J O H N
M U I R
L A N D
T R U S T
H O R I ZO N S P rotec ting the pla ces that m ake t h e East B ay sp e c i a l
SPRING 2019
Painted Rock
CELEBRATING OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY BY LOOKING 30 YEARS AHEAD We live in one of the country’s most bustling metropolitan areas, yet it is a place of remarkable natural beauty. That’s because over the past century waves of population growth were met by equally forceful waves of conservation. This year, John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) marks our 30th anniversary by examining our role in the history of conservation in the East Bay and by looking 30 years ahead. Our conclusion? We owe a profound debt to foresighted people who came before us; and with them, we share an obligation to generations yet to come. continues on page 3
UPDATE THE CAMPAIGN TO
UPDATE THE CAMPAIGN TO
SAVE PAINTED ROCK Goal: $2 Million Raised to Date: $1.8 Million Need: $200,000 Deadline: May 31st
SAVE ALMOND RANCH Goal: $4 Million Raised to Date: $2.75 Million Need: $1.25 Million Deadline: December 31st
If Successful:
If Successful: The 281-acre former ranch will
84-acre Painted Rock in Moraga will anchor a new community park of 505 acres. Spectacular views and miles of trails await in this stunning “park in the sky.” page 6
be added to the properties you have helped to protect along the Franklin Ridge in Martinez. This keeps intact a large wildlife corridor and brings together 18,000 acres of protected land. page 8 jmlt.org
Greetings, JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST P.O. Box 31 Martinez, CA 94553 925-228-5460 info@jmlt.org jmlt.org
STAFF Linus Eukel Executive Director Jay Dean Creative Strategy Director Hannah Hodgson Community Programs Manager Melanie Hogan Director of Individual Giving Glen Lewis Stewardship Director & Open Space Ranger Neil Roscoe Chief Financial Officer Krista Vossekuil Director of Philanthropy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eliot Hudson Chair
I am reminded of that old English phrase, “an embarrassment of riches.” This year, John Muir Land Trust ( JMLT) turns thirty years old, and we have so many reasons to celebrate. First, there is your involvement in our mission to protect the places that make the East Bay special. We are blessed to be in the company of such a large, diverse, and passionate community of supporters and friends. Each place we protect; each young person we introduce to the outdoors; each cup of fresh water that trickles into our reservoirs; and each wild cub, kit, pup or whelp born this spring into a safe place is due entirely to you and your support. Thank you. There’s good news on the acquisition front. The Campaign To Save Painted Rock and The Campaign To Save Almond Ranch are making good progress—though, we’re far from done. Proposed plans for trails and other features on Painted Rock were enthusiastically received at a public unveiling in Moraga. We’ve been so busy with these campaigns that we haven’t had time to say much about our newest acquisition—the 20-acre property in Lafayette with the intriguing name “Batwing.” It’s a wonderful example of the type of neighborhood park that we hope to create many times over in the years ahead. Please take a few minutes to read on our website our reflection on thirty years of conservation, 30 Years Ahead. There is an excerpt in this newsletter. We consider our role in the story of land conservation in the East Bay and what’s to come. We owe so much to the visionaries who imagined the natural paradise we share today, and it’s clear that it’s our turn to shape the final landscape that future generations will inherit. Thank you for being part of the JMLT community. You make all of this possible. Sincerely,
Katie Hill Vice Chair Arthur Bart-Williams Secretary Bill Wadsworth Treasurer
Linus Eukel, Executive Director
Dawn Block Immediate Past Chair Charles Lewis IV Parliamentarian Peggy S. Cabaniss
with Doug McConnell
Jack Cortis Steven Kirby
The third season of Open Road is a must-see. Passionate advocate for the outdoors Doug McConnell explores new places in the Bay Area. You’ll learn more about JMLT’s 30th Anniversary and The Campaign To Save Painted Rock. Go to jmlt.org/video
Eileen McCauley Ted C. Radosevich Karen Sakata Photo credits: Jay Dean, Adam Wiedenbach Alex Brender, Kristin Salmon
Follow us on social media:
Linus and Doug film on a windy day atop Painted Rock in Moraga. PAG E T WO
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Sundays 6:30 p.m. on NBC Bay Area
P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
Our Actions. Their Future. This year, thanks to you and a wide and generous community of supporters, John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) is celebrating our 30th anniversary. How did we arrive at this point? What will happen in the next three decades? Together, how can we bring about a better future? John Muir Land Trust serves the human and non-human residents of the East Bay counties of Alameda and Contra Costa by conserving land that supports the health and well-being of all. The next three decades will be among the most dynamic we’ve ever seen. The Bay Area is a special place. It welcomes a diverse and rapidly expanding population. It is driven by a booming economy. It offers breathtaking natural beauty at our doorsteps. Forecasts call for the population in our two East Bay