collaboration. We work together to preserve land, parks, trails, farms, ranches, forests, watersheds, and other open spaces. We have been around since 1990. This is our blog.
Have you read Elizabeth Ptak's article entitled Capturing Hearts and Minds? It was featured in the Winter issue of the Land Trust Alliance's magazine, Saving Land. It was one of the inspirations for next week's Gathering on cultural relevancy, inclusiveness, and connecting people and land.
One of the examples in the article is LandPaths, a nonprofit land trust in Sonoma County and member of the Open Space Council. Surely you've heard someone from LandPaths speak... Craig Anderson presents at Rally, he spoke about State Parks at our last Gathering, Magdalena Ridley spoke at our conference in 2010 and also at the Bay Nature event we partnered on last fall, and probably dozens of other events around the Bay Area and state. Their story is powerful and if you haven't heard it yet, hop over to their website and find a way to hear it.
This group of local leaders and innovators will share stories of urban parks, local food, and new perspectives. They use videos and Facebook to connect with people. And they will be speaking at our Rainy Season Gathering on Thursday, January 19 from 10am-1pm at the Brower Center in Berkeley. Now, if it would just rain then the name of this annual Gathering would make more sense.
A local and organic lunch will be served and there will be plenty of time for seeing friends, making connections and building partnerships.
Are you eager to find more funding for land conservation? Funding opportunities are out there—and with cutting-edge tools and techniques, conservation finance professionals can be successful no matter the state of the economy.
Sign up for the 2012 Western Conservation Finance Boot Camp at Stanford University.
Learn the most up-to-date, innovative, and successful tools available for land conservationists in the West.
Work directly with experienced faculty to solve challenging financing issues.
Build a network of peers working in conservation finance across the United States.
Bring a wealth of practical, hands-on information to your land conservation projects.
The Boot Camp will be held January 30-February 3, 2012 at Stanford University.
The Bay Area is home to more than 1 million acres of protected lands. It's also home to over 7 million people who speak over 100 languages. How many of those people are aware of the vast network of parks, trails, farms, ranches, forests, and watersheds in their backyard? How many will contribute their time or financial support? How about their vote?
Also making a home in this region are thousands of farmers, local food activists, outdoor education programs, social and environmental justice organizations, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. In their own ways they are connecting people to the land. And without land, these passions and causes would look very different.
How do all of these pieces fit together? How is land conservation relevant to our communities? What can we all do to strengthen that connection?
Join us for our first Gathering of 2012: Who Cares? And Why Should They? A conversation about land and people on
Thursday, January 19
10am-1pm
Brower Center in Berkeley
Our panel will be posted to our website and here on the blog soon.
Lunch will be served and there will be plenty of time for seeing friends, making connections and building partnerships. Our Gatherings can sell out… register early to secure your spot!
Over 100 people filled the Tamalpais Room at the Brower Center to hear from a panel about, and discuss themselves, the state parks crisis and the partnerships that are forming because of it. Much thanks to:
Our distinguished and fantastic panelists for their time and work!
Our next Gathering will be January 19, topic and location TBD. Stay tuned here for more information. If you are so in love with the Open Space Council that you'll attend no matter what, click here to register.
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12:36pm: We're wrapping up and going to lunch. I'll post Traci's and Danita's presentations here and on our website later today. Look for pictures on Flickr later, too.
12:33pm: An excellent question about young people. How do we involve them in this issue and their future of parks? Craig Anderson says that every site is different and in any way possible involve teenagers in that place.
12:29pm: Craig wrapped up. We are going to do a few minutes of Q&A and then lunch.
12:17pm: Craig: "We need to think big. We need to reenvision parks so that it can be everything it can be."
12:15pm: Craig is going to talk about the lessons that he and LandPaths have learned about the state parks crisis.
12:13pm: Ruskin has wrapped up. Dave Gould said that it's not surprising that Save the Redwoods is involved in the state parks situation. They were involved at the very beginning of the state parks system. Dave then introduced the Executive Director of LandPaths.
12:10pm: Ruskin "We need to think collectively think about long term sustainable solutions. What does the state park system need to look like in the future?"
