July - August 2013 East Bay Regional Park District www.ebparks.org Photo: Davor Desancic Davor Photo: Mission Peak Regional Preserve – to enjoy and conserve See page 2. Inside: Swim Lessons and Jr. Lifeguards • page 4 Bike and Kayak the Delta • page 5 CAJUN-ZYDECO MUSIC FESTIVAL • page 6 Independence Day at Ardenwood • page 6 Concert at the Cove • page 11 Volunteers Help Maintain Regional Trails, see page 3. Contents Aquatics/Jr. Lifeguards ............4 Addressing Mission Peak Issues Recreation Programs .............4 Kayaking ................................4 A MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MANAGER ROBERT E. DOYLE Pole Walking ........................5 Fishing ....................................5 n the past few years we have seen a dramatic increase Thanks to volunteer groups with staff guidance and Board Biking .....................................5 Iin the popularity of Mission Peak Regional Preserve support, we have restored more than a dozen areas along located in Fremont. On weekends and holidays, thousands Hidden Valley Trail eroded by shortcut, “bootleg” trails. Ardenwood ..........................5-7 of visitors come to hike, bike, run, or walk dogs and ride Better fencing and signs are helping inform the public. Next Big Break ...................................7 horses in this beautiful 3,000 acre park. Most of them enter year we will do more restoration projects. Black Diamond ..................... 10 at the Stanford Avenue staging area, built to accommodate Trail safety is another concern. The hike to Mission Peak is about 30 cars. And hundreds of people use social media to Botanic Garden .................... 10 strenuous, and for mountain bikers it is rated intermediate share the Mission Peak experience, leading to even more to expert level. Especially in hot weather, in all parks, Coyote Hills .....................10-11 popularity. people need to prepare and know their abilities. Crab Cove ..............................11 This extremely heavy usage is a management challenge for • Wear sturdy shoes with ankle support when hiking. Sunol ........................................11 park staff and they are working on short-term solutions, as well as studying future options. Equally important, • Carry water for yourself and your dog; every year some Tilden Nature Area ........11-13 Mission Peak’s popularity has also become a challenge for dogs (and people) collapse on long and steep trails. Day Camps .............................12 the park’s neighbors. Please remember that neighbors • Cyclists must call out and/or ring bike bells when passing. of our parklands deserve courtesy by park users when We need everyone to help keep our trails and parks safe and HPHP Bay Area Programs .....12 entering or leaving a staging or parking area near their fun for everyone. And at Mission Peak, please consider using Programs in Other Parks ..13-14 homes. Staff has received complaints of excessive speed, the Bay Area Ridge Trail entrance on the west side, where loud noise and radios, and trash left by park users. Help our Volunteer Programs .............14 there is ample parking and public transportation nearby. neighbors out, especially at Mission Peak. Registration & Fees ..............15 Visitor Centers/ Areas ........................................15 Trail maintenance volunteers Before restoration After restoration General Information / Free Brochure ..............1-888-EBPARKS GUEST COMMENTARY Camping & Picnic Reservations ...... ................................1-888-EBPARKS What I learned from my research is Naturalist & Recreation the benefi ts of open space include Programs ..............1-888-EBPARKS environmental contributions (water TDD ...........................510-633-0460 fi ltration, trees that clean the air) as well as the positive impacts on people Website ..............www.ebparks.org Saving Mission Peak when they experience nature. Through By Gabriel Block, Fremont resident and my project, I came to the conclusion EBRPD Board of Directors recent graduate of Irvington High School that the legal protection of public Whitney Dotson ........................Ward 1 land and prevention of open space John Sutter ..................................Ward 2 or my senior QUEST (Questions development is the best thing we can Carol Severin ..............................Ward 3 restore the damaged areas, to preserve Douglas Siden .............................Ward 4 FUnderstanding Experience Service do. But the responsibility for preserving Ayn Wieskamp ...........................Ward 5 Testimony) project, I chose to study natural areas is not just that of the the beauty for everybody, now and for Beverly Lane ...............................Ward 6 the issue of open space preservation: governmental entitities like East Bay future generations. Ted Radke ....................................Ward 