2016−17 Annual Report

ConservationPoint science Blue for a healthy planet. 2 Point Blue Conservation Science

“Point Blue continues to develop world-class research and outreach tools to get the latest and greatest climate change-related science in the hands of decision-makers for timely and informed conservation action.” – Patrick Barnard, PhD, Research Director for the Climate Impacts and Coastal Processes Team, USGS

From Science to Action

Science is inherently non-partisan, built on systematic, As highlighted in our 2016 annual report, our more than 160 transparent, and peer-reviewed inquiry and observation. We at staff are making significant progress in turning conservation Point Blue not only do the science, but through our science, we science into conservation action. Thanks to your generosity and turn conservation into action with ranchers, farmers, fishermen, partnership, we are making a difference at this critical juncture county planners, natural resource managers, academics, in the history of life on our planet. teachers, students, and local communities. We are grateful to Point Blue’s Board of Directors for their Our collaborative work is more vital than ever as we face leadership and to the following board members who completed dramatic changes environmentally and politically. 2016 was the their service this past year, Dr. Jim Quinn and Edith Eddy. We warmest year on record globally and after 5 years of extreme also welcomed new board members, Anne Chadwick, Geoff drought, California experienced record breaking rainfall. Gordon-Creed, and Dr. David Myles. While efforts to dismantle federal climate and environmental programs grew, states, cities, and NGOs—including Point Together, we will continue to work for positive change—and Blue—redoubled efforts to reduce global change impacts and secure a healthy, blue planet, teeming with life, well into the invest in nature-based solutions that benefit people and wildlife. future. Thank you for sharing in this vision!

From the Sierra Nevada to the California Current, and from Alaska to Antarctica, we explored, discovered, empowered, and conserved through science! Ellie M. Cohen Megan Colwell We co-created, tested, and documented approaches for President and CEO Chair, Board of Directors healthy soils, clean water, carbon sequestration, birds, and other biodiversity. We innovated habitat restoration and wildlife protection strategies to prepare for increasing drought, flooding, heatwaves, fire, and migration timing changes. We engaged with school children, teachers, and landowners, empowering them to make a difference. And we managed over one billion ecological observations from partners across the Americas, helping them use this invaluable information to ensure a better future for us all. These strategies have been and continue to be at the core of Point Blue’s climate-smart vision.

4 Point Blue Conservation Science 2016–17 Annual Report 5

We Conserve

Turning our collaborative science into action is at the essence of Point Blue’s efforts to address climate change, habitat loss and degradation, and the loss of biodiversity. These problems affect both people and wildlife, making our applied science essential in our rapidly changing world.

Protecting the “last ocean” in communities and resilience to climate Forest Service. This protection spanned Antarctica. With many international extremes. nine fire areas totaling over 800,000 partners, Point Blue helped establish the acres since 2013. Burned forests are world’s largest Marine Protected Area Developing solutions to sea level sometimes targeted for tree harvesting. (MPA) at the Ross Sea. Building on data rise along the coast. How do you Allowing forests to regenerate naturally we have collected there since 1972, we keep a fire department from drowning after a fire is valuable, especially for birds ranked areas of importance to Antarctic in rising seas? What about a highway such as the Black-backed Woodpecker wildlife and helped identify wildlife or a bike path? Point Blue is helping and numerous shrub nesting species. habitat protection goals. The new MPA, local governments in California find twice the size of Texas, prohibits certain the answers. Our team identifies where Restoring streams, rivers, and human activities, such as commercial community assets are at risk from coastal meadows. Using our climate-smart fishing, across a vast area to meet the erosion and flooding, and suggests restoration framework, students, habitat goals we helped establish. solutions that include using nature. In teachers, and community members Marin County, we identified coastal restored almost six miles (or 80 football Advancing rangeland conservation at areas at risk and outlined solutions and fields’ worth) of streams and rivers scale. We have engaged more than 800 monitoring plans to measure success. in California’s SF Bay Area through landowners to implement conservation We extended the Our Coast Our Future the Students and Teachers Restoring practices on over 560,000 acres of farm Program south to Los Angeles, San A Watershed (STRAW) Program. For and ranch lands across California, and Diego, Ventura, and Santa Barbara example, local students helped restore leveraged $17.4 million in Farm Bill counties. See ourcoastourfuture.org for a one-mile stretch of the Pajaro River, conservation dollars to yield more than marsh and dune restoration case studies re-connecting two million acres across $35 million in conservation investments. to protect coastlines, highways, parking three mountain ranges. In the Sierra, our Our Partner Biologists work in local lots, and buildings with marsh and dune ecologists contributed to the restoration communities, including 11 rural counties restoration. of 240 acres (or 182 football field’s where the poverty rate exceeds the worth) of meadow restoration by sharing state and national average. With grazed Improving forest habitat after fire. our climate-smart restoration framework rangelands comprising about 40% We provided the science to help with partners. The framework helps of the land in California and globally, protect over 150,000 acres of post-fire ensure the restoration will support birds Point Blue’s work on rangelands is more habitat for birds and other wildlife by and other wildlife, store carbon, and urgent than ever for wildlife, human working with our partners at the US store and purify water.

 A black-backed woodpecker finds its nest habitat in a standing snag, in a Sierra Nevada forest. Photo: Brent Campos/Point Blue 6 Point Blue Conservation Science

We Empower

With 52 years of bird and ecosystem science experience, we have learned successful approaches, principles, and best practices for conserving nature. Sharing these lessons, gleaned from working with thousands of partners, scientists, and students, extends the impact of our science by catalyzing new conservation leaders.

