Highlights from ACR’s History SETTING THE COURSE (1962 - 1969)

1962 Society, is inspired to protect a sensitive heron and egret nesting

Aileen Pierson and Stan Picher, establishes as a local organization, independent of the National Audubon Society. The Photo by Tina Green Photo by Tina view from Cypress Grove Research Center 1964: Local Audubon Chapter members greet visitors who wish to view the heronry at the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, and thus the ACR Hosts program is launched. 1969: The U.S. Department of the Interior designates ACR as a registered National 1964: The Garden Club of America names ACR the outstanding conservation project in Natural Landmark. the . In gratitude for this award and the support of the club’s local branches, Bolinas Lagoon Preserve’s North Canyon is 1968: The 234-acre South Canyon of the renamed Garden Club of America Canyon, Bolinas Lagoon Preserve is purchased to be

Photo by Wyn Hoag now known as Garden Club Canyon. used as an environmental education center. Nesting Great Egrets at Martin Griffin Preserve heronry

1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1967: ACR, The Nature 1967: Helen Pratt, member Conservancy and others initiated of the Marin Audubon the purchase of the 110-acre Society, begins her study of in Bolinas Lagoon. the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve The donation of this land to the heronry under the guidance County of Marin as a park is of Professor Richard Doutt critical in derailing the planned of U.C. Berkeley. Helen Bolinas Lagoon Marina. To continues to collect data on this day, ACR owns almost 10 reproductive success in the strategic acres of Kent Island. heronry for 32 years.

1967: The Marin County Parks and Recreation Department Helen Pratt purchases almost all of the

extending from Bolinas Lagoon Preserve to the town of Bolinas. Photo by Wyn Hoag Martin Griffin Preserve from across Bolinas Lagoon Page 2 | Highlights from ACR’s History

Land Preservation, Nature Education and Conservation Science

EXPANDING OUR IMPACT (1970 - 1984)

1971: The collision of two Standard Oil of tankers in Bay creates an oil spill that threatens pristine Bolinas Lagoon. Volunteers mobilize to stop the slick at the entrance to the lagoon. In appreciation, the ACR Board renames South Canyon as Volunteer Canyon.

1971: Pike County Gulch, the northernmost canyon of Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, is purchased from Mary and Alan Galloway. The buildings in this canyon are used as the administrative

(PRBO) for decades. Photo by Wyn Hoag The Bouverie Preserve 1971: Clifford Conly states his desire to bequeath to Audubon Canyon Ranch his 10-acre parcel 1978: David Bouverie donates to 1982: After creating the on Tomales Bay. ACR a major portion of his ranch education program at the for education and preservation, forming the Bouverie Preserve, docent class graduates and ACR’s second main preserve. school groups begin to arrive.

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984

Early 1970s: ACR acquires nearly 500 acres of tidelands and shoreline around Tomales Bay, including Toms Point (generously donated by Judi Hiltner and Meg Quigley), Hog and Duck islands, Walker Creek Delta and Olema Marsh. Hog and Duck islands were later donated to the National Park Service.

1970: The ACR Docent Program is born with docent training funded by the Junior League of San Francisco.

schoolchildren and public visitors begin at Bolinas Lagoon Preserve.

David Bouverie 1986 Preserve. training atBolinasLagoon naturalists, graduatefrom Ranch Guides,volunteer Hall EducationCenter. converted intotheGilman the BouveriePreserveis 1986 1985 : Theoldhaybarnat Martin Griffin, BillTyukodi, CliffordConly, ClerinZumwalt Page 3|HighlightsfromACR’sHistory Francisco BayArea. activities atallknowncoloniesinthenorthernSan and volunteersbegintomonitorheronegretnesting 1991 1986 : ACRinitiatestheongoingHeronandEgretProject, 1987 Grove ResearchCenter. main preserve.ThisledtotheestablishmentofCypress Grove Preserve,landdonatedbyCliffordConlyforACR’sthird 1993 : ACRassumesfullownershipandmanagementofCypress Learning aboutnature attheBouverie Preserve counts. Volunteers begintoconductbird and waterbirdsonTomalesBay. ongoing researchonshorebirds 1989 1988 : ACRinitiateslong-term, 1989 EXPANDING OURIMPACT(1985-1999) 1990 1991 an endowment. Bouverie Ranch,aswellas ACR theremainderofthe passes awayandleavesto 1994 Preserve. is launchedattheBouverie Naturalist Program(Junipers) 1994 1992 : DavidBouverie : ACR’sJunior The historic cabins of Cypress Grove ResearchCenter The historiccabinsofCypressGrove 1993 1994 wetland toatransitionalsaltmarsh. runoff, transformingacreatedfreshwater Bay iswashedoutbyrainstormsandheavy Cypress GroveResearchCenterfromTomales separated theCarolineLivermoreMarshat 1998

