A HEALTHY REMINDER Parks Promote Community Wellbeing

A HEALTHY REMINDER Parks Promote Community Wellbeing
BY GREG MOORE / PRESIDENT & CEO
I
April, the Institute at the Golden Gate—a Parks Conservancy program in partnership with the National
Park Service—launched a groundbreaking new initiative in San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point.
n
Although this neighborhood is situated across town from
our Golden Gate National Parks, we recognize that the
need for accessible and welcoming parklands is ubiquitous—and pressing. Funded by a Community Benefit
Grant from Kaiser Permamente, the Healthy Parks,
Healthy People: Bayview Hunters Point pilot program
represents a bold step. By collaborating with the Southeast Health Center, a clinic of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the Institute has devised a health
intervention fit for the community.
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVANCY
BUILDING 201, FORT MASON
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123-1399
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
This spring, clinic staff were trained on how to empower
and motivate patients to spend time in parks for their
physical and mental wellbeing. In the coming months, the
Institute will track how Healthy Parks, Healthy People affects park visitation and the health of the community—
with an eye toward scaling efforts more broadly.
Indeed, the Institute’s work reminds us that we should all
use our parks and open spaces as places to promote physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. And this summer
is a great time to make these parklands a part of your
new exercise routine, whether it includes walking, hiking,
cycling, volunteering, or whatever healthy activity you
choose. Thank you for supporting our work to make these
parks—and our communities—as healthy as they can be!
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SAN BRUNO, CA
PERMIT NO. 655
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
The Golden Gate National Parks
Conservancy is the nonprofit
membership organization created
to preserve the Golden Gate
National Parks, enhance the
experiences of park visitors, and
build a community dedicated to conserving the
parks for the future. (415) 4R-PARKS
www.parksconservancy.org
www.facebook.com/parksconservancy
Twitter: parks4all
OUR PUBLIC AGENCY PARTNERS
National Park Service
The National Park Service was created
in 1916 to preserve America’s natural,
cultural, and scenic treasures and to
provide for their enjoyment by future
generations.
(415) 561-4700 www.nps.gov/goga
The Presidio Trust
Responsible for the transformation of the Presidio
from an historic Army post into a premier national
park that is financially self-sustaining,
the Trust is leading the nation’s
largest historic preservation project,
restoring the park’s buildings and
landscapes, and creating innovative
programs. (415) 561-5300
www.presidio.gov
­P A R K S F O R A L L F O R E V E R VO L . 1 8 , N O. 3 , S U M M E R 2 0 1 3 T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E G O L D E N G AT E N AT I O N A L PA R K S C O N S E R VA N C Y
SUMMER 2013
THE ROVING RANGER "MOBILE TRAILHEAD"
N E W S O F T H E PA R K S C O N S E R VA N C Y
T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E G O L D E N G A T E N A T I O N A L P A R K S C O N S E R VA N C Y
FROM TRUCK TO TRAILHEAD
NEWS IN BRIEF
T
Roving Ranger is on the roam! Conceived
as a “mobile trailhead,” this food truck-like
vehicle will appear at park sites and community events, where National Park Service rangers and
Parks Conservancy and Presidio Trust staff will share
information about the Golden Gate National Parks—
and the joys of exploring these wondrous places.
he
Muir Beach: Short-term Pain,
Big Long-term Gain
Muir Beach is closed to all but
people hiking along the Coastal
Trail from areas like Tennessee
Valley. With the parking lot closed
from late June through November,
visitors will not be able to access
the beach and because there
will be no restrooms or services
available during this time it is not
recommended to stop. When the
area reopens in late fall, visitors
will see dramatic improvements—a
resurfaced and realigned parking
lot, new vault toilets, new picnic
areas, and a planned extension of
the current pedestrian bridge.
Building on the idea of off-site “community trailheads” (like the one at the YMCA in the Richmond
District of San Francisco), the Roving Ranger represents the latest innovation to connect more distant
neighborhoods with our national parklands. “For
some, getting to the parks can be challenging, so we
came up with a way to bring a little bit of the parks
to them,” explains Kate Bickert, the Conservancy’s
director of park initiatives
and stewardship.
These features, part of our multiphase watershed restoration project with the National Park Service,
are part of an effort to connect
the Redwood Creek channel to
its natural floodplain. They also
protect wetland habitat for threatened and endangered species! For
updates on detours and closures
(and re-openings), visit www.
parksconservancy.org/closures.
