!

Trails: Nature for People, Too

Barnett Ranch and Kenneth Gerlack Preserve bring together numerous regionally significant trails including the Bay Area Ridge Trail, the 50-mile Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail, the San Francisco Bay Trail, the Great California Delta Trail, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail, the California Riding and Hiking Trail and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. Feeder Trail # 1, one of the oldest in the Bay Area, was used in the 1850s by people traveling on horseback and in stagecoach. Today these trails connect Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline, and Briones Regional Park.

It's Urgent

Undeveloped ranches are highly sought after for commercial and residential development. When they come on the market, we in the land trust community must move quickly. California’s 30x30 Initiative is making unprecedented public funds available for the purchase of these lands, but there is much competition for that support. Undeniably important for receiving these grants is communities demonstrating local support by contributing their own funds. Each gift, of any size, makes a difference. We must act now.

FOUR

HARVEY RANCH NOW OPEN!

You’ve been hearing about this for months. Now it’s time to get out and see it for yourself. Thanks to you and thousands of JMLT supporters, Harvey Ranch was successfully acquired and permanently protected last January. Best of all, the property opens to the public in mid-May.

Harvey Ranch is your new gateway to what is truly a wilderness wonderland. Here you gain access to Carr Ranch and the spectacular 15,000-acre wildlife refuge formed by the Las Trampas Regional Wilderness and the San Leandro Watershed. Just a short walk up the slope will reward you with clear views of the surrounding East Bay Hills. At the high point at the gate to Carr Ranch you can see for miles in every direction—from the most distant hills to the south and north to Suisun Bay. It is breathtaking.

THE HARVEYS

Opting for conservation in the face of increasing demand for residential development, Moraga resident Charlene Harvey had long hoped to preserve the refuge she and late husband Jim Harvey had cherished for decades. The Harveys are among the conservation icons who helped to shape the modern Bay Area. Protecting her beloved ranch and opening it to the public is a dream come true.

You and your neighbors raised the $4 million needed to acquire and permanently conserve the ranch. Covering 126 untouched acres in the hills above Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, the property not only offers healthful outdoor recreation, it adds essential protection for one of the most important wildlife refuges we have in the entire Bay Area.

Virtually all funding came from private individuals and institutions—including an extraordinarily generous $1 million match gift from a single anonymous donor. A $550,000 grant from Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation recognized JMLT’s bold vision to achieve landscape-level conservation. The Town Council of Moraga unanimously approved a $250,000 contribution, investing in community health in an area that is already widely known for its beautiful setting and its residents who cherish time spent outdoors. Thank you!

“The JMLT community has achieved another hugely significant win for conservation. Keeping wildlife corridors intact is needed to mitigate the impact of climate change. At stake was the potential loss of untouched land that will now become a gateway to pristine wilderness, soon to include a new staging area, and more trailheads and trail connections. We couldn’t be more excited!”

— Linus Eukel, Executive Director

RIDGELINE TRAIL

Connecting Harvey Ranch to Carr Ranch is the Ridgeline Trail, a nearly mile-long 25-foot wide public access pathway through protected habitat. The trail transects a 273-acre property set aside as a restricted area for the endangered Alameda whipsnake and the threatened California redlegged frog. Visitors must stay on the trail.

A conservation easement is held by Wildlife Heritage Foundation (WHF). Protecting the property is the result of offsite mitigation, an outcome that typically occurs when new development causes resource impacts in one location and the developer is required to protect habitat elsewhere. In the case of the Ridgeline Trail, JMLT worked for several years with WHF, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the developer-landowner to design the easement and create this important connection from Harvey Ranch into the Las Trampas Regional Wilderness.

Conservation advocates celebrate a win for everyone. Development can proceed. Important wildlife habitat is protected. Visitors agree to stay on the trail so as to have minimal impact on the land. And the public gains quick access to a remarkable 15,000-acre wilderness wonderland right next door.

