Golden Gate Audubon Society

The Bay Area has a rich diversity of wildlife. Millions of birds rest, feed, or overwinter here along their migratory route. Among them are the raptors that fly over the Golden Gate, songbirds that rely upon our wildlands, parks, and backyards, and shorebirds and waterfowl that depend on the San Francisco Bay’s shorelines and tidal wetlands. Countless other birds and wildlife species rely year-round on our native habitats.

Increasing human activity and development pressures put our wildlife and their natural territories ever more at risk. Golden Gate Audubon plays a critical role in preserving key habitats in the Bay Area. Working with our volunteer Conservation Committees, we restore habitats, advocate to conserve wildlife areas, and encourage Bay Area residents to get involved in protecting our local birds and wildlife.

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  Make the City Safe for Wildlife

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  Wetlands and Wildlands

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  Birds at Risk

On December 19, 2011 San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee vetoed proposed legislation to restore Sharp Park.

This legislation which was sponsored by Supervisor Avalos was supported by 36 community and environmental groups and approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Read Bay Citizen coverage of this veto : Lee Sides with Golfers

Golden Gate Audubon supports legislation to restore the wetlands and Sharp Park and to transfer the long term management of the Park to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.   This is the best solution in terms of the endangered species protection while meeting the current recreational needs of San Franciscans. 

1) Today send an email or call each of the supervisors on the City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee:

Supervisor John Avalos email John.Avalos@sfgov (415) 554-6975
Supervisor Eric Mar email Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org (415) 554-7410
Supervisor Sean Elsbernd email Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org (415) 554-6516
 
2) Attend the hearing on Monday, December 5, 2011 starts at 10:00 a.m.
SF City Hall, City Operations & Neighborhood Services Committee – Legislative Chamber Room 250
 

Why restore the Sharp Park wetlands and create a new public park in San Francisco?
·    To protect, recover, and ensure the long term survival of two federally-listed endangered species, the San Francisco garter and the California red-legged frog in the area.
·     Since 2004 Sharp Park has lost an average of $162,000 each year on a park that continues to inflict harm on wildlife.
·     Closing the course will save additional millions of dollars by eliminating the obligation for costly infrastructure projects needed to protect the park against sea level rise, costs from failing to comply with federal environmental laws.
·      The money saved would allow San Francisco to improve currently underfunded neighborhood parks, community centers, education programs, local jobs, and/or social services within the community. 
·       Resources for more popular recreational activities, such as hiking and biking, would benefit more people, rather than investing additional money to improve this golf course.  Sharp Park Golf Course has received failing reviews in nearly every category the National Golf Foundation measures.
 
What will the Sharp Park legislation do?
·      The legislation directs the Recreation & Park Department to partner and create a long-term management agreement with the National Park Service including a financial roadmap, and address urgent environmental and infrastructure needs. ·        Sharp Park would be transformed from golf to a new public park emphasizing trail-based recreation and would be managed by the National Park Service.
·      Protection of the endangered wildlife would be ensured by the National Park Service.  The Recreation and Park Department does not have the expertise or the financial resources to provide the required protections.

For more information contact Mike Lynes, Conservation Director mlynes@goldengateaudubon.org

The SF Recreation and Parks Dept. is proposing to replace 9 acres of open, naturally-growing grass in Golden Gate Park with synthetic turf and to install several 60-foot tall lights that will illuminate the western end of Golden Gate Park for the first time.  This project will remove important wildlife habitat, increase disturbances to neighbors and wildlife, and violate the Golden Gate Park Master Plan.

What can you do?

1) Attend the Draft Environmental Impact Report Hearing at the Planning Commission:

 Thursday, December 1, 2011 starts at 5:00pm Location: San Francisco Planning Commission, Room 400 San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

2) Submit comments by December 12 at 5:00pm on this project to

Mr. Bill Wycko, Environmental Review Officer

San FranciscoPlanning Department, 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400, San Francisco,CA94103

email  bill.wycko@sfgov.org

What are the concerns with this project?