12:07pm: Ruskin: "We need innovation. We need to try new things."
12:06pm: Bob has wrapped up. Dave Gould has introduced Ruskin Hartley.
11:54am: Lunch is supposed to start at 12pm, but we still have Ruskin Hartley of Save the Redwoods League and Craig Anderson from LandPaths. We'll probably go till 12:30pm.
11:50am: Bob Berman: "It's been mentioned already today, but it deserves repeating that even if a park isn't being closed, the service reductions and budget cuts are affecting all state parks."
11:46am: Lauren has wrapped up. Dave Gould thanked her and has introduced Bob Berman. Bob is on the Executive Committee of the Bay Area Open Space Council, partner in Nichols-Berman consulting firm, and a founder of the Solano Land Trust. He's talking today as part of his involvement in the Benicia State Parks Association.
11:45am: Lauren: "We have 17 great groups around the table really caring about these parks. The Sonoma Land Trust provided start up funding for the Parks Alliance. The County Parks has provided office space. The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District provides meeting space. These three in particular have really stepped up to support this cause."
11:42am: Lauren: "We feel really encouraged about what is happening in Sonoma County. If we it can be done, it can be done in Sonoma County."
11:30am: Danita has wrapped up her presentation. Loud applause for this local leader!
11:28am: Danita has moved on to China Camp now. She wants to confirm that the State Parks is not kicking out Frank Quan, the lone resident of China Camp State Park. Click here to read an article about it on Huffington Post. And here's a video about him and the park:
11:25am: Danita is describing the partnership that State Parks and National Park Service have created using the parking lot at Muir Woods. Muir Woods is in the same watershed as Samuel P Taylor and has a very high visitor rate. Every tourist who comes to the Bay Area goes to Muir Woods. There will be an additional $2 parking fee that will go to State Parks.
11:22am: Danita, who is also on the Executive Committee of the Bay Area Open Space Council:
11:19am: Danita: "There are 4 parks in Marin on the closure list, but all state parks are affected. There are service reductions across the board."
11:13am: Danita Rodriguez: "How do you actually close a park? We have to keep them open but we have to close them."
11:10am: Dave Gould is introducing Danita Rodriguez from Marin District of State Parks. He said, if he could put together a A list of people he'd like to work with, Danita is on that list.
11:09am: Traci is closing by saying: "Endorse the campaign! SaveStateParks.org"
11:05am: Traci: "We have a lot of work to do to raise awareness of state parks. And not just those 70 parks slated to close, but all of our 270 state parks."
10:58am: Traci: "We at the State Parks Foundation are not in the business of running parks. But we want to do what we can to support those groups who can support these parks. My back of the envelope math is that there are 20 parks that have a good chance of staying open. Another 20 have a fighting chance. We have another 30-40 parks that don't have a good safety net right now and who will probably close."
10:55am: Traci Verardo: "What is the incentive for groups to really stretch to keep a park open? One answer is that all revenue raised in a park stays in the park."
10:47am: Traci Verardo from State Parks Foundation:
10:43am: Sorry! For those of you watching live, we were having internet issues. We're here!
10:40am: "The Governor is giving the state the government they are willing to pay for, even if it's not the government they want," said Traci Verardo. "Nothing is sacred."
10:38am: "This legislature and Governor have not felt the public outcry that Goveror Schwarzenegger did in 2008 and 2009 when parks weren't supported," said Traci Verardo.
10:34am: Traci Verardo from State Parks Foundation is speaking now. I will get her presentation up here on the blog later this morning. "Over 90% of state parks budget came from the General Fund in the 1970s. Now it's more like 38% comes from the General Fund."
10:31am: Before we started the panel, we watched this video just released yesterday:
10:29am: Andrea Mackenzie welcomed everyone and introduced Dave Gould, our moderater of today's panel. Dave said that he has always loved working with the Bay Area Open Space Council and is thrilled to be here.