Protecting the places that make the East Bay special

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

ROSANNE SIINO

A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE

“Being in nature brings me peace” As a child growing up in Pittsburg, CA, Rosanne Siino was delighted by wildlife, nature, and the outdoors. As an adult, this connection has become fundamental to who she is. As a Master’s student in Ecotheology at Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union, Rosanne wants to tie her spirituality with environmental work and ecojustice.

“Even in the midst of today’s climate and biodiversity crises, there is too little talk about ecological issues in our churches,” she says. “I want to change that. I see a spiritual presence in nature and believe we must value what has been given to us. I feel a responsibility to care for what God created.”

Rosanne now lives in Kensington and loves exploring the East Bay Hills just steps from her backyard. During the Covid lockdown, she and her partner decided to explore new places in the area. Fernandez Ranch has become a favorite. “The East Bay has so many habitats; with the area’s biodiversity, you can go on safari right here!”

Seeing so much development in the region since childhood, Rosanne became greatly concerned about habitat loss, and that led her to JMLT. Her introduction involved learning about Pacheco Marsh and our work restoring wetland habitat.

“I want to make a real impact. For me, that means preserving land and habitat, especially wildlife corridors—connecting open space with other open space for wildlife. Filling in the gaps is what JMLT does. The East Bay is where my heart is and I think it is super important to give locally. If you love this area like I do and want it to be a beautiful and vibrant place for your kids and their kids, we need to act now. We are at a tipping point. We all can make a difference for nature, so let’s get on board and do this!”

—Rosanne Siino

JMLT is deeply grateful to Rosanne and thousands of donors like her who make our work possible. As a Friends of Muir giving community member, Rosanne helps provide essential ongoing support for our conservation initiatives and Family Harvest Farm program. As a member of the John Muir Legacy Society, Rosanne’s legacy investment in JMLT means more land will be protected in perpetuity for all human and non-human residents for generations to come. Thank you!

To learn more about what you can do, visit jmlt.org/get-involved

LEARN HOW YOU TOO CAN MAKE JMLT A PART OF YOUR LEGACY. For more information, please get in touch with Kathleen Stavis at kathleen@jmlt.org or (925) 293-4807 or return the envelope included in the newsletter with your information.

Photos above: (L-R) Rosanne, Rosanne with her wife Marla Lev and Rosanne with her dog Tatis at Fernandez Ranch.

THE

The “Music Inspired By Nature” concert on March 12 donated 100% of ticket sales to JMLT. Thank you! See page 2.

Charity Navigator gives JMLT 4 stars and a charity score of 100% for effectiveness and ef ciency. Then again, you already knew that! jmlt.org/ nance

27, 29, 62, 103

Pounds of owers harvested for wreaths, faces painted, number of wreaths created, and a count of happy attendees. We had so much fun this year at the Winter Festival at Family Harvest Farm. See page 11.

50

The short Ridgeline Trail is just under a mile long, but it is your pathway to limitless experiences in nature. See page 7. 1

In miles, the respective lengths of just two of the many regionally signi cant trails that will be closer to completion if the Campaign to Expand Franklin Ridge succeeds. The Bay Area Ridge Trail is an audaciously bold vision to circumnavigate the entire Bay Area. The Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop will connect over 10,000 acres of parks and open spaces.

A single gift. That’s all it takes to make a huge difference. Supporting land conservation helps wildlife, stimulates healthful outdoor recreation, and leaves an enduring legacy of natural beauty for generations to come.

30X30 SUSTAINING HEALTH AND JOY

30x30 is an international movement to permanently conserve 30% of land and ocean for climate resilience by the year 2030. Nearly 200 countries have taken the 30x30 pledge. With approximately 24% of lands and 16% of coastal waters conserved to date, California is at the forefront of this global movement. The Campaign to Expand Franklin Ridge is an exemplar of the naturebased solutions that meet the state’s 30x30 goals. It fosters a healthy ecosystem; promotes clean air and water; addresses fire mitigation needs; and ensures conditions for the thriving coexistence of plants, wildlife, and people. Each donation gets us one step closer.

