Wildlife Warriors

August 1, 2019

Park District Stewardship Department Working to Protect Local Wildlife

The Regional Parks are well known for their abundance of wildlife – from the cutest of critters to the cunningest of predators. But it is some of the less noticeable creatures that need the most help.

As a park management agency, the District has a responsibility to protect and preserve natural habitat, especially for those species listed as rare, threatened, or endangered. That’s where the Park District’s Stewardship Department steps in. With a staff of 21, the Stewardship Department identifies wildlife habitat and develops management and habitat restoration plans to protect and enhance the habitat. The Stewardship Department wildlife experts also perform research funded by grants from state and federal agencies. Over the past 10 years, the Stewardship Department has published more than 20 scientific studies on local protected species.

Special protected species in the Park District include the Alameda whipsnake, the California tiger salamander, the California red-legged frog, the California least tern, the salt-marsh harvest mouse, the San Joaquin kit fox, and the western pond turtle.

For more information on the Park District’s strategic efforts to protect wildlife and steward its natural resources, visit the Park District Stewardship webpage.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and 1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and nature learning. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.