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EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MONDAY, January 25, 2021 4:00 p.m.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL ATTEND VIA TELECONFERENCE

Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No. N-29-20 and the Alameda County Health Officer’s current Shelter in Place Order, effective March 31, 2020, the East Bay Regional Park District (“Park District”) Headquarters will not be open to the public and the Park Advisory Committee and staff will be participating in the meetings via phone/video conferencing.

Members of the public can listen and view the meeting in the following way: Via the Park District’s live video stream which can be found at: https://youtu.be/4zK8s8m_ztw

Public comments may be submitted one of three ways: 1. Via email to Sharon Clay, Recording Secretary at [email protected]. Email must contain in the subject line public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item #. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by Friday, January 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

2. Via voicemail at (510) 544-2021. The caller must start the message by stating public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item # followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these voicemail comments be submitted by Friday, January 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

Live via zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: https://ebparks.zoom.us/j/93815613920 . Note that this virtual meeting platform link will let you into the virtual meeting for the purpose of providing a public comment. If you do not intend to make a public comment, please use the YouTube link at https://youtu.be/4zK8s8m_ztw to observe the meeting. It is preferred that those requesting to speak during the meeting contact Sharon Clay, Recording Secretary at [email protected] by 5:00 pm on Friday, January 22, 2021 via email or voicemail (510) 544- 2021 to provide name and the subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.

Comments received during the meeting and up until the public comment period on the relevant agenda item is closed and will be provided in writing to the PARK ADVIOSRY COMMITTEE, including transcribed voicemails. All comments received by the close of the public comment period will be available after the meeting as supplemental materials and will become part of the official meeting record. However, to ensure that the Committee members will be able to review your comments prior to the close of the meeting, please submit your public comment by no later than Friday, January 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm. Please try to limit your written comments to no more than 300 words. The Park District cannot guarantee that its network and/or the site will be uninterrupted. To ensure that the Park District receives your comments, you are strongly encouraged to submit your comments in writing in advance of the meeting.

For future meetings, the Park District is exploring additional ways for the public to submit comments. If you have any questions about utilizing the audio stream, please contact the Recording Secretary of the Committee, Sharon Clay at [email protected] or 510-544-2021. To ensure the best opportunity for Park District staff to address your question, please contact the Recording Secretary prior to 5:00 pm on Friday, January 22, 2021.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MONDAY, January 25, 2021 4:00 p.m.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL ATTEND VIA TELECONFERENCE

A copy of the background materials concerning these agenda items, including any material that may have been submitted less than 72 hours before the meeting, is available for inspection on the District’s website (www. ebparks.org), the Headquarters reception desk, and at the meeting.

Accommodations and Access District facilities and meetings comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If special accommodations are needed for you to participate, please contact the Clerk of the Board at 510-544-2020 as soon as possible, but preferably at least three working days prior to the meeting.

AGENDA

TIME ITEM STAFF

3:30 pm PAC Executive Subcommittee Rickard (Chair), Obringer Vice Chair, Best, Ho, Burke, Williams

4:00 pm 1. Roll Call (Virtual) Recording Secretary 2. Approval of Minutes October 26, 2020, November 23, 2020 3. Board Member Comments Boardmember Dee Rosario 4. Public Comments

Public comments may be submitted one of two ways:

1) Via email to Sharon Clay, Recording Secretary, at [email protected]. Email must contain the subject line “Public Comments – not on the agenda or comments on the agenda” and indicate the item # followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by Friday, January 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

2) Via voicemail at 510-544-2016. The caller must start the message by stating” Public Comments – not on the agenda” followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these voicemail comments be submitted by Friday, January 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm.

If you are interested in speaking during Public Comments, please contact the Recording Secretary at [email protected] for call in information by Friday, January 22, 2021 at 5:00 pm. Email must contain in the subject line, Park Advisory Committee meeting 01-25-21 call in request. If you would like to provide public comment through the virtual meeting platform, please use https://ebparks.zoom.us/j/93815613920 to participate. Note that this virtual meeting platform link will let you into the virtual meeting waiting room and then into the meeting for the purpose to provide comment. Please use the YouTube link https://youtu.be/4zK8s8m_ztw to observe the meeting when you are not providing public comment.

4:15 pm 5. Presentations (I) a. Economic and Social Impacts of Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government & Legislative Affairs, Park Improvement Projects Lisa Baldinger, Legislative and Policy Management Analyst (I) b. Legislative and Governmental Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government & Legislative Affairs Priorities Lisa Baldinger, Legislative and Policy Management Analyst (R) c. 2021 Work Plan Rick Rickard, PAC Chair, Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government & Legislative Affairs 5:45 pm 6. PAC Member Comments 7. Report from Chair Rick Rickard, PAC Chair 8. Board Committee Reports 9. Old Business 10. New Business 6:00 pm 11. Adjournment

ATTACHMENTS 1. 2021 Legislative Priorities memo 2. Economic and Social Impacts of Park Improvement Projects memo 3. 2021 Work Plan 4. Articles & Correspondence

Park Advisory Committee Members 2021 Meeting Dates Rick Rickard Chair) Carlyn Obringer (Vice Chair) January 25 July 26 Erich Pfuehler, Staff Coordinator February 22 August (No Mtg.) March 22 September 27 R - Recommendation for Future Board April 26 October 25 Consideration May 24 November 22 I - Informational June 28 December 6 D - Discussion (Annual Dinner)

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Unapproved Meeting Minutes PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE October 26, 2020

MEMBERS Andrade, Best, Burke, Brubaker, Cary, Corkin, Deschambault, Dieter, Gregory, Ho, REMOTE: Obringer, Rickard, Robinson, Skaredoff, Tsutsui, Williams, Nason, Sanwong ABSENT: Bueren, Lacy STAFF: Pfuehler, Johnson Ciaburro, Auker, Baldinger, James, Waller (PrimeGov), Erickson (PrimeGov), Bletz, Sloan, Boettcher, Hornbeck, Barial-Knight, Kassebaum, Rasmussen BOARD: Colin Coffey PUBLIC: Kelly Abreu

1. Roll call: The recording secretary took roll call. PAC chair Rickard opened the meeting. He stated consistent with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-25-20 issued on March 12, 2020 in response to the threat of Covid-19 and the Alameda County Health Department’s Order dated March 16, 2020, the Park Advisory Committee may utilize teleconferencing to remotely participate in meetings.

2. Approval of the September 28, 2020 Minutes: The September 28, 2020 minutes were approved at the October 26, 2020 meeting. The motion was made by PAC member Williams and seconded by PAC member Skaredoff. Roll was taken by the recording secretary. The motion passed unanimously. PAC Members Burke, Nason and Sanwong abstained due to being absent.

3. Board Member Comments: Director Colin Coffey announced he was glad to return before the Park Advisory Committee. He reported the District is still dealing with the pandemic which greatly impacts the parks and park staff. The District is also dealing with the fires which have engulfed at least five parks and several thousand acres mostly in southern Alameda County. Currently, the District is having extreme weather closures. The current closure will continue until the next evening due to a 20-year wind event. Coffey stated it has been a tremendous challenge to the workforce and District managers to keep parks open. The managers have done an incredible job in terms of providing support.

Coffey commented General Manager Robert E. Doyle will retire in December. Replacing someone with his knowledge, leadership skills and the success he’s had throughout his 40+ years with the Park District will be difficult. The Board will recruit nationally for the position. It has retained a recruitment firm. The Board has also retained a public agency consultant to assist the Board and senior management in compiling a profile for the District General Manager position. The profile will be included in the request for applicants’ package. The process may take a couple of months to complete. The Board has asked District Counsel Carol Victor to fill the role as Interim General Manager.

Williams asked if any District employees have tested positive for Covid-19. Anne Kassebaum, Chief of Interpretive and Recreation replied only four Park Operations staff have been confirmed positive with Covid-19. Debra Auker, CFO of Finance and AGM of Management Services added there was also one administrative person outside of Operations who tested positive. Williams asked if there was damage from the wind event. Carol Johnson, AGM of Public Affairs replied the wind speeds were between 21-45 mile per hour in the upper elevations. Tree limbs fell. Park staff are working to remove them from trails and roads. There were 14 downed power lines within those parks or immediately adjacent to the closed parks along the ridgeline. Fire Chief

1 Aileen Theile thanked PG&E for de-energizing those lines in advance which prevented the downed lines from sparking and causing a fire.