• Removal of 9 acres of natural grass which provides habitat to birds, butterflies and other wildlife and there is no mitigation proposed
• Installation of 10-60’ towers with stadium lighting that will remain on until 10:00pm every night.  Artificial lighting has been shown to draw birds off course during migration.  This site is within the Pacific Flyway, inGolden GateParkand 1000 feet fromOceanBeach. 
• The lighting will negatively impact nesting birds and other species that depend on the area surrounding the soccer fields as habitat.
• There is no recycling of the artificial turf plastic and tire crumb rubber, in 8-10 years 400 tons of debris will go to the landfill.
• It is much less expensive and more environmentally sustainable for the City to restore the natural grass fields.
• This is a onetime gift to the City.  When the artificial turf fields need to be replaced in 8-10 years where will the millions of dollars come from?

Contact: Mike Lynes, Conservation Director

In the news:

San Francisco Bay Guardian article “Whose Park?” November 30, 2011

Our Birding the Bay Trail Docents will be back on the trail in December. 

You can learn from the docents about the birds on these dates:

• Thursday, December 8th from 10:30am-12:30pm at the Hoffman Marsh in Richmond, CA.
• Saturday, December 10th from 2:00pm -4:00pm at Vincent Park in Richmond, CA

Celebrate Urban Birds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology invites organizations and educators to apply for mini-grants to help fund neighborhood event in communities everywhere.  To apply for a mini-grants, please visit their website.  For more information, please contact Celebrate Urban Birds:  urbanbirds@cornell.edu

The State of the Birds Report for San Francisco Bay, 2011 was just released by the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and San Francisco Bay Joint Venture.  Click here to read more.

“TogetherGreen,” a nationwide corporate/community partnership program, taps volunteers to restore San Francisco wetland habitat on former dumping grounds at Pier 94.  Click here to learn more!

Round up your birding friends and join our 2011 Christmas Bird Counts:

Oakland on Sunday, December 18

San Francisco on Tuesday, December 27.

Click here to register on-line!

San Francisco  Mayor Approves New Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings

(Washington,D.C.andSan Francisco,CA, October 11, 2011) American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Golden Gate Audubon hailed the signing into law of new Standards for Bird Safe Buildings by San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee. The signing follows the unanimous approval of the bill by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors last month.

The Standards will greatly reduce bird deaths and injuries resulting from collisions with buildings in the city. They include sections on safer windows, night lighting, and the construction of wind turbines in the urban environment.

“Protecting and helping birds is not only the right thing to do, it is also good for the economy and the future of our environment. Birds are invaluable as controllers of crop insect pests, pollinators of plants, and seed distributors; they also generate tremendous economic revenues through the pastimes of bird feeding and birdwatching. We need to do what we can to protect them,” said Eric Mar, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ member who sponsored the legislation.

“Mayor Lee and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors are showing national leadership on this critical wildlife issue. Up to one billion birds die each year in building collisions nationwide.San Franciscois acting responsibly by helping to reduce those preventable deaths,” said Dr. Christine Sheppard, manager of ABC’s Bird Collisions Campaign.

“Bird deaths from building strikes, one of the main causes of bird mortality in theUnited States, can often be prevented with reasonable, affordable measures such as those described in these standards. The City ofSan Francisco’s Standards for Bird Safe Buildings constitutes a huge step forward in mitigating this problem in the bay area,” said Mark Welther, Executive Director of Golden Gate Audubon.

Reduction of bird strikes with new buildings can be achieved with simple and cost-effective means. For example, fritting – the placement of ceramic lines or dots on glass – is often already used to reduce air conditioning costs by lowering heat gain in windows. If fritting is applied in particular patterns, it increases the visibility of the window to birds and reduces the likelihood of impacts, while still permitting people to see out clearly from the inside of the building.

The guidelines also address the effects of light pollution, which can confound birds’ ability to navigate by the stars during migration. Lighted buildings and towers can draw birds off course and result in exhaustion, injury, or death for millions every year. The guidelines will reduce unnecessary interior and exterior lighting during the bird migratory seasons, reducing risks to birds.

Bird-safe measures often have other benefits for building owners and operators. For example, fritting reduces heat gain through windows and decreases cooling costs. Turning off unnecessary lights can save owners and operators thousands of dollars a year while greatly reducing risks to birds.

“There are a number of buildings inSan Francisco, such as theSan FranciscoFederalBuildingand the De Young Museum, that are, albeit unintentionally, already bird-friendly. Where new construction is concerned, the bird-friendly options need not be more expensive, since bird-safe materials and designs can be incorporated from the beginning,” Sheppard said.