Stocked with maps, brochures on park resources
and activities, and a library
of field guides, the Roving
Ranger functions as a “popup” visitor center. Showcasing the art of Ryan Jones, it
is also equipped with wi-fi, a
weather monitoring system,
and a lively sound system
(for more festive occasions).
Thanks to the California State
Parks Recreational Trails Program,
Habitat Conservation Fund, Wildlife Conservation Board, California
Department of Fish and Wildlife,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Cosco Busan Trustee Council, and
California State Coastal Conservancy for supporting this work.
As a representative of our parks, the Roving Ranger
models sustainable design. With the help of Berkeleybased Base Landscape Architects, this former bread
truck was retrofitted to include a walk-up window
and storage and display space. Reused and recycled
materials are found throughout; for example, the
doorknobs and coat hooks come from Presidio buildings, and the interior cabinets were crafted from
fallen trees in the park!
In addition to appearances at festivals and fairs, the
Roving Ranger will be incorporated into educational
programs of the Crissy Field Center and partners
such as the Headlands Center for the Arts, Oceana
High School, City College of San Francisco, and San
Francisco State University. So while visitors might
not be able to get tacos from this “food truck,” they
will get a heaping helping of park inspiration!
SWITCHBACKS Hot Links
to www.parksconservancy.org
Art to Finish Want to see a timelapse video of crews setting up
Mark di Suvero’s monumental steel sculptures
on Crissy Field? Yeah,
you do! Watch their
fascinating work unfold
before your eyes. www.parksconservancy.org/disuvero
A
R
T
Swap Season Summer is when our
native plant nurseries need a lot
of help transplanting
young plants to larger
pots—as they prepare
to go to our restoration
sites. Pitch in, and learn
more about our nurseries’ seasonal
cycles. www.parksconservancy.org/
nurseries
Detour Tour With so much work
going on around the parks to
improve visitor experiences and restore
ecosystems, trail closures and detours are
inevitable. Our website
has the latest updates, all in one
spot! www.parksconservancy.org/
closures
Cleaning Up, Studying Up
Along Coastal Trail
Catch the Roving Ranger at these events this summer!
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June 1: National
Trails Day
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June 22:
Mount Tam Jam
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July 28: Sunday
Streets (Mission)
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June 9: Sunday
Streets (Bayview)
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July 16: NPS Marin
County Open House
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Aug. 17: Kite Festival
in the Presidio
INSTITUTE GROWS A FOOD MOVEMENT
T
his spring,
G A T E W AY S n S U M M E R 2 0 1 3
the Institute at the Golden
Gate, in partnership with the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Stone Barns
Center for Food and Agriculture, brought
together food service executives from across the nation
to share best practices and
address common challenges
in expanding healthy and
sustainable food service.
At the summit, the Institute presented
its Food for the Parks program, which
expanded the availability of sustainable
food in our parks and catalyzed policy
change nationwide. The
Institute also highlighted
the Golden Gate National
Parks’ local food work at
Muir Woods Café, which
serves as a national model
of local and organic food
sourcing, sustainable
packaging, waste management, and customer
education.
These dynamic individuals—
representing our national
parks, hospitals, school
systems, airports, and retail
outlets—are working together to create a healthier
Participants reported
and more sustainable food
that the summit was one
system. Food pioneers and
of the best they’ve ever
leaders in attendance inattended, and commitcluded: Fred Kirschenmann, The Parks Conservancy is committed ted to future collaboraStone Barns Center; Walter to using locally sourced ingredients
tions expanding access
Robb, Whole Foods Market; and compostable food-service items to local, sustainable food
in our park stores and cafes.
Dan Barber, Blue Hill Chef;
in the parks and beyond.
Kirsten Tobey, Revolution
To learn more about the
Foods; Gary Nabhan, MacArthur Fellow;
Institute’s work on food, climate change,
Steve Ells, Chipotle; and Fedele Bauccio, Bon health, urban environments, and more, visit
Appétit Management Company.
www.instituteatthegoldengate.org.
As part of the ongoing remediation process along the Presidio
Bluffs, the Presidio Coastal Trail
will be closed from the Golden
Gate Bridge to just north of the
Pacific Overlook through the fall.
The Merchant Road and Langdon
Court parking lots will be closed
as well, as crews remove contaminants left during the military era.
