Diablo Watch
Diablo Watch
FALL / WINTER 2024 Number 78
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jim Felton, President
Burt Bassler, Treasurer
Giselle Jurkanin, VP & Secretary
Keith Alley
Steve Balling
John Gallagher
Liz Harvey Roberts
Claudia Hein
Scott Hein
Maga Kisriev
Shirley Langlois
Bob Marx
Doug Matthew
Amara Morrison
Phil O’Loane
Robert Phelps
Malcolm Sproul
Jeff Stone
Achilleus Tiu
STAFF
Ted Clement, Executive Director
Seth Adams, Land Conservation Director
Sean Burke, Land Programs Director
Karen Ferriere, Development Director
Monica Oei, Finance & Administration Director
Tuesday Bentley, Accounting & Administrative Associate
Venanzio Favalora and Alyxa Ray, Caretakers
Juan Pablo Galván Martínez, Senior Land Use Manager
Shannon Grover, Sr. Development Associate & Event Manager
Dana Halpin, Administrative Assistant
Brit Hutchinson, Event Coordinator
Samantha Kading, Assistant Development Director
Morvarid Keymanesh, Staff Accountant
Laura Kindsvater, Senior Communications Manager
Queenie Li, Database Coordinator
Katie Lopez, Staff Accountant & Office Administrator
Roxana Lucero, Land Stewardship Manager
Mary Nagle, Communications Associate
Kendra Smith, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Haley Sutton , Land Stewardship Associate
Cecilia Zefeldt, Executive Assistant
Dear Supporters,
From the Executive Director
Edward Sortwell Clement, Jr. Executive Director, Save Mount Diablo
There is widespread recognition we must do more to protect nature in this time of the climate and biodiversity crises. The Land Trust Alliance, which serves the nation’s land trusts, has called for land trusts to double the amount of their conserved land by the end of this decade.
Simply doing more land conservation transactions is not enough. We must be highly strategic in how we do our land transactions.
For example, we must look to conserve lands rich in conservation values connected to other significant open spaces—the protection of which helps secure large natural systems like watersheds or mountain ranges. Intact natural systems are resilient.
This type of strategic thinking led Save Mount Diablo to recently expand its geographic scope to cover Mount Diablo’s sustaining 200-mile-long Diablo Range—an immense wildlife habitat corridor rich in conservation values and charismatic species (like California condors) with over 3.5 million acres of land, mostly open space, of which only about 25 percent is currently protected.
This is why we are working to acquire properties like Ginochio Schwendel Ranch within the Diablo Range and Marsh Creek watershed.
However, being more strategic transactionally is not enough.
The climate and biodiversity crises are evidence of our failing relationship with our natural world—so we must address this deeper problem and positively transform our relationship with nature.
We have greatly expanded our educational efforts over the last few years to help people grow their relationship with, and love for, nature. Our new Young Diablo Explorers program for third to fifth graders is an example.
We must also advocate for more positive change and be willing to speak out against proposals that threaten our natural world, which we rely on for life itself. We must keep our area a desirable place to live, work, and visit. This is why we have been working for passage of Proposition 4, a statewide climate bond, and Measure A, a slow-growth measure in San Benito County, in November. It is why we are campaigning against Measure II in Dublin that threatens the Urban Limit Line we helped establish in 2014.
Thank you, because your generous support is making our expanded conservation work possible during these challenging times!
With Gratitude,
Protecting the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch
A critical piece of the Marsh Creek watershed
By Mary Nagle and Seth Adams
We need to raise $1.455 million to permanently protect the 98-acre Ginochio Schwendel Ranch, a key parcel in the Marsh Creek watershed, by this December.
AT THE END OF 2023 , Save Mount Diablo optioned the ranch for $30,000, giving us one year to raise the funds necessary to purchase and manage the property.
The parcel would be the first piece of land that Save Mount Diablo purchases directly from the Ginochio family, which owns nearly 7,000 acres in Contra Costa County, including the most important ranches remaining west, north, and east of Mount Diablo.
Rare habitat: connecting Mount Diablo to the Delta
Marsh Creek is a ribbon of life connecting Mount Diablo to the Delta, tracing a vital wildlife corridor through a rapidly developing area. Starting at Marsh Creek’s
headwaters, a single drop of water will flow from Mount Diablo’s eastern side and wind through Contra Costa County before ending up in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
Marsh Creek is Contra Costa County’s most undisturbed creek, and is the county’s second-longest creek at 33 miles. As the creek twists and turns through the land, it supports a wide swath of habitat within Mount Diablo and its foothills.
The biodiversity of the GinochioSchwendel Ranch is unmistakable, sustained by both Marsh Creek and the area’s unique geology—which includes rare volcanic domes made up of highsilica igneous rock.
Piece by piece, for decades, we have been working to secure a permanently
protected wildlife corridor along Marsh Creek, giving wildlife a path from Mount Diablo to the Delta that is uninterrupted by development.
“I have partnered with Save Mount Diablo for many years on conservation projects, and they have an outstanding reputation,” said Diane Burgis, Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor, in a letter supporting the acquisition.
“They are a nationally accredited land trust that has been a leading force for land conservation in Contra Costa County for over 50 years,” she added.
So far, Save Mount Diablo and our partners have protected more than 120,000 acres in the Mount Diablo area.
This protected land includes properties that Save Mount Diablo has permanently secured through
land acquisition. One of these properties, Marsh Creek 5, directly borders the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch. The acquisition of the ranch would create a larger continuous protected area along Marsh Creek and be a significant step toward additional preservation of this critically important watershed.