10:28am: Good morning! Today we are holding our last Gathering of the year at the Brower Center in downtown Berkeley. Currently there aren't any helicopters buzzing overhead, but that's always subject to change this close to the Cal campus. This is Annie Burke and I'll be blogging this morning with quotes, photos, and links.
Today we're talking about the State Parks crisis. In case you didn't know, right now California State Parks, the largest state park system in the country, face unprecedented budget cuts and closures. Governor Jerry Brown signed budget cuts in May 2011 that included a reduction of General Fund support for state parks by $11 million for Fiscal Year 2011-12 and a total reduction of $22 million by the beginning of Fiscal Year 2012-2013. Seventy parks are slated to close by July 2012, some of which have already done so. China Camp, Olompali, Jack London, Samuel P. Taylor, Sugarloaf Ridge, Annadel, Austin Creek, Petaluma Adobe, Bale Grist Mill, Bothe-Napa Valley, Castle Rock, and Henry Coe are all here in the Bay Area.
This hasn’t happened before. New partnerships are being formed. New ways of working together have been created and are being implemented. And new strategies are needed to deal with the new realities of publicly funded conservation.
What does it all mean? What is being done? And how do we need to think in new ways? Our panel is going to answer these questions. Our panel includes:
As of 11/16 we are at capacity! We'll be blogging and tweeting during the Gathering so stay tuned here for presentations, links, and more. #stateparkscrisis
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10 more spots are available for Thursday's Gathering about State Parks and Partnerships. Register soon before we're at capacity!
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China Camp, Olompali, Jack London, Samuel P. Taylor, Sugarloaf Ridge, Annadel, Austin Creek, Petaluma Adobe, Bale Grist Mill, Bothe-Napa Valley, Castle Rock, and Henry Coe.
Do you go to, work with, or care about these places? They are 12 of the 70 state parks slated to close between now and July 2012.
Bullfrog Pond in the Austin Creek State Recreation Area
This hasn’t happened before. New partnerships are being formed. New ways of working together have been created and are being implemented. And new strategies are needed to deal with the new realities of publicly funded conservation.
Join us this Thursday, November 17 from 10am to 1pm at the Brower Center in Berkeley to discuss the situation and the partnerships that are forming because of it. Our panel of experts consists of:
Dave Gould, Sonoma Parks Alliance and Former State Parks Superintendent, moderator
Craig Anderson, LandPaths
Bob Berman, Benicia State Parks Association
Lauren Dixon, Sonoma Parks Alliance
Ruskin Hartley, Save the Redwoods League
Howard Levitt, National Park Service
Danita Rodriguez, State Parks, Marin District
Traci Verardo, State Parks Foundation
Lunch will be served and there will be plenty of time for networking and seeing friends.
You do *not* need to print out your registration confirmation. We know who you are.
We would love it if you brought your own coffee cup and water bottle. Less landfill would be nice.
There's a beautiful exhibit on biodiversity in the lobby of the Brower Center. Click here to learn more about it. And take 10 minutes before or after the Gathering to check it out.
We'll be blogging and tweeting during the Gathering, using the hashtag #stateparkscrisis. Tweet along and tell your colleagues they can watch from the office.
Right now California State Parks, the largest state park system in the country, face unprecedented budget cuts and closures. Governor Jerry Brown signed budget cuts in May 2011 that included a reduction of General Fund support for state parks by $11 million for Fiscal Year 2011-12 and a total reduction of $22 million by the beginning of Fiscal Year 2012-2013. Seventy parks are slated to close by July 2012, some of which have already done so. China Camp, Olompali, Jack London, Samuel P. Taylor, Sugarloaf Ridge, Annadel, Austin Creek, Petaluma Adobe, Bale Grist Mill, Bothe-Napa Valley, Castle Rock, and Henry Coe are all here in the Bay Area.
This hasn’t happened before. New partnerships are being formed. New ways of working together have been created and are being implemented. And new strategies are needed to deal with the new realities of publicly funded conservation.