Kids created habitat as part of science framework. Our framework helps guide confidence to initiate positive change learning. We engaged 3,500 students habitat restoration designs to withstand at Point Blue and to collaborate across and their teachers in classroom programs flooding, drought, and heatwaves while boundaries. We also launched a Train the and hands-on habitat restoration through providing food for birds and other wildlife Trainers effort to help our staff be even our Students and Teachers Restoring a as migration timing changes. more effective teachers in their work with Watershed (STRAW) Program. To date, we students of all ages, from elementary have collaboratively restored almost six Scientists developed common methods school to graduate students. miles of streams and tidal wetland habitat across borders. We convened scientists in our climate-smart approach. Point from 12 countries in a workshop to Guided agricultural easements for Blue’s conservation science curricula are develop shared study objectives for climate change. Point Blue developed aligned with California’s Next Generation shorebirds and coastal habitats across a climate-smart approach to help guide Science Standards. These new standards, the Americas. Establishing shared conservation easements and acquisitions developed by states across the nation, study approaches is one of Point Blue’s in Sierra Valley in the Northern Sierra ensure that students develop key scientific “superpowers,” starting with our first bird Nevada. The ranking criteria considers concepts and skills that will help them in monitoring guide in the early 1970s. We climate projections, current and future their lives. are a leader in shared, co-created science water availability, wildlife habitat value, approaches, helping to ensure that the and habitat connectivity. The framework Restoration decision makers and collected data is useful across borders of is being used by the Feather River Land practitioners empowered with climate- all kinds. Trust to guide a $20 million investment in smart strategies. Point Blue staff led agricultural easements through a Regional a workshop for 40 urban planners, to Empowered Point Blue leaders. Not Conservation Partnership Program with help them evaluate different approaches only do we empower our partners in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation to protecting communities from sea conservation science tools and methods, Service. level rise and storm events, including we also invest in our own staff leadership. using natural buffers such as restored This year, 20 Point Blue scientists tidal wetlands. In another workshop, we participated in a series of leadership trained 270 restoration practitioners and trainings with our partner, CORO. Our regulators in our climate-smart restoration team members acquired the tools and

 Partner biologists and STRAW restoration managers fine-tune their knowledge of native plants.Photo: Wendell Gilgert/Point Blue

“We have long-valued our collaboration with marine scientists from Point Blue who have helped us to understand, so that we can better protect, the amazingly productive national marine sancatuaries offshore central and northern California.” – William Douros, West Coast Regional Director, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries 2016–17 Annual Report 9

We Discover

Data collected over years provide us with insights into pressing challenges to nature’s health. With growing threats due to climate change, habitat loss, and other human-driven impacts, we assess the data to discover the big patterns and answers.

A new shorebird hotspot and growing Different ocean predators reacted support higher biodiversity in forest wetland loss from Mexico to Peru. differently to climate change. Ocean ecosystems, as compared with lower Evaluating more than 30 years of satellite predators from whales, sharks, and severity fires. Current management that data, we discovered that the Gulf of seabirds to seals, sea lions, and salmon focuses on actively “restoring” areas that Fonseca, which sits off El Salvador, have different foraging needs to survive. burned at high severity may be counter Nicaragua, and Honduras, is a hotspot For example, blue whales and salmon to managing for biodiversity. for migrating shorebirds. This same need large amounts of krill to survive. study also highlighted an alarming rate They can dive for them in deep waters Blue and humpback whales are of wetland loss from Southern Mexico or catch them near the surface. Cassin’s returning earlier and staying longer to Chile due to development. These Auklets however, need the krill to be off the California Coast. We recently findings will help prioritize areas for close to the surface where they can easily discovered that these migration changes further study and protection by our many find them. We discovered this from our have been occurring over the last 3-7 Latin American partners. long-term ocean research program, years but we don’t know why. As science conducted in partnership with NOAA often does, this discovery has led to Migratory birds traveled surprisingly in the Gulf of the Farallones. Changes another question, which we will now far during non-nesting season. Tiny in ocean temperatures and currents investigate using data collected near the tracking devices help us discover where determine how many krill are in the ocean Farallon Islands, from the 1980’s to the migratory birds go, allowing us to identify and where they occur. present. Are these migration changes and protect the habitat birds need to driven by ocean temperature extremes, survive their entire lifecycles. We recently Severe wildfires may create higher shifts in the type and timing of their learned that Cassin’s Auklets travel biodiversity in forests. We studied the food (e.g., krill and small fish), or another from the Farallon Islands as far north as bird community across 10 wildfires that cause? We will now investigate, using Cape Mendocino and as far south as burned in the Northern Sierra from 2000 data collected near the Farallon Islands, Point Conception (near Santa Barbara), and 2014. We learned that more species from the 1980’s to the present when not nesting on the island. We of birds increased their populations after also discovered that Fox Sparrows that high severity fire. Their population totals overwinter at our Palomarin Field Station, were highest 10 or more years after the north of San Francisco, travel to us from as fire burned. This is encouraging, as mixed far away as Kodiak Island (southern Alaska) severity fires are becoming more common after finishing their breeding season. in recent decades and may turn out to

 Migratory shorebirds (godwits and dowitchers) in the Pacific Flyway. Photo: Verne Nelson/GGAS 10 Point Blue Conservation Science

We Explore

Asking the right question is a key step in the scientific process. We explore questions and design studies to find answers to the tough environmental challenges facing wildlife and people.

How can we balance multiple demands With all of our education efforts, we seek with wooden pilings woven together for water in California? Building on our to engage students in hopeful solutions with natural materials across streams to collaboratively created Surface Water to the tough environmental problems we slow down water flow. Our goal is to Tracking System for the Central Valley, face. learn if these human-created dams can we are developing an on-line tool to help replenish the water table and build up the managers explore where and when to put What do seabird die-offs mean for their streambed to restore degraded meadows, water on the land. Our goal is to maximize populations off our coast? When seabird in the way a natural beaver dam would. the benefits of a limited water supply, die-offs happen, we wonder just how where every drop is managed for fish, devastating they are, or aren’t, over time. How do different ranching practices birds, other wildlife, agriculture, and urban We launched a new study of our long- influence the health of soil? We uses. Our sophisticated new system uses term seabird population data from the collected data on soil carbon and NASA satellite data to map where the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge water, birds, and plants on 67 ranches, water is and where it might be moved, to to understand what climate change and completing the third year of our help people make decisions based on the recent die-offs might mean for their Rangeland Monitoring Network. With best available science. continued survival. Seabirds are excellent almost half of the world’s land used for indicators of the health of the marine food grazing, these data help us evaluate Can games instill hope in students web, and through them, we learn about different grazing and other management about climate-change challenges and the threats facing our oceans. practices. We can then apply what we opportunities? Point Blue’s STRAW learn to maximize benefits for nature and Program developed two new games to Can beavers help us restore mountain our communities. help students explore solutions to climate meadows? We are part of a team change impacts on habitat restoration. exploring the ecological benefits of Creek Maker and Creek Doctor engage beavers on water quality, carbon storage, elementary and high school students in and wildlife habitat in Sierra meadows. exploring restoration designs to help We are also evaluating if restorationists wildlife survive a changing climate by can achieve the same benefits by acting meeting their food and habitat needs. like a beaver—building small dams

