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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PA I D Permit No.

93 Carmel, CA 93922

Po s t O f f i c e B ox 2 218 6 4 Carmel, California 93922

Get Involved!

contact
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to reach us:
Telephone: 831.625.5523 Fax: 831.625.0716 E-mail: mail@bigsurlandtrust.org www.bigsurlandtrust.org

Board of Trustees
CHAIR

Staff
Bill Leahy, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Donna Meyers, DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS Martin McCarthy DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS Sus Danner, CONSERVATION PROJECT MANAGER Heather Brady, STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR Joanna Devers, MARKS RANCH PROJECT MANAGER Donna Walden, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Jo Lynn Rosbach, PROGRAM COORDINATOR Jim Cox, GLEN DEVEN RANCH MANAGER David Zweifel, MITTELDORF PRESERVE CARETAKER

Diane Sena
VICE CHAIR

THE BIG SUR LAND TRUST


fall 2006 c o n s e r v i n g o u r p r e c i o u s l a n d s a n d wa t e r s f o r a l l g e n e r a t i o n s

Stephen Schulte
TREASURER

David Bates
SECRETARY

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH US:


THE BIG SUR LAND TRUST UNVEILS CARMEL RIVER VALLEY CONSERVATION PROGRAM

Linda Charles Phillip Butler Debbie Cervenka Paul Danielson Kent Evans Karen Ferlito Rosalind Fisher Scot McKay Leslie Snorf George N. Somero, Ph.D. Nick Wheeler Phil Wilhelm Marsha McMahan Zelus

Consultants
Law Offices of Zad Leavy and Robin Jepsen LEGAL COUNSEL Doolittle & Ganos
INVESTMENT ADVISOR

I N S I D E mooland connecting the river trail

printed by an economical direct to plate process, on recycled paper using soy based inks.

The Carmel River watershed has been the life source of the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding area since people arrived to this wonderful landscape. The native Ohlone and Esselen tribes relied on the river for fresh water and food. So did the Spaniards, who moved their mission from Monterey to Carmel to be in closer proximity to the river. The large Spanish rancheros and later the many California ranches of the late 19th and early 20th century depended on the river and its watershed for their crops and livestock.
As the Monterey area grew in population, the river became both the water source and a recreational area for local families and visitors. Old-timers smile nostalgically as they recount lazy afternoons at the swift-flowing river, swimming in deep pools, dropping a line in their favorite fishing holes, or drifting aimlessly in an inner tube from the Carmel Valley Village toward the coast. But as more and more families called the Monterey area their home, the strains on the river grew. Increased pumping to support the water needs of a burgeoning population began to have detrimental effects on the river and the native plants and wildlife that call it home. Local families saw their river drying up before it reached its mouth and their landscape suffered. Today, government and civic agencies struggle to find solutions that will provide the area with the water it needs while restoring and preserving the river and its inhabitants. continued inside, page 3

I N S I D E marks ranch outdoor classrooms

I N S I D E odello fields organic farm success

Interested in helping to revitalize the native plants and animals of Monterey County? Enjoy the camaraderie of others who share your passion and help to preserve and improve our scenic landscape. Come join The Big Sur Land Trusts growing group of enthusiastic volunteers! BSLT Volunteers lead hikes, share interpretive information, remove invasive weeds, plant native plants, and actively care for the land that BSLT has helped protect for 28 years. Its fun, its sometimes hard work and its always rewarding. For more information about our exciting volunteer opportunities, contact our Stewardship Coordinator, Heather Brady, hbrady@bigsurlandtrust.org, or call 831.625.5523, ext. 110.

I N S I D E community partners nature teaches

The Carmel is a lovely little river. It isnt very long, but in its course, it has everything a river should have.
- John Steinbeck

CANNERY ROW, 1945

Carmel River swimming, circa 1950. From the collection of Pat Hathaway at California Views, Monterey, CA

Editorial Services Tom Owens, Tom Owens Communications; Newsletter Design Bunne Hartmann, Hartmann Design Group; Photography Douglas Steakley, and BSLT Staff.

THE BIG SUR LAND TRUST - POST OFFICE BOX 221864, CARMEL, CALIFORNIA 93922 TELEPHONE 831.625.5523

FA X 8 3 1 . 6 2 5 . 0 7 1 6 - W W W. B I G S U R L A N D T R U S T. O R G

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

got moo?

BSLT ACQUIRES KEY LINK TO CARMEL RIVER TRAIL NETWORK


The Big Sur Land Trust has acquired Moo Land. No, its not a dairy amusement park; its not even a former dairy farm. Rather Moo Land is a beautiful stretch of the Carmel River near Carmel Valley Village. Most importantly, the 32-acre Moo Land is a vital link in the Land Trusts effort to create a continuous Carmel River Trail and provide rare parkland at the rivers edge where people and community groups can experience the river up close.