Photo by Wyn Hoag : Asectionoftheoldrailroadbermthat 1995 from theVolunteerCenterofSantaRosa. Senate andaCommunityServiceAward Recognition fromtheCaliforniaState 1995 1996 : TheBouveriePreserveDocent Cypress GroveResearchCenter. across thenewtidalinletat of recycledplastic,iserected 1999 : Abridge,constructed 1997 1998 1999 Photo by Leslie Sophia Lindell Page 4 | Highlights from ACR’s History

Land Preservation, Nature Education and Conservation Science

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (2001 - 2012)

2009: ACR agrees to acquire 2011–12: Jim and Shirley Modini 1,725 acres east of Healdsburg pass away within a year of one from Jim and Shirley Modini, another, initiating the transfer creating the Modini Ingalls of ownership of the 1,750-acre Ecological Preserve. Modini Ranch to ACR.

2009: The North Bay Business Journal presents to ACR one of the Best Places to Work awards. 2012: Audubon Canyon Ranch acquires the 1,620- : CALTRANS awards nearly 2009 acre Mayacamas Mountains $500,000 to ACR’s GROW Sanctuary in northern Sonoma Project to restore eight acres and Lake counties from the of oak woodlands at Bouverie National Audubon Society and Preserve. Audubon California.

2009: In memory of Phyllis Ellman, the David Bouverie Scholarship Fund is established for Junipers pursuing higher 2012: Bouverie Preserve Docents education in science or the celebrate the 30th anniversary The Modini Ranch environment. of the preserve’s education program. 2001: ACR launches its Habitat Protection and Restoration Program. : The Overnight Program at Bolinas Lagoon Preserve is launched, 2001 2007: The volunteer offering urban students an intensive and educational nature experience. programs Bouverie 201 2: ACR completed its first half-century with a year-long Stewards and Bolinas celebration of its accomplishments Lagoon Preserve : The Quercus Quire, a group of singing volunteers and the impact it has had on the 2002 Stewards are from Bolinas Lagoon and Bouverie preserves, receives the tens of thousands of community launched and begin to Community Service Award to Schools from the Volunteer members touched by its programs. Center of Sonoma County for bringing the message of assist staff with habitat ecological stewardship to 2,700 schoolchildren each year. restoration projects.

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

2006: The Bouverie Preserve Docents receive the 2006 Outstanding 2006: ACR publishes the Annotated : Founding Executive Environmental Program award from the Sonoma County Conservation Atlas and Implications for the 2010 Director Skip Schwartz eived Conservation of Heron and Egret retires as ACR hires J. Scott from the California State Assembly, the California State Senate and Nesting Colonies in the San Feierabend as its second Rep. Lynn Woolsey. Francisco Bay Area. executive director.

2010: Bolinas Lagoon Preserve Docents celebrate the 40th anniversary of the preserve’s education program.

2010: The Bolinas Lagoon Preserve is renamed the

many contributions to ACR.

Habitat restoration at Cypress Grove Page 5 | Highlights from ACR’s History

Land Preservation, Nature Education and Conservation Science

LEADING WITH INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES (2013 - 2020)

2016: ACR becomes only the fourth agency (and first nonprofit) in California permitted to capture and collar mountain lions. Dr. Quinton Martins is hired to lead the ACR Mountain Lion Project, which combines research with education and stewardship.

Mountain lion ‘P1,’ the first big cat to be tracked using GPS technology in Sonoma County 2016: ACR launches the Conservation Science Intensive summer program – a hands-on, land-based training/men- 2013: Herons and egrets abandon nests in Picher Canyon. After decades of breeding in Picher Canyon, the herons and toring program for young egrets failed to return in 2013. Although no one knows the women, taught by ACR’s reason, it is speculated that this was not caused by human female science and disturbance, but possibly by bald eagles, whose numbers are education staff. Mentoring young women interested in increasing in the area. In spite of this ACR continues its conservation science monitoring of all heron and egret nests in the North Bay.

2014: John Petersen – a 28 year ACR employee – 2017: ACR restores author M.F.K. Fisher’s “Last House” becomes its third Executive Director. He brings his on the Bouverie Preserve. Programs will promote her experience in all corners of the organization and legacy and values of building friendships and community develops a new vision for the future. over food, literature and nature.

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

2017: Dr. Sasha Berleman is hired to head ACR’s effort to reintroduce 2014: ACR receives the bequest of the responsible controlled burning to the Helen McLaren property on Tomales landscape. ACR’s Fire Ecology Project Bay. Per her wishes, the house and will both improve the ecological health other buildings are removed, and the of our native habitats, and reduce the land restored to native wetlands. risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Controlled burns restore biodiversity The first study of its kind in the Western U.S.

2017: Advances in technology and statistical analysis have finally allowed us to track herons and egrets by satellite using small transmitters. This advances our knowledge of their behavior, feeding patterns, energetics, migration, and habitat preferences.