Building healthy wild lands
Volunteers are regularly invited outside to help restore these properties; in 2024, our Diablo Restoration Team volunteers helped our stewardship team plant hundreds of native trees and plants on our Marsh Creek properties, improving habitat for wildlife like western pond turtles and native fishes.
“We know that Save Mount Diablo does a great job stewarding the land under its care with its talented staff and committed volunteers,” stated Abigail Fateman, Executive Director of
the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy.
“Save Mount Diablo is an important and impactful conservation partner in Contra Costa County.”
Though much work remains to be done, the Marsh Creek watershed’s future looks brighter than ever.
As more of the watershed is protected and more of its habitat is restored, we look forward to seeing the return of more kinds of wildlife that historically inhabited the Mount Diablo region.
Wildlife is already starting to come back, thanks to restoration efforts throughout the watershed.
A flock of California condors was tracked soaring above Mount Diablo last year, the first flock recorded in the area in more than a century.
In recent years, American badgers have been seen in two parts
Will you help?
To acquire and protect the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch, we must raise $1.455 million by this December.
Please help us save this high-priority parcel within the Marsh Creek watershed.
Make a gift at bit.ly/ Schwendel
of the Marsh Creek watershed, Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch property, and near Sand Creek, a tributary of Marsh Creek. Chinook salmon have also been spotted in the lower reaches of Marsh Creek.
Perhaps, if we give them a chance, one day we’ll see animals like tule elk return. •
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Blue oak woodland at Ginochio Schwendel Ranch; John Ginochio, part of the cattle ranching family that owns large ranches across Mount Diablo; Pacific hound’s tongue—the property’s unusual soils provide habitat for a variety of rare and endemic plants and animals.
PHOTOS BY: MARY NAGLE, LAURA
San Benito County, Heart of the Diablo Range
How Save Mount Diablo is expanding our work into other areas
By Seth Adams and Alexander Broom
Nestled
in the heart of the Diablo Range, San Benito County is a region of natural beauty and biodiversity. It is home to the tallest peak in the Diablo Range, San Benito Mountain, offering stunning vistas, tranquility, unique wildlife and geology, and diverse ecosystems.
SAVE MOUNT DIABLO, dedicated to preserving natural land, recently expanded our efforts into this area. Our focus on conservation, education, advocacy, supporting grassroots movements, developing major partnerships, and providing information on recreation aims to benefit both nature and local communities.
Ongoing conservation movements in San Benito County
The Diablo Range stretches 200 miles, covering 3.5 million acres across 12 counties. Despite its size, only about 25 percent of the range is protected. San Benito County, with its Mediterranean climate and diverse flora and fauna, represents a significant part of this range, yet only 19 percent is protected.
This gap highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts and aligns with California’s 30x30 efforts. One major threat to San Benito County, which has a population of about 68,000, is rapid, uncontrolled development. The county has seen a 43 percent reduction in farmland since the mid-1980s. The fertile land of the northern county is at risk of disappearing within a generation. This development pressure, along with a lack of infrastructure, threatens the county’s rural character and natural resources. Save Mount Diablo, in collaboration with grassroots organizations including Protect San Benito, is leading efforts to address these threats. Protect San Benito has been key in halting oil fracking in the county.
Protect San Benito is also
leading a campaign for a growthcontrol initiative, Measure A, on the November 2024 ballot. Measure A, “Empower Voters to Make Land Use Decisions,” seeks to give residents a say in land development, ensuring growth is sustainable and aligned with community values.
The San Benito River
San Benito County public lands map
One recent development in Save Mount Diablo’s work is creating a public lands map for San Benito County. This map will showcase the county’s natural assets and provide information on exploring these areas
responsibly. It will feature key sites such as the Clear Creek Management Area, Panoche Valley, Pinnacles National Park, and San Benito Mountain.
Pinnacles National Park, in the western part of San Benito County, is a geological marvel and wildlife haven, especially for the endangered California
condor. The park’s rock formations, remnants of an ancient volcanic field, create a dramatic landscape of spires, talus caves, and cliffs.
Visitors can enjoy hiking, rock climbing, bird-watching, and exploring the park’s caves. The park’s trail system offers routes for all levels, from
The Panoche Valley and Hills in San Benito County are an incredible refuge for wildflowers and wildlife.
leisurely walks to challenging climbs. Pinnacles National Park is crucial for condor conservation; the park is one of the release sites for the California Condor Recovery Program.
This program is supported, in part, by Save Mount Diablo through our Dr. Mary Bowerman Science and Research grant program. Visitors have the unique opportunity to see these magnificent birds in their natural habitat. Pinnacles also offers educational programs and guided tours on the area’s geology, ecology, and history.
The Clear Creek Management Area, covering 75,000 acres, is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. With elevations
from 1,830 to 5,241 feet, it offers activities like hunting, camping, hiking, and gem collecting. San Benito Mountain, the highest peak in the Diablo Range at 5,241 feet, provides panoramic views of the Pinnacles, Panoche Valley, Central Valley, and Sierra Nevada.
The mountain’s rugged terrain and diverse flora and fauna make it a prime destination for outdoor activities. The area is home to over 150 semiprecious minerals and gemstones, including serpentine, jadeite, cinnabar, tremolite, topazite, neptunite, and the rare California state gem, benitoite.
