December 7, 2004 - First Lecture in the Wetlands Lecture Series
Anitra Pawley, Ph.D., Senior Ecologist with The Bay Institute gave the first of a series of free public lectures on Wetlands, entitled "Marshes Matter: Tracking the Health of Tidal Wetlands in San Pablo Bay". The lecture was followed by an extensive and lively question and answer session.
This lecture and the others in the Wetland lecture series are sponsored by the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance and The Bay Institute. See the PWA Calendar for details on upcoming lectures.
November 6, 2004 - Nine New Docents for Shollenberger Park
A four-week course completed November 6, 2004, sponsored by the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance and the City of Petaluma, added nine new docents to the roster for the Petaluma wetlands.
Course topics included wetland ecology, flora and fauna, the history of Shollenberger Park and adjoining wetlands, as well as details of our educational efforts directed to local school children. Instruction was provided by resident docents.
New docents were required to enable us to expand our educational services. Several of the new docents have professional experience as schoolteachers or biologists and are already designing new classroom and on-site wetlands activities. It's hoped that we can integrate these new activities into our current, school-docent program by Spring 2005. All our educational services are provided free of charge.
Other anticipated projects for the new docents in 2005 include native plant restoration and the rehabilitation of the Shollenberger Park kiosks.
Information on our docent program and available services may be obtained from Senior Docent Bob Dyer, (707) 763-2934.
October, 2004 - PWA Gets a Grant For Wetlands Education
In October, 2004 PWA received a Supplemental Environmental Project Grant for wetlands education in Shollenberger Park and Alman Marsh. This grant to PWA is part of a larger grant which was split among The Bay Institute, the Casa Grande High School Environmental Science Program, and PWA. The Bay Area Water Quality Control Board awarded the grant after review and approval by the City of Petaluma Water Resources Department and their own review team. The Bay Institute is acting as the overall administrator of the grant. All three groups are working together to coordinate their wetlands education efforts.
The PWA section of the grant is focused on several areas of education:
September, 2004 - Bird Count/Bird Monitoring Program
Shollenberger docents, with the help of outside bird experts from the Redwood Regional Ornithological Society and the Madrone Audubon, have initiated a weekly survey of birds observed from the two-mile loop trail at the park.
The goal of this project is to determine the species using the area, how many, and which season. We will use this data to create accurate seasonal bird lists. It will also be used by Audubon-California in their contribution to the "State of the SF Bay Estuary" program. In addition, the data is shared with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory for their Shore Bird research program.
The surveys started in late September 2004. In just the first ten surveys, over 26,000 birds were recorded by species. We plan to continue these surveys for at least one year. If you are interested in bringing your birding experience to this project, call Bob Dyer at (707) 763-2934.
May 17, 2004 - PETALUMA PASSES NEW FERAL CAT ORDINANCE
* * * * * * * * *
PWA members Gerald Moore and Bob Dyer serve on a "Feral Cat" Committee for the City of Petaluma and drafted a Municipal
Code ordinance on feral cats. Feral cats are a menace to park wildlife. Here is the code changes passed by the City Council
on May 17th.
9.14.110 Permit for Feral Cat Colony
| A. There shall be no feeding of feral cats in or within one-half mile of the Petaluma Wetlands, located along the Petaluma River. The area covered by this section is bordered by the Petaluma River on the southwest, and Lakeville Highway to the north and east, from the Petaluma Marina to, and including the Petaluma Holding Ponds. There shall be no feeding of feral cats inside any city park, or within a block of any city park. Any existing feeding station in the prohibited areas shall be removed within 90 days |
 |
 |
There will be another clean-up on May 2nd - and some old wood remains to be picked up along the Alman Marsh trail. Please see the Calendar for details.