Meanwhile, our trails team continues to study the Coastal Trail
segment just north of the Pacific
Overlook. After heavy winter rains
damaged the surface and retaining wall, this section was closed as
a precautionary safety measure.
Since then, experts have been
investigating the geotechnical
and hydrological factors behind
the damage. The segment will reopen once the causes have been
identified and appropriate repairs
made. For more information: www.
parksconservancy.org/closures.
Golden Gate National Parks
Go Double Platinum
We are proud to announce that
two of our facilities—the Crissy
Field Center and Lands End
Lookout visitor center—have been
certified LEED Platinum, the highest level devised by the U.S. Green
Building Council for sustainable
design features. Many thanks to
members like you and the following supporters who helped
“green” these buildings! Crissy
Field Center: Ayrshire Foundation,
Bothin Foundation, Hawaii Natural
Energy Institute, and Unilever.
Lands End Lookout: Richard and
Rhoda Goldman Fund, Horace W.
Goldsmith Foundation, Lisa and
Douglas Goldman Fund, and California State Coastal Conservancy.
N AT U R E
& C U LT U R E
T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E G O L D E N G A T E N A T I O N A L P A R K S C O N S E R VA N C Y
G A T E W AY S n S U M M E R 2 0 1 3
PARKECOLOGY A Roundup of Science News in the Parks
terflies—more than twice as many as were seen in
2011 and 2010 (87 each year). This upward trend of
relative abundance gives the Conservancy reason to
believe that our determined efforts to support this
species are well worth the effort.
and equipped with transmitters. Their rootedness
seems to indicate that the revitalized Mori Point
environs make for good non-breeding frog habitat.
Taken together, these findings suggest this threatened species is making itself at home in our parks.
RED-LEGGED FROGS SETTLING
INTO NEW HOMES
For more about the red-legged frog—including
upcoming events and downloadable materials—visit
www.sfnps.org/species.
O
California red-legged
frog (Rana draytonii) —the Golden Gate
National Parks’ Species of the Year—continues to grow. During ongoing monitoring of breeding sites in Redwood Creek Watershed, researchers
discovered egg masses in the frog ponds constructed
in 2009 through the National Park Service/Parks
Conservancy restoration project. This means frogs
are breeding in these ponds for the first time!
ur knowledge about the
BUTTERFLIES BOUNCING BACK
IN NORTH AND SOUTH
A
Milagra Ridge in San Mateo County, the San
Bruno elfin (Callophrys mossii bayensis) continues to make an apparent comeback. For
three consecutive years prior to 2010, no caterpillars
were spotted—the nadir of a disturbing downward
trend for this federally-listed endangered species.
t
The elfin was rediscovered in 2010, with 12 larvae
counted at four monitoring spots. In 2011, 60 larvae
were observed, and in 2012, a total of 28. Despite
this overall upswing from the darkest days on Milagra Ridge, these populations remain extremely vulnerable—making the Conservancy’s ongoing habitat
restoration all the more crucial, and your support all
the more vital!
In Mori Point, a radio-tracking study of red-legged
frogs last year revealed that, with the exception of
a couple vagabonds, most of the frogs did not stray
very far from the areas in which they were caught
“GLOWING” MILLIPEDES
ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND
L
ast year, as part
of a study of
rats on “the
Rock,” the National
Park Service laced
non-toxic dye
into food that the
rodents would eat.
The dye would cause
the rats’ droppings
to fluoresce under a
black light, making
it easier to track the island invaders, which affect
Alcatraz’s bird populations.
In the course of this work, staff and volunteers from
UC-Davis found that something else was glowing under their black lights: a mysterious millipede
(Xystocheir dissecta dissecta). Although this trait is
not uncommon among millipedes, the reason for
their fluorescence remains a mystery. Learn more
in a KQED Quest video: www.parksconservancy.org/
millipedes.
Meanwhile, in Marin’s Oakwood Valley, Park Stewardship teams continue to battle invasive plant species, in the hopes that resurgent lupine will help the
endangered mission blue butterfly (Aricia icarioides
missionensis). Staff just released a report summarizing their monitoring work in 2012. Last spring and
summer, the team spotted 197 mission blue but-
FOTO FLASHBACK/Swimming Lessons
During World War II, San Francisco was a primary training
ground for military maneuvers. Thousands of soldiers participated in demonstrations of tactics that prepared them for combat—and exhibited military strength to the public. In a display
of water-landing strategies, the aquatic vehicles pictured here
would later land on the Crissy Field shoreline.