 In a long-term study of the last great ice ecosystem, in Antarctica, Point Blue gathers data on nesting Adélie penguins. Photo: Annie Schmidt/Point Blue 2016–17 Annual Report 11 q Students walking to begin their restoration day with the STRAW Program. Photo: Point Blue Partners by the Numbers

Partnership is Point Blue’s middle name! We collaborate with public and private entities across the Americas.

Private Landowners/Fishermen – 900

Non-Governmental Organizations (including land trusts, universities, and educational institutions) – 142

Federal and State Agencies – 68

Collaborations (including working groups, joint ventures and advisory committees) – 66

International Partners – 23

Private Companies – 23

Local Governments – 17 “We are proud to partner with Point Blue and are inspired by the hands-on science they provide to our communities. We are grateful to them for helping us achieve our goals for a sustainable ranch.” Long-term – Sabrina Hellman, Five Springs Ranch Data Sets

Point Blue’s ongoing bird and eco- system data collection encompasses uncommon time spans and provides the foundation for our innovative, collabora- tive conservation efforts. We are grateful to our partners who make this possible. Here are our 2016–17 milestones:

Palomarin Field Station – 51 years

Farallon Islands – 49 years

Bolinas Lagoon – 46 years

Coastal Snowy Plovers – 39 years

Mono Lake Gulls – 35 years

Ross Island, Antarctica – 34 years

Central Valley riparian – 24 years

Sierra Nevada – 21 years

San Francisco Bay tidal marshes – 21 years

Northern Spotted Owls – 19 years

Vandenberg Air Force Base – 18 years

California/Arizona deserts – 15 years

Gulf of the Farallones – 13 years

TomKat Ranch Field Station – 7 years 14 Point Blue Conservation Science

Data for Action

Point Blue is a global leader in managing and interpreting data to advance conservation, with over one billion ecological observations under our management from around the country and the world. We collaboratively develop data-driven, online tools to help natural resource managers and other decision makers make the best investments for benefits today and in a changing future. 2016–17 Publications and Recognition

Automated Water Resources Tracking: Provide up-to-date inventory of open surface water to Peer-reviewed Papers, Book Chapters, and Selected Reports inform water management in the Central Valley. data.pointblue.org/apps/autowater/

Avian Data Centers: California, Midwest, Northwest, Eastern, and Southwest: Online tools Publications in partnership with multiple federal, state, and non-government organizations to advance bird Age, timing, and a variable environment affect and habitat conservation nationally. avianknowledge.net double brooding of a long-lived seabird. Johns, M.E., P. Warzybok, R.W. Bradley, J. Jahncke, and AKN National Node: Providing nationwide access to Avian Data Center tools for the Council M. Lindberg, G.A. Breed. Marine Ecology Progress Series. for the Conservation of Migratory Birds in support of agency decisions. data.pointblue.org/ partners/natnode Burrowing owl diet at a migratory stopover site and wintering ground on Southeast Farallon California Climate Commons: Extensive catalog of climate change data and resources in Island, California. Chandler, S.L., J.R. Tietz, R.W. Bradley, and L. Trulio. Journal of Raptor Research. partnership with the CA Landscape Conservation Cooperative. climate.calcommons.org Changed prevalence, not absence explains California Climate and Hydrology Change Graphs: Summarizes historic and future water levels Antarctic toothfish status in McMurdo Sound. by watershed across California using downscaled climate models from USGS. Ainley, D.G., G. Ballard, J.T. Eastman, C.W. Evans, N. Nur, and C.L. Parkinson. Antarctic Science. climate.calcommons.org/article/about-bcm-time-series-graph-tool Circumpolar analysis of the Adélie penguin Our Coast Our Future: Scenario planning tool for sea-level rise and storm impacts for the reveals the importance of environmental vari- San Francisco Bay and Southern California regions; expanding to entire California coast. ability in phenological mismatch. Youngflesh, C., S. Jenouvrier, Y. Li, R. Ji, D.G. Ainley, G. Ballard, C. ourcoastourfuture.org Barbraud, K. Delord, K.M. Dugger, L. Emmerson, W.R. Fraser, J.T. Hinke, P. O’B Lyver, S. Olmastroni, Integrated Waterbird Management and Monitoring: Data entry, management and analysis C.J. Southwell, S.G. Trivelpiece, W.Z. Trivelpiece, portal for the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways to help and H.J. Lynch. Ecology. ensure that non-breeding waterbirds have the right habitat, in the right place, at the right time. Climate-smart approaches to managing forests. pointblue.org/iwmm Kim, J.B., B.G. Marcot, D.H. Olson, B. Van Horne, J.A. Vano, M.S. Hand, L.A. Salas, M.J. Case, P.E. Riparian Restoration Design Database: A guide for climate-smart restoration of riparian Hennon, and D. V. D’Amore. In D.H. Olson and B. vegetation. Van Horne, eds. “People, Forests, and Change”. pointblue.org/restorationtools Island Press.