4. Foundation Update: Johnson reported the Foundation is partnering with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy to manage its endowment of funds in perpetuity. The Conservancy is the Park District’s partner in acquiring much of the land in East Contra Costa County. After a year of coordinating, the Foundation has just received the first deposit of $1.1 million from the Conservancy. Another $2 million will be deposited from the Conservancy. The endowment management will begin at a level of $3.1 million. The endowment will be in place for 30 years and receive $2 million per year. The goal is to have $80 million in funds to be used by the Park District to manage East County lands into perpetuity.

Nason inquired about the Tilden Educational Center and Jewel Lake project. She asked if the fundraising effort will be linked or are they two items expected to go forward independently. Johnson replied there will be linked involvement by the Foundation to fundraise for the two projects. The Jewel Lake project will move forward in accordance with the in-progress study to have an outside agency review the scientific reports and cost options.

5. Public Comments: Clerk of the Board Barial-Knight read into the record a public comment from Oakland Resident Kent Wagener regarding carbon sequestration. Kelly Abreu congratulated Police Chief Anthony Ciaburro and Captain Alan Love about the removing an illegal marijuana grow at Garin Regional Park.

6. Presentations:

(I) a. Current Summary of Covid-19 Park Visitation Patters – Lisa Baldinger, Legislative and Policy Management Analyst and Kara Boettcher, GIS Analyst

Lisa Baldinger, Legislative and Policy Management Analyst reported Governmental Affairs and the District’s Geographic Information System (GIS) Services has been researching ways to determine park and trail use visitation patterns from March 16th through August 16th during Covid-19. GIS Analyst Kara Boettcher researched and spoke with different companies regarding their methodology for using cell phone or Google analytics to count user numbers and trends.

Boettcher explained the data sources and how this information is collected. Mobile devices have apps some of which ask permission to monitor device location. Apps can collect this information to see where people are traveling and going. There are many companies which analyze the data collected from these apps. Anonymous location information can be aggregated by area. GIS used these analytics and overlaid park boundaries to summarize visitor information. Multiple data points can be collected: number of visitors, visitor home areas, time spent in the park, popular hour or day of the week, other locations visited that day or month, etc.

Boettcher explained there has been a steady increase in park usage from March 16th to August 16th in both Alameda County at 29% and Contra Costa County at 22%. There was a significant drop during the fires in August. Boettcher noted due to Covid-19 and social distancing visitor patterns have changed. There has been an increase in park usage during the week and a decrease on the weekends. Boettcher stated next steps include using additional sources of anonymized mobile device data to gain insights on visitor patterns for all East Bay regional parks.

2 Williams inquired if there is a way to determine how many times a park user visits a park. Boettcher replied the summary used doesn’t identify individuals’ devices, but can see the number of trips and overall number of devices.

PAC member Cary asked if the drop off period in August was an actual drop off. Baldinger replied . It was when the fires occurred. The parks were closed due to air quality.

PAC member Brubaker asked if the data was purchased and can it continue to be used. Baldinger replied Boettcher was able to secure this data for during Covid-19, but suspect future data will need to be purchased.

Public Comment: Kelly Abreu sated visitation at Mission Peak is a highly political issue. He pointed out first time visitors to a park such as Mission Peak turn on their location services so they don’t get lost which produces a higher participation number. Abreu commented this data could be used by political opponents of East Bay Regional Park District.

Recommendation: This was an informational item.

(I) b. Grants Update – Katy Hornbeck, Acting Grants Manager Katy Hornbeck, Acting Grants Manager provided an update about the grants program. The General Manager’s office, Government and Legislative Affairs staff and the Grants Department work collectively to promote, influence and secure grant funds for the Park District. The Grants Department has been very active in managing contracts even during Covid-19 to continue funding projects.

In 2019, the Grants Department monitored and managed 167 separate project contracts totaling $139.4 million. It also invoiced and received approximately $7.8 Million in grant payments from 122 grant project transactions. Hornbeck touched on the Proposition 68 implementation. Passed in 2018, it was a $4.1 billion general obligation bond. She also highlighted the 61 projects done as part of the 2017 winter storm recovery, safe and healthy forests – fuels management grants and projects, resilience and restoration grants, East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy grants, green transportation trails grants and Measure WW.

Hornbeck commented due to the announcement of a $54 million state budget deficit, the District has been keeping a close watch on all grants from the state. Hornbeck said the District is entering its 12th year in the Measure WW Local Grant Program which was authorized in 2018.

PAC member Obringer asked if the District anticipates more challenges securing grants from the state. She also asked if the District is working to ensure future funding. Hornbeck replied there has been a delay in some grant programs being rolled out, such as application deadlines being rolled back. She has been adjusting schedules and staying in close contact with agencies to ensure deadlines are met. Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Erich Pfuehler added state parks didn’t have enough staff to accommodate the Prop 68 programs initially, Covid-19 hit and it took a while to appoint a new state park director. With a new director in place things should move forward.

Recommendation: This was an informational item.

3 (I) c. Coastal Cleanup Day Volunteer Event – Ira Bletz, Regional Interpretive and Recreation Services Manager, and Jessica Sloan, Volunteer Program Supervisor

Ira Bletz, Regional Interpretive and Recreation Services Manager introduced Jessica Sloane, Volunteer Program Supervisor. Sloan explained this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day was a bit different. Sloan reported she collaborated with the park supervisors from the eight parks where the cleanups are usually held. It was determined there was no safe way to encourage a traditional cleanup this year. The District decided to follow the Coastal Commission’s recommendation to stay home. The idea was to have volunteers stay home, stay safe and clean up their own neighborhood instead. Participants would use their own gear and protective equipment to pick up trash from local streets. Staff provided roving support on Sept 19th and 26th and contacted approximately 1,000 people. Posters were made to advertise the event with the tag line, “Clean the Shore from Your Front Door!” 80 participants volunteered 172 times for a total of 866 hours served. A survey was available online for participants to provide information. The District provided patches and stickers for those who joined in the event.

Sloan touched on the new volunteer database, Samaritan, which was instrumental for registration, provided links to videos and safety pdfs, and announced the event online with a featured event page. Registrants created an account which can be used to register for future volunteer events. Samaritan also made it easy for participants to report hours and generate data for events.

PAC member Robinson asked if Samaritan will be used for future events. Sloan replied it will be used. She is currently working with other District staff to set up volunteer events using this software.

(I) d. 2021 PAC Goals – Rick Ricard, PAC Chair, and Erich Pfuehler , Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Rickard reported he met with the PAC Executive Committee to discuss the 2021 PAC Goals. In reviewing the goals, it was realized that eight items were not met because of changes in priority and other Covid-19 related issues. There were also eight or nine goals achieved that were not on the agenda which came up because of Covid-19. The Executive Committee decided to add an explanation to the 2020 goals section why some of the items weren’t accomplished. In particular, trails design and planning, e-bikes and scooters on trails, and other trail-related issues. The District has formed a Trails Users Working Group on which PAC members Rickard, Gregory, and Ho serve. One of the goals of the group is to review interactions between different types of trail users primarily on non-paved trails. Rickard asked the PAC Executive Committee and PAC membership to review and provide feedback on the PAC goals. Rickard and Pfuehler will review with the General Manager and return to the PAC membership for approval.

Pfuehler acknowledged the work the PAC did during a very difficult year and expressed his appreciation for their efforts. He suggested a deadline of November 6th for all suggestions and comments regarding the PAC goals.

Recommendation: This was an informational item.

7. PAC Member Comments There were no comments.

8. Report from Chair – Rickard commented he will provide additional information about the

4 progress of the Trail Users Group and inform the PAC members. He requested their feedback as well.

9. Board Committee Reports – None.

10. Old Business – None.

11. New Business – None.

12. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 6:01 p.m.

Summary of Actions: 1. The PAC approved the September 28, 2020 minutes.