Joaquin Rocks, located in the southern portion of the Clear Creek
Management Area, features three large sandstone outcroppings. These rocks are accessible by a challenging hike along Joaquin Ridge. The solitude and natural beauty of Joaquin Rocks makes the area ideal for hiking, bird-watching, and photography.
Laguna Mountain Recreation Area, known for its scenic waterfalls and rolling hills, offers a more accessible option for visitors. With developed campgrounds and multiple trailheads, it is perfect for camping, hiking, and picnicking. The area supports a wide range of wildlife, providing ample opportunities for nature observation and photography.
PHOTO
Recent victories and the fights ahead
The battle to preserve San Benito County’s natural heritage is ongoing. Don’t Dump on San Benito’s recent victory against the proposed expansion of the John Smith Road landfill, which would have quadrupled the size of an existing garbage dump, is a testament to community action.
Grassroots groups, supported by Save Mount Diablo, opposed the project because of concerns about air pollution, water contamination, and increased traffic. Although the application was withdrawn, similar proposals may resurface, requiring continued vigilance and advocacy.
San Benito County stands at a crossroads. Will it become a model of sustainable development, known for its farms, parks, and historic towns, or will it succumb to unchecked growth? The answer lies in the hands of its residents and supporters.
Join us
Together, we can ensure this remarkable region remains a place of natural beauty and tranquility for generations to come.
Save Mount Diablo is committed to helping San Benito County navigate this path. We are focused on creating parks and trails and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. We invite you to join us in this effort. •
Sign up for our email list
To receive updates on the public lands map and other initiatives: bit.ly/sanbenco
Watch our new video
Learn more about the issues facing the county and how you can help! bit.ly/benitovideo
ABOVE : San Benito County activists stopped a proposed landfill expansion earlier this year and put a smart growth measure on this November’s ballot, with major funding from Save Mount Diablo.
ABOVE : Acorn woodpecker in San Benito County, part of the amazing biodiversity found there. BELOW: Map of California condors’ flights over the Diablo Range to the Mount Diablo area.
Vote Yes on Proposition 4 California’s $10 billion climate bond!
By Juan Pablo Galván Martínez
ON NOVEMBER 5, California voters will have the chance to vote on the single largest publicly funded climate investment in state history. Wildfire, wildlife habitat, drinking water, and clean air are all targeted for support. Proposition 4 allocates $10 billion to help prepare Californians for the impacts of climate change.
• $3.8 Billon for Safe Drinking Water: Water projects, removing toxic pollutants from water supplies, improving dams and other waterway infrastructure, investing in water recycling and conservation, and cost-effectively increasing water supply.
• $1.5 Billion for Wildfire Prevention: Improved response to wildfire and reducing damage,
including by forest thinning and increasing controlled ecological burning, or “good fire.”
• $1.2 Billion for Coastal Protection from Sea Level Rise: Restoring beaches, wetlands, and other coastal habitats.
• $1.2 Billion for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change: Preventing species extinctions, restoring habitats on land and at sea, healthier fisheries.
• $850 Million for Clean Air: Renewable energy and clean air.
• $700 Million for More Parks and Access: Enhancing green spaces, creating more of them, and increasing public access to protected natural lands.
• $450 Million for Extreme Heat Protections: Cooling centers in
Save Mount Diablo Land Stewardship Associate Haley Sutton served as a volunteer firefighter for the first controlled burn in Mount Diablo State Park in 20 years this spring. Proposition 4, if passed, will provide muchneeded funding for controlled burns, which help to prevent catastrophic wildfires.
cities, more trees and their cooling shade in urban areas.
• $300 Million for Climate Smart Food Production: Supporting sustainable agricultural practices on farms and ranches, climate-friendly tech upgrades.
Will the Diablo region see any of this money? Absolutely!
In fact, $80 million will be specially dedicated to the greater Diablo Range through the San Andreas Corridor Program, referring to the famous geological fault line that runs through a good part of the Diablo Range. This money will be used to protect and restore wildlife corridors in our area. As the climate changes, animals and plants will need to be able to shift their ranges in response to often-
ABOVE: View of a critically important wildlife corridor that connects Mount Diablo to its sustaining Diablo Range. BELOW: A coyote spotted in this wildlife corridor. The climate bond, if passed, will allocate $80 million to protect and restore wildlife corridors in the greater Diablo Range.
times hotter, drier conditions. We are working to keep the Diablo Range as a largely naturally intact north-south corridor to make this possible.
The reality of human-caused climate change is clearer and more severe every year. Just six years after the Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, burned an area larger than the City of San Francisco, destroyed the town of Paradise, and killed 85 people, this summer, the Park Fire started just a few miles away from Paradise and has grown to become the fourthlargest fire in California history. It has burned more than 429,000 acres, almost 1.5 times the size of the City of Los Angeles.
Extreme heat, drought, and other consequences of emitting carbon
ABOVE: A ferruginous hawk soars above the Panoche Valley in the Diablo Range. BELOW: Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve. The climate bond would provide $1.9 billion dollars for nature-based solutions to climate change, including habitat restoration for wildlife, and more parks, if voters pass it this November.
pollution into our atmosphere are severe threats to both people in the Diablo region, and the wildlife and natural landscapes we love.
Just as true as the monumental challenge of climate change: lots of good things for the climate are also happening. Fast growth of renewable energy; increased urgency to protect our natural carbon sinks in our wetlands, forests, and hills; and ever-growing acceptance around the world of the fact that humans are the cause, and the solution, to this problem, are the start of climate action at the level we need to confront this crisis.