MY GOAL, SAYS JESSIE, IS TO MAKE SURE A SENSITIVE ENRICHING YOUNG PEOPLES LIVES THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL AND HEALING POWERS OF NATURE AND WIDE-RANGING SPECIES LIKE THE BADGER IS CONSIDERED IN FUTURE CONSERVATION PLANNING OF CALIFORNIAS GRASSLANDS AND OAK WOODLANDS.

Conservation, Community and Collaboration


This summer, I had the privilege of attending a leadership retreat with a diverse group of individuals from around the country representing a wide range of viewpoints within the conservation movement. For one week, I was in the company of some of the most passionate and committed individuals from the land trust, social justice, public health, sustainable farming and arts sectors, to name a few. Together, we examined ideas about how to strengthen bonds between our conservation organizations and the communities in which we operate. We examined how we might build more authentic collaborations across the boundaries that divide our groups from each other as well as from other organizations within our communities. It was a powerful and heartfelt experience that gave me greater confidence in the directions we are heading here at The Big Sur Land Trust. This edition of our newsletter highlights some of the many ways the Land Trust is delivering on our promise to create a more enduring and inclusive land and water conservation movement on Californias Central Coast. The projects highlighted in this issue are prime examples of how we are giving careful consideration to both our natural resources and the strength and character of our communities. These efforts represent the first expressions of a new story of people and land. In the coming months, the Land Trust will explore in greater depth how we can better define and measure the relevancy and significance of individual projects in terms of the values and aspirations of our communities. Our traditional indicators of success, such as acres protected or membership served, offer important benchmarks. Used alone, however, they do not accurately measure the greater promise of our work. How do we accurately assess, for example, the full benefit of our new partnership for youth education and recreation at Marks Ranch? What is the multiplier effect of an acquisition like Moo Land for drawing new people and communities into the stewardship of the Carmel River? How much will the return of a thriving farm at the historic Odello Fields feed our stomachs as well as our psyches? In coming months, you will learn about emerging Land Trust projects where the intersection of conservation and community leads to powerful long-term collaborations. Working ranchlands, clean water, flood control, agriculture and affordable housing are now all part of the lexicon of the conservation movement as we expand our notion of what a land trust must do to be a successful community partner. These new stories demonstrate the value and power of land conservation to a much broader community. They expand our older, more limiting definitions of saving land. The Land Trust, in partnership with the communities where we live, work and play, will dig deeper into the issue of how to collaborate with people and organizations who may have visions very different from our own. Collectively, we will explore more deeply the cultural, economic and political boundaries that prevent us from broadening our relationships and working in unity for the betterment of our landscape. I am very excited about this new direction for our organization and encourage all of our members to help us in this journey. Together, we can create many more new stories in which the whole community is a major part of our success.

moo land you say? Why the name Moo Land? The property has been in the de Dampierre family true Carmel Valley pioneers for decades. The matriarch of the family, Genevieve de Dampierre, was given the nickname Moo by one of her young children who had trouble pronouncing Mom. The nickname stuck, and eventually this stretch of land along the river cherished by Genevieve became known as Moo Land. Descendents of the de Dampierre family have long held strong philanthropic interests in Carmel Valley. In fact, they donated the property on the river bank opposite Moo Land as the site of the current de Dampierre Little League Field, as well as 500 acres of the future Garland Ranch Regional Park. The family had for years granted a lease on Moo Land, allowing neighbors and visitors to use the property as part of the Carmel River Trail. A seasonal bridge on the trail enabled Garzas neighborhood kids to walk or ride their bikes to the Little League Park. Hikers, joggers and equestrians from the neighboring Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club also enjoyed the access to Garland Ranch Regional Park provided by Moo Land. A few years ago the family decided to put the property up for sale and the lease was not renewed. Public access to the property was restricted, the seasonal bridge was removed and a vital neighborhood link vanished. For Garzas kids to reach the Little League Park, they had to bike or walk up to busy Carmel Valley Road or more likely, their parents had to drive them. the missing link When preparing the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program, The Big Sur Land Trust realized that Moo Land represented an invaluable addition to the Carmel River Trail. Whats more, this is an area of steep terrain where opportunities to access Garland Park are very limited. Moo Land represents the only immediate area where hikers can reach both the Saddle Trail and Gabilan Trail inside Garland Park. BSLT contacted the de Dampierre descendants and began negotiations for the purchase of Moo Land. An option to purchase the property was reached in June and BSLT successfully completed the acquisition in September. The BSLT received a grant of $1.9 million from the California State Resources Agency River Parkway Program to pay a portion of the acquisition and restoration costs. The total project cost is over $2.3 million. BSLT hopes to raise the remaining funds needed to restore Moo Land in the coming year through community support, and welcomes contributions earmarked for this project. We are extremely excited about the acquisition of Moo Land, said Sus Danner, Conservation Project Manager with the BSLT. It is such a strategic location for both the River Trail and the local neighborhoods. This ensures the permanent protection of a vital trail network in Carmel Valley Village. According to Danner, Moo Land will undergo an ambitious restoration effort. Three acres of degraded floodplain will be restored to deciduous riparian forest, benefiting wildlife such as migratory songbirds, California red-legged frogs and steelhead trout. Invasive weeds will be removed, trails improved and riverside recreational opportunities enhanced. Plans call for picnic tables, benches, trail signs, interpretive panels and the return of the seasonal footbridge across the river. We want to partner with Carmel Valley civic and youth organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, Little League, the Carmel Valley Village Improvement Committee and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, said Danner. Together, we can create a river parkway site that engages the community and invites people to the rivers edge. Upon completion of the restoration, the 32-acre parcel will be given to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District and become part of Garland Ranch Regional Park. To friends and neighbors, it will always be Moo Land.