While San Francisco is looking at this issue on a local level, Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley  has introduced national legislation into the federal House of Representatives (HR 4797) that calls for each public building constructed, acquired, or altered by the General Services Administration (GSA) to incorporate, to the maximum extent possible, bird-safe building materials and design features. The legislation would require GSA to take similar actions on existing buildings, where practicable. The terms “bird-safe building materials and design features” are defined through reference to several publications addressing those topics.

Copies of the San Francisco Standards are available online at: http://bit.ly/qwXeYe

Click here to learn more about bird collisions with buildings!

 October 11, 2011 press release can be found here

Golden Gate Audubon supports the Standards for Bird Safe Buildings in San Francisco.
Why Have Standards for Bird Safe Building in San Francisco?
 - Several hundred million birds die each year in North America from collsions with windows in buildings, especially with “plate” and reflective glass.
-  Risks of collisions with tall structures can occur during fog and storms- conditions often seen in San Francisco during the spring and fall migrations.
- San Francisco is part of the Pacific Flyway, where 400 species of birds have been documented.
- Structures in the City put local and migrating birds at risk from collisions.
- Observers have reported death and injury from collisions to Peregrine Falcons, White-crowned Sparrows, Green Herons, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Orange-crowned Warblers and others.

What do the Standards call for?
- Voluntary efforts to reduce risks to birds by including bird-safe measures in design and operations.
- Requirements are limited to a few areas noted as high risk for birds (adjacent to the Bay or in heavily vegetated areas), with a focus on the lower 60’ of structures.
- Use of new and old technologies, from pulling down window shades to safer forms of glass that are becoming more readily and economically available

On September 12, 2011 the San Francisco Land Use Committee Supervisors approved the Standards for Bird Safe Buildings in San Francisco.  Supervisors Malia Cohen, Eric Mar and Scott Weiner approved the Standards which will next move to be heard by the full Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, September 20, 2011.

In July the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Golden Gate Audubon hailed the passage by the San Francisco Planning Commission of new Bird Safe Building Standards Thursday evening. Read the full press release here.

Read an article in the NY TImes about the issue.

There are two ways you can donate to help the two peregrine falcons shot in Oakland earlier this summer.  You can help fund their care at the Lindsey Wildlife Museum by visiting http://www.wildlife-museum.org/cart/donate.php.  You can also donate to contribute to a reward fund for the identification and prosecution of the shooter at http://www2.ucsc.edu/scpbrg/donate.htm.

August 15 through November 30 is fall migration and the time to encourage businesses to participate in Lights Out for Birds by turning off unnecessary lights from dusk to

dawn. This beneficial program saves natural resources, cuts energy bills, and, most importantly, can save the lives of numerous birds. To sign up or learn more about Lights Out, go to

www.goldengateaudubon.org/conservation or e-mail mlynes@goldengateaudubon.org.

Please join Golden Gate Audubon and the National Park Service on Saturday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to noon to prepare the Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area and Ocean Beach in San Francisco for the return of the Snowy Plovers!  Participants can sign in at our table at Crissy Field on the promenade near the Gulf of the Farallones Building  or at  Ocean Beach near the Great Highway and Judah Street.  We will be picking up trash and improving the habitat for the plovers and other shorebirds.

We recommend that you dress in layers, bring sunscreen and a bottle of water.  All other necessary supplies and snacks will be provided. For more information, please contact Noreen Weeden at 510-301-0570 or  nweeden@goldengateaudubon.org by July 7 to sign up to participate.

Help Make the GGNRA Safe and Accommodating for People, Wildlife, and Dogs

The National Park Service has issued its draft Dog Management Plan for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to accommodate dogs in the park and strike a balance of dog owners’ interests with those of other park users and the natural ecology of the park.  The plan allows for extensive off-leash and on-leash recreation in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties.  No other National Park allows off-leash dog recreation or even on-leash activities to the extent proposed by the National Park in its plan.

The hope is to create a place where dogs, dog owners, other park users and native plants and wildlife can coexist.  The status quo is unsustainable. Though the proposed plan isn’t perfect, we’re generally supportive of the GGNRA’s effort to better regulate this activity.

We encourage everyone to provide comments to the National Park Service before May 29, 2011

Click here to view Golden Gate Audubon’s position on this issue, as well as our guidelines and a sample letter for submitting your comments.

Join park supporters, preservationists, neighbors and environmentalists to learn about current construction plans for Golden Gate Park and what can be done to protect our open space today and for future generations.