To halt and reverse climate change and the loss of the wildlife and habitats we love, and also to prepare ourselves for the impacts we are bound to face,
dedicating more money to actual solutions is essential.
That’s where California’s Proposition 4 comes in, and that’s why we support it.
Save Mount Diablo serves on the Board of the Committee for Clean Water, Natural Resources, and Parks, which has a seat on the official Yes on Prop. 4 campaign. In addition to our time, input, and assistance we give to the campaign for Proposition 4, we made a financial contribution to the campaign because we believe it is critically important we work on many fronts helping address the climate and biodiversity crises. •
» Vote YES on Proposition 4 this November.
Save Mount Diablo Defends the 2014 Dublin Urban Limit Line
No on Dublin Measure II:
Protect
the only
green space left between Dublin and Livermore
By Juan Pablo Galván Martínez
The City of Dublin, one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, is trying to destroy the last remaining open space between it and the City of Livermore. Defend the green buffer and defend the Urban Limit Line we helped create in 2014. Dublin, vote NO on Measure II (ii in lower case)!
SAVE MOUNT DIABLO AND ALLIES in Dublin and Livermore have launched a campaign to stop this Dublin city measure on this November’s ballot that calls for the annexation of the southern end of Doolan Canyon.
Southern Doolan Canyon is located along Highway 580 and is the site of the beautiful Crosby property between Fallon Road and Airway Boulevard.
The supposed purpose of the annexation would be to construct an extension of Dublin Boulevard and connect it with North Canyons Parkway in Livermore, north of I-580.
We’re fine with the road, but the problem is, Dublin also wants to put commercial development all along the Crosby property, destroying the
only open space between Dublin and Livermore.
What kind of development? The city’s consultants have said the area is ideal for huge warehouses and semitruck shipping operations.
A road extension could help circulation, but such unnecessary development would overwhelm any improvements, and cut off the only wildlife corridor in the flat land of the valley. Air pollution, noise, and increased traffic are not what Dublin residents want.
Development along the road would also impact Cottonwood Creek, and bust the 10-year-old Urban Limit Line for commercial development on the greenbelt between Dublin and Livermore, at the request of the owner of
the Crosby property. This area is the only green space separator left between the two cities. Time has shown that merging multiple cities into one with development, LA sprawl style, is never a good idea.
Ten years ago, Save Mount Diablo and other community groups sponsored an initiative that created an Urban Limit Line on the east side of Dublin. That line prevents urban development, like warehouse complexes and residential subdivisions, from being built past it.
Our Urban Limit Line initiative was adopted by the Dublin City Council in June 2014, but then we had to defend it from the “Dublin Preserve” developers’
Dublin voters have the opportunity to defeat Measure II this November and preserve the last remaining open space between Dublin and Livermore, which is critical for wildlife. Pictured here: Doolan Canyon.
Measure T in November 2014. They wanted to build a 2,000-housing-unit development called “Dublin Preserve” on 2,000 acres in Doolan Canyon.
We won in a landslide with 84 percent of the vote.
Many of the same partners who helped us win in 2014 are part of our current campaign.
We’ve already submitted ballot arguments, and have gathered funds for signs, social media, and mailers to inform Dublin residents about what exactly is at stake.
We’ve also filed a legal challenge against the City of Dublin’s decision to put this measure on the ballot without any kind of environmental review. If they have plans to put huge warehouses and shipping facilities on this land, that’s a project that could impact the environment, and that requires review under the California Environmental Quality Act. No such review was performed.
The Dublin City Council vote in
July that put this measure on the ballot was three to two. Councilmember Kashef Qaadri and Mayor Michael McCorriston voted against putting it on the ballot; Vice Mayor Sherry Hu and Councilmembers Jean Josey and Janine Thalblum voted for it.
Councilmember Qaadri and Mayor McCorriston rightly cited large negative environmental impacts, big financial questions, and that the project is premature while Dublin negotiates with Livermore on a compromise for the road. It’s so premature that if Dublin annexes the land, $50 million that Livermore would provide to build
the road extension would be lost, and all costs would be on Dublin. That doesn’t make financial sense.
Measure II is premature, has no environmental review to back it up, saddles Dublin residents with all the costs, and calls for massive unnecessary commercial development of the only open space remaining between Dublin and Livermore, which would cause a huge increase in traffic, air pollution, and noise in Dublin. •
» Dublin, vote NO on Measure II.
Discovering Wildlife of the 200-Mile Diablo Range
Our 2024 BioBlitzes
By Sean Burke
THIS YEAR FOR OUR BIOBLITZES,
Save Mount Diablo continued our exploration further south, expanding to cover the entire length of the Diablo Range. Our two-week public BioBlitz focused on inviting our communities into open spaces up and down the map so people could have the experience of getting to know these beautiful wild places firsthand.
Known havens like Mount Diablo, Pinnacles National Park, Del Puerto Canyon, and Coyote Ridge were on our list, but lesser-known places like Clear Creek, San Benito Mountain, Laguna Mountain, and Coalinga Mineral Springs were also included.
Save Mount Diablo volunteers and staff traveled to these majestic areas and used our iNaturalist project (like our previous years’ public events) to document species and help everyone learn and understand more about this spectacular mountain range.
For this year’s events, we had 1,180 observations and 837 species recorded on iNaturalist, with incredible biodiversity witnessed—from amphibians to insects to mammals and fungi— and for the first time at a Save Mount Diablo BioBlitz, a California condor.
