From our blogs

Refuge Radio - Episode 8 - Ceal Craig and Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge

Listen to an episode of Refuge Radio, news and views from the National Wildlife Refuge Association, where Ceal Craig, President of the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society talks about the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge.

Episode length: 28 minutes 20 seconds

Coastal Cleanup Day • September 15, 2018

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge presents Coastal Cleanup Day at the Dumbarton Fishing Pier Parking Lot, Marshlands Rd, Fremont on Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Do you want to help wildlife and the environment? Join the thousands of people around the world for International Coastal Cleanup Day. At Don Edwards SF Bay NWR you can remove invasive weeds or pick up trash along the parking lot and trails. We’ll supply plastic gloves (or bring your own) and trash and recycling bags. You supply energy, sturdy shoes, sun protection, and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Bring a reusable water bottle.

Volunteers can choose to be shuttled to areas along the Shoreline Trail to reach areas farther away. For more information and for groups larger than 10, call 510-792-0222, ext. 362 for the Visitor Services Intern or Paul Mueller at ext. 361. No reservations necessary.

Children under age 18 must have parental approval. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. To expedite the registration process, log on to http://www.fws.gov/refuge/don_edwards_san_francisco_bay to download the forms and bring to the registration table. Forms are also available at the registration table.

Accessible trails are everyone’s trails

by Ceal Craig

I had the opportunity to participate in a focus group organized by the state of California’s Coastal Conservancy to discuss how we can improve access to public lands for individuals who might need extra support such as facilities and trails that meet American with Disabilities Act standards, commonly known as ADA. One challenge is effectively communicating information about what already exists. This website, http://www.wheelingcalscoast.org, is filled with helpful information for those who have mobility challenges and want to access the California coast including our Bay Area lands.

On May 4, 2018, the Coastal Conservancy hosted a webinar for grantees and partners on Designing Outdoor Environments that Work for Everybody. A recording of the webinar can be found at https://vimeo.com/268101779. The slides and notes from the webinar are online at http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/pdfs/CoastalConservancyWebinar_05042018_fina....

Changes Coming to Weekend Support and Society Programs

by Ceal Craig

In 1992, the Society with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service worked with two partners to build and deliver two programs: Living Wetlands (formerly known as Slow the Flow) and Watershed Watchers. For 20 years, Living Wetlands and Watershed Watchers educated hundreds of thousands of students and adults about watershed health, wetlands, and habitat preservation through personal and hands-on programming.

The good news is that Watershed Watchers was renewed for this coming year (July to June). Thus, this program funded by the Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program will continue working to prevent runoff pollution, increase the surrounding communities’ knowledge of such pollution, and reduce its harmful effects through personal behavior.

The not so good news is that the City of San Jose declined to renew the Living Wetlands program contract. Our long-term partnership was a fruitful one and will be missed. Recent changes to priorities, grant program requirements, and outreach strategies at the City of San Jose and the Regional Wastewater Facility have resulted in the city’s decision to end the program. Read more here: http://sfbws.com/blog/2018/03/21/farewell-living-wetlands.

2018 Annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet

by Mary Deschene

In April 2018 I joined the staff of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society to welcome and thank a large number of refuge volunteers at the annual volunteer appreciation luncheon in Fremont.

The San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex Volunteers of the Year were Mary and Gene Bobik, the creators of the refuge's most popular program, Twilight Marsh Walk. Mary and Gene started the program way back in 1996 and are still doing the walk more than two decades later.

Mary and Gene Bobik were recognized as 2018 Volunteers of the Year at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Mary and Gene Bobik were recognized as 2018 Volunteers of the Year at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Drawbridge book “Sinking Underwater” now available for purchase

Sinking Underwater: A Ghost Town's Amazing Legacy by Anita Goldwasser and Cecilia D. Craig, Ph. D.

Sinking Underwater: A Ghost Town's Amazing Legacy by Anita Goldwasser and Cecilia D. Craig, Ph. D.

A book on Drawbridge, California, Sinking Underwater: A Ghost Town's Amazing Legacy by Anita Goldwasser and Cecilia D. Craig, Ph. D. and published by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is now available for purchase.

Anita is a writer who explored the once-vibrant ghost town of Drawbridge in the San Francisco Bay Area and photographed its buildings more than 30 years ago—before most of them sank into the marsh or succumbed to fire.

Cecilia (Ceal) Craig is a long-time member of the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society and volunteer tour guide for Drawbridge.

You can buy the book in person at our Nature Stores at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. You can also have us mail you a copy by sending us a check or making an online payment.

All proceeds from the book sale benefit the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society.

How Drawbridge is drowning — and what it means for our future

Aerial view of Drawbridge, California

Aerial view of Drawbridge, California. Credit video / drone footage by Jane Tyska for The Mercury News / East Bay Times

Lisa M. Krieger, a science writer covering research, scientific policy and environmental news, writes in today's Mercury News:

From birth, Drawbridge was an unlikely community on an impossible site, just feet above sea level. A century ago, the island town held 90 homes, hotels and cabins, with hunting so bountiful that dead ducks served as currency at its gambling tables. Now — in a rare act of reverse colonization — civilization is ceding to the elements in this windswept marsh. “It’s drowning… a memorial to past human aspirations and a memorial to failure,” said Glen MacDonald, a UCLA professor of geography.

Read on to find out how rising seas and sinking muds have doomed the once-vibrant ghost town of Drawbridge in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Donate whenever you shop on Amazon

Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner! Support us by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3039253.

Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.

San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society Donation Form

2018 Marsh-In Summer Day Camp • July 30 - August 3, 2018

A FREE summer camp filled with fun activities, games, crafts, and adventures.

Date and Time
  • July 30 - August 3, 2018
  • Grades 1-6: Monday - Wednesday 9:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
    • Monday - Bird Day
    • Tuesday - Fish Day
    • Wednesday - Mammal Day
  • Grades 4-6 only: Overnight 6:00 p.m. Thursday - 9:30 a.m. Friday
    • Overnight - Night hikes, star gazing, sleeping under the stars and ice cream making!
Location

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Environmental Education Center
1751 Grand Blvd, Alviso, CA 95002

National Fishing & Boating Week • June 2 - 10, 2018

National Fishing & Boating Week - June 2 - 10, 2018

Learn how to fish on the Dumbarton Fishing Pier in Fremont!

Saturday, June 9, 2018 9:00 a.m. – noon

Have you ever wanted to try fishing but didn’t know how to begin? Learn the fundamental basics of catch-and- release fishing at the Dumbarton fishing pier! Discover the types of wildlife living in the San Francisco Bay, learn the safety and ethics of fishing, and then try your luck out on the pier with our fishing poles.

This event is free! Space is limited to 50 people. All equipment will be provided. Please come on time. Register at donedwardsfishing.eventbrite.com or call 510-792-0222 ext. 476 for reservations.

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