February 27, 2004
- The escrow on the 261-acre property just southeast of Shollenberger Park finally closed on
February 27th. Forty acres near Lakeville Highway will be used for the new water recycling facility. There will also be 45
acres or so of polishing wetlands created on the upper part of the property. The bulk of the purchase was funded by grants
from the Coastal Conservancy and Open Space District. The city may purchase yet another, smaller parcel (the Hill property)
south of the new properties, below Ellis Creek. Here is a paragraph from the city describing public access to the new
property:
"The acquisition, planning and restoration effects of this project will provide a diversity of habitats for shorebirds,
waterfowl, fish, amphibians, and plants cited in the Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Project as species in need of
improvement. The project also includes 3.5 miles of trails which would serve as a continuum of the heavily used Petaluma
Marsh and Shollenberger Park trails to the north and west."
It will be several years before the trails will be open to the public.
September 8, 2003
- Petaluma Wetlands Park Alliance (PWPA) and Audubon officials today joined in praising the
Petaluma City Council for their vote to purchase the Gray's Ranch property, 270 acres of wetlands along the Petaluma River.
This important wetlands acquisition will use constructed wetlands to cleanse water from the city's wastewater treatment
plant, expand Shollenberger Park, and create a dedicated wildlife sanctuary. It will also bolster efforts to protect and
restore the Petaluma River, San Francisco Bay, and critical wildlife habitat. Gray's Ranch is located between Shollenberger
Park and the present wastewater settling ponds on Lakeville Road in Petaluma.
"The Petaluma Wetlands Park Alliance is extremely pleased with the Petaluma City Council's decision to create a polishing
wetlands wildlife sanctuary," said Petaluma Riverkeeper and PWPA chairman David Yearsley. "By acquiring the Gray's Ranch
parcels, the city has demonstrated its commitment to establishing critical wetlands as a functional component of its
wastewater treatment plant. Cleaner water and improved hydrology will ensure an enhanced river estuary that promises safe
harbor for wildlife, as well as additional recreational opportunities for the public. Petaluma's new wetlands preserve will
do much to enhance our community's and the region's quality of life".
"It's initiatives like the creation of a Petaluma Wetlands Preserve that will ensure the long term health and vitality of
San Francisco Bay," said Mike Sellors, director of Audubon SF Bay Restoration Program. "Establishing a wetlands preserve on
the Petaluma River will be critical to SF Bay restoration efforts focused on ensuring healthy habitat for fish, wildlife,
and people".
"This significant land acquisition by the City of Petaluma shows how valuable pubic/private partnerships are to restoring
natural treasures like San Francisco Bay and surrounding baylands," said Sam Schuchat, executive officer of the California
State Coastal Conservancy.
With the creation of the Petaluma Wetlands Preserve, polishing wetlands will be created to reduce the level of toxins in
wastewater, allowing recycling of the water instead of releasing it to the Petaluma River. These wetlands will provide a
high quality of recyclable water suitable for industrial and agricultural use. Additionally, this environmentally friendly
and natural technology will avoid costly retrofits, if California calls for stricter water purification standards than are
currently specified. Not only will polishing treatment ponds provide clean water benefits to Petaluma, they also present a
unique opportunity to triple the size of the city's Shollenberger Park.
In the early 1990s, the Petaluma City Council instructed city management to construct a new wastewater polishing plant on
the site of the old one, including a functional polishing or treatment wetlands component on Gray's Ranch. But in 2001, the
city council decided this polishing wetlands option was too costly and eliminated funding for purchase of the Gray's
property from plant budget. In the wake of that decision, a group of concerned residents formed the Petaluma Wetlands Park
Alliance. Since its creation, the PWPA has been working closely with the City of Petaluma to facilitate acquisition of
parcels A&B of Gray's Ranch. Alliance members testified at a number of City Council meetings extolling the benefits of
polishing wetlands over other alternatives; they gathered over 3,600 signatures in support of the polishing wetlands and
presented case studies showing how Arcata's natural water recycling system could be applied to Petaluma's planned facility.