Our 24-hour BioBlitz was something very special. Nearly 40 invited specialists traveled to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve (SAVER). The reserve, which is closed to the public, is teeming with biodi-
versity. Entomologists, naturalists, geologists, wildlife biologists, and botanists traveled to this wild and varied plateau found in between Del Puerto Canyon and Mount Hamilton, and were delighted to explore the area and make observations.
The SAVER property is nearly 4,000 acres, so we used utility terrain vehicles and my Forester to shuttle
guests into focus areas, so participants could maximize their time spent on the land. At around 7 PM, many participants had a break for dinner back at our campsite at Frank Raines Regional Park in Del Puerto Canyon; some called it a night, but others were just getting started.
A group of entomologists, led by UC Berkeley Professor Kip Will, set up a black-light blanket and numerous other insect traps around the reserve, so we could more accurately observe insect diversity in the area. We traveled into the wee hours of the night, witnessing nocturnal species like western toads, scorpions, and centipedes who also were just getting their “days” started.
Rain came on the second day of our 24-hour BioBlitz, but the event was truly a success. We documented more than 400 species of plants and animals during these 24 hours, and in another first for a Save Mount Diablo BioBlitz, we saw tule elk, bald eagles, and a mountain lion. Amazing finds! •
We were extremely fortunate to have staff from OpenRoad with Doug McConnell & Friends filming our 24-hour BioBlitz. Dan and Jordan are excellent people and exceptional professionals, and sharing this experience with them was a delight.
You can watch this Open Road episode on our YouTube channel at bit.ly/ bioblitz24dr.
PHOTOS BY: SCOTT HEIN, SEAN BURKE, OPENROAD WITH DOUG MCCONNELL & FRIENDS
Our New Program Gets Younger Kids into Nature
By Kendra Smith
WE’RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW PROGRAM, called the Young Diablo Explorers program, which focuses on third to fifth graders. Our journey began with two years of planning, driven by the passion, creativity, and generosity of renowned environmental educator Judy Adler and our dedicated Education Committee, including Dawn Lezak, a science teacher at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School. It’s a shared vision—together we’ve created a program that allows us to use our Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve to immerse younger elementary school students in nature.
“Nature needs kids to explore its endless bounty and to learn how best to protect its fragility. Stepping outside the confines of a classroom to hike through grasslands, across a creek, and under the shade of oak trees is an engaging firsthand experience in and with nature; a true field trip, better than any day spent in the classroom!” says Dawn.
Through nature journaling, studying watersheds, and learning about seeds, kids engage with the environment in meaningful ways. They also participate in stewardship projects, such as planting and protecting native tree seedlings and removing invasive plants, which contribute to the restoration and conservation of our
ecosystem. These immersive experiences introduce students to hands-on next-generation science. Not only are the benefits of spending time in nature well-documented, from enhancing health to improving well-being, but also, we’re nurturing a lasting connection between students and nature.
By engaging young learners now, we’re inspiring a lifelong appreciation for the environment. We hope to see them again, perhaps at our Discover Diablo events or as high school participants in our Diablo Conservation Experience* program.
Since launching this new program in 2023, we’ve hosted (or will later host in 2024 or early 2025) six field trips for students from Joaquin Moraga Middle School, Silverwood Elementary School,
Kids get a hands-on land stewardship lesson and a chance to learn about and enjoy nature during our third- to fifthgrade field trips.
and Holbrook Language Academy at the Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve, as well as others.
We’re excited to announce that the curriculum developed for the program is now available for free on our website at bit.ly/3to5explorers. We invite teachers to use these resources to enrich their classrooms and outdoor learning experiences.
By fostering early connections to nature, Save Mount Diablo is making a path for future environmental stewards, ensuring a continued commitment to protecting our precious natural spaces. •
*An updated name—this program was initially known as Save Mount Diablo’s Conservation Collaboration Agreement program.
Save Mount Diablo’s Extraordinary Efforts to Restore, Protect, and Reconnect Nature
By Sean Burke
WHEN IT COMES TO STEWARDSHIP
IN ACTION, Save Mount Diablo is knocking it out of the park. All the projects that we are working on as staff, partners, and volunteers around Mount Diablo are frankly mind-boggling!
Restoration at Marsh Creek 1 and 7
With grant funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, staff, volunteers, and neighbors have been busy restoring our Marsh Creek 1 and 7 properties. We’re also utilizing cattle to reduce dry non-native grasses and reduce fire risk.
We planted and mulched more than 500 plants on the banks of Marsh Creek and within a split-rail-fenced area to create and promote habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.
We fenced off the stream to protect habitat along the banks and downstream, an area with known listed species. And we’ve installed a solar-powered pump for an eight-foot-diameter wildlife trough so animals have fresh
water to drink and can escape the heat during hot months of summer.
10,000 Trees and Plants
I am absolutely thrilled that we have been working with so many students and volunteers on our 10,000 Trees and Plants project this year—we now have protected and planted more than 3,700 plants around the mountain! A lot of this success is due to our volunteer watering crew and CARES students, who hand-water many of the little tree seedlings, helping them survive into the next season.
Balcerzak inholding habitat improvement
Countless volunteers have helped us remove many tons of debris from the Balcerzak inholding, which Save Mount Diablo purchased last August. We’ve already recycled enough scrap metal to cover two football fields, and we have more to do. Many thousands of feet of fencing have been removed by the Trail Dogs, Trash Removal Project
team, and other volunteers, effectively opening the perimeter of the property and allowing wildlife to pass through. Our game cameras have shown many species of animals migrating through the area now, as the land is being returned to a wilder state.
