Marin Conservation League Walk Into (Conservation) History #14 Saturday, April 5, 2014 Cypress Grove, Audubon Canyon Ranch Tomales Bay Wyn Hoag Walk Leaders Nona Dennis, Director, Marin Conservation League Dr. Marty Griffin Protecting Marin Since 1934 John Kelly, Ph.D., Director of Conservation Science, Audubon Canyon Ranch 175 N. Redwood Dr., Ste. 135, San Rafael, CA 94903 415.485.6257 marinconservationleague.org Marin Conservation League was founded in 1934 to preserve, protect and enhance the natural assets of Marin County. Marin Conservation League Walk Into (Conservation) History # 14 CYPRESS GROVE, AUDUBON CANYON RANCH MARCH 1, 2014 – 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Leslie Sophia Lindell Introduction to Today’s Walk Bay and West Marin, gies and politics are best from development. MCL is documented in Marty’s o commemorate its easily; every piece of proud to have played a book “Saving the Marin- 75th Anniversary in parkland and open space supporting role in certain Sonoma Coast: The Battles T2009, Marin Conservation that the public can now phases of this drama. for Audubon Canyon League initiated a series enjoy in Marin came at a The 1960s was a pivotal Ranch, Point Reyes, and of Walks into the park price in human effort and decade in the conserv- California’s Russian River.” and open space lands persistence as well as in ing of Marin County. The In the Foreward, Harold that have come to define funds from many differ- flavor of that time is cap- Gilliam, for many years the landscape of Marin. ent sources. Every acre of tured in the documentary the San Francisco Chroni- This year is MCL’s 80th protected land and water “Rebels With a Cause.” But cle’s premier environmen- Anniversary, and we are carries its own story of the day-to-dayCOMING TO A THEATER NEARstrate YOU - tal reporter, writes: “In a continuing to commemo- conservation, often span- series of Perils-of-Pauline rate the people with vi- ning years of dedicated cliffhangers, Griffin tells sion who recognized many effort. Since its founding here how it (conserving land) was done. He de- decades ago that Marin’s in 1934, MCL has played THEY WERE UNPAID AND THEY WERE CRAZY. THEY WERE . bays and shorelines, for- a significant role in many scribes the players in the ests and woods, wetlands of these stories. In today’s drama—as colorful a cast and coastal prairies, and story, however, the central of heroes and villains as cultural heritage would role is played by Dr. L. you will find anywhere— not survive for future gen- Martin Griffin – “Marty” REBELS the strategy, the tactics, erations unless they were – along with many oth- WITH A CAUSE the political maneuvers, HOW A BATTLE OVER LAND CHANGED the techniques of persua- permanently protected. ers who joined him in the THE LANDSCAPE FOREVER. battles to save first Boli- sion and pressure, the Permanent protection AN AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY nas Lagoon, then Tomales BY NANCY KELLY AND KENJI YAMAMOTO coordination of grassroots of land does not happen PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH KRCB NORTH BAY PUBLIC MEDIA NARRATED BY FRANCES McDORMAND efforts, the struggles with 2 bureaucracy and corpo- is more than a ranch—it a redwood grove where yon Ranch (ACR) was rate greed, the defeats is a “complex” of four herons and egrets nested formally created as a and the victories.” preserves, each with its was to be logged. The locally-based indepen- Today we are going to unique ecological char- lagoon where they feed dent nonprofit organi- highlight some of the sto- acter. Our focus is on the was to be dredged and zation, and the Bolinas first two, with the lat- developed as a marina, Lagoon Preserve (later ter two adding incred- and a four-lane freeway renamed Martin Griffin ible biological diversity, was to be built that would Preserve) became its first scientific significance, and separate the nesting site preserve. Soon thereaf- educational value to the from feeding grounds. ter 500 more acres were complex. Marty became aware acquired, forming today’s Bolinas Lagoon and of the pending develop- 1,000-acre Martin Griffin Martin Griffin Preserve ment and asked for a Preserve of ACR. A key meeting with the owner to preventing develop- It was the early 1960s, of the property known ment of the lagoon as a and the political climate as Canyon Ranch, which massive marina and resort of Marin County was pro- included the nesting grove complex, and loss of the growth. Inspired by the of redwood trees. Marin birds’ feeding grounds, success of grassroots or- Audubon’s objective was was the 110-acre Kent ries in Marty’s book, be- ganizations in preserving to investigate purchasing Island, owned by the Kent ginning with his awareness Richardson Bay in the late the property. With the Family. It was the gained in 1961of the numerous 1950s, Marty wondered help of many dedicated through political sleight- threats to Bolinas Lagoon if the same approach individuals—including