Community Partnerships
Jessies assistant, Mark Elbroch, set up a camera with an infrared trigger outside of the badgers burrow on Marks Ranch. The photographs confirmed the discovery. It was really exciting to see him at Marks Ranch, said Jessie. In corridor ecology, its the hardest data to get documentation that animals are actually using a corridor. It was really lucky for us to catch this guy going back and forth. And if hes doing it successfully, there must be others.

The Big Sur Land Trust takes great pride in our community partnerships, particularly when they involve enriching young peoples lives through the educational and healing powers of nature (see Marks Ranch story on page 5). Here are a few other snapshots of our recent alliances.
TEEN ENRICHMENT SUMMER CAMP

TEEN ENRICHMENT SUMMER CAMP


Harmony At Home, the YWCA and BSLT collaborate to serve young women who come from home environments where violence and trauma have become the norm. The girls experienced a week of healthy living in the wilderness at Glen Deven Ranch. The program encourages self-reliance, self-respect and making smart choices. www.harmony-at-home.org.

WHATS NEXT? Jessie Quinns grant expires at the end of this year. At that point, she will write a species status report that will provide, for the first time, a detailed statewide overview of the health of the badger population. At this point, Jessie is hesitant to provide a conclusion on the size of the badger population in Monterey County. She guesses there are about a dozen in the grassland habitat on the Fort Ord property. Its hard to tell exactly how many there are because they are so elusive, she says. Jessie does note that the local population seems healthy, that there is plenty of prey and that the vegetation and soil are ideal for burrowing animals. As long as the badgers have wildlife corridors available to roam, hunt and grow in population, she says, things look up for this rarely seen and not well understood species.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL AT MITTELDORF PRESERVE


This summer, the BSLT partnered with the Monterey YMCA and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District (MPRPD) to provide a nature camp program that included an overnight in the lodge at Mitteldorf Preserve. The theme for the week was Wilderness Survival and included building a one-man debris shelter. Photos courtesy of MPRPD.
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL WEEK

WILDERNESS YOUTH PROJECT


Wilderness Youth Project, based in Santa Barbara, came to Mitteldorf this summer to camp out for a week, build and sleep in forest shelters, cook their meals outdoors and create functional cooking utensils from found objects. They also volunteered to rebuild a stairway on the nature trail. WYP guides youth and families toward finding and expressing their inherent gifts through mentoring and nature experiences.

CURRENTLY, THERE IS LITTLE KNOWN ABOUT BADGER BEHAVIOR, THEIR INTERACTION WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT OR THE STRENGTH OF THEIR POPULATION.
WILDERNESS YOUTH PROJECT

YWCA TEEN ENRICHMENT PROJECT

Serendipity

G R O W S AT O D E L L O F I E L D S
New Organic Farm Takes Root at Mouth of Carmel Valley