Respectfully submitted,

Sharon Clay Recording Secretary

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Unapproved Meeting Minutes PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE November 23, 2020

MEMBERS Best, Brubaker, Burke, Cary, Deschambault, Dieter, Gregory, Ho, Lacy, Nason, REMOTE: Obringer, Rickard, Robinson, Sanwong, Skaredoff, Tsutsui, Williams ABSENT: Andrade, Bueren, Corkin STAFF: Pfuehler, Ciaburro, Spaulding, Baldinger, Brede, Love, James, Waller (PrimeGov), Erickson (PrimeGov), Clay BOARD: Dee Rosario, Beverly Lane PUBLIC: Francis Mendoza

1. Roll call: The recording secretary took roll call. PAC chair Rickard opened the meeting. He stated consistent with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-25-20 issued on March 12, 2020 in response to the threat of Covid-19 and the Alameda County Health Department’s Order dated March 16, 2020, the Park Advisory Committee may utilize teleconferencing to remotely participate in meetings.

2. Board Member Comments: Directors Beverly Lane and Dee Rosario provided comments. Director Rosario thanked the PAC members for attending and being part of the committee. The PAC is an excellent venue for the public, as well as a resource for the Board of Directors. Rosario reported he went on a tour of the McCosker Ranch Creek Restoration project, which is the largest creek restoration the District has undertaken. Rosario commented almost half of the creek channel has been excavated. The rest of the project will continue next year. Rosario observed the Roberts Park project is almost fully funded. The project will increase the size of the pool from five lanes to seven and rehab the shower buildings. The feasibility study for Lake Temescal is complete. It was determined that the lake needs to be dredged. The original depth was 60 feet, but is now 12 feet. It will cost approximately $35 million to reach 35 feet. To help keep blue green algae at bay, Nanobubbler generators along with alum treatments have been installed.

Director Lane thanked the PAC members for their work. Lane stated the Board is working to help keep staff safe in their work areas and meet the needs of staff who need to home school their children. Lane noted park users are stressed and consequently a bit more irritated. Lane would like to see the Volunteer Safety Patrol in the parks in their official capacity. She commented Public Safety is reluctant to officially send them out. Lane said park users need rangers or a volunteer safety patrol person to help when there is a user conflict or some other problem. Lane commented there is a lot of discussion about the naming of the Concord hills park. Both the PAC and the Executive Committee asked staff to reach out to native descendants. In addition, there are people from diverse communities who would prefer a different name. The city has expressed they would like Concord to be included in the park name, so the process will take time. It will most likely return to the PAC, the Executive Committee and finally to the Board to make the final decision. PAC member Obringer asked if there are plans for the PAC members and Board to visit the Concord hills parklands in 2021. Lane answered if it can be done safely, she would press for a field trip with the Board and PAC members to visit the land south of Bailey Road. PAC member Nason inquired about art in the parks. She asked if anything was moving forward in the Albany area. Lane replied an intern did an in-depth study on art in the parks, but at present nothing is scheduled.

3. Foundation Update: There was no update.

1

4. Public Comments: Francis Mendoza, Naturalist, Coyote Hills Regional Park, began his comment by recognizing the Chocenyo Ohlone land. Mr. Mendoza explained he began his career as a student aide at Ardenwood in 1994. He was recently placed in the second hiring pool for the supervising naturalist position, but was effectively denied a promotion for the third time in the past five years. Mr. Mendoza believed this spoke to an unfair hiring practice with little attention. He stated it demonstrates a severe lack of upward mobility evidenced by the fact there are no black, indigenous people of color (BIPOC) as supervising naturalists. Naturalist who have been promoted from within have all been white. On June 16th, the Board passed a resolution denouncing racism and stood in solidarity with all BIPOC. It was stated the District would, ‘ensure our workforce reflects the communities we serve at all levels of the organization and will recruit, hire and retain competitive talent from park industry professionals of color.’ The resolution directed the District to, ‘identify, acknowledge and address racism, implicit bias and the systems and policies that prevent black employees and other people of color from realizing their full potential.’ Mr. Mendoza recognized this is not an isolated occurrence. He believes it underscores the pervasive systemic racism the Board resolved to address.

5. Presentations:

(I) a. 2021 Proposed Operating, Project Budget - Debra Auker, CFO Finance, AGM Management Services PAC member Best reported the Finance subcommittee met prior to the general PAC membership meeting. Best stated the budget is well presented and is cautionary about going forward in uncertain times. Best introduced Debra Auker, AGM/CFO of Finance and Managements Services who gave the presentation.

Auker reported major budget highlights include Covid-19 response, public access, fuels/vegetation management, environmental restoration, infrastructure, facilities and commitments to the voters. In 2021, the District will prioritize park safety, land acquisition and preservation, pursuing equity and inclusion, and maintaining District assets. The District will continue to work to foster a safe visitor experience, enhance visitors’ relationship to nature, ensure the fiscal health of the District, improve access to public parklands and outreach to underrepresented groups, attract and retain a workforce of excellence, balance environmental considerations with outdoor recreational opportunities, restore, preserve and protect the scenic, natural and cultural resources of the District.

PAC member Tsutsui asked about including an inventory of biodiversity, or a project to archive biodiversity in local natural history museums, as a performance objective. Auker replied the Stewardship Department has been doing a lot of work in that area and can provide an answer. Obringer asked if the District is aspiring to include diversity in different levels of the organization as one of the goals. She asked if a baseline has been established. Auker replied the Board just received the most recent workforce diversity report at the November 17th Board meeting. A consultant has been contracted to help analyze and propose goals.

The District’s 2021 Budget of $258.5 million is balanced, including general, special revenue, debt service and project funds. The 2021 proposed Budget includes over $2.4 million in base budget increases from all funds. A base budget increase is a commitment of ongoing costs

2 which will repeat each year. Growth in the 2021 base Budget recognizes increased costs in several key operating areas, including ongoing costs for managing newly opened parklands.

The 2021 proposed Budget includes the addition of 12.90 full-time equivalent (FTEs) positions. This increases the total District authorized staffing to 886.5 FTEs.

Obringer asked about pension fund obligation planning when adding additional staff. Auker replied in order to fund long-term liabilities, the pension trust fund was established in 2017. The District contributes each year to the trust fund. This year an additional $1 million will be added to the trust which is currently at $8 million.

PAC member Deschambault asked about the industrial fill at Oyster Bay. She noted the potential toxic or hazardous waste materials buried there which are monitored or accounted for on parklands. There is a cost associated with that. Auker replied when the District contemplates acquiring new land, the Acquisition, Stewardship and Development Division (ASD) does a phase one preliminary evaluation, so it is known what is involved in the purchase. Before it can be developed, Design and Construction’s project managers work with District consultants to make assessments such as adding fill to a project. For example, over the last several years the District has contributed funds for a total of approximately $6 million for the restoration of the Chabot gun club. There is also a program called, Environmental Restoration which has total of $1 million dollars, but it is managed on a project by project basis.

PAC member Cary asked if there were line items for the cost of capital improvement projects in the Budget, such as the project to create additional parking at Mission Peak. Cary asked if this project was shelved for this year. Auker replied the additional parking at Mission Peak is a part the project budget. Auker continued, there is no new funding requested, so it wasn’t highlighted, but there is funding for this project. Auker said the Budget has many different spreadsheets and summaries, but Finance can help locate the information requested.

PAC member Dieter inquired about the park expansion at Crab Cove and how it fits into the 2021 budget. Auker replied there is some funding set aside to start the design phase. Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Erich Pfuehler added the current project at Crab Cove is dealing with the wastewater line along McKay Avenue. The District is talking with the State about possibly providing some funding through Prop. 68 to fix the road. There are some preliminary designs on the GSA property, but it is going to be a costly item. The District plans to accumulate funding over time and staff are aware there is an expectation to develop it.

Recommendation: Motion made by PAC member Linda Best, seconded by PAC member Michael Gregory to adopt the proposed 2021 Budget to the Board of Directors. The motion passed unanimously.