Moderator:

Jim Chappell, Interim Director, San Francisco Beautiful; past Executive Director, SPUR;

Panel:

Anthea Hartig, PhD.     President, Western Office National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Katherine Howard, ASLA.    Landscape Architect; Golden Gate Park Preservation Alliance.

Mike Lynes.     Conservation Director/General Counsel, Golden Gate Audubon Society.

George Wooding. President, West of Twin Peaks Central Council; columnist, Westside Observer.

Location: Commonwealth Club of California, 595 Market Street, SF.

Date:  May 11, 2011

Time: 6 p.m. networking reception, 6:30 p.m. program

Registration:  on-line at www.commonwealthclub.org or call:  415-597-6705

Together Our Actions Add Up!

From dusk until dawn, for the duration of the bird migration, building owners, managers and tenants in San Francisco are being asked to turn off unnecessary lights or close drapes, draw blinds or pull shades to help reduce the incidences of collisions that kill approximately 1 billion birds in North America each year. Spring migration is February 15th through May 31st, and the fall migration is August 15th through October 31st. To learn more visit http://www.goldengateaudubon.org/ Lights Out

Please help improve the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Dog Management Plan!

The Park Service will be taking comments from the public about the plan and want to hear from people like you to help prioritize management of the GGNRA and accommodate the needs of all park users.  The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Dog Management Plan is available at http://www.nps.gov/goga/parkmgmt/dog-management.htm.  At over 2000 pages, it can be a bit intimidating.  But the Executive Summary is much more accessible and worthy of review.

Golden Gate Audubon has long been involved in trying to find the right balance for protecting the natural values of the GGNRA and meeting the demands of all park users.  We have continued to be concerned about the impacts of dogs, especially off-leash dogs, on the wildlife, habitats, and other visitors in the parks.  Over the years, we’ve documented that approximately 2/3 of dog walkers in the Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area (WPA) ignore the leash requirements and let their dogs roam off-leash even while the threatened Snowy Plover is present.  The rates of non-compliance are even higher on Ocean Beach and at Ft. Funston.

We know that many dog owners enjoy walking and playing with their dogs within the GGNRA. But we also know that the National Parks exist to maintain the natural and cultural values for all people forever.  Too often, we have seen dog-related recreation push out other park users and result in significant harm to the local environment.  While we do not agree with everything in the proposed Dog Management Plan, we believe it is a good step in the right direction of balancing competing demands on the GGNRA while protecting park resources.

We encourage all of our members and supporters to  submit comments.  The deadline for submitting comments has been extended to May 29. We urge you to share your own experiences in the GGNRA, including your favorite spots and how dog-related recreation has affected your use and enjoyment of the park.  Even if you disagree with Golden Gate Audubon on this issue, we encourage you to participate and provide your perspective.

Golden Gate Audubon will submit formal written comments soon.  Currently, we are focused on five main points:

• All off-leash dog areas should be fenced for the protection of other park visitors and dogs.  Park visitors should be given a choice about whether they will interact with off-leash dogs.
• There should be a limit of 3 dogs per person.  It is not appropriate for the Park Service to create commercial permits for professional dog walkers.  Also, it is unlikely that most visitors with dogs will be able to keep control of more than 3 dogs at one time.
• Leash and voice control requirements must be strictly enforced throughout the life of the policy.  Otherwise proposed on-leash areas will become off-leash areas, as has already happened under the old rules.
• The goal of achieving 75% compliance with the leash and voice control requirements is far too low.  The Park Service should not be creating a system that expects and tolerates failure by 25% of the dog walkers.  Golden Gate Audubon recommends a goal of 95% compliance with leash and voice control requirements.
• Remind the Park Service that while dogs are important parts of our families and communities, they are just one animal that is having a significant negative impact on thousands of other animals that rely on the park to survive.  It is fair to ask dog owners to accept certain limits for areas where their dogs may play when the survival and wellbeing of so many wildlife animals and plants is at stake.