Marks Ranch Opens Gate as Outdoor Classroom for Local Youth


Fundraising Effort Continues for Land Acquisition
Once earmarked as the west coast campus of St. Johns College, the 816-acre Marks Ranch, next to Toro Park in the Monterey-Salinas corridor, has opened its gates as a different type of educational institution. Instead of classrooms, there are sycamore alluvial woodlands, rolling hills of chaparral and oak-studded meadows. Instead of professors you find educators and naturalists from the Ventana Wildlife Society. And instead of well-heeled university students with glowing SATs, you find local youths struggling to earn a high school diploma while battling pasts and presents that may include gangs, drugs, broken homes and criminal records.
Herman Marks original vision of his ranch as a center for education is finally being fulfilled. A pilot youth education program conducted by The Big Sur Land Trust and the Ventana Wildlife Society is just the first step to achieving an even broader role for Marks Ranch as a vital community resource for Salinas and the entire Monterey County. But achieving this goal requires a continued community effort to contribute both time and money. Valley youth to their local landscape.Its one thing to take Salinas-area students on field trips to places like Big Sur or Point Lobos, said Alena Porte, Education Coordinator with the Ventana Wildlife Society. Its quite another to take them to a wilderness area right in their own backyard. They relate so much better. Porte recently led a pilot session of her Natural Science After-School Program at Marks Ranch for a group of a dozen high school students from Salinas Community School. With the new school year, teacher Chris Devers has begun bringing his homeroom class to the ranch on a regular basis. The students, who did not succeed in the standard high school environment, learn about the local landscape, flora and fauna and discover there is more to their community than city streets and agricultural fields. Joanna Devers, Marks Ranch Project Manager with Big Sur Land Trust and Chris wife accompanied the group on the hike through the ranch. According to Joanna, Marks Ranch presents a unique opportunity for Salinas youth. She points out that Salinas has only 360 acres of public parkland for its 150,000 residents (far below the state average) and is the seventh most densely populated city in the state ahead of Los Angeles Most of the trails at Toro Park and Fort Ord are pretty strenuous and used mostly by experienced hikers, said Joanna. Marks Ranch has more gradual slopes, making it ideal for people who arent used to rugged terrain. On this particular hike, Porte helped the class identify plants and animals that frequent Marks Ranch. Early on, the group spotted a red-crested bird hammering away at a dead tree. Porte handed the students one of the wildlife guides she brought along and they quickly identified the bird as an acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). The class then closely examined the granary tree in which the woodpecker was storing its acorns. Later, Porte helped the class identify a common enemy of all hikers Toxicodendron diversilobum, better known as poison oak. The students broke out their sketchbooks and drew accurate renditions of the red-tinted three-leaflet shrub for future reference. The nature education continued as Porte handed each student a clear plastic bug collecting box with a magnifying lense built in the top. The students spread out over an oaklined meadow collecting insects and spiders and then identifying their catches in an insect guide. After the catch-andrelease exercise, students recorded their findings in their journal and began the long hike back to the school van. Chris Devers noted that the geography, botany and biology lessons provided to his students are only part of the value they receive from the after school program. Equally important is the camaraderie built among the hikers and the health benefits of exercise, recreation and clean air. Ive noticed the students are a lot calmer, more relaxed the day after one of our hikes, he said. Connecting kids with nature brings out a hopeful sense of adventure, and reminds them they are part of something bigger. It clears their minds of troubles and revitalizes their spirit. Joanna Devers agrees about the wide range of benefits. The kids from Salinas are developing greater awareness of nature in their communities, especially when they hike up to the Marks Ranch overlook and can see Salinas within the same view of the Pacific Ocean, she said. They get a new perspective of how their homes and their actions are part of a larger community that includes mountains, rivers, streams, farms and the marine sanctuary. And what do the students from Salinas Community School think? Its a whole new experience for me, said Christina Rivera. I have seen all kinds of interesting things that I never knew about. I like learning this way because its better than textbooks, said Paul Bechler. It gives us hands-on learning experiences of nature and what it has to offer us before we lose all of it. Im in the outdoor program because I like to be outdoors, said Ruben Quiroz. Im there because it keeps me off the streets and it is much more fun to be learning outside than in the classroom, added Samuel Aragon. The Ventana Wildlife Society is currently offering the after-school program free of charge to the Boys and Girls Club of Monterey County, the Dr. Martin Luther King Academy in Salinas, King Middle School in Seaside and the Salinas Community School. The program, which began in 2003, is primarily funded through a Bay Watershed Education and Training grant from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. According to Porte, the Ventana Wildlife Society also offers nine weeks of summer camp that include overnight camping at Marks Ranch or Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur. According to Joanna Devers, the BSLT is committed to working with Monterey County to identify a network of public and private partners who will help make Marks Ranch a vital community asset. Organizations are being invited to preview events at the ranch to learn about the property and its resources. The folks from County Parks are very open to exploring partnerships that will ensure the maximum level of benefit and enjoyment for the whole community, said Devers. Plus, The Big Sur Land Trust wants to provide public access to the property just as soon as we have raised the funds necessary to complete the purchase. Once community groups come out to see and experience the ranch, and help us create a wide range of programs, Im confident we can draw a broad segment of our population and be of value to people of all ages and interests.