What does it all mean? What is being done? And how do we need to think in new ways? On November 17 from 10am to 1pm at the Brower Center in Berkeley we will discuss it all at our last Gathering of 2011. Joining us will be:
Dave Gould, Sonoma Parks Alliance and Former State Parks Superintendent, moderator
Lauren Dixon, Sonoma Parks Alliance
Traci Verardo, State Parks Foundation (invited)
Danita Rodriguez, State Parks, Marin District
Bob Berman, Benicia State Parks Association
Other speakers to be announced
Lunch will be served and there will be plenty of time for networking and seeing friends. Our Gatherings can sell out so please register early.
Our next Gathering will be November 17 at the Brower Center in Berkeley. More information about it coming soon!
12:20pm: LUNCH!
11:45am: Our presentation can be seen here:
11:41am: The partnership between the Coastal Conservancy and the Open Space Council is long-standing and critical, and one that we value immeasurably. Bettina Ring, Ryan Branciforte and I are going to talk about the work we've done over the past 9-12 months at the Open Space Council.
11:39am: Amy is wrapping up now.
11:26am: Amy Hutzel:
11:17am: Here's Amy's presentation for your reading pleasure:
11:16am: Amy gave an overview of the purpose and work of the Coastal Conservancy's Bay Program. Thirty projects have gone to their Board this past year and that's what we're going to learn about today.
11:09am: I am loading up Amy's presentation now and will share it here as soon as it's ready...
11:07am: Andrea asked for all the Executive Committee members to stand up. She encouraged all who have questions about the Open Space Council to talk to any of these folks.
10:53am: Andrea Mackenzie is opening it up to questions from the group. By the way, the room is packed with almost 100 people!
10:50am: "I don't think we're going to put anything on the 2012 ballot," said Sam Schuchat. "That will be discussed at our Board meeting in October, which is open to the public and I welcome you all to attend."
10:44am: We've learned that Hilary Clinton is speaking down the road at the Golden Gate Club. What are the chances of her coming to the Log Cabin to talk about open space?
10:39am: Sam Schuchat talking about polling results:
10:26am: Sam enthusiastically welcomed the crowd. The powerpoint he is going to share today is available on the Restoration Authority's website and also right here:
10:24am: Andrea Mackenzie, the Chair of the Open Space Council and General Manager of the Santa Clara Regional Open Space Authority, has kicked off the meeting. She welcomed our newest member, Lagoon Valley Conservancy. We went around the very full room and did introductions. Then Andrea introduced Sam Schucat of the Coastal Conservancy and Restoration Authority.
10:00am: Good morning! Today we are holding our 4th Gathering of the year at the Log Cabin in the Presidio. This is Annie Burke and I'll be blogging this morning with quotes, photos, and links.
Today we're taking One Look Back, Two Steps Forward and looking at the past year with the Coastal Conservancy Bay Area Program. Sam Schuchat, the Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy, will speak first about the Restoration Authority and some recent polling. Then Amy Hutzel, Manager of the Bay Area Program, will lead us on a tour of their work and accomplishments over the past year. Lastly us chickens from the Open Space Council will talk about what we've been up to. It's going to be fun.
Do you need (want) to get something at your local REI store?
Join us for the Transit & Trails REI tour this fall!
Bay Area Open Space Council’s Ryan Branciforte will give a digital presentation of some of his favorite Bay Area hikes, accessible by public transit. Join Ryan as he hikes from Sausalito to Stinson Beach through the magnificent Marin Headlands, to the spectacular summit of Mount Diablo from Walnut Creek, along the East Bay ridgeline from Richmond to Orinda, and along Sweeney Ridge above Pacifica. You’ll take in the sweeping vistas from the summit of Mission Peak in Fremont, and head out backpacking on the Ohlone Regional Trail. Learn how to use the interactive web site of the Transit & Trails, research public transit-accessible hikes, trailheads, and campgrounds throughout the Bay Area’s 1.2 million acres of protected lands.
The tour dates are:
Concord on September 7
Mountain View on September 15
Fremont on September 27
Corte Madera on September 28
San Francisco on October 5
Berkeley on October 11
All shows start at 7pm. See your local REI's calendar for registration details.