(From the Margaret Stanley Collection, GOGA 17995)
“Foto Flashback” is a new feature showcasing intriguing images hand-picked from the collections of the Park
Archives and Records Center of the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area. For more information, visit www.nps.
gov/goga/historyculture/collections.htm.
ASK THE RANGER!
Q. Is
there really a bowling alley
at Fort Baker?
A. Yes! In 1905, the Army built a full-scale gymnasium
to help keep the soldiers physically fit and to alleviate
the monotony of army life. In 1915, as enthusiasm for
bowling was sweeping the nation, the Army built a
bowling alley addition in the rear of the gymnasium.
Today, the original 1915 bowling lanes, with their
decorative inlaid wood, are still intact. The intricate
machinery, which drops the pins into the slots of the
pin setter, is still fully functional. During World War II,
the Army upgraded the facility with state-of-the-art
Brunswick equipment, including new spectator seats;
bowling balls; and a multi-purpose “newel post” at the
ball return, featuring an ashtray, chalk container, and a
towel ring.
The National Park Service carefully inventoried all of
the remaining historic equipment and wrote a conservation report to capture the building’s special history.
To better protect this historic bowling alley, the building is currently not open to the public.
—Kristin Baron, Architectural Historian, Golden Gate National
SNAKE CROSSING
Recreation Area
Have a park-related question that you’ve always wanted to ask?
Send it to us at [email protected]. If we select your
question, we’ll print the answer—from an expert ranger—in a
future Gateways and you’ll get a prize from our park “swag bag.”
Park rangers, Parks Conservancy staff, youth leaders, and volunteers slither their 60-foot-long “San Francisco garter snake” into
position before the start of San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Parade on February 23. Hand-sewn and constructed by NPS staff
and volunteers, the snake (with articulated jaw and light-up eyes!) delighted thousands of revelers who lined the downtown
streets. It was the Golden Gate National Parks’ first entry in this time-honored tradition, with hopes to participate and spread the
joy of the parks in many more parades to come.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E G O L D E N G A T E N A T I O N A L P A R K S C O N S E R VA N C Y
G A T E W AY S n S U M M E R 2 0 1 3
LIFELONG LESSONS Sharing a Love for the Parks
K
Walker has been a member of the William
Kent Society (a group of leading supporters
of the Parks Conservancy) for more than a
decade, and a member of the William Kent Society
Advisory Council for nearly as long. But she’s called
these national parks her “backyard” her whole life—
even before they were national parks.
irby
do this,” Kirby says.
“But I feel happy that
I’ve set up my legacy,
When Myles and Clay come home from college for
breaks, Kirby always takes her family to Crissy Field
just before they return to school, to impress upon
them—once again—that these national parklands
truly represent home. And that’s not the only tradition that has stuck! Myles has followed in Kirby’s
footsteps to become involved with another volunteer
leadership committee that grew out of Kirby’s work
on the William Kent Society Advisory Council.
and that I’ve infused
in Myles the feeling of
appreciation for his
national parklands.”
To hear directly from
Myles about his ex-
Friends of the Golden Gate (FOGG) is a membership
group of the Conservancy that fosters support from
21- to 40-year-olds—engendering the next generation of stewards. Myles now serves on the FOGG
leadership committee. For details on FOGG, visit
www.parksconservancy.org/fogg; for more on William
Kent Society, visit www.parksconservancy.org/wks.
periences volunteering for the national
parks: www.parksconservancy.org/myles.
A mouth-watering barbecue
feast, with libations from Linden
Street Brewery in Oakland and
Tonic in San Francisco. A silent
auction featuring Timbuk2 bags
(and factory tour!), and a stay
at Cavallo Point lodge including dinner and breakfast for two.
A magical sunset at west Crissy
Field, in the shadow of the Golden
Gate Bridge, that will give way to
an unforgettable evening, warmed
by live music, heaters, and the
company of young professionals
who love the parks as much as
you! The 3rd annual Friends of the
Golden Gate (FOGG) barbecue on
June 27 (7–10 pm) is your chance
to network, hang out with friends,
give back to these national parks,
and cultivate our next generation
of park stewards. To get tickets
and learn more about FOGG:
www.parksconservancy.org/fogg.
Growing up two blocks from the Presidio, Kirby used
to walk her dog through the former military post,
building play forts and eating miner’s lettuce. She
and her siblings camped and hiked in the parks, but
she thought that “national parks” looked like Yosemite, not the Presidio and Crissy Field that she knew.