(I) b. Overview of District Funding Sources – Deborah Spaulding, Assistant Finance Manager Deborah Spaulding, Assistant Finance Manager stated her presentation was a companion to the 2021 proposed budget. The District continues to grow, so revenues need to grow too. The District is fortunate property taxes are the main revenue. Having two counties to draw from, the District remains stable. The District receives revenue from four sources on the property tax bill which augment the General Fund. Property taxes are the District’s largest General

3 Fund resource. Almost all Park District operations, everything from the accounting staff in the main office to the naturalists providing school programs are funded from the General Fund. Spaulding gave an overview aimed at some of the District’s major funding sources. The General Fund are accounts for all revenues which are unrestricted and may be used for any purpose. In addition, the District currently has 19 Special Revenue Funds, each with restrictions on how and where resources can be used. There are also Project Funds which account for multi-year endeavors including capital projects and “other than asset” projects. The District uses its own revenue sources only when bond funds or grant sources are not available or appropriate for a project. Sometimes these District resources can help complete preliminary planning, or complete certain project phases which are not grant eligible. District Revenue Sources can also be used as “matching funds” to leverage grant funding from a variety of federal, state, local and private sources. Obtaining grants for projects can be competitive, with specified uses, deadlines and matching fund requirements. Grants are often for capital development, but the District continually seeks grants for maintenance projects and programs.

PAC member Sanwong asked if there are properties in Livermore which don’t have an assessment for East Bay Regional Park District. Auker replied when the District went out for the Measure AA bonds in 1988, the District had not yet annexed Murray Township. Since Measure WW in 2008 was a continuation of measure AA, the District chose not to tax that area.

Recommendation: This was an informational item.

(I) c. 2021 PAC Goals / Agenda Items – Rick Rickard, PAC Chair, Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Rickard reported the PAC Goals / Agenda Items were reviewed by the Executive Committee. Both internal and external items were added. At PAC member Burke’s suggestion, ‘Agenda Items’ was added to the title. Pfuehler touched briefly on the unmet PAC goals and new items that were added by the General Manager for 2022. Pfuehler noted the new items are Wildfire Protection/Climate Change, Economic and Social Impacts of Park Improvement Projects, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, External Programming/Community Input and an update on the Habitat Conservation Plan for East Contra Costa County. It has also been suggested Clayton Ranch could be available next year. Rickard added there is a commitment from the District for the PAC membership to meet with the new General Manager when the time is appropriate.

PAC member Robinson mentioned one of the items met in 2020 was the naming of the Concord Hills Regional Park. She inquired if this an item that should be reintroduced in 2021. Pfuehler replied it will probably return to the PAC and could be put back on as an agenda item. Dieter said she would like to add an item for upgrading the technology for agendas. Auker replied staff are working with PrimeGov to implement specialized software for Board and committee packets. PAC member Skaredoff asked to include an item to improve the inclusion and engagement of Native Americans. Burke agreed this would be an important part of diversity, equity and inclusion, especially when talking about the land and indigenous peoples. Director Lane said it would be reasonable for the PAC to ask for a report from interpretive staff about what kinds of programs are talking about Native American heritage in Visitor Centers.

4 Recommendation: Motion made by PAC member Linda Best and seconded by PAC member Carlyn Obringer. The motion was unanimously approved.

6. PAC Member Comments No comments.

7. Report from Chair – Rickard reported the Trail Users Working Group met last week. The meeting was focused primarily on hikers and how they perceived the trails, what would help them to use the trails better, and prevent disruptive interaction with other users. Rickard commented meetings will occur every two months. PAC representatives Gregory, Ho and Rickard will return to the PAC with recommendations from the working group. PAC member Gregory reported in the last ten years 13 miles of new trail have been built. The regulatory and permit process is challenging and dictates why more miles of new trails haven’t been built.

8. Board Committee Reports – None.

9. Old Business – None.

10. New Business – None.

11. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 6:16 p.m.

Summary of Actions: 1. The PAC approved the 2021 Proposed Operating Project and Program Budget 2. The PAC approved the 2021 PAC Goals/Agenda Items

Respectfully submitted,

Sharon Clay Recording Secretary

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Attachment 1

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting of January 25, 2021

TO: Park Advisory Committee STAFF REPORT PREPARED BY: Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs

SUBJECT: Economic and Social Impact of Park Improvement Projects

Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Erich Pfuehler and Legislative and Policy Management Analyst Lisa Baldinger will present an overview about Beacon Economics study of the economic and job creation impact of 93 projects currently in the District’s pipeline. The study also reviewed the social impact of District programming and services as they relate to community support and funding for additional large infrastructure projects across the District.

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Attachment 2

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting of January 25, 2021

TO: Park Advisory Committee STAFF REPORT PREPARED BY: Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government and Legislative

SUBJECT: 2021 Legislative and Governmental Priorities

Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Erich Pfuehler and Legislative and Policy Management Analyst Lisa Baldinger will provide an overview of the District’s proposed legislative and governmental priorities at the Federal, state, local and ward levels for 2021.

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Attachment 3

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2021 WORK PLAN Please note trails related topics are still being considered, but may be bundled together in July and September

JAN 25 FEB 22 MAR 22 APR 26 MAY 24 JUN 28 JULY 26 SEP 27 OCT 25 NOV 22 DEC 10

Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Rosario Corbett Lane Coffey Echols Lane Rosario Waespi

21 20 21 Economic and Year in Review Community McKay/GSA Wildfire CAFR (R) – Trails Update (I) Trails Working Parkland 2022

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ADVISORY PARK Social Impact of (I) – Victor Relations Plan (I) Property – Crown Protection / Auker – Dougan Group update Dedications Proposed Holiday Park Improvement – Koh, Johnson Beach Scoping Climate Change (I) – Holt (R) – Reeves Budget (R) – Dinner Projects (I) – Roddy Ranch and Input (I) – impacts (I) – Diversity, Grants Update Auker Pfuehler, Baldinger Golf Course Strategy for Holt Thiele, Graul, Holt Equity and (I) – Hornbeck Mountain Bike, Review Scoping and Inclusive Inclusion E-Bikes and Volunteer Clayton Legislative and Input (I) – Holt Community East Contra Capital Projects internal review Southern Las Scooters in Program (I) – Ranch LUP Governmental Engagement (I) – Costa County update (I) - (I) - Dudney Trampas LUP Other Kassebaum, (I) - Holt Priorities (I) – Dog Use Policy Baldinger, Habitat Goorjian (R) - Holt Jurisdictions Bletz Pfuehler, Baldinger update (I) – Pfuehler, Johnson Conservation Measure WW (I) - Dougan Environment Johnson, Love Plan / Natural review (I) 2021 PAC ally

2021 Work Plan Community – Rasmussen Goals (R) – Preferred (R) – Rickard, Conservation Rickard, Purchasing Pfuehler Plan Measure FF Pfuehler (I) – Auker, (HCP/NCCP) Budget and Spaulding update (I) – Spending Plan Kelchner, Reeves (R) – Rasmussen WORK PLAN

Exec. Comm. Finance Exec. Comm. Finance Subcommittee Subcommittee Subcommittee Subcommitt 2021 Work Plan CAFR (R) - Goals 2021 ee (R) – Pfuehler, Auker (R) – Pfuehler, 2021 Budget Rickard Rickard (R) – Auker

Revised 1.21.2021

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ATTACHMENT 4

ARTICLES & CORRESPONDENCE

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Bay Area honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By KTVU staff January 18, 2021

Freezeframe from King: Man of Peace in a Time of War. (Credit: Tubi) OAKLAND, Calif. - Bay Area community members and politicians are honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mission of "Keeping the Dream Alive."

On Monday, Ellen Corbett, a board of trustee on the East Bay Regional Park District, will kick off virtual events at 10 a.m.

Also on the list are: California State Assemblyman Rob Bonta; U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee; County Supervisor Nate Miley; California State Senator Nancy Skinner; Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf; Oakland Councilmember Treva Reid; and ILWU Local 6 Secretary/Treasurer Christopher Castaing.

Other events will be going on too, including the annual El Cerrito Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day car caravan and rally.

Because of COVID-19, the annual Celebration Train offered by Caltrain on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day won't be running.

Caltrain will operate on a modified schedule for the holiday, while SamTrans will operate on its regular, non-school day schedule.

The Celebration Train traditionally pays tribute to the 54-mile 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights march and delivers celebrants to the holiday march event in San Francisco. Caltrain said it hopes to resume the event again next year, "provided it can be done safely and responsibly."