Soil Survey: Supporting the Rangeland Monitoring Network; curates data to assess water and Coping with loss of large, energy-dense prey: carbon storage in soil. pointblue.org/rmn A potential bottleneck for Weddell seals in the southern Ross Sea. Salas, L., N. Nur, D. G. Ainley, Sonoran Joint Venture: Projected climate change impacts on birds in southwestern U.S. and J. Burns, J. Rotella and G. Ballard. Ecological Applications. northern Mexico; bilingual, online web portal. data.prbo.org/apps/sjv/

Whale Alert: Gathering real-time data on whales off the coast of California to reduce ship strikes and other threats. westcoast.whalealert.org “By maintaining the Our Coast Our Future sea level rise visualization tool, Point Blue delivers essential information we need to plan and prepare for climate change along the California coastline. The user-friendly format enables stakeholders, the public, and Commission staff and partners to understand complicated scienatific data and apply it to critical planning questions, which has greatly facilitated and accelerated work on what is one of the most important coastal planning issues of our time.” 2016–17 Publications and Recognition – Jack Ainsworth, California Coastal Commission Executive Director

Peer-reviewed Papers, Book Chapters, and Selected Reports

Eight publications in a special edition of the San Numbers of terns breeding inland in California: Effects of local and landscape-scale factors on the Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, volume Trends or tribulations? Shuford, W.D., K.A. Sesser, distribution and abundance of waterbirds in agri- 15, including: K.M. Strum, D.B. Haines, and D.A. Skalos. Western cultural and wetland habitats of the Sacramento– Birds. San Joaquin River Delta of California. Shuford, A general framework for setting long-term popu- W.D., M.E. Reiter, K.A. Sesser, T.C. Watts, J.A. Dybala K.E., N. Clipperton, T. lation objectives. Spatial distribution and temporal patterns of Dhundale, D. Jongsomjit, and C.M. Hickey. Final Gardali, G.H. Golet, R. Kelsey, S. Lorenzato, R. Cassin’s auklet foraging and their euphausiid report to The Nature Conservancy. Melcer, N.E. Seavy, J.G. Silveira, and G.S. Yarris. prey in a variable ocean environment. Manugian, S., M.L. Elliott, R. Bradley, J. Howar, N. Karnovsky, The science of setting conservation objectives Water stress and a changing San Joaquin Valley. B. Saenz, A. Studwell, P. Warzybok, N. Nur, and J. Hannak, L., J. Lund, B. Arnold, B., A. Escriva-Bou, for birds in California’s Central Valley: An intro- Jahncke. PLoS ONE. B. Gray, S. Green, T. Harter, R. Howitt, D. MacEwan, duction. Gardali, T., J.T. Marty, and G.S. Yarris J. Medellín-Azuara, P. Moyle, and N. Seavy. Public Factors influencing the abundance and distribu- Three decades of Landsat-derived spring surface Policy Institute of California. tion of the Snowy Plover at Mono Lake, California. water dynamics in an agricultural wetland mosaic: Shuford, W.D., G.W. Page, S.K. Heath, and K.N. Implications for migratory shorebirds. Schaffer- Special Recognition Nelson. Western Birds. Smith, D., J.J. Swenson, B. Barbaree, and M.E. Reiter. Remote Sensing of Environment. Point Blue was accepted as an NGO observer organization of the United Nation’s Framework How overfishing a large piscine mesopredator Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). explains growth in Ross Sea Penguin populations: Using regional bird density distribution models to evaluate protected area networks and inform A framework to better understand impacts of a Catherine Hickey was awarded the USFS Wings conservation planning. Alexander, J., J. Stephens, controversial fishery. Ainley, D.G., E.L. Crockett, Across the Americas International Partnership J.T. Eastman, W.R. Fraser, N. Nur, K. O’Brien, L. S. Veloz, L. Salas, J. Rousseau, C.J. Ralph, and D. Sarr. Ecological Applications. award for her service as Hemispheric Chair of the Salas, and D.N. Siniff. Ecological Modelling. Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. A Sampling of Reports Interspecific interactions, population variation, Point Blue’s Automated Surface Water Tracking and environmental forcing in the context of An evaluation of two secretive marsh bird survey System received special mention in the Ecosystem the community. Porzig, E.L., N.E. Seavy, J.M. protocols in San Francisco Bay. Nur N., L. Salas, J. Health Category as part of the State of California Eadie, D.L. Humple, G.R. Geupel, and T. Gardali. Wood, and M. Elrod. Submitted to the U.S. Fish & and White House’s California Water Data Ecosphere. Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region, Division Challenge (http://waterchallenge.data.ca.gov/ of Refuges Inventory and Monitoring Initiative. Docs/WaterChallenge_Summary). Migratory connectivity of golden-crowned sparrows from two wintering regions in California. Avian community response to a large-scale Ellie Cohen was selected to represent Point Blue Cormier, R.L., D.L. Humple, T. Gardali, and N.E. restoration experiment at the Cosumnes River on the Resilient By Design Science Advisory Seavy. Animal Migration. Preserve, 2011-2016. Dybala K.E., R.G. Walsh, and Committee (SF Bay region). N.E. Seavy. Point Blue Conservation Science. Modeling Nonresident Seabird Foraging Distributions to Inform Ocean Zoning in Central California. Studwell A.J., E. Hines, M.L. Elliott, Howar, B. Holzman, N. Nur, and J. Jahncke. PLoSONE. “Point Blue brings important biological expertise to help us achieve our mission—helping farmers and ranchers maintain healthy working lands. We work together to improve soil, water, air, and energy resources across the agricultural landscape. Using birds as indicators of habitat quality is an example of accessing the latest science through our innovative partnership with Point Blue.”– Carlos Suarez, State Conservationist for California’s Natural Resources Conservation Service