Back then, the promenade along Crissy Field was a
trash-filled and dilapidated pathway.
Fast forward to today: Kirby still lives just a few
blocks from the Presidio, and her family now includes
her husband Paul Danielsen and her two sons, Myles
and Clay. Someone in her family uses the park every
single day, whether walking, running, biking, or hiking. Kirby jokes that her “most selfish philanthropic
gift is to the Parks Conservancy and the William Kent
Society because [she] gets so much out of it.”
“I didn’t push him to
GET FIRED UP
FOR SOME FOGG FUN
­­­­­­BOARD
GOLDMAN PRIZE RECIPIENTS PLANT SEEDS OF HOPE
OF
TRUSTEES
Mark Buell
Chair
Alexander H.
Schilling
Vice Chair
Lynn Mellen Wendell
Vice Chair
David Courtney
Treasurer
Larry Low
Secretary
Janice Barger
Betsy Eisenhardt
Randi Fisher
Jessica Parish
Galloway
John C. Gamble
Sally Hambrecht
Linda Howell
Patsy Ishiyama
Martha Kropf
Colin Lind
Phil Marineau
John E. McCosker
Robert Morris
John Murray
Jacob E. Perea
Rob Price
Staci Slaughter
Michael Willis
Liaison to the
Presidio Trust
Charlene Harvey
Liaison to the
William Kent Society
Julie Parish
Golden Gate
National Parks
Conservancy
Greg Moore
President & CEO
Goldman Environmental Prize recipient
Public Agency
Partners
Kimberly Wasserman—who helped lead a
coalition to shut down coal power plants that
National Park
Service
Golden Gate
National Parks
Frank Dean
were sickening community members in southwest Chicago—shares her story with youth
leaders at Crissy Field Center on April 13. At a
special ceremony and reception, Wasserman
and five other Prize recipients (Jonathan Deal,
General Superintendent
South Africa; Azzam Alwash, Iraq; Rossano
The Presidio Trust
Nancy Hellman
Bechtle
Ercolini, Italy; Aleta Baun, Indonesia; and
Nohra Padilla, Colombia) met with students
from the Center’s I-YEL (Inspiring Young
Chair, Board of Directors
Emerging Leaders) program and WALC (Wil-
Craig Middleton
derness Arts and Literacy Collaborative). To-
Executive Director
gether, the Prize recipients and young people
planted native plants in front of the building—
symbolically establishing the roots for the
next generation of environmental activists and
pioneers. Learn more: www.goldmanprize.org.
PEET’S PARTNERSHIP PERKS UP THE PARKS
D
uring any given month,
the
Golden Gate National
Parks’ volunteer team
hosts several corporate groups
to work on restoration and
cleanup projects throughout the
parks. After these team-building
experiences, volunteers tell us
they gain more than a sense
of accomplishment; they feel
refreshed, closer to nature, and,
most importantly, more connected to our parks.
As Earth Day approaches each year, requests for
projects from the corporate community ramp
up—so much so that we really celebrate an “Earth
Month!” This year, Peet’s Coffee and Tea came out
to one of our Earth Day projects on April 20—and
rewarded our volunteers with hot cups of coffee.
Our friends at Peet’s (or “Peetniks,” in their own
words) contributed more than just delicious bever-
ages to our work. The Peetniks offered to
promote our volunteer project on their
Facebook page, and for every new “like”
they garnered they donated one dollar to
the Parks Conservancy—up to $5,000. At
the Conservancy, we have seen first-hand
the power of social media, so we were
thrilled by the prospect of raising awareness for our programs among Peet’s legion
of more than 250,000 fans on Facebook.
As this edition of Gateways went to press,
we learned that the Peet’s Facebook campaign has
indeed netted $5,000 in support! And we now also
have a great model for how other corporate sponsors might use social media to promote our partnership—and raise much-needed funds for Conservancy restoration and education programs.
Thanks, Peet’s Coffee and Tea! Hopefully, we’ll be
brewing up another collaboration soon and we’ll see
you “Parkniks” out in the parks.