Some may call it luck, good fortune serendipity. But as the saying goes, you make your own luck. Jamie Collins of Serendipity Farms certainly made her own luck in securing a lease to operate an organic farm at Big Sur Land Trusts Odello East field at the mouth of Carmel Valley. And it appears BSLT had serendipity on its side as well, finding a partner at its own doorstep who shares its vision of a vibrant organic farm at the mouth of Carmel Valley. The Odello Fields have been a Highway 1 landmark at the mouth of the valley since the Odello family began growing artichokes in 1924. When farming operations ceased in the 1980s, there was a groundswell of community support by residents who wanted to be sure that local farming continued on the site, rather than development. More than 20 years ago, the Odello East fields were permanently dedicated to agriculture and natural areas. The portion of the farm on the west side of Highway 1 is now part of California State Parks, and much of it is being restored to a natural wetland. The Big Sur Land Trust became owner of Odello East. Our goal has always been to return Odello East to a functioning organic farm, said Susanna Danner, Conservation Project Manager for The Big Sur Land Trust. Agriculture is such an important part of our community. Now weve found a great partner to turn that vision into reality. Jamie Collins is a 33-year-old California native and crop science graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who has been running her own organic farms in Monterey County for more than five years. She started Serendipity Farms on a 4.5 acre parcel she leased in Moss Landing, raising sunflowers and beets and selling them to local buyers. With that initial project under her belt, Jamie tried her hand at growing organic tomatoes, farming 1.5 acres on Meadows Road in Carmel Valley. Her new venture was an immediate success. I made more money on my acre-and-a-half of tomatoes than I did on my four-and-a-half acres in Moss Landing, Jamie recalled. The buyers I sold to said they would take more if I could grow them, so we got four more acres in the Valley. By 2003, Jamie and her farming partner, Roberto Garcia, were up to 7.5 acres of heirloom tomatoes. They continued to expand their organic farming operation until it grew to almost 30 acres, including

JAMIE COLLINS IS THRILLED TO HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN BRINGING FARMING BACK TO THE STORIED ODELLO FIELDS AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS SHE IS THE IDEAL STEWARD FOR THIS BELOVED PIECE OF LAND.

her current U-Pick tomato farm near Mid Valley. Water and soil issues convinced Serendipity Farms to consolidate its operations down to 10 prime acres, and Jamie oversaw a successful organic farming business that made a strong name for itself in the local community. In addition to selling every Tuesday at the Old Monterey Farmers Market on Alvarado Street, Jamie supplies a variety of stores and restaurants. Local clients include Trader Joes, Whole Foods Market, Hacienda Hay & Feed, Garden Bistro, Montrio and Jeffreys Restaurant, as well as New Leaf Markets, Shoppers Corner, Felton Market and Ben Lomond Market in Santa Cruz County. Brokers sold her produce nationwide. With demand increasing, Jamie began searching for additional prime farmland to lease for her growing organic operations. At that time, Jamie turned her attention to Odello East. She discovered that the land belonged to The Big Sur Land Trust and inquired as to its plans for their 49 acres. Impressed with Jamies background, her obvious concern for the land and a winning proposal for Odello East, BSLT entered into a lease agreement with Serendipity Farms. Jamies vision for the farmland includes community involvement and hands-on education for school kids, as well as organic agriculture that is complimentary with the mouth of the river. Already, the 49 acres of Odello East have been plowed and the irrigation system repaired. More than 15 acres have been subleased to an organic strawberry farmer, Felix Plascencia, who plants in November for a spring crop. Meanwhile, Jamie readies other sections of the field for her first winter crop of peas, chard, kale, cabbage and beans. Soon, artichokes will once again grace the Odello Fields. Longer term, the Carmel River Trail will traverse Odello East providing the public an up close and personal look at organic farming. Jamie has long been involved with the Monterey County Farm to School Partnership and will team up with The Big Sur Land Trust and other community organizations to continue student activities at Odello. She is already conducting education programs with Tularcitos School in Carmel Valley, is a farm consultant with Carmel Middle School, and mentors interns from both CSUMB and Hartnell College. Jamie is thrilled to have an active role in bringing farming back to the storied Odello Fields and by all accounts she is the ideal steward for this beloved piece of land. Its hard work, but its so rewarding to be here in such a visible, well known place, she said. I love it and look forward to a great partnership with The Big Sur Land Trust.

CIRCLE
The Land & Legacy Circle is an honored group of donors who make the notable decision to include The Big Sur Land Trust in their charitable estate plans. Their legacy gifts make a personal and lasting statement in protecting our glorious, irreplaceable landscapes for generations to come. Besides gaining the satisfaction of knowing that their legacy will play a significant role in BSLTs conservation efforts, Circle members are invited to the Land & Legacy annual luncheon as well as exclusive hikes and tours. In addition, members receive a framed and personally dedicated photograph of protected lands. There are a variety of ways that The Big Sur Land Trust can be part of your estate planning, including: Bequests Wills and Living Trusts Reserved Life Estates Real Estate Stock Retirement Plans and Insurance Policies

The Land & Legacy

Fundraising Effort in Full Swing


The Big Sur Land Trust continues its fundraising efforts to complete the purchase of Marks Ranch from St. Johns College. The price for acquisition is $5.4 million, with $2 million already raised thanks to generous public and private support. Another $3.4 million in contributions is needed by next spring to fulfill the community vision for Marks Ranch, and your support can really make a difference! Leading the charge for achieving that community vision is The Marks Ranch Advisory Committee, made up of Monterey County leaders such as co-chairs Leon Panetta and Basil Mills. The Committee, with the help of BSLT, is developing a long-term management and stewardship plan for the property that focuses on three primary goals: 1. Youth education, including day programs and overnight camps that focus on environmental, science, health, cultural and historical agriculture programs. 2. Recreation, including an expansion of playing fields, picnic grounds and trails as an adjunct to neighboring Toro Park. 3. Community activities, such as retreats, civic programs, music and art events and botanical gardening at the Marks Ranch Hacienda.