New and improved trails
Last and certainly not least, we have been caring for our recently opened trail networks around the mountain and, with our partners, helping Mount Diablo State Park with some existing trails. It has been amazing to see so many happy people enjoying the Knobcone Point area of Curry Canyon. Those who have reserved our Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve have been super grateful as well—they’ve had the experience of connecting to a place with the freedom that only solitude can bring. Thank you to the volunteers and staff who keep these open spaces in good shape for public enjoyment. In the coming months, we will be opening more trails in the Curry Canyon area, so people can have a quiet moment to listen to the wind, the water, and the songs of birds and coyotes; look up to the mountain and witness creation through the process of time; and if they are just lucky enough, watch eagles, kestrels, or peregrines bless the Earth below. •
As a result of our volunteers’ hard work at the Balcerzak inholding, many wildlife species are now migrating through the area.
Volunteers have planted and protected 3,743 native plants, including in our pollinator garden at Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve, where a sign in Spanish says, “Habitat for Pollinators.”
This summer, we brought 73 kids outside to help care for trees and enjoy local wildlife at Curry Canyon Ranch.
Advancing Conservation to Protect Mount Diablo and Meet California’s 30x30 Goals
By Ted Clement
LAST YEAR, SAVE MOUNT DIABLO STARTED OUR BREAK THE LOGJAM CAMPAIGN because Mount Diablo State Park hasn’t added a new property since 2007—about 17 years ago! This problem is statewide; it’s not unique to Mount Diablo State Park. It is especially important to fix the problem amid the climate and biodiversity crises.
Fixing the problem will help California meet its 30x30 goals. In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20, which establishes a state goal of conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030—known as 30x30. The 30x30 goal is intended to help accelerate conservation of our lands and coastal waters through voluntary, collaborative action with partners across the state to meet three objectives: conserve and restore biodiversity, expand access to nature, and mitigate and build resilience to climate change.
of Curry Canyon Ranch, and the Balcerzak inholding within Mount Diablo State Park).
We have been going to Sacramento to talk to state officials and senior staff at California State Parks about the problem and ways to address it.
We helped California State Parks advertise their lead land acquisition position (Chief, Acquisition & Real Property) they had been trying to fill for years.
In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20, which establishes a state goal of conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.
Assorted reasons have been given for the logjam: not enough state parks staff dedicated to land acquisition work, budget issues, an overly complex and bureaucratic system that California State Parks must go through to be able to acquire new lands, etc.
Our Break the Logjam campaign has been multifaceted. We did a letter-writing campaign with the public to educate state officials about the problem and the need to come together and fix it.
We formed a working group with our good partners at California State Parks and the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy. Our group set up a monthly meeting schedule where we have been focused on getting four priority parcels added to Mount Diablo State Park (the CEMEX property, the Viera North Peak property, a 720-acre section
We formed a working group of leading conservation organizations (Save the Redwoods League, California State Parks Foundation, Sempervirens Fund, Sonoma Land Trust, Peninsula Open Space Trust, etc.) that have long-standing relationships with California State Parks as we do to advocate for change and support state parks with such change. This inspiring group of people wants to help.
Much work remains to be done, but we are starting to see encouraging signs. Recently, California State Parks hired Darla Guenzler to fill their Chief, Acquisition & Real Property position. Darla has many years of experience working with land trusts and doing land acquisition and conservation policy work. We have also been told that California State Parks is close to signing an agreement that will pave the way for it to acquire one of our four priority parcels for Mount Diablo State Park.
We are grateful for our wonderful partners and supporters, including California State Parks, for helping us advance new land acquisitions for state parks. •
ABOVE: Black Point. Save Mount Diablo has been working with California State Parks, the CEMEX corporation, and our partners on an agreement in which CEMEX would donate up to 101 acres in the Black Point area, including a section of the Black Point Trail, to Mount Diablo State Park.
Welcoming Our New Board Members, Maga and Amara!
Maga Kisriev serves on Save Mount Diablo’s Audit Committee. With more than 20 years of public accounting experience, Maga has served numerous nonprofit clients. Prior to joining his current firm, Hood & Strong, 10 years ago, Maga worked for a national accounting firm in Washington, DC. Maga participates in the California Society of CPAs Annual Nonprofit Conference planning committee and is a frequent presenter on nonprofit tax issues. Maga also has experience working directly for a nonprofit, having served as a field officer for the International Red Cross during the war in Chechnya.
Amara Morrison has more than 25 years of experience of municipal law experience. She previously served many years on our Board of Directors, and we are thrilled to have her back. As an attorney, Amara enjoys working closely with various parties on everything from land use approvals and subdivisions to capital improvement projects. Amara was named “Woman of Influence” by Globe Street Real Estate in 2019, honored as one of San Francisco Business Times’ “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” in 2020, and named a Northern California Super Lawyer® in 2023. Amara also currently serves as a Board member of the Bay Planning Coalition. Amara is an avid dressage rider and hiker and proud parent of her daughter, Islay.
Four Days Diablo
is a “gently roughing it” camping trip that leads you on an adventure through rarely seen Mount Diablo landscapes, including Save Mount Diablo’s very own signature 1,080-acre property and field station, Curry Canyon Ranch.
The most luxurious camping experience filled with discovery awaits you closer to home than you ever thought.
This route follows the 31-mile Diablo Trail across a patchwork of six regional parks and preserves linking from Walnut Creek to Livermore.