LOCAL NEWS Park It: Harbor seals seem to like floating platform off Alameda shore Up to 80 have squeezed together on world’s only known raft made specifically for them

Laura A. Oda/staff archives

Seals lounge in the sun on a 500- square foot platform at Alameda Point. When the Water Emergency Transportation Authority moved its maintenance facilities to Alameda, it had planned to destroy an old dock where a few seals often basked. After wildlife advocates objected, WETA financed construction of a floating platform where the seals could haul out.

By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: January 17, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: January 21, 2021 at 12:05 p.m. Harbor seals, those sleek and slinky residents of San Francisco Bay, now have a new venue where they can bask after swimming — a floating platform just offshore between Encinal Beach and the USS Hornet museum in Alameda. Harbor seals prey on anchovies, herring and bottom-dwelling fish in the bay, but they need to get out of the water in a safe place to warm up between swims.

Enter the Water Emergency Transportation Authority, a regional public transit agency. When WETA moved its maintenance facilities to Alameda, it had planned to destroy an old dock where a few seals often basked. After wildlife advocates objected, WETA financed construction of a floating platform where the seals could haul out. The platform is 20 by 25 feet, with one side sloped to allow the seals easy access from the water. Built with reinforced concrete and a Styrofoam core, it’s the only known floating platform in the world made specifically for seals. The designer was Dr. Jim Harvey, director of San Jose State University’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.

The seals seem to like it. Up to 80 of them have squeezed together on it, and mother seals have been seen nursing their pups there. The Marine Mammal Protection Act includes harbor seals. Boaters and kayakers should watch from a distance. If the seals raise their heads, it means that they feel threatened and you should back off. They can be seen easily with binoculars from the shoreline Bay Trail. The East Bay Regional Park District’s Encinal Beach is at the end of a service road off Alameda’s Central Avenue, just past Encinal High School and right after Lincoln Avenue. For more information and a map, visit facebook.com/alamedaseals1. To volunteer and report observations, contact [email protected].

Fees resumed: Fee collection has resumed at many East Bay regional parks. To encourage easy public access and use of regional parks and trails during the pandemic, the park district waived collection of all fees in 2020. However, the district resumed charging fees on Jan. 4 this year to help fund many of the programs and services that it hopes to reopen when the pandemic subsides. Fees include parking, camping, fishing and boat launching. Fees may also be reinstated for use of seasonal facilities and services such as swimming, reservable picnic areas and recreational programs if these activities can resume later this year. The basic parking fee is $5 per vehicle ($6 at Del Valle south of Livermore). In fact, most East Bay regional parks charge no parking or entry fees. And those that do so at major entrances often have other entrances that are free of charge.

Online: Your go-to website for all sorts of useful outdoor recreation information is ebparks.org. Browsing the website, you can find out about the park district’s Trails Challenge, get the latest news updates, stay current on programs and policies, download park maps and brochures and view any of several dozen entertaining nature education programs produced by the district’s enthusiastic naturalist staff. Of course, the parks themselves are always open during daylight hours. But with a little advance research on the website, you can make your visit that much more safe and enjoyable. Ned MacKay writes about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities. Email him at nedmackay@..

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The Oaklandside Posted in UC Berkeley removes hundreds of trees in the Oakland hills to ensure fire evacuation route After years of opposition and lawsuits, Cal has succeeded in cutting down eucalyptus trees near campus.

by John Metcalfe

January 15, 2021

Logs stacked up along Grizzly Peak in December 2020. Credit: Gary Wayne

John Radke is a UC Berkeley associate professor who specializes in fire modeling. As part of his coursework, he likes to lead students into the winding thickets of Claremont Canyon in the Oakland hills, where the underbrush can reach chest-high, to show them the likely site of one of the next major East Bay fires.

“I was up there one day in the fall and you could hear the leaves cracking they were so dry,” Radke said. “Going in, my students said they were doing great – this is wonderful, we’re out in nature. Then after describing how the fire would burn, I asked them, ‘How do you guys feel?’ They said, ‘We can’t wait to get out of here. Because it’s a fire trap.’”

The funneled geography of the canyon and the vegetation that grows in it – vegetation that’s becoming drier each year in our warming climate – creates a natural chimney that’d be devastating in a fire. Winds blowing from the west would drive heat and radiation upslope in a ferocious purge. In Diablo conditions, with gusts surging over the ridge from the east, flames would pour downslope wiping out vegetation and homes – similar to what happened with the destructive 2018 Woolsey Fire in the L.A. region. “I would not go and visit anybody during fire season there, because that is just waiting to go,” said Radke. “And when Claremont Canyon goes, I don’t know how you stop it.”

One way to try to stop it is to remove fuels. And that’s what UC Berkeley has done over the past month on its property as part of its Claremont Canyon Evacuation Support Project, largely funded by a $3.6 million Cal Fire grant. Travel into the upper reaches of Claremont Avenue and you’ll notice the land on either side of the road denuded as if swiped by a good-sized razor. Remaining are stumps, piles of wood chips, and in a pull-out off Grizzly Peak Boulevard, a graveyard of hundreds of stacked logs.

Pile of logs along Grizzly Peak. UC Berkeley cut down the trees as part of a plan to ensure Claremont Avenue could be used as an evacuation route during a fire. Credit: Doug Prose

The idea is to keep the road clear during an evacuation caused by fire or landslide, said university spokeswoman Janet Gilmore.

“Numerous trees and abundant shrubby fuels were removed near Claremont Avenue (in a band of 100-foot width from pavement edge) that can fall across the road and block traffic,” she emailed, “or burn with such intensity that passage is prohibited during a wildfire…. Logs produced by the operations are being stored near Signpost 24, to be removed within the next few months, and will be gone prior to fire season.”

The university removed all the trees in the 100-foot buffer zones “regardless of species,” and shrubs and trees that burn intensely, “primarily, young eucalyptus, sapling Monterey pine and French broom seedlings,” according to a September memo prepared for Cal’s capital strategies department.

The project, which wrapped up last week, has created a “much-improved line of sight along the road, making even non-emergency travel safer,” said Gilmore. It also placed a couple of logs near Signpost 29 to “prevent ill-advised parking and unauthorized vehicular access to university property.”

The clearing of trees in the new 100-foot buffer zones is “spectacular,” said Jon Kaufman, president of the local nonprofit Claremont Canyon Conservancy. “I know trees are pretty and you want to keep them, and it’s a question of aesthetics and that’s important. But saving lives has to come first.” Not everybody’s a fan. Dan Grassetti, managing director of the environmental group Hills Conservation Network (which successfully blocked UC Berkeley from using FEMA funds to cut down trees in 2016), is supportive of the university clearing underbrush along the road because of people doing “stupid stuff” like making campfires and torching cars. “Around here, the fires are all human-caused and they all start at ground level.”

re all human-caused and they all start at ground level.”

Erosion controls have been placed on the hill where UC Berkeley removed hundreds of trees. Photo: John Metcalfe.

Grassetti’s less enamored of what he called the “plainly excessive” chopping of large trees. “Removing the eucalyptus canopy is the worst thing you can do because in the absence of an overstory you create an environment that’s great for species with extreme fire risk,” he said. “This year or next, if it starts raining, we expect to see fields of poison hemlock, thistle, and broom. These are species that emerge when soil is disturbed and the shade canopy is removed…. Everyone agrees those species are a real big problem; they’re very ignitable and burn with a long flame length.”

There are also climate concerns. “When you cut down a 100-foot-tall eucalyptus or Monterey pine, what you’re doing is taking a large amount of biomass and causing it to gradually release whatever sequestered carbon it has,” Grassetti said. “So, you’ve lost a large amount of carbon sink, you’ve lost raptor habitat, you’ve destabilized the soil, and what you got from that is very little reduction in fire risk because most of that stuff [in large trees] isn’t going to burn.”

Falling eucalyptuses are a problem in the Bay Area – one killed a man on the UC Berkeley campus in 2019 – but Radke’s not convinced they’ll hinder evacuees on Claremont Boulevard. “You’d have to wait around for quite a while so it’s burning before it actually topples over and blocks egress,” he said. “And if you’re egressing at that point, you’ve made a huge, horrible mistake in your life. You’ve waited for the fire to get really raging.” Aerial view of tree removal work done by UC Berkeley in Claremont Canyon. Credit: Doug Prose

What’s more important is the cleared space on each side of the road, he said, which creates a fire break and could stop a wildfire from expanding into a true monster. “If Claremont Canyon catches fire, there’s probably not enough water to put it out,” he said.

