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March 2013 Save Mount Diablo: Focus on the Future By Jody Morgan Viewing Mount Diablo from the surrounding valleys generates a false sense that everything in sight has been preserved. When Save Mount Diablo (SMD) was founded in 1971, the State Park contained 6,788 acres. Today, thanks to the efforts of SMD and partner agencies such as East Bay Regional Park District, 110,000 acres in more than forty parks comprise a network of public open space including the now 20,000-acre State Park. Yet huge tracts of land in the midst of the Diablo Wilderness remain at risk of being utilized in ways detrimental to the quality of life of area residents. You don’t have to be enthused by environmental issues to recognize the value added to valley real estate by the Mount Diablo vista and the remarkable recreational possibilities the Diablo Wilderness offers. “The mountain forms a visual framework for the entire Bay Area,” remarks Malcolm Sproul, SMD Board President for fourteen years. If enjoying more than the visual impact of a pristine peak is on your agenda, take a hike. “In the Making the Diablo Wilderness available for recreation is an midst of a very developed area there is a large area of public important part of the SMD mission. Photo by Scott Hein. open space – so large you can walk for four days crossing only two little-traveled roads,” notes Scott Hein, current SMD Board President. Hein’s serious involvement with SMD began when his mother died. He and his sister wanted to honor her memory by donating a Heritage Tree. “Staff member, Seth Adams, joined us for a hike on the property, and by the time we were done, we hadn’t chosen a tree – he had convinced each of us to adopt an entire grove.” Always interested in photography, Scott welcomed Seth’s encouragement. Hein’s photographs bring the mountain to everyone. If you are free April 24th-27th for an exceptional experience of pampered camping, Four Days Diablo (FDD) will take you on a 30-mile adventure from Walnut Creek to Brentwood. Local restaurants provide gourmet meals. Because wine and beer are offered at the close of the day, participants must be at least 21 years old. SMD volunteers transport and set up all gear, even inflating luxury-size air mattresses. Experts on hand each day guide hikers. You may see peregrine falcons, tadpoles of the endangered red-legged frog, or even a golden eagle. What about wildflowers? “Mount Diablo has 10% of California’s flora both native and non-native. That includes seven mountain-specific or regional endemic species,” notes Heath Bartosh, SMD Board member and Rare Plant Program Chair for the California Native Plant Society. Bartosh helps hikers spot the exquisite botanical treasures found along the trailside. Rare, endan-
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Serving Danville Lindsay Wildlife Museum By Fran Miller Diablo Magazine recently named the Linds a y Wi l d l i f e Museum as one of 13 great date locations. Those believing the Museum to merely be a fun grade-school field trip setting might scoff at the notion of courting amongst the critters. But Diablo Magazine is on to something - there is nothing quite like the soul-stirring site of a golden eagle’s outstretched wings to make the heart go pitter-patter. Just what is the measurement of that wingspan? Step over to the new Raptors! exhibit, hold out your arms, and compare your own reach to the eagle, a condor or a hawk. Look to the left, and view the real deal. As the museum’s “ambassadors,” this grouping of live, native California birds sits above the crowd surveying the curious. They will spend their lives at the Museum due to physical or behavioral disabilities that prevent them from being released in the wild. Release is what the Museum strives for. As a working wildlife hospital, and one of the oldest and largest rehabilitation centers in the United States, Lindsay treats more than 5,000 injured, sick, or abandoned animals annually. Some of those who cannot ultimately fend for themselves in the wild find a home at the Museum (And when full capacity is reached, the Museum’s nationwide network is tapped to find homes for those in need). About 95% of animals treated are admitted due to adverse contact with human activity. While the hospital provides treatment, the Museum provides educational programs to help prevent the problems that have brought the animals to their care. Daily Museum programs open to the public include the Petting Circle where one can learn about and touch a rabbit, guinea pig, or hamster. The
See Lindsay continued on page 19 Local Artist Honors Father at Air Force Museum John W. White, Jr., a long time Danville resident and wildlife artist was recently honored by the Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia. They will display his original painting of his Father’s B-17 which was piloted by Lt. John W. White, Sr.. White Sr. flew 23 successful missions and the 24th was over Bohlen, Germany. His aircraft designated “Hamtramack Mama” was required to make a second pass over the target due to cloud cover. Heavy flack resulted in severe damage and
Volume IV - Number 5 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 the entire crew bailed out safely. They were captured (925) 405-6397 and spent six months in German prison camps until Fax (925) 406-0547 the war’s end. They all returned home, and some of the crew still attend the reunion at the 457th Bomb Wing. Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher John Jr. researched the archives and crew stories editor@ regarding that fateful day in order to recreate his yourmonthlypaper.com dad’s aircraft. Although his artistic endeavors involve wildlife, with emphasis on Africa, he was fascinated opinions expressed herein belong with his father’s exploits. Prints of the original painting The to the writers, and do not necessarily entitled “Target Obscured” were sent to the crew reflect that of Danville Today News. members who called his father “the old man” (he was Danville Today News is not responsible for the content of any of 26 at the time). the advertising herein, nor does For more information on the Mighty Eighth Air Force publication imply endorsement. Museum, please visit www.mightyeighth.org.