For information, visit bit.ly/4ddsmd Or email us at: fourdaysdiablo@savemountdiablo.org to reserve your spot!
DIABLO LEGACY CIRCLE
A Commitment to Nature, Youth, and Community
Phil
Matthews
and Dian Heisey-Matthews
By Samantha Kading
When
Save Mount Diablo expanded its work into the Diablo Range and encouraged supporters to explore its remote and rugged miles, Phil Matthews and Dian HeiseyMatthews took the invitation to heart.
THEY SET OUT ON A MULTIDAY ROAD TRIP, winding through Panoche Valley, Pinnacles National Park, Henry W. Coe State Park, and San Juan Bautista. Their final stop was the 50th anniversary Moonlight on the Mountain gala—quite a finish line!
Like many Save Mount Diablo community members, Phil and Dian are drawn to wide open spaces. They love to explore by road and by trail. Their enthusiastic appreciation of the natural world is inspiring, and supporters like them are at the heart of this conservation community’s growth and success.
For Dian, admiring nature is an essential part of a balanced life: “Being in nature is so important to our survival and peace of mind. We need open space to relax, to hike, to rest and take it all in.”
Phil explains his commitment to conservation this way: “I’ve learned over the years, everything is connected. Losing one piece of the natural world can disrupt it all.”
Phil and Dian’s observations reflect a central principle of Save Mount
Diablo’s conservation programs: keeping the natural world connected, and connecting people to nature, is essential work.
Phil’s commitment to community, youth, and nature extends even beyond his long-standing support and involvement with Save Mount Diablo. In 2024, he was awarded the Distinguished Citizen Award by the Pacific Skyline Council of the Boy Scouts of America for his dedication.
Over their many years of involvement, Phil and Dian have generously supported Save Mount Diablo in
many ways. Through regular annual donations, they’ve helped maintain the organization’s strong foundation. They’ve also provided additional support for time-sensitive opportunities, such as the Krane Pond acquisition and the Forever Wild campaign. And to help ensure the continued success of these conservation efforts, Phil and Dian have joined others in the Diablo Legacy Circle by planning an estate gift to help support Save Mount Diablo’s conservation work in the future.
Save Mount Diablo is deeply grateful for Phil and Dian’s support, and for the generous conservation community whose donations help protect and restore natural land on and around Mount Diablo and into the Diablo Range. •
Find out more about how you can support and be part of Save Mount Diablo’s work to protect, defend, restore, and connect people to Diablo’s wild lands.
Contact Samantha Kading at skading@savemountdiablo.org or 925-949-4513.
The Panoche Valley and Hills in the southern Diablo Range are a spectacular stronghold for wildlife.
Thank You for celebrating Moonlight on the Mountain with us!
With your generous support, we met our goal and raised more than $553,000—critical funds that will allow us to continue our work preserving the natural lands and wildlife still at risk.
More than 500 community members and elected officials came together at China Wall in Mount Diablo State Park to celebrate our successes. They raised their paddles in support of Save
Mount Diablo’s important conservation work to protect land on and around Mount Diablo and connect to and defend its sustaining Diablo Range. We are grateful to our presenting sponsor, Concord Feed; all of our other generous event sponsors; our live, silent, and online auction donors and bidders; our committed volunteers; and our guests, who made this year’s Moonlight on the Mountain gala such a fantastic and successful event.
Thank You TO OUR MOONLIGHT ON THE MOUNTAIN SPONSORS
Jeanne Thomas Charla Gabert & David Frane
Craig Songster & Carol Louisell
PHOTO BY: STEPHEN JOSEPH
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District
Tributes
TRIBUTE GIFTS and donations made in honor of or in memory of loved ones between January 1 to June 30, 2024 are listed below. Thank you to all of our supporters. Your generosity preserves, defends, and restores the mountain for all of us to enjoy!
Tribute names are indicated in bold. An asterisk (*) denotes donors who make monthly tribute gifts.