“When a fire gets above a thousand BTUs, even live trees are susceptible to ignition. Firefighters are not the most effective thing to throw at a fire at that point because it will kill them. So, what you try to do is make it so the fire reaches an edge, and it can’t burn anything else.”

Update, 3 pm. The story has been updated to remove a quote from Gilmore about the erosion controls in the creekbed taken by UC Berkeley. The contractor is still removing debris from the creekbed.

Park It: Good things coming to East Bay’s open spaces in 2021

New Concord park’s first public access possible in year; Sunol Regional, Round Valley reopened

Jim Gensheimer/staff archives Water flows over boulders in Alameda Creek during a previous late December in southern Alameda County at the Little Yosemite Area of Sunol Regional Wilderness, which has now reopened.

By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: December 27, 2020 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: December 27, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. As we bid a not especially fond farewell to 2020, we can look forward with cautious optimism to better times in 2021.

In the East Bay Regional Park District, there are some good things coming. The newly restored Bay Point Regional Shoreline in East Contra Costa has opened and is well worth checking out. Planning continues for the opening of Concord Hills Regional Park (which will likely be renamed), with its first public access possible later in 2021. The district’s 2021 budget funds some other major projects too, including opening of Brickyard Cove in McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, the new Dumbarton Quarry campground at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, the San Francisco Bay Trail’s Lone Tree Point extension and the remodeled Rocky Ridge Visitor Center at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore. Another big project in 2021 will be restoration of McCosker Creek in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills. The creek is being freed from culverts, creating new habitat for a variety of animals and plants. These and other projects can be viewed in the 2021 budget posted at the park district’s website at ebparks.org. Of course, much depends on defeating the pandemic. For the present, COVID-19 restrictions remain in place throughout the park district. All visitor centers, water fountains (except bottle fillers), campgrounds and reservable facilities are closed. Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, Ohlone Wilderness in southern Alameda County, and the Botanic Garden at Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley remain closed. However, Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County and Round Valley south of Brentwood have now reopened. Remember that dogs are not allowed in Round Valley, because it’s a habitat for the rare and endangered kit fox.

All the inter-park trails are open, from the Marsh Creek Regional Trail in Brentwood to Alameda Creek Trail in Fremont. Trails within the parks are open as well. Because walking and riding the trails has become a major recreational activity due to restrictions on other forms of diversion, please observe posted trail rules and exercise common courtesy. The district asks visitors to wear masks, especially in places such as gates and narrow footpaths where 6 feet of social distancing is difficult. Bring your own water, pick up after your dog and pack out your trash.

Since the pandemic situation is constantly changing, it’s a good idea to check the park district website before you go, in order to determine the status of any restrictions. You can click on “COVID-19 Closures” at the top of the home page. While you’re at the website, download a map of the park you’re planning to visit.

While you’re out in the parks, look for seasonal changes in the natural world, the cycle of which continues regardless of the pandemic. For instance, winter rains will bring beautiful, tiny, bell-shaped flowers to the manzanita bushes. Manzanita is present in almost every regional park, but the flowering is especially noticeable on the Chaparral Loop Trail at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. Another later winter bloomer is Indian Warrior, a magenta-colored plant that grows underneath the manzanita, deriving nourishment from the manzanita roots. A good place to see it in profusion is the Manzanita Trail and Manzanita Loop at Sobrante Ridge Regional Park in El Sobrante.

Winter is a great time to explore the regional parks and other open space, as what we hope will be abundant rainfall brings the grasses and flowers back to life. However you spend your time as 2020 ends and 2021 arrives, though, here’s wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year.

Ned MacKay writes about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities. Email him at [email protected].

News January 17, 2021 Hike to health with EBRPD's annual Trails Challenge

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Share to Faceboo kSha re to TwitterShare to Pr intSha re to Mo re by Julia Baum / Danville San Ramon Uploaded: Sun, Jan 17, 2021, 11:34 am 0 Time to read: about 1 minutes Hike or bike to a healthier new year with the East Bay Regional Park District's popular annual Trails Challenge, starting this month.

Now in its 28th year, the free program encourages residents to connect with the great outdoors, offering 20 trails for all levels of experience, and is part of the worldwide Healthy Parks Healthy People (HPHP) movement which promotes "the connection between a healthy green environment and community health."

"While we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19, one thing has become very clear, parks are essential," officials said. "They play a vital role in sustaining our physical, mental, and spiritual health. We appreciate your support in loving and protecting this beautiful system of parklands and shorelines in Alameda and Contra Costa counties."

Guidebooks can be found on EBRPD's Trails Challenge webpage, and will be available (along with t-shirts) outside visitor centers on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while supplies last (one shirt per person and one guidebook per family).

Park visitors are asked to wear face masks and observe social distancing, and may also notice some recent changes. Last week, the district reimplemented fees for parking, camping, fishing, and boat launching at regional parks "to support funding of the many programs, services and amenities slated to reopen next year."

In order to provide free and easy public access during the COVID-19 pandemic, the district waived all fee collections in 2020.

Fees for seasonal and recreational activities, services and amenities that may reopen later this year include swimming, reservable picnic areas and recreational programs.

Follow DanvilleSanRamon.com on Twitter @DanvilleSanRamo, Facebook and on Instagram @ for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more.

East Bay Regional Park District issues annual wild mushroom warning

Jan 15, 2021

Image courtesy of East Bay Regional Park District

Mushrooms are an ecologically important part of our parklands and can look beautiful – but some of them contain dangerous toxins. Each year, mushrooms proliferate after the first sustained rains of the season. The death cap (Amanita phalloides) and Western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata) are two of the world’s most toxic mushrooms, and both can be found in East Bay Regional Parks during the rainy season.

The death cap and Western destroying angel mushrooms contain amatoxins, molecules that are deadly to many animals. Symptoms may not appear until up to 12 hours after consumption, beginning as severe gastrointestinal distress and progressing to liver and kidney failure if treatment is not sought immediately.

East Bay Regional Park District Naturalist Trent Pearce documents and teaches about fungi in the Bay Area. “Both of these mushrooms can be lethal to humans and pets if consumed” Pearce warns. “They are mainly associated with oak trees and can be found growing anywhere oak roots are present.”

The death cap is a medium to large mushroom that typically has a greenish-gray cap, white gills, a white ring around the stem, and a large white sac at the base of the stem. Although the death cap is mainly associated with oak trees, it has been found growing with other hardwoods. It was accidentally introduced to North America on the roots of European cork oaks and is now slowly colonizing the West Coast. The death cap is not native to California.

The Western destroying angel is a medium to large mushroom that usually has a creamy white cap, white gills, a white ring around the stem that can disappear with age, and a thin white sac at the base. It fruits from late winter into spring. It is associated exclusively with oaks. Unlike the death cap, it is a native California mushroom.

“The Park District urges the public to be safe and knowledgeable about toxic mushrooms when encountering them in the parks,” said East Bay Regional Park District Public Information Supervisor Dave Mason. “Collecting any mushrooms in East Bay Regional Parks is not allowed.”

The death cap and Western destroying angel can also be dangerous for pets.

“Dog owners should keep a close watch on their dogs during the winter months,” said Mason. “Pet owners should contact a veterinarian immediately if they suspect their pet may have eaten a toxic mushroom.”

While the death cap and western destroying angel mushrooms are responsible for most cases of mushroom poisonings in California, deadly toxins can also be found in Galerina and Lepiota mushroom species, which also occur in the Bay Area.

PARK DISTRICT SEEKS INPUT ON NEW PLANS

Wednesday, January 13, 2021 McKay Avenue rehab on table Dennis Evanosky

The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) recently announced that it is seeking community input on its new master plan. The development includes a design for the area surrounding the Crab Cove Visitor Center on McKay Avenue. The plans involve the 3.89- acre park expansion area across McKay from the center,.

