Habitat Restoration
Sunday, December 8
9am to 1pm
Please join me on Sunday, December 8 to remove invasive cape-ivy from the drainage just north of Pierce Ranch. Cape-ivy (Delairea odorata), a vine from South Africa, can cause harm to native plants, nesting songbirds, and fish, and we are working to keep it out of riparian areas and waterways. We'll be working on a large area that was worked extensively in 2018 and has not been followed up since this spring. Depending on group size, we may be clearing remnants and regrowth of cape-ivy from open ground or cutting additional vegetation, as well as sorting cape-ivy from infested wood and hauling off a couple of wood piles.
Meet at 9 a.m. in front of the Bear Valley Visitor Center. From there we'll carpool and caravan to the Tomales Point trailhead and walk a short distance to the work site. Tools and gloves will be provided. We will work until 1:00 p.m, and then have lunch near the site.
Please wear sturdy layered clothes that can get dirty and sturdy close-toed shoes, and bring a jacket/sweatshirt, snacks, at least 2 liters of water, and lunch. Be prepared for cool, foggy, and/or windy weather even if it is warm and sunny at Bear Valley. Due to high abundance of salmonberry and the presence of some stinging nettles and California blackberry, heavier shirts and pants are recommended (as always, long pants and long sleeves required). Poison oak is not present.
For this workday to be held as scheduled, we need at least four volunteers to confirm participation by 5 p.m on Thursday, Dec. 5. If the workday has to be cancelled for lack of sign-ups (or for bad weather), I will send an email on Thursday to those who have responded. (If, after 5 p.m. on Thursday, you are uncertain about whether the program will proceed, or need to cancel a previous sign up, please phone me instead of emailing; I will update my outgoing message if conditions change.)