COWS AND FLOWERS

The ink was barely dry on the new deed for Harvey Ranch when JMLT Stewardship Director James went on site to develop a new grazing management plan to support the native ecosystem and reduce wildfire risk. The Moraga Hills have hosted cattle ranches for two centuries, but only recently has serious science been applied to establish a regenerative sequence as to where cows should go and for how long. The goal is to protect native grassland, aquatic ecosystems, and fragile populations of rare plants. James hosted 3 biologists from Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting to survey the property. They discovered a few unique populations of Diablo Helianthella (Mt. Diablo Sunflower) and small populations of Mt. Diablo Fairy Lantern (Calochortus pulchellusthese). Their new plan will protect these delicate flowers from accidental hoof damage and ensure you’ll be able to see them in season.

Fun Fact: MORE COWS AND FLOWERS

Alongside busy Highway 4 near Hercules is a 30-acre preserve where JMLT cares for one of the last-known stands of Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens) located within its namesake county. These shocking-yellow flowers create sheaths of vibrant color that astound onlookers. When we took over the property two decades ago, the number of plants had plummeted to nearly zero. To prosper, the flower needs little pools of water that form in the winter but dry out in the spring. The churn and divots from cattle hooves create perfect little pools. We used cattle grazing to beat back the deadly grasses and give the goldfields a chance to recover—and it worked! They’re thriving now.

Mt. Diablo Sunflower (Diablo Helianthella)

Mt. Diablo Fairy Lantern

Contra Costa Goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens)

Redmaids at Fernandez

Contra Costa Goldfields

Biologists at Harvey Ranch

Protecting the places that make the East Bay special

We’re having fun down on the Farm and you simply must join us. Here’s a recap of recent events. Find out what’s happening next: jmlt.org/calendar

Rain? What Rain?

It was a soggy day at our annual Winter Festival in December, but the mood was bright and sunny under the large roof of our pole barn. Happy attendees made wreaths, got faces painted, and sipped hot cider and cocoa. It was a holiday gift indeed to see so many people appreciate a place that means so much to us.

More Green Thumbs

The UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County is creating a demonstration garden on site. It will educate budding gardeners and help grow food for the community! Come see it and get your hands dirty at an upcoming FHF Volunteer Day.

Plants Get a New Home

Our Spring Plant Sale was a huge success. Dozens of folks found plants to spruce up home gardens and dinner plates. Especially popular were tomatoes, peppers, melons, and spring favorite: organically grown flowering plants.

Hate Weeds?

So do these folks who participated in our special Volunteer Day to reduce fire risk through weed abatement. There was a fair bit of sneezing, but now the Farm looks great!

APPRENTICE UPDATE

After 11 months of employment as a FHF Apprentice, Dee has graduated and accepted an administrative position with the City of Antioch Mayor’s Apprenticeship Program. We’re so excited for her!

ABOUT THE FARM

On a former vacant lot in a city neighborhood, this 3.5-acre thriving organic farm in Pittsburg, California employs young adults with experience in foster care. Family Harvest Farm (FHF) encourages healthy living, nurtures the environment, and feeds the local community.

Learn more: jmlt.org/farm

Wildflowers in the East Bay!

Ready to experience the beauty of wildflowers in the East Bay? JMLT properties offer stunning displays of colorful blooms in the spring and summer. Explore Harvey Ranch, our newest preserved property, and see the Pacific Madrone with their sweet-smelling honey blossoms, or head up to Fernandez Ranch for the Clarkia, Monkey Flower, and Baby Blue Eyes. Visit our website today and discover the beauty of wildflowers in the Bay Area! jmlt.org

Join Our Sustaining Members Program

Want to build a more sustainable future? Join the JMLT Sustaining Members program and your monthly recurring gift will help protect open space, ranches, parkland, and shoreline in the East Bay. You get the convenience of automated donations, exclusive updates, and invitations to special events. Together we can safeguard natural habitats, reduce our carbon footprint, and build a more resilient natural ecosystem. jmlt.org/sustaining