of–hand and extensive (which he remembered could be used to help Aileen Pierson and Stan fundraising by The Na- from his first view of the save the wildlife of Boli- Picher—and the other ture Conservancy, Marin Lagoon from the Dipsea nas Lagoon in West Marin Bay Area Audubon Soci- Conservation League, Trail at the age of 13), from a proposed freeway. ety chapters, a grassroots and ACR and turned over through a succession of He was president of the fundraising campaign to the County of Marin, strategic land acquisitions fledgling Marin Audubon was waged. The land was where it is now an Open over the next decade that Society at the time and purchased, saving it from Space Preserve. had the effect of secur- had learned from Caro- development and the her- ing both the Lagoon and line Livermore, co-founder Tomales Bay and onry from ruin. Tomales Bay and much of of Marin Conservation Cypress Grove West Marin from free- League, the first lesson of A long history of land With hundreds of acres ways, marinas, logging, land acquisition – “Flash acquisition had begun. successfully preserved and massive development. the cash and let them In 1962, Audubon Can- in perpetuity in southern A History know you mean business!” coastal Marin County, ACR The 503-acre Tevis leadership became inter- of Audubon dairy ranch was being ested in conserving land Canyon Ranch subdivided for develop- along Tomales Bay. Marty ment. Within the ranch, Griffin approached in Brief landowner Clifford Conly Adapted from www.egret.org to discuss his property on After its acquisition in the northeastern edge 1961, Audubon Canyon of the bay. (Actually the discussion went more like Ranch (ACR) became Left— this: Not realizing the late “ground zero” for the Dr. Marty Griffin hour, Marty had made a decade of conservation Top— midnight call to Conly to activity that followed. Caroline Livermore These days, however, ACR introduce himself. Conly, 3 He wanted his property to be used to educate and inspire children to appreciate nature. The education programs that had taught thousands of schoolchildren at the Martin Griffin Preserve were duplicated at the Bouverie Preserve, and David Bouverie soon Bay Area students and trained Bouverie bears and mountain lions, © Bob Grace Docents were walking rare plants, numerous wakened from a deep ACR’s conservation science the trails and studying species of birds, natural sleep, answered: “I have programs. native plants and animals. springs, and dramatic The 500-acre Bouverie waterfalls. This is ACR’s no intention of selling my Other strategic acquisi- Preserve was transferred fourth and largest nature property. Now if you’ll just tions along the shoreline to ACR in a planned preserve. let me get back to bed, of Tomales Bay were giving arrangement when I’ll promise to give accomplished by Marty The two properties were David Bouverie died. Cypress Grove to Griffin and his cohorts at acquired separately. The Audubon Canyon Ranch.” Audubon Canyon Ranch, Modini Mayacamas 1,725-acre Modini Ranch, Clifford had become assuring that there could Preserve tended by the family impressed with ACR’s ef- never be a freeway along The most recent land since 1857, came to ACR forts to protect important the East shore of Tomales to enter the ACR “fam- in 2013 as the Modini tidelands along the bay, Bay. Among them is a ily” of preserves is the Ingalls Ecological Pre- and a relationship be- 26-acre parcel adjoin- 3,370-acre Modini serve. Just prior, in May gan. In 1976 he officially ing Cypress Grove to the Mayacamas Preserve, a 2012, ACR acquired the announced his intention north containing fresh and pair of properties along adjacent 1,620-acre to leave his beauti- salt water habitat in the a rugged spine of moun- Mayacamas Mountains ful shoreline property to delta of Cerini Creek. This tains running north of Audubon Sanctuary from Audubon Canyon Ranch was named the Livermore Mount St. Helena between the National Audubon for its conservation sci- Marsh, in memory of Lake County and Sonoma Society. The two proper- ence programs and to be Caroline Livermore on her County. It is home to black ties are now collectively preserved in perpetuity. “I death in 1968. The Liver- known as the Modini think there lies here in the more Family helped fund future the possibility for the acquisition. educational purposes,” Bouverie Preserve he said. “It’s nice to think that, rather than having a A number of years after house torn down and a Cypress Grove, came lot of little condominiums the Bouverie Preserve in put up, a little historic Sonoma County. David house will remain and will Bouverie, a London- be savored by future gen- architect-turned-Sonoma- erations.” In 1992, Clif- County-landowner, ford completed his gift cared deeply for his and Cypress Grove oak and wildflower- Research Center became studded land and was Audubon Canyon Ranch A black bear was captured on a motion-sensor camera at the headquarters for enthusiastic about ACR’s education programs.