The PWPA helped identify and explore appropriate funding mechanisms and stood ready to assist the city in securing the
necessary financing. Finally, in January 2002, the Petaluma City Council approved the creation of 270 acres of wetlands on
Gray's Ranch if the city could find grant money and negotiate a favorable purchase price for the land. The city, with the
assistance of the PWPA and The Bay Institute, raised more than $4 million in grant funding from the Sonoma County
Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District and the California State Coastal Conservancy. Today, the Gray's Ranch
parcels acquisition was approved by the Petaluma City Council.
Since 1972 when Congress passed the Clean Water Act, wetlands have been under federal jurisdiction, and states have been
required to regulate the quality of municipal sewage that enters waterways. Because wetlands further purify the water by
removing suspended organics as well as nitrogen, phosphate, and metals, hundreds of wastewater treatment plants in America
are constructing wetlands to add to their facilities.
About Petaluma Wetlands Park Alliance (PWPA) ~
About Audubon's San Francisco Bay Restoration Program ~
The Petaluma Wetlands Park Alliance (PWPA) is a grassroots, not-for-profit, organization dedicated to the construction of
polishing wetlands on Gray's Ranch as a functional part of Petaluma's planned wastewater treatment plant. The PWPA also
supports the creation of a wetlands preserve and wildlife sanctuary on that property, with public access trails to
Shollenberger Park.
Across the country, Audubon has long been a leader in protecting major ecosystems. Building on over forty years of work by
our local Bay Area chapters and other partners, Audubon launched the San Francisco Bay Restoration Program in the Fall of
2000. We are mobilizing citizens into greater action to ensure the long-term restoration and preservation of the San
Francisco Bay Estuary. Audubon is working with many partners to achieve a common vision for the San Francisco Bay. Through
our efforts, we will restore the Bay to ensure thriving fish and wildlife populations, clean water, and a high quality of
life for this and future generations.
July 30, 2003
- Mike Sellors of the Bay Institute brought some Audubon VIP to visit Shollenberger Park and
the Gray property. National Audubon is in the final stages of determining whether to sanction an education center near
Shollenberger Park, probably on the Gray property (if the city could finally manage to purchase it!) I was there to unlock
the gate and later shepherd them to a spot where they could easily access the Gray property for a walk. I'm not good at
remembering names but know that among the dignitaries were Jerry Secundy, Executive Director of Audubon California, Dan
Cooper of Audubon California, and (I believe) Tamar Chotzen, Senior V.P. of National Audubon for Centers and Education.
How did it go? I did not accompany them during their 45 minutes at Shollenberger Park, or later during their walk on the
Gray property, so only have anecdotal evidence. I did make certain each of them got a copy of Visit Petaluma which has three
pages on Shollenberger and Alman Marsh. I also provided several facts sotto voce to Mike who is on our side --- that the
combined acreage of Shollenberger, Alman Marsh, and the Gray property would be 500 acres. I also told Mike that during the
first half of 2003, docents had conducted tours for more than 500 people, mostly school children. Shollenberger Park was
relatively clean, thanks to recent efforts of the Youth Volunteer Corps, the Latter Day Saints, and park docents.
Later, while preparing for their walk on the Gray property, I heard some positive comments from the visitors --- from the
Shollenberger trail they had seen a Peregrine Falcon battle a Northern Harrier on the Gray property (good for us!) and also
noted the new egret colony right across the river from Shollenberger. I commented that we are tracking activity at the
thirty nests for the Cyprus Grove Research Center. The visitors also saw a small flock of White Pelican and a sizeable group of
Pied-billed Grebe feasting in the central pond. The pond still has a lot of water in it, along with nutrients from last winter's
dredging of the Petaluma River.
Even if they were impressed, there is no chance of our getting the education center IF THE CITY DOES NOT PURCHASE THE GRAY PROPERTY!!!
The education center would be a great resource for Sonoma County children for decades to come. Contact the Petaluma City
Council and the Mayor, telling them you want the tripling of Shollenberger and the wetlands by purchasing the Gray property.
~ ~ Bob Dyer, Senior Docent Petaluma Marsh
March 2, 2003
- The recent dredging of the Petaluma River raised the level of the water considerably in the central pond
of the popular Shollenberger Park and also transferred a lot of river debris into pond. On Sunday, March 2, the first 2003
park cleanup was held. About 25 citizens pitched in to remove a significant pile of trash which had settled along the pond's perimeter.