2016–17 Friends of Point Blue

Gifts Received Between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017

$1,000,000 + $25,000 to $49,999 Pacific Life Foundation $2,500 to $4,999 Don and Barbara Bauer S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation Paul M. Angell Family Thomas Goodrich and Anonymous Katie Beacock Foundation Rebecca Patton Biomarin The Bird Conservation Fund $100,000 to $999,999 Arntz Family Foundation Estate of Jeanette Pontacq Bonnell Cove Foundation Donald and Diane Bransford Anonymous (3) Bella Vista Foundation Brett M. Robertson and Ruth H. Brandt Robert and Irene Brown Elinor Patterson Baker Trust The Nature Conservancy David L. Schrader Browder Ranch, LLC Dr. Karl Sporer and Arden Estate of Betty Burridge The Rose Foundation for Dr. Kayla Rose and Charles Bucklin-Sporer California Conservation Fund $10,000 to $24,999 Communities and the Chapin California Rice Commission Barbara Champion Trust Anonymous (4) Environment Carole and Peter Clum Chevron (Humankind) Faucett Catalyst Fund Bob Battagin and Deborah Sierra Nevada Brewing Henry and Glenda Griffith Donald and Jillian Clark Fullerton Family Foundation Fitzpatrick Company Corning Jean Conner Richard Grand Foundation Bernice Barbour Foundation CrankStart Foundation Janelle and Gary Cortese Kimball Foundation Blackie Foundation Fund of $5,000 to $9,999 Judith Fortney Eric and Margaret Davis Makray Foundation RSF Social Finance Anonymous (2) Diane Ichiyasu Daphne Dembo Moore Family Foundation Dix and Didi Boring Harold C. Appleton Dwight L. Johnson Nancy DiGaudio The David and Lucile Packard California Waterfowl Anne W. Baxter Kern Family Fund Daniel and Lee Drake Foundation Association Bear Gulch Foundation The Libra Foundation Ted Eliot Else Perkins-Martin Trust Frank A. Campini Foundation Constance Crawford Mennen Environmental Charles and Lavinia Fischer Regenerative Agriculture Community Foundation Edith and Jeb Eddy Foundation Randi and Bob Fisher Foundation Sonoma County Ana Galutera Outrageous Foundation Dr. John C. Good and Dr. The Biz and Livia Stone Carole E. Deitrich Geoffrey Gordon-Creed and Patagonia, Inc. Janet E. Arnesty Foundation Thelma Doelger Trust for Jean Fraser Nadine Peterson and Donald M. Gregory Jr. TomKat Foundation Animals Shirley Hicklin Fund of Marin Michael Tuciarone The Griffith Family Dorothy & Jonathan Rintels Community Foundation Marjorie Randolph Foundation $50,000 to $99,999 Charitable Trust JEC Foundation Kenneth and Marjorie Sauer Paul Haahr and Susan Karp Anonymous (3) Google Gift Matching Teke and Elizabeth Kelley Joyce and Jim Schnobrich Jack and Marilyn Jones Megan Colwell and Bonnie Program Coleman and Emelie The Shark Trust Kennedy Jenks Consultants Stewart Sabrina and Marco Hellman Kennedy Ann Stone Nancy Kittle Martha Ehmann Conte Carolyn Johnson and Rick Jack and Adrienne Ladd Troy Tegeler Patricia Kline March Conservation Fund Theis Lamar Leland Steve Vallarino and Raini Peter Knapp Marisla Foundation The Karen A. & Kevin W. Carl and Jennifer Mazzanti Sugg Karen and Robert Kustel National Fish and Wildlife Kennedy Foundation The McConnell Foundation Robin L. C. Leong Foundation Jeffrey Kimball and Pamela Linda Morgan $1,000 to $2,499 Ewan Macdonald and Kirsten Elizabeth Liebe Patterson Hogan RHE Charitable Foundation Cheryl and Alan Abel Walker Macdonald Ed and Michelle Sarti Lagunitas Brewing Company Robert and Joni Shwarts Thomas R. Anderson Helene Marsh The Volgenau Foundation Maidenherren Fund Mary Stroh-Twichell and Anonymous H. A. Ridley and Helen Morgan Family Foundation Chuck Twichell Apple Matching Gifts McKenna Ridley Peter and Kristan Norvig Steve and Britt Thal Program Miles and Mary Ellen McKey Pacific Gas and Electric White Family Trust Arising Fund Michael Mecham Company Autodesk Barbara J. Meislin u Students on a STRAW restoration day plant native trees and shrubs. Photo: Ethan Inlander/The Nature Conservancy