­­­­Editor: Michael Hsu
Art Direction:
Bill Prochnow
Design and Production:
Ann Joyce and
Bill Prochnow
Photos and Illustrations:
Cover: Roving Ranger,
Ben Fash; Page 1: Roving
Ranger photos, Ben Fash;
cafe, Alison TaggartBarone; Page 2: caterpillar,
and frog, Park Stewardship
photos; millipede, randomtruth (Flickr); military maneuvers, courtesy of Park
Archives; parade, Alison
Taggart-Barone; Page 3:
Kirby and Myles, courtesy
of Kirby Walker; barbecue,
Charotte Fiorito; Goldman
Prize, Charlotte Fiorito;
Trailhead: Fort Baker
photos, Mason Cummings;
red-tailed hawk, Tung
Chee; di Suvero sculpture,
Jerry L. Thompson; Bridge
tour, Mason Cummings,
Instagram photo, Allen
Fish; hummingbird, Kirke
Wrench; cemetery, Mason
Cummings; Fort Point,
Alison Taggart-Barone;
National Trails Day, Maria
Durana
Direct correspondence to:
Editor, Gateways
Parks Conservancy
Building 201, Fort Mason
San Francisco
CA 94123-1399
editor@
parksconservancy.org
Printed with soy-based
inks on recycled paper.
WELCOME!
This new section has been dubbed “Trailhead” because, like any starting point for adventures on the many trails across our Golden Gate National Parks, this section
is your introduction to unforgettable experiences. Pull it out and pin it up as your quarterly guide to the parks!
In “Trailhead,” we’ll showcase park sites and phenomena that are seasonally sensational, volunteer opportunities for the whole family, ranger-guided walks and talks,
hot new items in our stores, and members-only hikes that are a great benefit of your membership with the Parks Conservancy.
We hope you enjoy this inaugural edition of “Trailhead!” As always, we love to hear your feedback and ideas, so drop us a line at [email protected].
AT FIRST SITE Fort Baker
Cavallo Point
The Lodge at the
Golden Gate
Alexander Ave rail
101
SC
dge Trail
Ri
el
ap
Ch
Bay Area
Discovery
FORT Museum
BAKER
A
l
ai
Tr
Slacker
Ridge
Dro
wn
Fir
e
l
ai
Tr
Sla
cke
r
ircle
yC
rra
Mu
Institute at the
Golden Gate
T
y
Da
ne
sR
d
d
Ba oa
R
st
Ea Road
Learn the intriguing history of Fort Baker
with a self-guided cell phone tour; for
a map and guide and more details, visit
www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/fortbaker-cell-tour.htm.
Trail
Fo
rt B
ak
er
FIV
ETU MINU
NN
EL TE
Tip
For details on Fort Baker, and to explore
other park sites: www.parksconservancy.
org/visit.
WOLFBACK
RIDGE
SCA
Trail
Naturally sheltered from the elements, Fort Baker has a well-deserved reputation as one of the
most fog-free enclaves in the Golden Gate National Parks. But it’s also a great place to partake in
one of the Bay Area’s unofficial summer pastimes:
fogwatching. “My favorite ‘fog fall’ is the
one that spills over Slacker Ridge onto 101,
just north of the Golden Gate,” says Allen
Fish, director of the Golden Gate Raptor
Observatory. He recommends watching this cascade of cool condensing air
from the hillside of east Fort Baker.
Climb the steps by the chapel at
Cavallo Point lodge to reach a
vantage point of the fog fall and
Bridge lights. Complete a circle by
hiking the “Drown Fire Road” and following the East Road
back to Cavallo Point,
where you can warm up
with a drink at Farley Bar.
Coast Guard Station
erville
Somm
Vista Point
n
Co
an Road
il
elm Coastal Tra
nz
an
ad
Co zelm
C
rby ov
e
Ki
TRAIL
HEAD summer 2013
Travis Sailing
Center
(Presidio
Yacht
Club)
il
ra
yT
Ba
Ro
KIRBY
COVE
FORT BAKER
& VICINITY
Battery
Spencer
Kirby Cove
Campground
0
1,000 FEET
Golden Gate Bridge
SUMMER SEASONAL ACTIVITIES
See Magnificent Sculptures
at Crissy Field
Just opened to the public on May 22,
Mark di Suvero at Crissy Field presents a new way to enjoy world-class
art—and your national parks. The
exhibition—part of a new partnership of the San Francisco Museum of
Modern Art (SFMOMA), Golden Gate
National Parks Conservancy, and
saw as a young boy when his family
immigrated to San Francisco from
Shanghai in 1941, has been a powerful influence on his work. At Crissy
Field, with a sweeping view of the
Bridge, these unforgettable pieces of
art have “come home.” The members
event on July 13 (see calendar on
back for details) is a great time to
see these masterpieces! The exhibition, which is free and open to the
public, runs through May 26, 2014.