Thank you for your continuing support of Golden Gate Audubon and of birds and other wildlife in the Bay Area.  If you would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact Mike Lynes, Conservation Director, at (510) 843-6551 or at mlynes@goldengateaudubon.org

Every year, thousands of visitors come to Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Martin Griffin Preserve (formerly Bolinas Canyon Preserve) in western Marin County, which has one of the most studied Great Blue Heron and Great Egret nesting sites on the West Coast. Golden Gate Audubon, which helped establish the ACR, is responsible for providing hosts during the public season. These volunteers greet and direct visitors and answer questions about the heronry. All information that hosts need is provided in advance. Golden Gate Audubon is seeking hosts for the following dates: March 19 and 20; April 16 and 17; May 7, 8 (Mother’s Day), 28, and 29; June 11 and 12; and July 4. If you are interested or want more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Noreen Weeden, 510.843.9374, volunteer@goldengateaudubon.org.

Recently published in Alameda Magazine:  Turning Point for the Terns

It’s Wildlife Refuge vs. the VA at Alameda Point

Fall Migration: August 15 through October 31, 2010

The fall season is here.   We are seeing or reading bird blogs about the species that are migrating to or through the San Francisco Bay Area.   Many are nocturnal migrants and are confused by lights, especially during foggy or stormy nights.  Lights left on in tall buildings attract many birds into fatal collisions, resulting in millions of bird deaths in the United States each year.

How to Help?

You or your place of work can participate in Lights Out for Birds by turning off lighting after dusk each evening and leaving lights off until daylight.  Tenants are encouraged to turn out lights or draw blinds at dusk.  This is particularly important for tall buildings and buildings with glass exteriors or windows.

Read more here.

(Photo by Lee Karney)

GOLDEN GATE AUDUBON’S STATEMENT ON THE PT. MOLATE SHORELINE PROTECTION AGREEMENT

Agreement to preserve North Richmond shoreline for habitat restoration, park creation and trails – read the full statement.

Golden Gate Audubon has just released the “Western Snowy Plover Monitoring at the Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area of The Presidio of San Francisco 2009/2010.  Read it here.

Golden Gate Audubon will be one of many international and local conservation groups participating in Wildlife Conservation Expo Day, Sunday, October 3, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., held at the Mission Bay Conference Center, 1675 Owens Street, San Francisco. On Wildlife Conservation Expo Day, a world-renowned conservationists will share their stories of saving endangered species in some of the most remote and challenging places on earth. Look for the Golden Gate Audubon outreach table as you browse the expo between speakers. Tickets to the expo are $60 per person, $30 for students with ID. For more information, go to www.wildnet.org.

Join Golden Gate Audubon and environmentally conscious businesses in turning off unnecessary lights during the fall migration.  Please pull shades, blinds or curtains if lights are needed.  This small act saves natural resources, money and potentially birds.   Read our press release

Golden Gate Audubon is a member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) and works closely with the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) in Cordelia, CA to prepare for oil spill emergencies in San Francisco Bay.

GGA’s experience surveying and documenting oiled birds and assisting local agencies during the Bay Area’s major 2007 Cosco Busan spill led us to become an OWCN member. Staff and volunteers completed important instruction including certification and we developed an emergency plan which was implemented during the 2009 Dubai Star oil spill. These local oil spill events served as invaluable training and preparation for regional and national oil spills and their impacts on birds and wildlife.

IBRRC and National Audubon are wildlife responders on-site in the Gulf of Mexico at the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Audubon alone has mobilized 20,000 oil spill volunteers). And Golden Gate Audubon’s trained staff & volunteers are on-call to respond in the Gulf of Mexico if needed.

Please make a charitable donation to Golden Gate Audubon today. Your gift supports all of GGA’s programs, including staff and volunteers on alert to respond to the current national tragedy and those who are preparing for future oil emergencies here in San Francisco Bay.

Update on the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project:

On April 30, 2010 the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department announced that they will perform an Environmental Impact Report for the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project. 

Read the article from the San Francisco Chronicle here

Read Golden Gate Audubon’s press release here

Please continue to stay informed and comment on the EIR scoping process. Golden Gate Audubon and other groups will ask for a scoping hearing, at which the focus of the EIR will be discussed and determined.  Your letters can be a part of this process..

We will continue to keep you informed.

Below is a summary of the background:

On April 28, 2010 Golden Gate Audubon and 14 other community and environmental groups joined in filing an appeal to the categorical exemption of the Beach Chalet soccer fields renovation.   While the San Francisco Planning Department claimed a categorical exemption under classes 1, 3 and 4 of the CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) we are challenging this exemption.  These exemptions are for minor projects with no impact to the environment for existing facitlities, new construction and conversions of small structures, and minor alterations to land because these projects have no significant environmental impact.
Despite strong opposition from the environmental community, the historic preservation community, neighborhood groups, and many individuals, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission approved the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project on April 15th, 2010.  Testimony submitted included statements by over 35 opponents,  200 personal letters, the concerns of 80 neighborhood groups and organizations and petitions from over 1,400 individuals questioning this project.
 