The Michelle and Robert $500 to $999 William Glenn and Prescott Friend Foundation Amgen Hafner Microsoft Giving Campaign Anne Chadwick Jean Greaves Mitchel Monkeyface Fund Anonymous (2) Kim D. Greenwood Nikon Precision Inc. Bank of Marin Mr. Sherman Gromme George Nolte Richard and Marilyn Bates Mary Ellen Hannibal Susan and Franklin Orr Lorraine Bazan and Chris Dolores M. Hansen Pacific Coast Collective Stover Jack and Deyea Harper Petit Teton Foundation Katharine Beale John and Hermi Hiatt Ellen and Klaus Porzig Jerome and Judy Blackman Gail Hillebrand and Hugh Verna J. Osborn $250 to $499 Sally Powell and Christopher Margaret and Thomas Barroll Painter Executive Search, Ingrid E. Akerblom Knight Blankenship Donald K. Howard Jr. Inc. Jane A. Allen Patricia and Tim Preston Jack Borok IBM Benjamin and Ruthmary Scott Alster Carlo Rocca and Susan Avis Boutell and Alice Miller Cheryl Ishida and Dale Parmeter Anonymous (3) Flagg Robert and Barbara Berner Teresa Parodi Art+Farm Wine Gayle Rohrbasser Brandriff Thomas and Elizabeth Carolyn H. Pendery Christine Bard Arthur and Lois Roth Phyllis Browning Jones John and Cynthia Rathkey Carroll and Susanne Mary Jean and Bob Rumer Susan Caldwell Patricia H. Kelso Micah Rimer Barrymore Sara and William Anderson Terry and Zeo Coddington Anne M. King James Salzman Andrew Beebe Barnes Fund Ellie Cohen and Miki Harvey and Mary King The San Francisco Robert and Ruth Benker Olivia and Craig Sears Goralsky Paul C. Klahr Foundation Nancy Bertelsen Leon and Peggy Sharyon Sue Conley and Ms. Nan Jude and Eileen Laspa Susan Schwartz George and Virginia Bing Shasta Wildlife Haynes Peter and Sue Latourrette Alec Shuldiner and Talia Yvonne and Norfleet Blaine Conservation Robert and Carol Coon Lawrence Leong and Janice Friedman Aubrey Blue Sara and Bill Snyder Crazy-hot Solutions, LLC Pratte Laurens H. Silver Dr. Richard Bradus Stemple Creek Ranch John Dakin Jeff Loomans Lewis Stahl Eleanor Briccetti Matthew and Polly Stone Bruce De Benedictis and Sarah Loughran Langdon Stevenson and William H. Bucklin Marilyn M. Strand Caroline Kim Richard Lyon Mary Farr Joelle Buffa and Clyde Ellen and Jim Strauss Linda De Lucchi and Ron and Amanda Mallory Wayne and Jean Suzuki Morris Marcia Syufy Laurence Malone Laurence Malone John Thacher Mark Butler and Mary Anne Craig and Connie Electra de Peyster Thomas and Danelle Mann Samuel and Julia Thoron Rotella Weatherup John and Sara Donnelly Steve Marsh and Jean Holt Thrasher Lincoln Bynum and Lannie Reverend Jan H. West and Kenneth Drexler and Sarah Buckley Richard and Nancy Tietz Tonti Herbert A. West Leach Jennifer L. Matkin Alan and Ruth Tobey Sue Carlisle Wild Birds Unlimited Wayne Dyer Medtronic John F. Ungar Allen D. Carlson Novato William and Karen Foss Sherie Michaile and Greg Duane and Charlann Vander Carlton Caves and Karen Zhong Xiu Friends of Pajaro Dunes Yarwood Pluym Kahn Ben Zotto Alexander Gaguine and Mitchel Family Fund Water Education Dr. Theodore Chase Jr. Eileen Balian Morgridge Family Richard West Eunice Childs GlaxoSmithKline Mount Madonna School, John and Peggy Wick Ronald and Susan Choy INC. Evan C. Williams continued on page 21 18 Point Blue Conservation Science 2016–17 Annual Report 19 t Point Blue partner biologist and private landowner learning what it means to become a Leopoldian Land Steward. Photo: Wendell Gilgert/Point Blue

2016–17 Friends of Point Blue continued “As ALWAYS, kids loved the time outside, loved interacting Everett Clark Local Independent Charities Penny Schultz with nature, and the kindness Collin Cochrane of America Cyndy Shafer and Michael Sam Cohen David A. Loeb Nelson and preparedness you and your David Comer Calvin and Lucy Lou Greg Sherman John H. Conley Michael Martin and Laura Martin and Karen Shore organization bring are amazing. Elizabeth Dakin Holms Harmon Shragge We will check on the area a few Cliff Drowley Elaine McKinley and Kit Sonoma Custom Tile Judith J. Dugan Durgin Lynne E. Stanley times before school is out, maybe John M. Eadie PhD Kass McMahon Alice Stauffer bring some water! Our school is Christine Engel and Hugh Miklos and Maud Udvardy Jerry and Judith Steenhoven Helm Endowment Fund Ezra Stevens so lucky to be aligned with Point Phyllis Faber John and Susan Monson Christina Swanson Heather Furmidge Pavel Morar Bill and Carole Talmage Blue and the STRAW Program.” William Grant Clarinda and Richard Richard Taylor and Tracy – Bob Arigi, STRAW Teacher Linda Graziano Morrison Grubbs Dorothy D. Gregor Michael Nelligan Anne Teller Fengrui Gu Leah Norwood and Linda Kathy Tesdall and Alan Harp Teresita Haag Fisher Linda Therrien Alan Harper and Carol Baird Benjamin Olewine IV David J. Thomas Beth Harper Peter Parham Ian Thompson Farallon Patrol. These volunteer skippers John H. Harris Fred Paxton Gary and Mary Tietz provide year-round transportation for Point Scott and Claudia Hein Michael Perrone Fernanda Viegas Blue and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Debra and Herbert Holt George S. Peyton Jr. Dr. Nancy E. Warner to our field station on Southeast Farallon Richard Honey and JoAnne Frances B. Pope Cynthia Wayburn Island. We thank all Farallon Patrol members, Kipp James F. Quinn, PhD and Charles Wegerle including the following who served actively Richard and Terry Horrigan Flossie Hoffman Gretchen Whisenand this past year. Phyllis Humple Jon and Carol Richards Susan Wider and Bill Junor Ellen Jacobs Robert Righter Dawn Williamson Harry Andrews Jody Harris John and Jane Johnson Jr. Hugh and Cianne Roberts Mason Willrich Don Bauer Sam Lavanaway Robert and Linda Judd The Rock John and Sallyanne Wilson Terry Berkemeier Rob Macfarlane Brewster Kahle and Mary Scot Rohrer and Anne Kathleen and Russell Winter Jim Bewley Warren Sankey Austin Scanlan-Rohrer Christine Wolfe Tom Charron, MD Keith Sedwick Helen Kochenderfer Dr. Terry Root Doris Wong Henry Corning Timothy Sell Margaret Kolar John Rotenberry PhD Rachel Woodard Mark Dallman Clifford Shaw Andy Lacasse Judith Rothman Leland and Florence Paul Dines Harmon Shragge Susanne Lawrenz-Miller Kathryn Rouine-Rapp Younker Al diVittorio John Wade Maribeth Leahy Susan Ryan Wanda Yurkunas Sarti Jim Ellis Alan Weaver Joe Lervold Ivan Samuels Matthew and JoAnn Marion Lewenstein Paul C. Schaich Zlatunich Lorna Lindsay William Schottstaedt 20 Point Blue Conservation Science “Our work at Pajaro Ranch started out as a good restoration project focused on benefits for wildlife. Partnering with STRAW tripled the value of the project by making the restoration process a learning opportunity for students, teachers, and families in the watershed; and demonstrating a new, science- based approach to restoring land with climate change explicitly in mind.” – Sasha Gennet, PhD, Senior Scientist, The Nature Conservancy

Gifts to Secure a Healthy Future

Tern Society Members and Estate Gifts

The Tern Society honors individuals who are building an enduring legacy of conservation science through their planned gifts to Point Blue. We gratefully acknowledge our Tern Society members.