counties to increase by 800,000 people over the next thirty years. That’s about the size of one San Francisco today, or three Marin counties—just the increase. This portends profound changes in the landscape as pressure mounts for more housing, more commercial services, more places of employment, and an expanding transportation footprint. If competition for land is intense now—imagine three decades of progressively increasing intensity. One implication is clear. Land conservation is entering an endgame. What we achieve over the next few decades will fix the natural landscape of the East Bay for decades after that … in practical terms, forever. At some point we will essentially run out of land. The good news is that we can determine what that future will be. We can shape what future residents will experience. We have a tremendous opportunity and a huge responsibility. One hundred years ago, East Bay residents took that responsibility very seriously. They thought about us. It’s easy to take for the granted the natural paradise around us: the wild places that ring our cities and suburbs, the trails that intersect our neighborhoods, the untouched hills, the pristine watersheds, and our delightful neighborhood and regional parks. Far-sighted people made this possible. These were ordinary people, yet at the same time, visionaries who understood the need to experience nature nearby. They had us in mind when they set aside these remarkable places for our benefit. Ninety years ago, these foresighted people said let’s take the surplus land created by the consolidation of the water companies, hire the firm founded by Frederick Law Olmsted, the most brilliant park architect of his (or any other) continues on page 4
1989
2004
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P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al day, and fulfill the vision the great man himself had imagined decades before. That idea became the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), the largest urban regional park system in the country. Ninety years ago, visionaries said let’s petition for a state park that will protect our singular mountain and its surrounding lands. Let’s preserve the sweeping views from its summit surpassed by few places on earth. Mount Diablo will remain untouched forever. Over
30 YEARS AHEAD A Brief History Of The Future
1989
2004
2019
2034
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Protecting the places that make the East Bay special
What sets the East Bay apart is the large expanse of conserved land in the midst of heavily populated areas. Gray areas show urban development and areas of color show decades of conservation. The East natural C oBay n s eHills r v aform t i o na H i s t o r“green i e s ospine” f C a lrunning ifornia through our urban and suburban centers.
Open Space Acquisition and Urban Development in the Bay Area This feature is adapted from our publication, 30 Years Ahead: A Brief History Of The Future. This historical sketch of land conservation in the East Bay examines the role of John Muir Land Trust and considers what we should be doing next. Download a copy: jmlt.org/30years Email info@jmlt.org and we’ll send a printed copy to you.
CELEBRATING
OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY BY LOOKING 30
YEARS AHEAD
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
Open space by acquisition date unknown not dated 1850-1859 1860-1869 1870-1879 1880-1889 1890-1899 1900-1909
Urban development 1900
1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 1950-1959 1960-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999
Figure 5. Open space acquisition and urban development in the Bay Area.
1940 1954 1962 1974 1990
2000-2009 2010-2019
Source: Santos, M.J., A. Peers, A. Avery, E. Francis, E. Steiner and J. Coolidge. 2014. Conservation histories of California: The San Francisco Bay Area. Spatial History Project, Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis (CESTA), Stanford University.
PAG E F O U R
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P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al one hundred years ago, one local resident, our namesake, sat at his desk and wrote the words that inspired the creation of our breathtaking National Park System. His words set in motion the conservation movement in which we are all beneficiaries and participants. And just thirty years ago, a handful of neighbors sat around a kitchen table and launched John Muir Land Trust. They set our organization on a path to expand what others had started—to do our part to help achieve a grand vision for a place where people and wildlife, where thoughtful development and protected nature could exist side-by-side. We owe these visionaries our gratitude and we owe them a great debt. We are doubly blessed: they did this for us, and we in turn, can do the same for generations yet to come. We live at a time when the social, legal, and technological resources exist for individuals—that’s you and me—to make a difference. We can make a huge and lasting difference in how future residents will live their lives.
Looking Ahead: Three Strategic Priorities
1
Large parcels of desirable wild lands. V 100 acres or more V Often adjacent to
or inholdings within conserved landscapes V Sought by developers V Huge conservation value V E.g., Carr Ranch, Almond Ranch
2
Neighborhood parks.