This project will have a significant adverse impact on Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach from the standpoint of the environment, the historic character of the Park, the sports field lighting on 60 foot poles, the plastic grass, the introduction of paving into parkland, the expansion of the parking lot, the increase in traffic into the park and at Ocean Beach, the damage to the windbreak that protects the park, and so many other issues.  An EIR is vital to explore the adverse impacts on this parkland, evaluate them, and propose mitigations or alternatives.  

The Planning Department issued a categorical exemption for the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project. That means that they determined that the following would not have a substantial adverse impact on the environment or on Golden Gate Park:
·         loss of 6 acres of natural grass and topsoil
·         installation of 6 acres of artificial turf  = gravel, plastic carpet, old tires
·         60 foot tall stadium lighting spread over four fields
·         16 foot tall fencing
·         new sidewalks through and all around the fields and up to the parking lot
·         a 25% larger parking lot
·         more traffic in the park; less parking at Ocean Beach
·         15 foot lights on all the paths around the field and in the parking lot
·         lighting to be on from before sunset until 10:00 p.m. at night EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR
·         loss of over 58 trees and many more shrubs
·         loss of habitat for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife
·         located next to a new native plant area, which was meant to attract wildlife
·         runs contrary to the Golden Gate Park Master Plan
·         runs contrary to the National Register of Historic Places
·         destroys the historic character of the western end of Golden Gate Park
·         destroy views of the windmills, the Beach Chalet, and the Millwright’s house
·         excludes use as parkland by everyone else – dogwalkers, kite flyers, bird watchers, amateur astronomers, and people out for a walk.

We disagree!

The Golden Gate Audubon Society, Sierra Club, California  Preservation Foundation, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, Coalition to Save Ocean Beach, Friends of Lands End, Friends of Sutro Heights Park, Golden Gate Park Preservation Alliance, In Defense of Animals, Richmond Community Association, San Francisco Tomorrow, SF Ocean Edge, Save the Stow Lake Boathouse Coalition, Sunset Parkside Education and Action Committee (SPEAK) and the Sunset District Neighborhood Coalition appealed the Planning Department’s decision to deny an EIR, to the Board of Supervisors. 

Please write letters to the Board of Supervisors and to the Mayor, asking for an EIR.  Copy us on your letters.

Read more here…

Observers recorded 138,155 birds comprised of 93 species using the mudflats and wetlands along the Shoreline. The most common waterfowl were scaup (with significantly more Greater Scaup than Lesser Scaup). The most common shorebirds were small sandpipers (Western and Least Sandpipers) and Willets. Western Gulls were the most common gull species. Data indicate that birds use different parts of the Shoreline during different tides and seasons, particularly waterfowl and shorebirds, indicating a need to protect and restore a diverse mosaic of habitats to be used by birds and other wildlife.

Click here to read this newly released North Richmond Shoreline report.

We are asking participants to turn off building lights during the bird migration (February through May and August though November each year). “Participants in the Lights Out for Birds program can save natural resources, money, and birds by turning off lighting after dusk each evening and leaving lights off until dawn,” said Mike Lynes, Conservation Director for Golden Gate Audubon. “Over 250 species of birds migrate through San Francisco Bay in the spring and fall, and many that migrate at night can become confused by the City’s lights and collide with tall buildings and towers. The Lights Out for Birds program can reduce bird deaths while cutting energy costs and saving participants thousands of dollars each year.”

Collisions kill hundreds of millions of birds each year. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative—a joint effort of federal agencies and non-profit conservation organizations—released the “2010 State of the Birds” in which it reported that the majority of migratory birds in North America are suffering significant population declines due to human-induced causes, including habitat loss and collisions.

Effective Lights Out programs can help stem these population declines. Participants in the Lights Out for Birds program also gain significant financial benefits. Building operators and tenants have reported significant savings on energy bills as a result of participation—one business in Toronto reported a savings of $200,000 in 2006. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced energy efficient retrofit funding for 2,000 small to mid-sized businesses and 500 homes. By installing timers or motion detectors and turning off unnecessary lights, building owners and operators can significantly reduce their energy bill. Reduced energy consumption decreases overall greenhouse gas emissions, which is essential in the effort to combat climate change.