7 why open space is benefi cial and what Regional Park District; all individuals Despite what some may think, many Robert E. Doyle ......General Manager is the best way to preserve it. I got also need to take responsibility. Mission young people my age do have a the idea because of a place that is near Peak is a great example. Park visitors conscience, and we are encouraging Visit us at www.ebparks.org and dear to my family – Mission Peak need to stay on marked trails, stop other people of all ages to care for Regional Preserve. tagging (graffi ti) and, instead, help open space and nature. Tilden Park Golf Course Volunteers Health is a Certifi ed Audubon Help Maintain Matters Cooperative Sanctuary Regional Trails The Tilden Park Golf Course is the 67th golf Each year, April through October, special trail maintenance East Bay course in California and the 1,009th in the project days are scheduled at various Regional Parks. Trail Regional Park District world to be designated as a Certifi ed Audubon maintenance volunteers help Park District staff AND Cooperative Sanctuary. with pruning, erosion control, trail improvements, and new Golf course operators, American Golf, and trail construction. ARE PROUD PARTNERS Regional Parks staff set up projects to enhance Since 1996, the Ivan Dickson Volunteer Trail Maintenance IN 2013 WITH THE MUTUAL GOAL wildlife habitat, achieve sensitive maintenance Program has managed over 157 trail projects with 7,837 OF PROMOTING HEALTH AND FITNESS. practices, and inform people of our commitment volunteers contributing over 30,000 hours of volunteer labor. to environmental quality. Park District staff, in partnership with organizations like REI, Walking Keeps The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program Volunteers for Outdoor California and the Regional Parks for Golf is an award-winning education and Foundation provide materials, supplies, hand tools, and support You Young certifi cation program that helps golf courses and recognition for volunteers using interest from the Ivan The human body was made to walk. protect our environment and preserve the natural Dickson bequest, combined with grants and donations. Because of modern advances, heritage of the game of golf. We are proud that this Consider sponsoring one of these trail maintenance programs we have nearly eliminated walking Park District facility meets or exceeds the highest by contacting the Regional Trails team at (510) 544-2602. standards of environmental management. from our daily routine. Read more online at www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden. Presently, more than 70 percent of all adult Americans lead sedentary lifestyles. This is signifi cantly impacting the overall health of our country, which spends more than $2.5 trillion annually on medical care. An estimated 80 percent of that fi gure is spent on treating chronic conditions that can be prevented or treated by regular walking. Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks trail maintenance volunteers Kaiser Permanente and the Park District are committed to restore walking back to our culture by making it the safe and easy choice. New River Delta Multi-touch iBook Walking 30 minutes a day, fi ve days a week is the fi rst step toward better health. The Park District and public highlight the Sacramento-San Joaquin Readers of all ages will come away broadcast station, KQED, pooled Delta’s diverse species, intricate with a deeper understanding of what Watch a video, “Walking Keeps resources to create River Delta, a ecosystem, and complex engineering the Delta is, why it is so important You Young” online: visually absorbing, multi-touch iBook, and water usage issues affecting to California, and how it may be http://tinyurl.com/au5d6vu taking full advantage of Apple’s digital natural resources, people and wildlife. conserved for future generations. book creation app, iBooks Author. It also addresses science education The iBook is free and is available KAISER PERMANENTE IS A MAJOR SPONSOR River Delta features illustrations standards, including the topics of exclusively on the iBookstore in the OF THE PARK DISTRICT’S 2013 TRAILS originally created for the Big Break ecosystems, natural resources, geology textbook category. Non-iPad users CHALLENGE. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT Regional Shoreline exhibit in Oakley. and human impact, while highlighting can fi nd most of KQED’s Delta-related GETTING IN SHAPE AND HEALTHY The 47-page book includes interactive the connection between science media online at www.kqed.org/science. LIFESTYLES, VISIT WWW.KP.ORG (YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER animations, maps and videos that and engineering. OF KAISER TO RECEIVE INFORMATION). SWIM LESSONS RECREATION KAYAKING RIDGETOP SHUTTLE RUNS BOATING Swim Lessons are a great