Farms and ranches owned by families for decades are coming on the market. These critical missing pieces make conserved landscapes whole if protected. Smart development in the right places benefits us all. But, wild places such as Carr Ranch and Almond Ranch should endure as natural refuge. Not every farm and not every ranch will be saved. But, we can accomplish much. JMLT’s track record shows that. And what we do today could be impossible for our grandchildren decades hence. The grand vision imagined a century ago is not complete. The endgame is in sight. Our generation defines the landscape that future generations—future us’s, future we’s, future you and me’s—will inherit. Each new property is an opportunity to fill in a missing piece. Arm-in-arm with each other, inspired by those who shaped where we live today, we can make this grand vision a reality for all who come hereafter.
Let’s get to work.
V 100 acres or fewer V Near populated
neighborhoods V Usually expand existing park or trail system V High recreational appeal V E.g., Batwing, Stonehurst, Painted Rock
3
Strategic urban projects and restoration of former industrial sites.
V A few acres V May serve an urban
population or restore a place damaged by commercial activity V Benefits are wide- ranging, e.g., recreation for an underserved population, employment for emancipated foster youth, or restoration of a salt marsh V E.g., Pacheco Marsh, Family Harvest Farm PAG E F I V E
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UPDATE
P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
UPDATE THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE PAINTED ROCK Goal: $2 Million Need: $200,000 Deadline: May 31st
PAG E S I X
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PAINTED ROCK:
WE’RE SO CLOSE!
Our newest community park is tantalizingly within reach, but we’re not there yet. If we raise the final $200,000 by May 31st, you will help fund the acquisition of the 84-acre property known as Painted Rock, and it will anchor a breathtaking new 505-acre public open space. Sited on the border of Moraga and Lafayette, its central location will make this a must-visit destination for all East Bay residents. Painted Rock has been under development pressure for decades. If we protect it, the property and its 935-foot summit will complete an extraordinary community resource of multi-use trails, ponds, streams, and windswept grasslands.
Plan A Park Meeting Excitement was palpable on March 14 at our public event in Moraga when Restoration Design Group unveiled designs for trails and other features on the property. The two maps shown here identify likely connections to open space in the area (left) and existing and proposed new trails (right). Possible points of entry and parking areas are also indicated.
P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al Meeting attendes provided much appreciated feedback, such as what features they prefer:
High Preference V Hiking trails V Restrooms V Invasive species management V Fire risk reduction
Moderate Preference V Benches V Signs V New plantings Please visit jmlt.org/planapark to see detailed maps and more.
Take a Closer Look The experience of walking atop these hills is simply breathtaking. Imagine yourself being there early one morning in February as landscape photographer Adam Weidenbach captures sunrise over the southern slope of Mount Diablo. Frost covers expansive meadows of green grass. In the shadows of the valleys it is possible to feel delightfully lost—seemingly miles from the bustle of busy streets just over the hills.
V Multi-use trails V Parking The fundraising goal of $2 million is for acquisition. Improvements such as those proposed on these maps are subject to additional fundraising and input from members of the community.
As sunrise warms the chilly air, a big sky panorama is revealed. Nothing obstructs views of nearby rolling hills and of the more distant peaks of Mount Diablo and Las Trampas. This is a park in the sky and few, if any, places in the county can match it. The summit of Painted Rock rises prominently to the south as the most enticing hike of many. Or, you might be drawn to lower points—down to the trees and ponds where trickling creeks flow. See Adam’s photographs and aerial video at jmlt.org/paintedrock.
Next Steps It is remarkable that in this day and age we have the opportunity to protect a place this beautiful in the middle of a metropolitan area. There is much to see on our website. If you haven’t donated yet, a visit to jmlt.org/paintedrock just might convince you.