A Most Active and Vocal Supporter of BSLT

Jeanne Holmquist

very enthusiastic about The Big Sur Land Trust and got me involved. Jeannes recent involvement includes trips to Glen Deven Ranch to enjoy the annual Land & Legacy Luncheon and to participate in three raptor releases in conjunction with her other favorite organization, the SPCA. A bench at the ranch honors her friend Phyllis and serves as a favorite spot to sit and share the vista with friends. This year, Jeanne instituted a challenge grant of $100,000 through the BSLTs Presidents Circle. Through this grant, the Phyllis Krystal Foundation will donate $100,000 to the Land Trust if President Circle Members put together a matching donation. Big Sur Land Trust is probably the most important organization to me in my estate giving, said Jeanne. When I leave this chapter and go on to the next one, then I know there is going to be somebody who will carry on for me and The Big Sur Land Trust.

School is Now in Session


Although the BSLT must wait for the acquisition to close before it can open the ranch to recreation and community events, it has already embarked on its goal of making youth education a top priority for the property. Located less than five miles from Salinas, Marks Ranch presents a unique opportunity to connect Salinas

Life income gifts such as a pooled income fund or a charitable remainder trust are options that allow donors to realize multiple benefits with one investment. You can increase your income, receive a charitable-contributions deduction, avoid capital gains tax and support The Big Sur Land Trusts conservation goals. For more information about our Land & Legacy Circle and the creative gift options that can help you achieve both your financial and philanthropic goals, please contact the Land Trust at 831.625.5523.

Im kind of a Chamber of Commerce for The Big Sur Land Trust, quipped Jeanne Holmquist, a member of our Land & Legacy Circle. Indeed, Jeanne is a most active and vocal supporter, including the BSLT in her own estate plan and serving as custodian for the estate of Phyllis Krystal. Phyllis was like my adopted sister, said Jeanne, a Pebble Beach resident and former Principal of Robert Down Elementary School in Pacific Grove. She was

Community Support
BSLT welcomes all members of the community who wish to contribute to the Marks Ranch project through donations or volunteerism to contact Joanna Devers at the BSLT office. For more information regarding the Ventana Wildlife Societys after-school and summer programs, contact Alena Porte at 877.897.7740. 5

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH US

continued from page 1 objective of the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program, the plan has a specific goal of making the Carmel River and surrounding lands more accessible to both residents and visitors. First-hand experiences with the river and the landscape will lead to a deeper appreciation for the Carmel, said Bill Leahy. This in turn will cultivate personal commitments to preserve this wonderful resource. A key component of increased accessibility is the development of an integrated trail and parkland system along the Carmel River. These trails and parklands will not only provide opportunities to recreate along the river, but will provide critical access points that will interconnect existing trails through Garland Regional Park, Jacks Peak, Palo Corona, Hatton Canyon, Point Lobos and Big Sur. Plus, the trail systems will serve Carmel Valley residents with walking, biking and equestrian paths that provide new and exciting ways to get around their neighborhoods without having to jump in the car. The trails will link schools, shopping centers, businesses and parklands in a walkable town that will enhance the local community and reduce highway traffic. Education will be a large part of the effort to reconnect people to the river environment. Education opportunities are being identified and informative signage will be installed at key locations along the river parkway trails. The BSLT and its partners will conduct guided hikes and other education programs to explain the local landscape, flora and fauna. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP The key to our success with the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program is community partnership, said Donna Meyers. The Big Sur Land Trust is dedicated to playing an active facilitation role, but it is truly a community effort. Carrying out the 25-year restoration plan will indeed require financial resources. The BSLT has set a goal of raising more than $40 million over the next 25 years through grants, gifts and donations. Funds will be used to purchase land, fund easement agreements, construct trails and restore and preserve the river landscape. The BSLT is exploring the establishment of a Carmel River Trust, a dedicated fund targeted specifically for Carmel River projects. Community members and scientific experts will be sought to form a River Trust Advisory Committee that will help establish priorities. Additional volunteers will be needed to contribute to the ongoing conservation planning process as well as to execute the restoration efforts.

The Land Trust is Pleased to Welcome New Board Members and Staff
Debbie Cervenka / Board Trustee Debbie Cervenka is the Executive Vice President of Phillips Plastics Corporation, where she has spent the past 28 years. She currently leads the Marketing and People Services groups within Phillips and serves on the Board of Directors.
Debbie was educated at the University of WisconsinEau Claire, majoring in journalism and communication. She currently is an advisory board member for the Applied Science Program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout; serves on the board of directors for the CoPaPi Lake Association; serves on the board for the Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc., Northwest District; and is a trustee of The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin. Residing in Northern Wisconsin, Debbie and her husband Bob have a home in Carmel Highlands.

