Big Break Visitor Center Receives ‘Friends of Education’ Award from Delta Charter of the Association of California School Administrators
New San Francisco Bay Trail Segment to Enhance Shoreline Access & Recreational Opportunities in West Contra Costa County
The East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors has inducted new leaders for 2018.
Duke University alumnus Brian Holt is working to ensure that one of the deadliest home-front disasters of World War II and the racial injustices within the military it exposed will never be forgotten.
On Wednesday, July 5, 2017, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt a resolution in support of the Paris Accord – the historic global agreement reached by 195 countries to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the rise in average global temperatures.
“The Board wanted to make it clear that climate change is not an issue of ‘if’ or ‘when’ for the Park District,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “We are impacted by climate change now, by erosion, by sea level rising, by fires, by drought, and by other extreme weather events.”
There is widespread scientific consensus that climate change is occurring and is caused by human activity, especially the use of fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases. It has been widely recognized by governments, businesses, and academic leaders as a threat to our natural world, economy, health and quality of life.
“Climate change is happening now to our regional parks and 55 miles of shoreline,” said Doyle. “We have to address this now or taxpayers will be paying more in the long run.”
“Withdrawal from the Paris Accord would undermine the global effort to confront climate change, one of the greatest challenges facing our planet. The consequences of inaction may be irreversible and will affect all regions around the world,” added Doyle.
The East Bay Regional Park District’s 2013 Master Plan calls on the Park District to monitor and prepare for the effects of a changing climate to ensure the community’s natural, cultural and scenic resources are protected for future generations. The Park District’s efforts include amongst operational practices in adaptation and mitigation, considering climate change in all policies, and contributing as a national leader in climate smart practices for the management of public parklands and land use planning in the wildlands and urban interface.
With over 55 miles of Bay and Delta shoreline, the District provides the first line of defense against sea level rise for millions of people in the East San Francisco Bay region. To that end, the District has developed restoration strategies – such as the Dotson Family Marsh wetlands restoration and shoreline access project in Richmond – that help address the impacts of sea level rise by providing a buffer for homes and public facilities near the shoreline. The 150-acre Dotson Family Marsh project cost $20 million and was funded in part by the EPA.
In response to the President’s intent to withdraw from the accord, a number of local governments have adopted resolutions in support of the Paris agreement. Given the Park District’s increased focus on the impacts of climate change to parklands and the Bay Area, it was appropriate for the Park District to adopt a resolution in support. The EBRPD Legislative Committee previously considered the issues and recommended the Board of Directors to adopt a resolution in support of the Paris Climate Accord.
To learn more about the Park District’s Climate Smart Initiative, visit EBParks.org/ClimateSmart.
The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 120,000 acres in 65 parks including over 1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature learning.
Dave Mason
510-544-2207
dmason@ebparks.org
The East Bay Regional Park District board of directors voted 7-0 last week to purchase two parcels totaling 390 acres to expand Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch and Vasco Hills Regional Preserve near Byron.
Community Resources for Science, a Bay Area non-profit that helps teachers give students more opportunities to “do science”—to ask questions, test ideas, and get their hands on real science activities—has awarded International Community School (ICS) in Oakland the Science Super Star Challenge. On June 1, 2017 the whole school was recognized for having more than 80% of their classroom teachers complete the Science Super Star Challenge, and as a result, Community Resources for Science and the East Bay Regional Park District’s Mobile Fish Exhibit set up for a full day of science fun.
The Science Super Star Challenge is a carefully crafted set of best practices designed to encourage and celebrate teachers who exemplify excellence in elementary science teaching. Teachers complete the Science Super Star Challenge by leading their students in hands-on investigations, reading and writing about science topics, exploring science via field trips or in class presentations, and participating in teacher professional development.
The East Bay Regional Park District’s Mobile Fish Exhibit is a 26-foot-long aquarium on wheels that offers an up-close, memorable experience with fish from our local lakes and streams, along with programming that helps show students the effects of our trash and waste disposal methods on our environment and food chain. The State Standard–focused lessons for grades K-2 use dress-up and other activities to explore the basic biology of fishes, their life-cycles, and basic adaptations to life in water. Lessons for grades 3-6 use interactive models and games to show students how keeping their environment clean and healthy helps them stay that way too. The Mobile Fish Exhibit is sponsored in part by a grant from the Regional Parks Foundation.
See a full list of honorees for the 2016-2017 school year.
Read more about the EBRPD Mobile Education Unit and the Mobile Fish Exhibit. Image Image Image
Isa Polt-Jones
510-544-2207
ipjones@ebparks.org
2/23/2016
Weather permitting, the East Bay Regional Park District will be applying by helicopter Milestone™ herbicide to their pasturelands sometime during the week of February 29. Milestone in the early spring can prevent the growth and germination of yellow star thistle, a highly invasive, non-native annual. Yellow star thistle degrades the Bay Area’s valuable (and diminishing) rangelands while creating a nuisance for recreation. Yellow Star thistle alters the functioning of the ecosystem, outcompeting annual grasses and native plants, reducing available forage for livestock and using water reserves deep in the soil. If left unmanaged, these plants have been observed to grow to dense monocultures, excluding all other types of vegetation and habitat utilized by many other species.
The Milestone application is under the guidance of a licensed Pest Control Advisor and its efficacy is based on research results from the University of California Cooperative Extension. This herbicide treatment is part of an overall integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control invasive species at Briones Regional Park.
Will Milestone stay where it is sprayed?
Because of its formulation, Milestone is essentially non-volatile (i.e. non evaporative). Precautions will be taken to ensure that spray drift does not occur. It is applied at a very low rate, so there is little potential for runoff.
Do livestock need to be removed from the treated area?
No. There are no grazing restrictions for any class of livestock or wildlife.
What is the environmental impact of Milestone?
Milestone is registered under the EPA’s Reduced Risk Pesticide initiative, and is frequently used for environmental restoration projects. Because of its non-volatile formulation and its low-volume application rates, Milestone provides effective control with reduced exposure for people and for the environment. When applied in a responsible manner in accordance with the label directions, there should be no harm to persons, pets, property or the environment beyond the intended weed control activity of the pesticide.
Is notification required?
No. Pesticide applicators are required by law to apply pesticides in a safe and effective manner and ensure that no harm is caused to persons, property or wildlife outside of the targeted application site. Notification is only required by law to persons who are likely to enter the treated area. However, this notification is being provided to you by the property operator in good faith to alleviate concerns you may have about this application.
Casey Brierley
(510) 544-2343
This is the 2016 information for archival purposes.
This is the 2016 information. For the current year, go to the home page at ebparks.org or search Activities.