Anonymous (6) Patricia D. Gunther Linda O’Neill Linda Vetter and Terry Blanchard Cheryl and Alan Abel Nancy Hanson Doris Panzer John Ungar Janet and Bruce Allen Jack and Deyea Harper Rebecca Patton and Thomas Nadine Weil Gerturde and Robert E. Allen Jim and Karen Havlena Goodrich Rona Weintraub Gail Anderson and King McPherson Estate of Totton Heffelfinger Carolyn H. Pendery Gretchen Whisenand Gayle A. Anderson Scott and Claudia Hein Regina Phelps Verna White Sara and Andy Barnes Aaron Holmes Estate of Helen Pratt Arthur F. White Dix and Didi Boring Diane Ichiyasu Willis and Gloria Price Cam and Dennis Wolff Avis Boutell and Alice Miller Ellie C. Insley Carol and John C. Ralph, MD Richard Bradus. MD Stuart Jacobson John and Cynthia Rathkey Barbara and Robert K. Brandriff Carolyn Johnson and Rick Theis Glena Records Valerie Chenoweth Brown Emily Johnson and Dick Bricker Mark Reynolds  Blooming grasslands in an Estate of Betty Burridge Louise Johnston Roberta Rigney oak woodland. Barbara M. Champion 2007 and the late Don C. Johnston Brett M. Robertson and David L. Living Trust Joy Kennedy-Maxion Schrader Photo: Ryan DiGaudio/Point Blue Donald and Jillian Clark Mary and Harvey King Estate of Jacqueline Estate of Huldie Schoener Clark Nancy Kling L. Robertson Estate of Julia Chitwood Lamar Leland Marie W. Ross Carole and Peter Clum Robin L. C. Leong Victoria Rupp Ellie M. Cohen and Miki Goralsky Ewan Macdonald Steve Rutledge and Point Reyes Bird Observatory Fund Martha Ehmann Conte and Kirsten Walker Macdonald Julie Beer Rigdon Currie and Trish Johnson Estate of Annemarie Manley Ellen Sabine To honor our history and sustain our John Dakin Helene Marsh Ed and Michelle Sarti commitment to bird conservation, Martha Day Lorraine Masten Peggy Sloan Carole E. Deitrich Sara Mathews Judith Ciani Smith we established The Point Reyes Bird John and Sara Donnelly Mary V. Mayer Ann Stone Observatory Fund. Donations to the fund Ted Eliot Miles and Mary Ellen McKey Matthew and Polly support our long-term bird ecology studies Nancy W. Gamble John and Susie Monson Stone Geoffrey Geupel and Janet Kjelmyr Mark Mushkat Steve and Britt Thal and internships at our Palomarin Field Doris Grau Leah Norwood and Linda Fisher David J. Thomas Station (Point Reyes National Seashore) and the Farallon Islands (Farallon National Become a member of the Tern Society and create your own legacy of conservation science. Wildlife Refuge). Thanks to those donors who Please contact us at 707.781.2547 or [email protected] for more details. directed gifts to this fund! 2016–17 Annual Report 21 22 Point Blue Conservation Science Investment and Contributions from Other Income 17% Individuals 15%

Foundation and Contracts Advancement 11% Program Corporate Grants 28% 40% Services 77% Management and General 12% REVENUE EXPENSES 2016–17 Financials

Statement of Financial Position as of March 31, 2017 and 2016 Statement of Activities for the Years Ended March 31, 2017 and 2016

2017 2016 2017 2016 Assets Changes in unrestricted net assets: Current assets: Revenues, gains and other support: Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,642,417 $ 2,763,718 Contract revenue $ 5,550,189 $ 5,086,150 Contracts receivable 1,425,190 1,952,612 Grants and contributions 1,226,863 1,235,590 Grants and contributions receivable 1,302,468 3,603,492 Interest income 5,876 7,583 Other receivables 66,214 62,311 Realized and unrealized gains (losses), net 17,456 (7,323) Prepaid expenses and other current assets 92,623 97,603 Other income 2,312,229 166,200 Total current assets 9,528,912 8,479,736 Net assets released from restrictions 4,808,473 4,683,307 Non-current assets: Total revenue, gains and other support 13,921,086 11,171,507 Certificates of deposit 253,783 251,031 Functional expenses Endowment 288,837 260,059 Program services 9,756,386 8,910,661 Contributions receivables, net of current portion 86,850 1,138,041 Support services Property and equipment, net 4,862,787 5,008,201 Management and general 1,475,377 1,468,257 Total non-current assets 5,492,257 6,657,332 Advancement 1,398,942 881,508 Total Assets 15,021,169 15,137,068 Total support services 2,874,319 2,349,765 Liabilities and Net Assets Total functional expenses 12,630,705 11,260,426 Current liabilities: Change in unrestricted net assets* 1,290,381 (88,919) Accounts payable 291,110 237,015 Changes in temporarily restricted net assets: Accrued vacation 389,204 336,632 Grants and contributions 3,212,849 6,482,579 Deferred revenue 185,285 114,104 Interest income — 273 Total current liabilities 865,599 687,751 Realized and unrealized (losses) gains, net 11,496 — Net assets: Other income — 2,279 Unrestricted Net assets released from restrictions (4,808,473) (4,683,307) Board-designated funds 3,418,914 1,230,176 Change in temporarily restricted net assets (1,584,128) 1,801,824 Undesignated 6,558,708 7,457,065 Changes in net assets (293,747) 1,712,905 Total unrestricted 9,977,622 8,687,241 Temporarily restricted 4,077,948 5,662,076 Net assets at beginning of year 14,449,317 12,736,412 Permanently restricted 100,000 100,000 Net assets at end of year $14,155,570 $14,449,317 Total Net Assets 14,155,570 14,449,317 Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 15,021,169 $15,137,068 *NOTE: The 2017 increase in unrestricted net assets includes recognized revenue of $2.2M received from the building litigation settlement.