PAG E S E V E N
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UPDATE
P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
UPDATE THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE ALMOND RANCH Goal: $4 Million Raised to Date: $2.75 Million Need: $1.25 Million Deadline: December 31st PAG E E I G H T
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ALMOND RANCH: A CRITICAL LINK FOR THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL This year we observe the founding of John Muir Land Trust in 1989. Outdoor enthusiasts are celebrating another 30-year milestone: the first segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail was dedicated in May 1989. This was an auspicious start, because just six years later the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council had dedicated an impressive 200 miles of existing trail on public land. By the end of 2019, if all goes well, both organizations will have a special reason to celebrate together—as will everyone who loves the delightful trails and public open space in our region. If you and other John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) supporters help raise $4 million by December 2019, Almond Ranch will be protected, completing one of the most vital missing segments of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
A Birthday Present For The Ages Protecting 281-acre Almond Ranch has been a priority for conservationists for thirty years at least. The East Bay Regional Park District has pledged $1 million to the campaign. Described as the “proverbial missing piece” along the Franklin Ridge in Martinez, here all benefits of land conservation literally intersect. The ranch protects habitat and clean water, offers close-to-home recreation, and makes trail connections that have been on wish lists for decades. The sweeping views of the surrounding hills, Mount Diablo, Suisun Bay, and Carquinez Strait are breathtaking.
Connections The connections have many people most excited. The ranch is one of only two remaining acquisitions needed to complete the 50-mile Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail. The property connects for the first time three huge landscapes that comprise fully 18,000 acres of protected open space vital to the health and wellbeing of native wildlife. Protecting Almond Ranch would open the locked gate that today blocks hikers seeking to proceed along this missing segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
Ridge Trail Contra Costa and Alam P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
Vallejo Muir House
Gustin Ranch
Al Zampa Memorial Bridge
680
San Pablo Bay
Benicia
Suisun Bay
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Crockett Hills Regional Park
Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline
680
4
FERNANDEZ RANCH
GUSTIN RANCH
Pinole Watershed Lands
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Briones Regional Park
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Sobrante Ridge Preserve
Feeder Trail #
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Wildcat Canyon backpack camp
Wildcat Canyon • Regional Park
Briones Reservoir
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West Hills Farm
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•
Ranch
group camps
MOUNT WANDA WEST HILLS FARM
campground i
BrickyardMt.site family Wanda camp
Crockett Hills Regional Park Stonehurst
4 Almond Ranch
DUTRA RANCH SKY RANCH
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Crockett Almond
Sky Ranch
Martinez
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•
John Muir National Historic Site
Dutra Ranch
Benicia Sta Rec. Area
Brio Reg
Briones Reservoir
Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail
E
Wildcat View and Es Anderson Equestrian Camp E New Woodland Vollmer Peak ST RAT EG IC REG IONA L M A P Group Camps Tilden Regional Park Thirty years ago park visionary William Penn Mott, Jr., a legendary figure who served as Director of the National Park Service Y Orinda Camp uniting the ridges as well as East Bay Regional Park District and California State Parks, proposed aGillespie big idea.Youth He imagined Sibley encircling the Bay Area into one continuous park connected via a 550-mile loop trail. Today, 375 miles of the Bay Area Ridge Backpack Trail are open and ready to explore. Bit-by-bit, sections are being knit together by land trusts, agencies, and conservation Camp Sibley Volcan groups working to complete Mott’s audacious vision.
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
Berkeley
Round Top
Sibley (McCo In Contra Costa County, forty-three of a planned forty-nine miles of trail are completed. Almond Ranch is one of the most• vital missing segments—not just in the county, but in the entire Bay Area. Thanks to you and other JMLT supporters, we hope to Girls Cam 13 draw a thick solid line across that broken link on the trail map! 80 Trai
80
24
Oakland
Joaquin Miller Park
Sequoia Area (Metropolitan Horsemen’s Association)
E
Redwood Peak
1619'
Alameda
Redwood Regional Park
Bort Meadow Cam
580
880
Anthony C Region
Anthony Chabot Fam
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PAG E N I N E
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an
JMLT: Thirty Years BY THE NUMBERS Neighbors in Martinez discuss protecting a place nextdoor. JMLT is incorporated as The Martinez Regional Land Trust. Success! The 150-acre Stonehurst property is saved.
JMLT
STON EHURST
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
1992
1989
MOUNT WANDA
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
Four acres of community gardens are established in Martinez. Local elementary students acquire green thumbs! JMLT
COMMUNITY GARDENS
JMLT
BODFISH PRESERVE
2003
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
Mt Wanda, named for Muir’s daughter, and its surrounding 325 acres are added to the John Muir National Historic Site. JMLT
Dream-like woodlands and trails become a beloved community treasure at Bodfish Preserve.
2004
Dutra Ranch. When walking the historic Dutra Loop Trail it is fun to imagine how the land was used in the late 1800’s. JMLT
D U T RA RA N C H
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
1997
2005
Fernandez Ranch. These first 702 acres offer stunning views of San Francisco Bay.