“Crab Cove Visitor Center is the interpretive hub of Crown Beach,” EBRPD states in its preliminary master plan. The district has developed some ideas based on preliminary study of the site, anticipated recreational needs and sea level rise projections.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic the area around Crab Cove Visitor Center continues to provide a much-needed outdoor space for smaller groups to walk, picnic or sit along the beach. “The Master Plan will provide a vision for park improvements that enhances these popular and important uses, while also considering how the site will be impacted by rising sea levels and climate change,” EBRPD stated in the preliminary master plan.

The district stated that the final master plan will “provide the design vision for the future of the site, as well as conceptual drawings illustrating the design accompanied by an anticipated cost estimate and proposed phasing and implementation plan.”

The park district has not yet determined the timeline for full implementation of this new plan.

The park district is currently reaching out to neighbors and park users to provide input on the project. The district will incorporate this feedback into the site design and present it in the project materials.

Read the preliminary master plan at http://bit.ly/2XtAVln. Give the district your feedback at mckaymasterplan.com. Click on “Take the Survey.”

News Report: Bay Area county's western monarch butterfly population hits record low, only 200 counted

Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE Jan. 13, 2021Updated: Jan. 13, 2021 4:30 p.m. 2

1of2 Monarch butterflies rest on a tree branch in an overwintering habitat. A recent report found their population has dropped to a new record low. GomezDavid/Getty Images

2of2 Thousands of monarch butterflies cluster on eucalyptus tree limbs at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont on Jan. 27, 2018. Fewer than 2,000 of the butterflies are left in the state of California, according to a recent count from the Xerces Society. NurPhoto/Getty Images • • Already considered to be at risk for possible extinction in the near future, Marin County’s native western monarch butterfly population has continued to plummet to yet another record low.

In the 1980s, an estimated 4.5 million of the colorful insects migrated to California, their mottled black and orange wings seen clustered together for warmth in trees along the coast. But a new report published by West Marin’s Environmental Action Committee using data from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation recorded a “near disappearance” of the fragile species in 2020, with fewer than 2,000 of the butterflies counted in California, and fewer than 200 in coastal Marin County.

That’s a 99% drop from the Bay Area county’s population of 38,708 butterflies in 2015 – at the time considered to be the highest count on record by the Xerces Society, which conducts the annual Thanksgiving and New Year’s counts of the western monarchs. The count rapidly descended in subsequent years as a result of multiple contributing factors, including recent wildfires, habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change, according to the report. “One of the most important takeaways from this report is that individual actions matter,” Morgan Patton, executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, said in a statement. “Taking the right action, in the right place, right now, is essential if we are going to help the western monarch recover.”

Yet, the decimated population still lacks protection from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act. In December, the federal agency determined the listing was warranted, but precluded due to higher priority listings. (The monarch butterfly is currently filed behind more than 160 other species, a KQED report found.) One month prior to this decision, however, the Superior Court of Sacramento County ruled that the state of California did not have the legal authority to protect insects under the Endangered Species Act.

MORE: The Mexican monarch population blossomed as California's monarchs plummeted

Bay Nature magazine ◦ Winter 2021 Parks

Reflections on an Era

After nearly five decades of helping build the nation's largest regional park district, Bob Doyle is passing the torch by Hayley Davis

January 3, 2021 By the time he started high school in the late ‘60s, Doyle had become a bit of a trouble-maker. But after a biology teacher introduced him to Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold, Doyle delved into the history and science of ecology, finding a way to redirect his rebellious energy into something worthwhile, which, he says, “pretty much changed my life.”

By 1970 he was helping organize his school’s inaugural Earth Day. It was a busy and exciting time to get involved with conservation, he says, as environmentalists scored local and national victories, from the grassroots Save the Bay campaign to the passage of the National Environmental Protection Act. Though he was just one of many engaged and energetic young environmentalists, a handful of local leaders saw something special in Doyle.

East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. (Photo by Andrea Laue)

One of Doyle’s teachers introduced him to those who would go on to found Save Mount Diablo, including esteemed botanist Mary Bowerman, who invited him to join them on surveys around Mount Diablo to look at land that might be preserved. Doyle hiked through places like Black Diamond Mines where he watched, listened, and learned about conservation firsthand.

As an eager but unproven young activist, Doyle had access to some of the most influential Bay Area conservation leaders of the day—the “Wizards,” as he fondly calls them. He became a founding board member of Save Mount Diablo, and was advocating for the mountain’s conservation at the state capital by age 19. “I was a young protege, and they really pushed me to do things because I had lots of energy,” Doyle says. Apparently, all he needed was that push. Doyle was hired by the East Bay Regional Park District as a seasonal ranger in 1973, when the district consisted of around 24 parks on less than 25,000 acres. By the end of 2020, when he retires as general manager, the district will stand at an impressive 125,000 acres in 73 parks— due in no small part to Doyle’s efforts.

Robert Doyle began his 47-year career with the East Bay Regional Park District as a seasonal ranger and retires as general manager this December. In the above photo from 1976, Doyle is working on a sign for the Motorcycle Hill area in Anthony Chabot Regional Park while serving as a ranger at Point Pinole. (Photo by Walter Knight, courtesy East Bay Regional Park District)

During his tenure at the largest regional park district in the nation, Doyle’s gone from having a front row seat to the regional conservation movement to being one of its key players. Through the ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s, Doyle worked tirelessly to save “the best of the last” East Bay landscapes and habitats from urban sprawl and development. In total he’s helped conserve 61,000 acres, open 18 new parks, and develop countless miles of trails.

The park district’s priorities today, however, have changed a bit since Doyle started his career almost five decades ago. The population that the EBRPD serves has increased by 57 percent since 1970, with more racial and cultural diversity. Meanwhile, climate change, which wasn’t on the radar in Doyle’s early career, is contributing to increasingly large and frequent wildfires in upland parks as well as rising tides at the shorelines.

Doyle is proud of all that he’s accomplished—“more than I ever expected”—and says he has no regrets. And yet, when looking to the future, he’s the first one to say, “we need to do more.” In what seems like the end of an era, Doyle is stepping down at the close of 2020 to make way for the next generation of conservation leaders at the district.

EarlyNEW,AFTERWORKINGDOYLEDISTRICTHULETMOUNT Years INTERCONNECTED AHORNBECK,GOT DIABLO, FEW CAREER. ON THE YEARSRESPONSES OPPORTUNITYTAPPED IN WHO AS1979, AN TRAILKNEWHIM TO DISTRICT EBRPD ENVIRONMENTALTO SYSTEM.THATDOYLE DES RANGER CHIEFIGN KICKSTARTED FROM AND OF AND THOSE DEVELOPLAND IMPACT A BRIEF ACQUISITIONHISHIKES REPORTS,THEPARK STINT WITH EBRPD’S SAVE Charged with planning the trail routes as well as negotiating with sometimes antagonistic landowners for the rights to build them, Doyle was developing the skills that would serve him throughout his career. “That’s where I learned about land,” he says. “I had to look at who owned what, how to weave the trails through these beautiful places.” By the time Hornbeck retired in 1985, they had completed almost 100 miles of regional trails. “It was a challenging time, but Hulet kept pushing me, and I kept being competitive and it’s a remarkable system,” says Doyle. “I think it actually is the best urban trail system in the United States.”

Doyle succeeded Hornbeck as the Chief of Land Acquisition and Trail Planning—only the second one in the history of the park district. Doyle was in the position for just three years before he was tasked with the huge responsibility of co-authoring Measure AA, an ambitious $225 million bond measure, to help the EBRPD avoid a financial crisis. Over half of the bond measure’s revenue was allocated for EBRPD land acquisition, so it was Doyle who led the effort to determine which lands should be prioritized and how much they would cost. Doyle often likens the passage of Measure AA, and the influx of cash it provided, to “being strapped to a rocket ship and somebody lights the fuse.” Doyle and his team had promised to create 7,500 acres of new parks and expand existing parks by 20,000 acres. Now, they had to deliver.

