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H O R I ZO N S Protecting the places that make the East Bay special
W IN T E R 2024/2 02 5
BAY DELTA CAMPAIGN A VITAL ECOSYSTEM AT RISK Few conservation priorities are as important as restoring and protecting the land and water of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As a top strategic initiative for John Muir Land Trust (JMLT), the Bay Delta Campaign is protecting threatened places that are essential to the health of the region’s freshwater and marine habitats. The Bay Delta is an environmental, economic, and cultural resource with almost no equal. And yet, 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. Generations ago, the region supported abundant upstream freshwater marshes and downstream salt marshes and mudflats. Tragically, more than 90% of historic tidal wetlands have been lost over the decades. Climate change will increase the region’s fragility, bringing saltwater into freshwater areas and placing additional pressure on weakened levees. The good news is that conservationists are working to mitigate these trends. While years of progress have produced great results, there is much more to do. continues on page 3
WHY THIS MATTERS • More than 25 million Californians depend on the Delta for drinking water, and the system supplies water to millions of acres of farmland where almost half of America’s produce is grown. • The Bay Delta forms the largest estuary on the western coast of the two Americas and drains more than 40 percent of the fresh water in California. • This ecosystem supports 700 native species. As a major stop on the Pacific Flyway, nearly half of California's migrating waterfowl and shorebirds pass through it. • Salt marshes along the Bay provide essential nutrients, refuge, and nursery habitat for two-thirds of the state's spawning salmon and for ocean fisheries species along the Pacific coast. • The Bay Delta supports farmers and the livelihoods of millions of residents in communities adjacent to its waterways. • The health of the Bay Delta is crucial for wildlife preservation, the state’s economy, public welfare, and our quality of life.
what’s INSIDE
Executive Director’s Message.......................... 2 Recognizing Two Leaders................................ 2 Bay Delta Campaign..................................... 3-5 Annual Report.................................................6 By the Numbers..............................................7
Franklin Ridge - Time to Celebrate! ..............8-9 Donor Spotlight........................................10-11 Fresh Aire Affaire..........................................11 Nature Talk ..................................................12 Harvest Festival............................................12
Sniffing for Lions...........................................13 Become a Sustainer!.....................................13 Stewarding the Land................................14-15 Legacy Match Challenge...............................16
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