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
1998
Sky Ranch. Many historic trails converge on its 247 acres. It is named Sky because, well, you feel like you’re on top of it all. JMLT
SKY RANCH
2010
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JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
Restoration begins at Pacheco Marsh. The scars of 100+ years of industrial activity begin to disappear. JMLT
PACHECO MARSH
2001
West Hills Farm. This 44-acre former fruit farm is aquired, soon to be another addition to the John Muir National Historic Site. JMLT MHLT
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
2002
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GU ST I N R ANCH
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
Gustin Ranch. On the verge of being subdivided for development, visitors to these 80 acres now divide their time taking in its gorgeous views. Also, JMLT protects one of the last-known stands of Contra Costa Goldfields, an endangered wildflower.
2016 High hopes that Painted Rock and Almond Ranch will be added to this list.
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WEST HILLS FARM
2015
JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST
“Batwing” is acquired, soon to be a delightful 20-acre neighborhood park in Lafayette.
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ACALANES RIDGE
OI H N NDD TTRRUU SS TT MJ U R N H EM RU I TIARG EL A LA
Franklin Canyon. Now merged into Fernandez Ranch, protecting these 483 acres was made possible by local citizen activists. Also Acalanes Ridge is saved. People who love Mount Diablo discover a new favorite place for viewing it.
Carr Ranch. Its pristine 604 acres provide clean drinking water to tens of thousands and essential habitat for endangered and threatened wildlife.
2019
P ro te ct i n g t he p la ces that m ake the E as t Bay s peci al
Our Newest Acquisition: Batwing Tucked into suburban Lafayette, the 20-acre Batwing property is a wonderful example of an intimate neighborhood parkin-the-making. So named because its shape resembles a flying bat, the property offers steep trails for young explorers and quiet sanctuaries of moss-covered trees for more reflective hikers. In January, Lafayette City Council voted unanimously to spend $1.8 million to acquire the hilly property with the assistance of John Muir Land Trust. Once zoned for a maximum of 40 housing units, Batwing will instead help the city to achieve nearly half its goal of adding 44 acres of new parkland. The acquisition illustrates the vital role that land trusts play in local conservation. JMLT negotiated a purchase agreement with the landowner, then conducted necessary due diligence by commissioning geotechnical reports, an environmental assessment, and title research. JMLT identified funding sources including an East Bay Regional Park District Measure WW grant. JMLT will soon acquire the property and convey it to the City of Lafayette, then work collaboratively to open Batwing for public access. View photos and aerial photography at jmlt.org/batwing
DONOR SPOTLIGHT Randy & Maile Williams Giving New Meaning To The Term Angel Investor Orinda resident Randy Williams founded Keiretsu Forum in September 2000. Today, with 53 chapters on four continents, Keiretsu Forum is the largest angel investment community in the world. Just as important to Randy is the Keiretsu Forum Charitable Foundation. Since its inception, 114 deserving charities have been granted sizable donations. “Whether you are investing for shareholder return, or to provide positive value for the welfare of all, the principles are the same,” says Randy. “Look for opportunities where each dollar invested will yield benefits many times that.” This is why Randy and his wife Maile are such enthusiastic supporters of John Muir Land Trust. “Investing in the protection of open space has a practically infinite return. The benefits of nature to our health and well-being are tangible today and each place we protect is a lasting gift to future generations.” Randy grew up in Orinda, received a Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in Conservation of Natural Resources, then a Master’s from Saint Mary’s College of California. He and Maile want to see the natural landscape where their children grew up preserved for future generations. “It’s our commitment to them,” says Maile. They have been major supporters of the Campaign To Save Painted Rock, and urge others in the East Bay to join in! “Painted Rock is an icon, but also a place of natural wonder. It’s our responsibility as residents of this area to preserve it forever.” PAG E E L E V 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
CARR RANCH
Painted Rock Follow us on social media
QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS Many people age 70 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 attractive. Be sure to talk to your tax advisor. For more info call: Krista Vossekuil (925) 228-5040
Save the Date!
TWILIGHT AT FERNANDEZ RANCH Thursday, August 15, 2019 • 5:30 - 9:30pm
Save the date! Bring the whole family out for an evening of stargazing, food trucks, games, and wildlife encounters.
JMLT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our taxpayer identification number is 68-0194652.
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