San Francisco was one of the first cities to implement a Lights Out program in 2008. Now over 21 cities in the US and Canada have a Lights Out program. Conservationists hope that the program extends to every major city in North America, to save birds, energy and money. Building owners, managers and tenants that are interested in participating should contact the San Francisco Department of the Environment or a PG&E representative to learn about how to participate in this program. For more information about local bird populations and how to help, contact us at 650-843-6551.

Earth Hour

 Thank you for participating on March 27, 2010.

Join Us

Here is a flyer to print and post : click here

Golden Gate Audubon is deeply concerned about the shooting of at least 60 birds near the Oakland Airport on December 23, 2009.  Current reports state that several thousand birds were directly in line with one of the airport’s runways, likely because of a high concentration of fish, and that the birds were unresponsive to the non-lethal “hazing” techniques that normally disperse 90-95% of the birds.  While we understand that human safety is paramount and that some birds do pose risks to aircraft, we are discussing the matter with airport officials, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the Port of Oakland, and the California Dept. of Fish & Game to determine whether all available non-lethal means were attempted before the birds were killed.  We also hope to work with these agencies to reduce the likelihood that similar lethal measures will be necessary in the future.

More than 200 avid Bay Area birders will fan out over San Francisco to count all the birds they see in a single day.

San Francisco, CA. — On December 29, from before dawn until dusk, hundreds of hardy birders will trek through parks, neighborhoods, wetlands, and woods to count birds.

WHAT: 2009 Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

WHERE: San Francisco

WHEN: Tuesday, December 29

WHY: To provide insight into the past and present status and health of our bird populations and the general health of our environment, as well as being a social, sporting, and competitive event.

MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Murphy, 415.564.0074

SPONSORS: San Francisco – Golden Gate Audubon and Presidio Trust

Some will venture onto the bay in kayaks and boats. Others will traverse city streets, cross remote streams and creeks, and skirt reservoirs and bay mudflats, with their binoculars and scopes trained on trees, bushes, buildings, wires, poles, land, water, and sky. They will call out the names and numbers of birds they see at every site and carefully record them. Then the count participants will gather at the end of the day over dinner to tally their results and share stories of their day in the field.

“For Bay Area birders, these two Christmas counts are an integral part of the holiday season,” says Oakland co-organizer Dave Quady. “A great day of birding, then a fine compilation dinner, friends sharing adventures in the field, then telling stories of rare birds over dessert – what could be finer?”

Coordinated by the National Audubon Society, nearly 60,000 people participated in more than 2,100 counts on three continents last year, the 109^th year of Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs). Each count attempts to identify and record every individual bird encountered within a defined 15-mile-diameter circle — about 177 square miles — during one calendar day. Golden Gate Audubon sponsors the Oakland count and co-sponsors the San Francisco counts with the Presidio Trust.  Both counts finished among the top 31 in North America in numbers of species found, with 172 or more species in each. Oakland attracted 189 field observers, the fourth-highest number worldwide; San Francisco’s 117 bird counters placed it among the 18 highest in the world.

“Christmas Bird Counts combine many of the things Golden Gate Audubon stands for,” says Executive Director Mark Welther. “It’s a fine day where everyday bird-watchers become citizen scientists, contributing data that helps everyone understand Bay Area birdlife and its habitat a little better, capped off with a wonderful dinner.”

Location Details

The San Francisco CBC circle extends from the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge to San Bruno Avenue in San Bruno.  The teams cover the wetlands just north of the San Francisco International Airport, arcing west to Sharp Park and north to include the parks, open space, and neighborhoods of the north peninsula.

Christmas Bird Count History

Christmas Bird Counts began in the northeast United States on December 25, 1900, when 27 bird-watcher/conservationists in 25 localities, led by scientist Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history.  On that day, they created an alternative to the “side hunt,” a long-standing Christmas day activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals.  Instead of hunting, Chapman was determined to identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, thus founding a conservation effort that has grown exponentially over the last 109 years.  Locally, Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted most years in San Francisco since the first in 1915 and in Oakland since 1938.