IN HONOR OF
Mary Louise Burgoyne
Bill Burgoyne
Sean Burke
Liz Harvey Roberts & Bill Roberts
Allan & Lynda Chasnoff
Beth Chasnoff Long
Bud Coleman
Lucy Coleman
Marjorie T. Colt
Rosalia Mendoza
Soren Craddick
Jack Blake
Sheren Bouchakian
Alana Kleinberger
Daniel Littell
Jim & Bette Felton
Herbert & Margaret Eder
John Gallagher
Wayne Korsinen & Donna Baggett
Virginia H. Girzadas
Laura Andes
Chrissa Ventrelle
Paul Guilkey
Anonymous
Janet Neill
Gaston Habets
Opna Bio
Gideon Bollag
Pan-Yu Chen
Ehud Drori
Kerry Inokuchi
Bernice Matusow
Hoa Nguyen
Parmveer Singh
Claudia Hein
Leslie Agostino
Cory Antonakos
Troy Bennett
DVC Chemistry
Nikki Moultrie
Thao Pham
Kimberley Schenk
Chuck Kohler
Anonymous
Brian Blatter
Lori Christian
Edward & Boonsuay Clement
Laura Constantin
Bonnie Church
Bruce & Shelli Curl
Kathleen Geddes
Tina Greibel
Phil & Susan Grover
Scott & Claudia Hein
Dorothy Hoadley
Janet Keane
Kimberley Lewis
Jeff Little
Joanne & Steve McCluhan
Lynette Toney
Kate Kunnes
Stephen Monroe
Shirley Nootbaar
Roxanne Nielsen
Christopher Oakes
Lisa & Patrick Dobbins
Bob Peoples
The Klau Family
Theresa & Antonio Ruscitti
John & Aleso Gourhan
Dee Stevens
Jean Vieth & Jan Diepersloot
Haley Sutton
Ruth & Joel Willen
Jeanne Thomas
Joan S. Armstrong
Douglas & Barbara Jones
Rosemary Thompson
Josie & John Fike
Ken-ichi Ueda
Akemi Ueda
Martha Van Wart
Dean Woerner
Jean Vieth
Eric Petry
Ronald & Barbara Winslow
Christine Winslow
Armand Annereau
Barbara Hayworth
Robert Balcerzak
Barbara Ackerman
Eugene Callahan
Marianne Callahan*
Frank Colombo
Michael Colombo
Sherrill Cook
Kat McGowan
Shannon Riggs
Annette Wolff
Sheryl Cummins
Sharon Cummins
Ronald de Golia
Bob & Cindy Brittain
Jeff & Diane Burnham
Kelly Collins
Jim & Jennifer Jennings
Jerene Meissert & Michael Robey
Nancy Siegel
Martha Whittaker
Albert W. DeRouen IV
Lynne DeRouen
Juanita Dickson
Carol Baxter
Carolyn Hall
Hilary Honore
Carolyn Knapp
Wilma Rader
Dorothy Duff Brown
Catherine Brown
Sheila Humphreys
Anna Louise Ferri
Larry Ferri*
Nancy B. From
Bryn Zalud
Beatrice Gordon & Norwel Gordon
Gaynel Wilhoyte
Warren Gutzwiller
Brad & Diana Sage
James Hale
MaryJo Cass
Jane & Ronald Hufft
Bob Koupal
Biniam Ayele
Broadcom
Cindy Cui
Michael Frank
Ken Hilla
Joomin Jung
Myungsoo Kang
Andy Kim
Gi Bum Kim
Osam Kwon
Michael Leary
Brad Lee
Seung-Won Paek
Hans Rohdin
Dan Stoneking
Verna F. Kruse
Katherine Brisby
Tiffany Jones
Victoria & David Jones
Margaret Kruse
Diana & Joseph Lucido
Nanci Treichelt
Josephine Leung
Mark Nakano
Catherine MacDonald
Janet Grant
Janet Montes
Terry & Glenn Gonzalez*
Elizabeth Ann Newfield
Anthony Newfield
Les Overlock
John Tullis
Cindy Phillips
Emily & Mark Pollard
Donna Rosenberg
Robin White
Keith Rea
Tom, Bernie, & George
Bernadette Abela & Tom Young
Kathy Rea
Marvin Schinnerer
Mary Schinnerer
Rebecca A. Smith
Lori Steere
Jane Sweet
Laura Sweet
Vivian Sweigart
Terry & Glenn Gonzalez*
Frieda Thorndike
Carol & Bob Lowitz
Robert M. Toronyi
Jacqueline & Dave Stutts
Ernie Tovani
Marge Tovani
Gilbert & Florence Van de Water
Margo Tarver
Harvey Wall
Leslie Oakes
Gene Wong
Mark Nakano
Jeanne Young
Mark Nakano
We have made every effort to accurately spell names. If your name or donation has not been recorded correctly or was mistakenly omitted, we offer our apologies. Please contact us so that we can amend our records by sending an email to Queenie Li, Database Coordinator, at qli@savemountdiablo.org.
Become a part of a dedicated group of supporters who make automatic monthly gifts to sustain the ongoing work and programs of Save Mount Diablo all year long.
Monthly giving is one of the easiest and most effective ways to give.
• You can start, change, or stop at any time.
• Your dependable support helps our team respond to unexpected conservation opportunities and also allows us to budget and plan for long-term projects.
• With no reminders or extra mail, monthly giving is green giving, and more of your contribution goes directly to supporting conservation in your community.
Learn more and sign up at bit.ly/SMDgive.
PHOTO BY: SCOTT HEIN
201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 190
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
TEL: 925-947-3535
www.savemountdiablo.org
Make a Gift through Your IRA
A tax-saving way to support Mount Diablo today
IF YOU’RE 70½ YEARS OR OLDER, supporting Save Mount Diablo with a gift through your individual retirement account (IRA) may be a great way to give.
IRA gifts offer a variety of benefits for you and the charities you support. A charitable distribution from your IRA (often called a “charitable rollover” or “qualified charitable distribution” or “QCD”) is an easy way to give from your appreciated assets.
When these gifts are made directly from your IRA to a charity, the distribution is not included in your taxable income. This means you can avoid income tax that would otherwise be due on IRA withdrawals. Plus, your qualified charitable distribution could be counted toward your required minimum distribution for the year, as long as certain rules are met.
To qualify:
• You must be 70½ or older at the time you make your gift
• The transfer must go directly from your IRA to Save Mount Diablo to avoid income tax obligations
• In 2024, individuals who are 70½ or older may donate up to $105,000 in qualified charitable distributions from their IRA
• You cannot receive anything of value in return for your gift
To learn more, please visit bit.ly/irasmd or contact Samantha Kading at skading@savemountdiablo.org or 925-949-4513
Because Save Mount Diablo cannot offer legal or tax advice, we recommend that you work with qualified financial and legal advisors before making your gift.
“My dream is that the whole of Mount Diablo, including its foothills, will remain open space . . . that the visual and natural integrity will be sustained.”
DR. MARY L. BOWERMAN