GROUNDBREAKING STUDY
THE CAGEY BADGER

Many people dont realize that the Carmel River is a very significant river in California, with a long cultural and environmental history, said Donna Meyers, Director of Conservation Programs with The Big Sur Land Trust (BSLT). But the local community knows its importance and local families and organizations are stepping up to help recover and restore the Carmel. Now, the BSLT is joining this community effort to save the river in a big way. It is facilitating the development of a Carmel River Valley Conservation Program, a 25-year plan designed to restore the natural function of the Carmel River and reconnect the river to the local community.
TRACKING THE ORNERY BADGER To study the badger population requires that the burrowing animals be trapped and implanted with radio transmitters. This is certainly not a task for the timid.

PRESERVING THE LANDSCAPE THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING THE AMPLE SUPPLY OF CLEAN WATER NEEDED TO CREATE A HEALTHY RIVER.

Wildlife Corridors Key for Survival of Little Known Mammals

Nick Wheeler / Board Trustee Nick Wheeler began his career in commercial photography in 1969 in San Francisco, after graduating with a B.A. in Architecture from Stanford University. In 1971, he moved to Massachusetts where he resided for the next 33 years.
His career focus has been architectural photography, including a book with Doris Cole, Architecture of the Boston Public Schools. His work has been published in most major architectural magazines worldwide and he was the recipient of the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for career achievement. More recently, Nick published an extensive photographic exploration of the Badlands of North America and his work was the subject of one man shows in Washington, DC, and Boston. Nick and his wife Whiteley returned to California in 2004 and they currently reside within the Santa Lucia Preserve.

They have a reputation for being hostile, defensive and downright ornery. But the badgers that populate Monterey County near the Highway 68 corridor have been the center of attention of Jessie Quinn, a 31-year-old PhD. candidate at UC Davis. Jessie has been tracking these nocturnal creatures in Monterey County for more than two years during her first-of-its-kind study.

Trapping them requires finding their burrows during the day while the badgers sleep deep inside. According to Jessie, the badgers are extraordinary diggers, excavating 15 to 20 holes a day in search of food (mostly ground squirrels, gophers and other small rodents) and shelter. Badgers rarely spend more than a night or two in the same burrow. Once Jessie finds an occupied burrow, she sets up a body snare at the entrance. Its a snare designed specifically for badgers made to slide closed around their chests but with a stop that prevents the badger from being squeezed or choked. Once snared, the badger typically tries to hide back in its burrow. Jessies task is to dig the badger out and, with the help of an assistant and a catch pole, get the critter into a burlap bag. Badgers dont have a lot of physical defenses, she explains, but they make up for it with a really surly attitude. The bagged badgers are taken to a vet clinic where the transmitter is implanted. They are then returned to the spot of capture and released. To date, Jessie has captured and radio-tagged 10 badgers on Fort Ord.

THE RETURN TO A HEALTHY RIVER According to Bill Leahy, Executive Director of The Big Sur Land Trust, the Carmel Valley River Conservation Program is ambitious, yet realistic. The program will establish benchmarks in terms of the current health of the river and then work with the scientific community to measure progress as conservation and restoration programs are implemented. Factors such as river flow, water quality, health and abundance of plants, fish and other river animals, and the vibrancy of wetlands and other habitats will all be measured. The BSLT will facilitate a variety of projects over the next 25 years to restore natural floodplains and replant trees and other native plants. BSLT will partner with existing organizations to help raise funds, facilitate solutions and implement projects.

Joanna Devers / Marks Ranch Project Manager Joanna Devers has worked in the field of private land conservation for more than eight years. After graduating with a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Maryland, Joanna worked five years with The Nature Conservancys (TNC) Mexico Program. There, she led fundraising, marketing and community outreach efforts raising more than $5 million for community-based conservation projects throughout Mexico.
Joanna left TNC to pursue a Masters degree in International Environmental Policy at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. During her masters program, Joanna conducted a research project funded by the Tinker Foundation documenting the use of conservation easements in Latin America. Her report, published in both English and Spanish, provided baseline information for a five-year study to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation easements in the Latin American Region. Joanna started working with The Big Sur Land Trust as a contractor in January 2005 and joined the staff full time in May 2006. As the daughter of Colombian parents, Joanna spent her summers growing up in Bogot, Colombia, and developed native fluency in both English and Spanish. She resides in Marina with her husband Chris and daughter Sofia.