The data collected at each count are sent to the National Audubon Society. CBC results from 1900 to the present are available to all at www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/hr/.  Generated entirely by volunteers, these data are a crucial part of this country’s natural history monitoring database.  For over a century, the Christmas Bird Count has provided valuable insight into the past and present status and health of our bird populations and the general health of our environment, as well as being a social, sporting, and competitive event.

About Golden Gate Audubon

Golden Gate Audubon has been dedicated to protecting Bay Area birds, other wildlife, and their natural habitat since 1917. We conserve and restore wildlife habitat, connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural world, and educate and engage Bay Area residents in the protection of our shared, local environment.

About the Presidio Trust

The Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to administer the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The areas under management include expansive open space and spectacular views, a 300-acre historic forest, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. The Presidio Trust’s mission is to preserve and enhance the Presidio as an enduring resource for the American public.

Contact and for more information:

Dan Murphy (San Francisco count): murphsf@yahoo.com, 415.564.0074 (home) or 415.342.7306 (cell)

Mark Welther, Executive Director: markwelther@goldengateaudubon.org, 510.843.2222

Golden Gate Audubon supports the restoration of the wetland habitat at Sharp Park.

Sharp Park should be converted to a wetland park to preserve habitat for the two protected species (the San Francisco Garter Snake is state and federally listed as endangered and the Red-legged Frog is federally listed as threatened).  Current golf course operations including mowing and water management practices threaten these species at Sharp Park. 

On November 6, 2009 SF Recreation & Park’s Department released a report with three alternatives for the future of Sharp Park.  The General Manager of SF Recreation & Parks Department recommended the all golf alternative which provides the least habitat for the endangered and threatened species.  The report did not contain a schedule or complete budget to restore Sharp Park habitat for the California Red-legged Frog and SF Garter Snake.  The report did not consider transferring the property to or developing a joint management agreement with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area . 

The National Park Service has experience managing threatened and endangered species. This is a great opportunity for the public to experience the area while providing a wildlife corridor with the adjacent Mori Point for the threatened species and other wildlife.  Mori Point is managed by the National Park Service.

Continuing the Sharp Park golf course does not make financial sense for these reasons: 

  *Between 2007 and 2012 San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department’s internal financial analysis projects a minimum $2million loss at Sharp Park (Kamalanthan, 2007)

  *A $5million SF Public Utilities Commission project to convert up to 50 million gallons of water to irrigate the golf course using recycled water is on hold pending a City report about Sharp Park.  If the golf course is converted to a wetland park, then this project will be unnecessary and funds can be used elsewhere.  

  *The 2008 San Francisco Golf Course Task Force recommended private fundraising to invest $12-14million for golf course improvements to Sharp Park.  Rounds of golf played have dropped 40% at Sharp Park since 2000.

  *Continuing the golf course at Sharp Park will require San Francisco to pay an estimated $32million to improve the seawall (Battalio).  If the golf course is closed and the park is restored to the natural dune and wetland habitat, then a much smaller seawall project would be needed.

Please contact Mayor Newsom and your supervisor to let them know that you support the restoration of the wetland at Sharp Park.  Ask that they let you know their position on the future of Sharp Park.   Send of a copy of this letter to us.  Thank You!

For more information see Restore Sharp Park

Mayor Gavin Newsom (415) 554-6141- Voice
Email: gavin.newsom@sfgov.org

Eric Mar, District 1                                        Michela Alioto-Pier, District 2
(415) 554-7410 – Voice                              (415) 554-7752 – Voice
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org                                  Michela.Alioto-Pier@sfgov.org

David Chiu – Board President, District 3    Carmen Chu, District 4
(415) 554-7450 – Voice                              (415) 554-7460 – Voice
David.Chiu@sfgov.org                                 Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org

Ross Mirkarimi, District 5                            Chris Daly, District 6
(415) 554-7630 – Voice                              (415) 554-7970 – Voice
Ross.Mirkarimi@sfgov.org                          Chris.Daly@sfgov.org

Sean Elsbernd, District 7                             Bevan Dufty, District 8
(415) 554-6516 – Voice                              (415) 554-6968 – Voice
Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org                          Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org

David Campos, District 9                            Sophie Maxwell, District 10
(415) 554-5144 – Voice                              (415) 554-7670 – Voice
David.Campos@sfgov.org                          Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org

John Avalos, District 11                             ggas@goldengateaudubon.org
(415) 554-6975 – Voice
John.Avalos@sfgov.org