Multi-agency initiatives have launched, new trails opened, blueprints have been created, and open spaces conserved in perpetuity. We experienced a big loss in last November's election, but the results weren't all bad. There are a lot of lessons learned and there is a lot to celebrate.
At our Fall Gathering on Thursday, September 15 at the Log Cabin in the Presidio we will look back at the past year's developments, accomplishments, and more. We will also get a peek into Sacramento and what we might expect in the months and years ahead. Speakers include:
Amy Hutzel, San Francisco Bay Program of the State Coastal Conservancy, will share stories and a slideshow of lands protected because of their investments.
Bettina Ring and Ryan Branciforte, Open Space Council, will share key tools and resources launched over the past year.
Do you wonder if any progress has been made?
Are you needing some inspiration?
This is the Gathering for you.
Program starts at 10am. Lunch will be served and there will be plenty of time for asking questions, seeing friends and colleagues, and making new connections.
Click here to register and so we order just the right amount of food.
Thanks to the presenters and all who attended yesterday's Gathering! You can find the presentations on our website here (scroll down to Past Events). And here are some photos from the day:
Our next Gathering will be September 15 from 10am-1pm at the Log Cabin. More information about it coming soon! If you just know you're coming no matter what, click here to register so we get the right amount of food.
12:06am: LUNCH!
11:58am: Jeremy Madsen from Greenbelt Alliance responds to Bob's comments: "The 20th century American dream is over. It was built on unsustainable growth and it doesn't work. We are right now at the cusp of change. Let's create the 21st century American dream. It integrates society and nature. It builds on a diverse society. Yes, we need to think big. We should all embrace that challenge and make it happen."
11:55am: Bob Doyle from East Bay Regional Park District shared: "We need to think big. Think ahead of the negative curve. It's because of this thinking that we have a greenbelt in the Bay Area. People before us had big ideas and we're now implementing them. What are the next big ideas?"
11:52am: Andrea Mackenzie, the Chair of the Open Space Council and General Manager of the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, says: "This has been an excellent panel. This is so complex and fascinating. It feels like this is a watershed moment, whether out of design or necessity. We need to work together across the boundaries of our missions, either through the Open Space Council or other ways."
"There are millions of dollars that have been spent on conservation in the Bay Area. The benefits of those dollars are wide and many - we need to talk about them more and more loudly."
11:48am: Lots of hands going up in the air with questions. We're going to wrap up in the next 10 minutes or so. Lunch is waiting in the back of the room...
11:44am: A question from the audience: "Why are we talking about ecosystem services and biodiversity?" Liz responds that those words are very academic and that eyes often roll or glaze over when they're mentioned. The Nature Conservancy has done a lot of testing and focus groups about these terms and what people care about. There is a national poll that Liz can share with the group. TNC is all about biodiversity but they don't use those words in their communications.
Jeremy Madsen from Greenbelt Alliance responds that he tries to talk in language that can be heard. You have to talk to people where they are.
11:36am: Erich says, "Yes, we may be preaching to the choir but we need the choir to sing a little louder." There are some critical things taking place over the next 6-12 months with OneBayArea that we need to be heavily involved in.
11:36am: Our panel:
Erich Pfuehler, Jim Townsend, Jeremy Madsen, Liz O'Donoghue, and Laura Cohen
11:31am: A question from the audience: Could you describe the difference between a RAMP and a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)? Liz responded that they are very similar. RAMPs are a way of bringing new groups to the table, i.e., transportation agencies. (to see more about RAMPs - Regional Approach Mitigation Planning - click here to see Liz's presentation)
11:24am: Jim and Erich have wrapped up and we're going to start the Q&A portion of the Gathering.
11:22am: The presentation from the EBRPD's team is up on our website.
11:19am: Erich is telling the group about their TIGER II award.
Erich's bio is:
Erich first learn to love the East Bay Regional Park District by working on a local ballot initiative to benefit the District when he moved to the Bay Area in 2003. Prior to coming to the Bay Area, Erich worked on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. with a Michigan Member of Congress for 13 ½ years. Erich has also worked as the state director for Clean Water Action in California and as U.S. Representative Jerry McNerney's district director. In February 2008, Erich began working with the East Bay Regional Park District where he is now the Government Relations and Legislative Affairs Manager. Erich originally grew up near Spokane, Washington and holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington in Seattle. Erich enjoys running, music and being outside. Erich and his wife have a 2 ½ year-old daughter and live near downtown Pleasanton.