WHY BADGER BADGERS? Badgers, Jessie explained, are wide-ranging grassland carnivores that appear to be sensitive to the fragmentation of their habitat. Currently, there is little known about their behavior, their interaction with their environment or the strength of their population. Badgers are considered a species of special concern. That designation generally denotes a population that is historically small or currently decreasing, but has not been designated as threatened or endangered. My goal, says Jessie, is to make sure a sensitive and wide-ranging species like the badger is considered in future conservation planning of Californias grasslands and oak woodlands. Working on a grant from the California Department of Fish & Game and UC Davis Wildlife Health Center, Jessie is focused is on a group of badgers on Bureau of Land Management property at Fort Ord. Of particular interest are their migrating patterns and the continuing availability of the wildlife corridor necessary to ensure their long-term survival. Fort Ord is somewhat isolated by Highway 68 and all of the development around it, explained Jessie. It isnt linked to the contiguous open spaces that reach south to Santa Lucia and the Ventana Wilderness, except for some very tenuous connections across Highway 68 near Marks Ranch and Toro Creek. The question concerning Jessie was whether the badgers could successfully migrate back and forth across the Highway 68 corridor. If the wildlife corridor used by badgers and similar wide-ranging creatures is severed or severely strained, the very existence of the local population can be put in jeopardy. It could denigrate their ability to hunt, find water, mate and escape predators. I dont know that Fort Ord alone would be big enough to support a healthy badger population long-term, she said. If there was no longer a corridor across the highway, then the population could be on its way out.

The key to our success with the Carmel River Valley Conservation Program is community partnership.
Organizations such as the Carmel River Steelhead Association and the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy have been working for years to improve the health of the river, said Leahy. We see our efforts as a true partnership and collaborative effort with these dedicated groups. The Land Trust is committed to restoring the Carmel River as a partner with the local community. Some of the BSLT river restoration projects are well through the research and design phase and nearing implementation. The Odello East Study and Restoration Plan, for example, will help restore the natural floodplain at the mouth of the Carmel River, invigorating wetlands and fish populations while providing added flood management for nearby businesses and neighborhoods. Replanting trees and shrubs at the recently acquired Moo Land property (see story, page 2) and elsewhere upriver will reestablish native forest and provide needed habitat for a variety of local species. CONSERVATION OF IMPORTANT LANDSCAPES The Carmel Valley Conservation Program addresses vital community issues throughout the entire Carmel River watershed, including thousands of acres of public and private lands stretching the length of Carmel Valley. Preserving the landscape throughout the watershed is critical to maintaining the ample supply of clean water needed to create a healthy river. One of the primary goals of the conservation program is to encourage the continuation of the family ranching tradition in Carmel Valley. The BSLT is developing innovative private landowner agreements that monetarily reward families who agree to continue their ranching operations. By working with local ranchers, The Big Sur Land Trust hopes to preserve critical wildlife corridors and pristine oak woodlands. CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE RIVER While preserving the open landscape is a major

AN EXCITING DISCOVERY Through the use of radio telemetry, Jessie has tracked the badgers movement on Fort Ord for months. Jessie theorized that the badgers may be crossing Highway 68 but had no proof. She contacted the Monterey County Parks Department to ask if she could try tracking badgers at Toro Park but, for liability reasons, they turned her down. While speaking on her research before the CSUMB Watershed Institute, Jessie met Sus Danner of The Big Sur Land Trust. After a few meetings, it was agreed that Jessie could track for badgers on Marks Ranch, adjacent to Toro Park. The first attempts were disheartening to say the least. We couldnt find any, anywhere, said Jessie. We searched the entire ranch. Undaunted, Jessie continued periodic searches on Marks Ranch. Finally, success. Earlier this year, one of the badgers that had been previously captured on Fort Ord turned up on Marks Ranch. Radio signals showed that the badger stayed on the ranch for long stretches and successfully crossed Highway 68 several times as he traveled back and forth along the corridor.

Donna Meyers / Director of Conservation Programs


Donna Meyers has more than 15 years of experience in coastal and watershed management, specializing in habitat restoration, floodplain management, endangered species conservation and water quality. She holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of California Santa Cruz and a Masters in Environmental Planning from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. Donna has served on national, state and local advisory committees on watershed planning and policy. She has also managed the preparation of several watershed and restoration plans for rivers in the Central Coast of California. Donna founded and worked as the Executive Director of the Coastal Watershed Council. She has worked as an Environmental Analyst for the City of Santa Cruz and as the Regional Water Quality Coordinator for the National Marine Sanctuary Program. She is currently a board member of the California Watershed Network. Donna has been a resident of the Central Coast for more than 20 years and lives in Santa Cruz.

The BSLT will facilitate a variety of projects over the next 25 years to restore natural floodplains and replant trees and other native plants.
Additionally, partnerships with groups such as the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy, the Carmel River Steelhead Association, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Monterey County Water Management Agency, The Nature Conservancy and local municipalities and businesses will continue to play a key role. Weve done a lot of planning and studies, said Meyers. Its time to start putting projects on the ground. Now is the time for the community to come join us and get involved in this wonderful river.
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