Len Nelson suggested the cleanup, and the Friends of Shollenberger took it from there. Among those lifting, pulling and
dragging (besides Len) were: Andy LaCasse, Mary Edith and Gerald Moore, Sue and Drew Lassen, Janice Cader-Thompson, Casa Grande
teacher John Shribbs with students: Nicole Miles, Carly Sheppard, and John Mills, Trudy O'Hare, Patrick DeVillier
Mari Stefonetti, plus others whose names I failed to record, and my wife, Brigitte. Further cleanups will be posted beforehand at the park and
on this website - Please watch for the announcements.
~ ~ Docent Bob Dyer
February 10, 2003
- Docents have conducted five public walks at Shollenberger Park since the first
of the year. This is a brief summary of birds we've seen.
Between 65-70 species of birds have been seen. The number of different species of birds at the
park will vary every day. Ducks have included Red-breasted Merganser, Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal, Northern
Shoveler, American Wigeon and Northern Pintail. Raptors have included Golden Eagle (pair), American Kestrel, Harrier,
and and White-tailed Kite. Shorebirds have included Long-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Curlew, Willet, Marbled Godwit, and
and Greater Yellowlegs. Along the freshwater side channels, we've seen the American Bittern, Common Yellowthroat,
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Moorhen, and the Black Phoebe. Virginia Rail and Sora have started to return to the side
channels. There have also been two species of turtle in the channels and Common Muskrat.
Our next public walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 8th, from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M., if weather permits. Call Bob
for further information, at 763-2934.
FEBRUARY 7, 2003 - AUDUBON OFFICIALS CONSIDER PETALUMA FOR EDUCATIONAL CENTER
Some of the following material comes from an
Argus-Courier article dated February 12, by Chip McAuley
The Petaluma Wetlands Park Alliance (PWPA) sponsored a tour of Shollenberger Park and a briefing at the Petaluma Sheraton
Hotel for state and national officials of the Audubon Society. The Audubon officials were provided with information to select Petaluma as a
site for an Audubon Interpretive Center over other Northern California locations that are in competition for this honor.
Among the visitors were Jerry Secundy, Vice President and Executive Director of California Audubon, Tamar Chotzen, Senior
Vice President, Centers And Education, National Audubon, and Brooke Langston, Project Manager, Centers and Education,
National Audubon.
Docents, Gerald Moore and Bob Dyer, gave the visitors a driving tour of Shollenberger Park and pointed out the new
Alman Marsh Trail and the area for the planned polishing wetlands south of the park on the "Gray Ranch" property. The City of
Petaluma is currently in negotiations to purchase the property with the owners, Petaluma Poultry Processors. After the
property is purchased the City will develop polishing wetlands on the property as an integral part of the new water
recycling facility.
After the park tour everyone met at the Sheraton Hotel where a number of local dignitaries gave strong messages of encouragement for an
interpretive center. Dignitaries included Mayor David Glass, former Council member Janice Cader-Thompson, Petaluma Superintendent of Schools, Dr.
Greta Viguie, Jessica Vann Gardner, Executive Director of the Petaluma Visitors Program, and PWPA Chairman David Yearsley.
Enthusiasm was shown for the benefits the center would provide school children in the area, and the presentations
reflected vital community and civic support that the City has to offer.
After the Sheraton presentations Janice Cader-Thompson took the visitors on a tour of the "Gray Ranch" property pointing out
where the new wetlands would be, and the farmhouse on the property that could possibly be retrofitted to become the center.
Janice Cader-Thompson felt the tour was a "great success" and hoped Audubon would Contact City Manager Mike Bierman within a month,
announcing Petaluma had been selected.
The Argus-Courier article can be found on the web at:
http://www.arguscourier.com/display/inn_local_news/4audubon.txt
Return to top of page
Return to Recent Activities
 |