11:11am: Jim Townsend shares with the group: "Integrating walking and biking goals into regional planning is critical for those of us who care about parks and open space. Land that is not paved over for highways is land that can be used for parks, farms, and urban planning efforts that make sense for all of us."
11:09: And with that Liz concludes. Up to the podium go Jim Townsend and Erich Pfuehler from East Bay Regional Park District.
11:08am: Liz O'Donoghue: "Need to have good relationships and provide transportation agencies with the opportunity to work together."
11:00am: Liz is talking about Sustainable Community Strategies (SCS). The first SCS was done in San Diego. They are mandated by California SB375. You can learn more about the SCS happening here in the Bay Area here. Liz is talking about the important role that Greenbelt Alliance has had in shaping the region's SCS (Go Greenbelt!).
10:56am: Liz's presentation is now on our website.
10:53am: Liz O'Donoghue from The Nature Conservancy:
Here is Liz's bio:
Liz O’Donoghue oversees The Nature Conservancy’s California Chapter’s policy agenda on infrastructure and land use, strategic growth and integration with natural resource protection, and the organization’s national transportation policy agenda. From 2006 – 2009, Liz served as the Director of External Affairs, where she oversaw the Californiaprogram’s engagements with government and stakeholders at the federal, state, county, and local levels. She helped develop and direct the Conservancy’s strategies on public policy, public funding, legislation, bonds, and constituency building.
Before coming to the Conservancy in August 2006, she worked for seven years at the western regional headquarters of Amtrak, first as Director of Communications, Government, and Public Affairs, then as Director of Strategic Planning, where she was responsible for developing and implementing Amtrak’s strategy on developing passenger rail corridors in the West. Previously, she served for seven years as legislativeassistant for U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, specializing in transportation and natural resource policy. Before that, she worked in a public policy firm in Princeton, New Jersey, consulting with major corporate clients on environmental, health care, and transportation issues. She holds a B.A. in government from Oberlin College and a certificate with distinction in Business Administration from U.C. Berkeley Extension.
10:46am: Jeremy wrapped up and hands the mic to Liz O'Donoghue from TNC.
10:45am: I am uploading the speakers' presentations to our website here as they present them.
10:42am: Jeremy making the case for land conservationalists interest and stake in transportation issues:
10:38am: Jeremy Madsen: "2 million more homes could be built within the current urban footprint."
Here is Jeremy's bio:
As Executive Director, Jeremy Madsen sets and implements the organization's strategic goals and manages its operations. He is the leader of Greenbelt Alliance's policy and advocacy efforts to protect the Bay Area's open spaces and promote the creation of vibrant urban places.
Jeremy comes to Greenbelt Alliance from The San Francisco Foundation, where he helped to launch the Great Communities Collaborative and supported social equity, affordable housing, and smart growth efforts around the Bay Area. From 2001 to 2005, Jeremy was Greenbelt Alliance's Field Director, leading the organization's policy campaigns and supervising the work of all its field offices. Previously, Jeremy served as Field Director for Washington state’s Transportation Choices Coalition, coordinated fair trade campaigns for the Washington, DC-based Citizens Trade Campaign, and ran get-out-the-vote efforts for candidate and ballot measure campaigns. B.A., George Washington University. M.S., Environmental Studies, University of Oregon.
10:32am: Laura welcomes Jeremy Madsen up to the podium...
10:24am: We're moving on a summer pace and just getting started. Laura Cohen of Rails to Trails Conservancy is providing the bios of our speakers which I'll share with you in a minute.
10:00am: Good morning! Today we are holding our 3rd Gathering of the year: the Fog Gathering, named after what many of us around the Bay Area associate with July. This is Annie Burke and I'll be blogging this morning with quotes, photos, and links. The program starts at 10am. Ready?
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