Regional in Nature Activity Guide JULY – AUGUST 2021 Regional Trails Vital for Recreation and Transportation. See page 4. inside • Addressing Sudden Tree Die-off, page 2 • Summer Stars in Dark Skies, page 11 • Summer Harvest Activities, page 6 • Urban Evolution in Pigeons, page 12 • Big Break Quail Crossing, page 7 • Hot-Weather Hiking Tips, page 13 Regional Park Named after Thurgood Marshall and the Port Chicago 50. See page 3. • Spiral Snake Craft, page 9 • Summer Butterflies, page 14 Contents Summertime in the Park District Summertime .......................... 2 Reopenings, Ribbon Cuttings, and New Park Name Thurgood Marshall Park ..... 3 A MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MANAGER SABRINA B. LANDRETH Regional Trails Network ...4-5 Ardenwood ........................... 6 ummer is here, and we underground experience complete with sights and sounds Big Break ................................ 7 Shave some exciting news of an active 1870s-era coal mine that gives visitors Black Diamond ..................... 8 to share! Many of our swim a greater understanding and appreciation for the area’s facilities, campgrounds, group coal mining past. Coyote Hills .......................... 9 picnic sites, and visitor centers Even more exciting news is the nationally recognized are open once again for the Crab Cove ........................... 10 naming of the new regional park at the former Concord public to enjoy. In response Naval Weapons Station as “Thurgood Marshall Regional Del Valle ............................... 11 to the community’s needs, Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50” (see page 3). This we reopened these facilities Mobile Education ............... 12 name recognizes the history and social justice significance as soon as possible and safely of the deadly Port Chicago explosion, the bravery of Outdoor Recreation ......... 13 allowable by local health orders. the fifty men who We are also proud to offer new and renovated facilities stood against unsafe Sunol ..................................... 14 for visitors to enjoy at Del Valle Regional Park and and unjust working Tilden .................................... 15 Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. The Del Valle conditions, and Visitor Center has Thurgood Marshall Volunteer Program ............ 16 been renovated whose advocacy and expanded with on their behalf as completely new, an attorney for the interactive, bi-lingual NAACP led to the (English and Spanish) desegregation of educational exhibits New Coal Mine Experience the U.S. military. about the rich I hope you are as excited as we are that things are diversity of wildlife reopening. While 99 percent of the Park District’s ebparks.org that live in the Del parklands, shorelines, and trails have remained accessible Valle area and the A new Del Valle watershed exhibit during the pandemic, we are thrilled that we’ve been able important role that to reopen so many services and amenities for the public General Information Lake Del Valle plays in moving and storing water for 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 in recent days, and that such great new experiences residents in eastern Alameda County. At Black Diamond, are available for all to enjoy. Camping and Picnic Reservations ... the new Coal Mine Experience inside the Hazel-Atlas ................................1-888-EBPARKS Mine transports visitors back in time with an immersive See you on the trails and in your Regional Parks! Naturalist and Recreation Programs ..............1-888-EBPARKS TRS Relay Service ....................7-1-1 Addressing Sudden Tree Die-Off in Regional Parks n late May, the Park District began a major fuels Dead standing trees are a major safety concern. They burn EBRPD Board of Directors Ireduction project in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park hotter, faster and are more likely to cast burning embers Elizabeth Echols .........................Ward 1 to remove 200 dead standing trees. The trees are part of ahead of the original fire – igniting dangerous new fires Dee Rosario (President) ..........Ward 2 over 1,000 acres of sudden tree die-off in Regional Parks or spot fires. Dennis Waespi ...........................Ward 3 first noticed in October 2020. The The Park District is taking the sudden Ellen Corbett ..............................Ward 4 specific cause of tree mortality and Ayn Wieskamp ...........................Ward 5 tree die-off issue very seriously and dieback is not currently known but most Beverly Lane ...............................Ward 6 is moving as quickly as possible to Colin Coffey ................................Ward 7 likely is tied to the extreme drought. remove hazardous trees within its The sudden tree die-off is affecting already-permitted Wildfire Hazard many different species of trees, Reduction and Resource Management Visit ebparks.org for map downloads, activity and event including eucalyptus, acacia, bay, and Plan area. However, additional state information, and much more! pine. Other parks affected include and federal resources are needed. Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Tilden Regional Park. REGIONAL PARK AT FORMER CONCORD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION Attention Teachers Named after First Black Supreme Court Justice and Nature Lovers: Thurgood Marshall and Port Chicago 50 DIGITAL LEARNING RESOURCES AVAILABLE n Tuesday, June 1, 2021, the Park District The plan for the newly named park includes a OBoard of Directors officially named the new joint visitor center with the National Park Service Even before COVID-19, our naturalists had regional park at the former Concord Naval Weapons highlighting the history of the Port Chicago Naval developed a wide spectrum of digital learning Station “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Magazine National Memorial and Diablo Valley, along resources for teachers, students, and the Home of the Port Chicago 50.” with staging areas, and several miles of recreational public to learn about nature in regional trails for hiking, biking, and nature viewing. The Park The naming recognizes the service and bravery of parks, including nature activities and games, the young African American sailors who served their District is partnering with the National Park Service field study videos, and virtual reality country, both by serving in the US Military during on the future visitor center in the park where the WWII, and also by standing up to the US Military’s Port Chicago Disaster story will be told, along with park experiences. stories of the land, including its military, agricultural, racially discriminatory policies of During the pandemic, many more creative, and natural history, and stories of the day. Their courage, and the diverse, and inclusive virtual programs advocacy of NAACP attorney the Chupcan people who lived there. were created in response to in-person Thurgood Marshall on their behalf, Federal and state funding are needed to ultimately led to the desegregation build the joint visitor center at the new programming restrictions. While these of the military and changed the 2,500-acre park. resources are not a substitute for visiting course of history. The Park District is currently designing nature in person, they are a great way to On July 17, 1944, over 5,000 road improvements and plans to open learn about wildlife, plants, habitats, geology, tons of munitions exploded at a portion of the park, south of Bailey conservation, history, and the Regional Parks. Port Chicago Naval Magazine, Road, within the next two to three years. killing 320 mostly enlisted African Digital Education Resources: American sailors. At the time, ebparks.org/DigitalLearning sailors were segregated and only African Americans loaded the Thurgood munitions onto the ships. Marshall The surviving sailors were ordered to return to work loading munitions at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard under continued unsafe working conditions and inadequate training. Fifty of the sailors, in an act of protest against the discriminatory policies of the segregated Navy, refused to return to work and were charged with mutiny and ultimately dishonorably discharged. Sailors marching at Mare Island. Photo courtesy NPS Keeping Trails Enjoyable For All n 2019, the Park District Board of The Trail User Working Group IDirectors held a public workshop where stakeholders include bicyclists, a variety of park and trail users provided conservationists, dog owners, equestrians, feedback and concerns regarding trail use. hikers, land trusts managers, youths, and In response, the Park District created a members of the Park District’s Park and Trail User Working Group to discuss and Multicultural Advisory Committees and evaluate trail safety, trail connections, the Regional Parks Foundation. The group enhancements, and maintenance, as well has been working on trail improvements as policy updates to best meet the diverse since August 2020. needs and interests of park users. Learn about the Trail User Working Group’s activities at EBPARKS.ORG/TUWG Park District Naturalist Morgan Gunther 3 East Bay Regional Trails Network Regional Trails Vital for Recreation and Transportation n the 1970s, Regional Trails Needs and Priorities the Park District Ipioneered the 1 Iron Horse Regional Trail Crow Canyon Overcrossing 5 George Miller Regional Trail to Martinez Intermodal concept of developing 2 Iron Horse Trail Extension – Concord to Benicia-Martinez Bridge Station Extension an integrated network 3 Tassajara Creek Trail Extension to Dublin-Pleasanton BART 6 Oakland SF Bay Trail Connection of paved and unpaved 4 Richmond Parkway to Wildcat Creek Regional Trail Connection 7 Marsh Creek