The condensed financial statements presented above LLP, Certified Public Accountants, and on which they have and the independent auditor’s report can be found at reflect Point Blue’s complete set of financial statements rendered an unmodified opinion dated July 13, 2017. pointblue.org/2016–2017auditreport. for 2017 and 2016 which have been audited by Armanino The organization’s complete audited financial statements

Padmini Srinivasan Chief Financial Officer t Wrentit, a Point Blue study species. 2016–17 Annual Report 23 Photo: Ryan DiGaudio/Point Blue

Point Blue Board of Directors, Staff, and Research Associates

Board of Directors Science Advisory Climate Adaptation Informatics and Advancement STRAW Faculty Megan G. Colwell, Chair Committee Sam Veloz, PhD, Director Information Technology Jennifer Niedermeyer, Kathleen Clover Ellie M. Cohen, David Ackerly, PhD, Nathan Elliott Michael Fitzgibbon, Chief Director Paula Fogarty President and CEO Chair Megan Elrod Technology Officer Dana Earl, Director Marcia Gunnarson Jeffrey Kimball, Vice Grant Ballard, PhD, Maya Hayden, PhD Deanne DiPietro of Institutional Ruth Hicks Chair Co-Chair Dennis Jongsomjit Noah Eiger Philanthropy Meryl Sundove Ivan Samuels, Secretary Ellen M. Hines, PhD Nadav Nur, PhD Martin Magana Nancy Gamble, Director Laurene Tandy Ed Sarti, Immediate Past Adina Merenlender, PhD Leo Salas, PhD Douglas Moody of Philanthropy Patti Vance Chair Peter Moyle, PhD Annie Schmidt, PhD Brad Sechelski June Lang, Director of Julian Wood Rob Serafini Philanthropy Research Associates Ana Galutera, Chair, Peter Norvig, PhD Zhahai Stewart Stacey Atchley David G. Ainley, PhD Finance Committee Mary Power, PhD James F. Quinn, PhD Emerging Programs and Susan Keim Sarah Allen, PhD David Ackerly, PhD, Hugh Safford, PhD Partnerships Pacific Coast and Jaime Lilly Frances Bidstrup Chair, Science Advisory Rebecca Shaw, PhD Geoffrey R. Geupel, Central Valley Peter McCormick Jules G. Evens Committee Director Tom Gardali, Director Quinn White Mark Herzog, PhD Martha Ehmann Conte, President and CEO Ryan DiGaudio Hilary Allen Aaron Holmes, PhD Chair, Strategic Ellie M. Cohen Bonnie Eyestone Blake Barbaree Administration and Steve N. G. Howell Planning Committee Kelly Garbach, PhD Chelsea Carey, PhD Finance David Hyrenbach, PhD Robert S. Shwarts, Chair, Chief Science Officer Wendell Gilgert Erin Conlisk, PhD Padmini Srinivasan, Chief John P. Kelly, PhD Human Resources Grant Ballard, PhD Katie Guntly Renee Cormier Financial Officer Borja Mila, PhD Committee Chief Technology Maria Harding Mark Dettling David Adams Mark Rauzon Anne Chadwick Officer Alicia Herrera Dave Dixon Lee Callero Stacy Small, PhD Rob Faucett Michael Fitzgibbon Kate Howard Kristy Dybala, PhD Karen Carlson Jane C. Warriner Geoffrey Gordon-Creed Kyle Marsh Carlton Eyster Todd Greenley Sophie Webb Ellen Hines, PhD Chief Financial Officer Luke Petersen Catherine Hickey Robyn Hettrich John Wiens, PhD Stuart Jacobson Padmini Srinivasan Breanna Owens Diana Humple Jeffrey Holton David W. Winkler, PhD Clinton Moloney Nathan Reese Kristina Neuman Marilyn Kihara Steve Zack, PhD California Current David C. Myles Aaron Rives Elizabeth Porzig, PhD Laurel Schuyler Jaime Jahncke, PhD, Peter Norvig, PhD Tiffany Russell Mel Preston Director Nadine Peterson Breana Schnelle Matt Reiter, PhD Outreach and Education Ryan Berger Katie Beacock, Chair, Corey Shake Nat Seavy, PhD Melissa Pitkin, Director Russell Bradley Audit Committee Kelly Weintraub Krystin Sesser Emily Allen Meredith Elliott Carrie Wendt W. David Shuford Lishka Arata Douglas George Honorary Board Suzie Winquist Will Stein, PhD Jennifer Benson Julie Howar Members Lynne Stenzel Leia Giambastiani Ted Eliot Michael Johns Gina Graziano Bill Foss Jamie Miller Sierra Nevada Andrew Mealor Emily Rice Carolyn Johnson Ryan Burnett, Director Joshua Nuzzo This report is printed on Jack W. Ladd Dan Robinette Brent Campos John Parodi 100% post-consumer- Ann Stone Cotton Rockwood Alissa Fogg Alison Pollack waste recycled paper, Steve Thal Jim Tietz Jay Roberts, PhD Laurette Rogers using agri-based inks. Peter Warzybok Isaiah Thalmayer Lara White © Point Blue Conservation Vanessa Wyant Science, 2017 24 Point Blue Conservation Science

3820 Cypress Drive #11 Petaluma, CA 94954 T: 707.781.2555 E: [email protected] pointblue.org

q Members of California’s entangled whale response network, including Point Blue scientists, begin to free a humpback whale from commercial fishing gear near the Farallon Islands.Photo: Peggy Stap