THEAMAZINGANDREADEPARTMENT,CLARACOLLEAGUEBECOMEGREATExpanding YEARSEBRPD EXPANSION.”VALLEY WASMACKENZIE. thTIME eASAFTER ANDPark FORMULATED ANAND TOOPEN District AENVIRONMENTAL THEBE NOW,FRIEND. SPACEWORKINGBACK PASSAGE AS “A ININTHEAUTHORITY, THELOTTHE AT OFGENERAL EARLYOFTHE‘90SMEASURE PLANNER HIS DURINGPARK SHE SUCCESS ‘90S,MANAGER DISTRICT,”AACOUNTSIN MACKENZIE THISDOYLE’S “WAS AND PERIODOF DOYLE A WHO SAYSSANTAPRETTY JOINED OF HE’SAS A Over the next 25 years, Doyle more than made good on his Measure AA promise. As Chief of Land Acquisition, and later as Assistant General Manager for Land and Planning, Doyle oversaw the addition of more than 47,000 acres to the park district—the greatest expansion of parks and trails in the district’s 85-year history. He added thousands of acres to existing parks such as Morgan Territory and Pleasanton Ridge, bought the land for parks like Bay Point Regional Shoreline and Crockett Hills Regional Park, and added countless miles of trails to networks including the San Francisco Bay Trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail. Altogether, they serve millions of people every year.

It’s easy to look at these parks today and think that their conservation was inevitable. But the victories were hard-won. “Everybody already knows my reputation as being a tough negotiator,” Doyle says. “[I’m] pretty aggressive about implementing the District’s mission.” As a leader, Doyle was tenacious, and he expected the same from his staff. “Bob Doyle was not always the easiest boss to work for,” says Mackenzie. “He challenged us to work really hard, try new things, and learn from our mistakes.” She recalls that Doyle would send her to late night public meetings to advocate for parks and open space, where she met strong opposition from developers. “He’d expect me to go in there and have those hard conversations… He wasn’t afraid to get into healthy debates or even file lawsuits to win the day.”

Doyle has described land conservation as a “competitive sport.” And as the son of an athlete and coach, Doyle has a natural talent for it. “Bob is not a shy soul,” Mackenzie says. “He knows who to talk to, how to get right to the point.” In brokering land deals, he’d leverage the influence of the EBRPD and what they could bring to the table. Both Mackenzie and Annie Burke, executive director of TOGETHER Bay Area, emphasize Doyle’s skill in cultivating partnerships between agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations and developing those regional connections to more effectively conserve parks and open space. In his work to protect and restore McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, says Mackenzie, Doyle “in many ways perfected the partnership between local and regional districts and state parks to work together to get things done.”

Perhaps as a counterweight to his intensity as a leader, Doyle says he likes to make a lot of bad jokes. “You have to laugh because you’re dealing with a lot of tough issues… You try to lighten things up.” He follows up on projects regularly to keep people focused, encouraging them to do their best for the public. “You have a long line of spinning plates and one starts wobbling and you have to run back to that beginning and spin it again,” he says. Most of all, he tries to remind people that he has their back. “And if I have their back… I can push them!” he adds. “See? Another joke.”

TERMONTHEBOND,CONSERVATIONOUTDOORSINFLUENCINGAGENCIESFORMFROMPARKWHENHASWHICHPEOPLE.General A PASSAGEBEEN LOCAL, VISITORS PRIORITIES, OFBOBTHEYIN HE ManagerIN FLATTERY,”2018 MORE ANDSTEPPEDIN ADDITIONACT. USE STATE,PASSING ANDOFPUBLIC ELECTEDDIRECTLY FUND MACKENZIEBEHINDEASTCALIFORNIA DOYLE THE INTO AND TOSHE POLICY WITHBAYFUNDING PERMANENT - MANAGING OFFICIALS.TENTHENATIONALADVOCATES SAYS.BENEFIT PARKS THIS -SAYS YEARSBECAUSESCENES.PROP MEASURES.”“I’VE YEAR’S ANDDOYLEFROM 68, “THEYFUNDINGLEVEL.THEAGO, IMITATED FORTHETHE TRAILS.HE SYSTEM’SPASSAGEDOYLE’S HE HAS ENGAGESROLEPARKPARKS,SAY SOME SAYS, OF BEEN BUT IMITATIONMUCH OFFUNDINGTHE RECENTLANDENVIRONMENT,OF STAFF, ISGENERALMUCH SUCCESSFULDIRECTLY LANDTHEABOUT OF ACQUISITION WHAT GREATAND BUDGET,VICTORIESOFIS AND THEFUNDINGDOYLE’SMANAGER, WITHLEGISLATION I’VEWATER AMERICANHIGHESTAT AND AND LEARNED INCLUDE WORK WORK ANDWATER LONG - What he’s realized in this past decade, though, is “it’s no longer about you and your achievement. It’s not about ‘you’ve got this many acres preserved, you opened this amount of parks or trails.’ It becomes about you being the mentor and supporter of the people who work for you.” Doyle, probably more than most, understands the importance of having mentors who believe in you, push you, and give you opportunities.

Report: Bay Area county's western monarch butterfly population hits record low, only 200 counted

Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE Jan. 13, 2021Updated: Jan. 13, 2021 4:30 p.m.

Monarch butterflies rest on a tree branch in an overwintering habitat. A recent report found their population has dropped to a new record low.

Thousands of monarch butterflies cluster on eucalyptus tree limbs at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont on Jan. 27, 2018. Fewer than 2,000 of the butterflies are left in the state of California, according to a recent count from the Xerces Society.

Already considered to be at risk for possible extinction in the near future, Marin County’s native western monarch butterfly population has continued to plummet to yet another record low. In the 1980s, an estimated 4.5 million of the colorful insects migrated to California, their mottled black and orange wings seen clustered together for warmth in trees along the coast. But a new report published by West Marin’s Environmental Action Committee using data from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation recorded a “near disappearance” of the fragile species in 2020, with fewer than 2,000 of the butterflies counted in California, and fewer than 200 in coastal Marin County. That’s a 99% drop from the Bay Area county’s population of 38,708 butterflies in 2015 – at the time considered to be the highest count on record by the Xerces Society, which conducts the annual Thanksgiving and New Year’s counts of the western monarchs. The count rapidly descended in subsequent years as a result of multiple contributing factors, including recent wildfires, habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change, according to the report. “One of the most important takeaways from this report is that individual actions matter,” Morgan Patton, executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, said in a statement. “Taking the right action, in the right place, right now, is essential if we are going to help the western monarch recover.” Yet, the decimated population still lacks protection from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act. In December, the federal agency determined the listing was warranted, but precluded due to higher priority listings. (The monarch butterfly is currently filed behind more than 160 other species, a KQED report found.) One month prior to this decision, however, the Superior Court of Sacramento County ruled that the state of California did not have the legal authority to protect insects under the Endangered Species Act. MORE: The Mexican monarch population blossomed as California's monarchs plummeted The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife said it would review the status of the monarchs every year. Unless the population experiences a comeback, it could receive endangered species status in 2024. Meanwhile, the low count is expected to have greater implications. A single storm or disease could reduce the rate of survival for monarchs migrating to inland areas of Marin to reproduce in the spring, especially as the quality of overwintering habitats fail to provide sufficient shelter. In response, the Environmental Action Committee advises those living in coastal areas of Marin — including residents of Muir Beach, Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Point Reyes Station, Inverness, and Tomales — to support overwintering monarch populations by no longer planting milkweed. Instead, the organization recommends that people grow nectar plants, such as California goldenrod or black sage, that will provide them with the nutrition and protection they need to survive the colder winter months. Likewise, people who reside in inland areas of Marin such as Mill Valley, Sausalito, Corte Madera, Larkspur, San Rafael, Ross, San Anselmo, Fairfax, Terra Linda and Novato can help bolster the monarch population by replacing tropical milkweed plants with native narrowleaf milkweed. Tropical milkweed is considered harmful to butterflies because it does not die in the fall, which encourages them to linger in the area and breed rather than migrating to other habitats where they will survive through the winter. Recent counts at Pacific Grove's Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Monterey County yielded similar findings, KAZU reported last week. The sanctuary is one of 400 overwintering sites for the species, and over the years, the city has earned the title of "Butterfly Town U.S.A." because thousands of the monarchs typically fly through during the winter. “I've gone to 23 sites so far this year. I've seen 15 monarchs,” Connie Masotti, the Monterey County regional coordinator for the count, told KAZU. "I've actually sat in the parking lot the first couple of times and I cried in my car because I've seen it coming, but I did not think I would not be able to find one monarch," Masotti added, referring to her search at Pacific Grove Sanctuary.