Span the Summer
at the Golden Gate
National Park Service—features eight
of di Suvero’s dramatic steel sculptures, brought together from across
the country and encompassing a
broad swath of his remarkable career
(1967–2012).
For di Suvero, who personally
oversaw the installation of these
sculptures, the exhibition represents a homecoming of sorts.
The Golden Gate Bridge, which he
The official Golden Gate Bridge tours
are back! The 45-minute tours, offered six times a day, have garnered
rave reviews on yelp.com (rating
5 out of 5 stars!) and become the
latest can’t-miss attraction in San
Francisco. Filled with fascinating
facts and stories of the Bridge’s construction and legacy, these personally guided tours are great for your
out-of-town guests and locals alike!
Reserve your tickets today to get
your preferred times: www.goldengatebridgetour.com.
Also at the Round House: don’t
forget that the always-fun Photo
Experience is open year-round.
“Scale” the Bridge cables and tower
and snap a virtual photo that’s sure
to impress your friends. The tour and
Photo Experience are perfect for kids
during their summer break!
Snap to Attention
in the Parks
Nothing says “summer” like a park
snapshot, glowing in the nostalgic
light of
an Instagram filter.
Whether
you’re
soaking up
sunset at
Mori Point,
pedaling
through the
Presidio, or
splashing
at Stinson Beach, there’s no shortage of picturesque landscapes and
photogenic subjects across these
parks. Start snapping away on your
smartphone, and share the “pics” of
the litter with us through Instagram
by using #parks4all.
PARK STORE
PICKS
Stand out from the black T-shirt crowd!
Make your statement by sporting this
bold print, which celebrates Mark di
Suvero at Crissy Field, the stunning
new exhibition along the bayfront in
partnership with SFMOMA. Wear it
with pride! This shirt is constructed in
California from American-grown cotton. $21.95 (members $18.66). Available at the Warming Hut and online at
www.parksconservancy.org/store.
TRAIL
HEAD summer 2013
TRAILHEAD CALENDAR
6/20 The Secret Life
of Lobos Creek Valley
Presidio (3–5 pm)
Join us for an easy
walk around Lobos
Creek Valley, a broad
Crissy Field (9:30 am–Noon) expanse of dunes covered
Join the Institute at the
with native plants—and
Golden Gate and its partners
6/1 National Trails Day to launch a series of Healthy home to many animals. A
visit here offers a glimpse
Multiple Sites
Parks, Healthy People events of San Francisco as it was,
Pitch-in on America’s bigaimed at getting the Bay
gest celebration of trails!
Area moving! This famiVolunteer for trail and
ly-friendly event features fun
restoration projects at park games, healthy snacks, and
sites in San Francisco, Marin, health professionals to anand San Mateo counties. For swer your questions. First 50
details, visit www.parkscon- people receive a park gift!
servancy.org/ntd.
Details at www.parksconservancy.org/calendar.
= CONSERVANCY MEMBERS EVENT
For a full listing of hikes,
walks, talks, and events in
the Golden Gate National
Parks, visit www.parksconservancy.org/calendar.
6/1 “Healthy Parks,
Healthy People”
Kickoff
m
m
m
7/7 Beginning Birding
Marin Headlands
(9:30–11:30 am)
Check out summer bird life
at Rodeo Lagoon on an easy
walk with docent Jane Haley.
Meet at the Marin Head-
lands Visitor Center; bring
binoculars and field guides.
Registration required: (415)
331-1540.
6/21 Summer Solstice
Evening Walk
Presidio (4–6 pm)
Learn about Summer
Solstice on an easy, familyfriendly evening walk starting at Rob Hill Campground
and ending with a fun campfire program. Registration
required: (415) 561-4323.
6/24 Muir Woods
After Hours
Muir Woods (7–9 pm)
Explore the evening magic
8/11 Alumni Day
on The Rock
Lands End (10 am–1 pm)
Join retired ranger John
Martini for a three-mile hike,
featuring stories of
shipwrecks, lighthouses, the Sutro steam
train, and the old “Golden
Gate Cemetery.” Semi-strenuous hike with over 100 stair
steps. Registration required:
(415) 561-3060.
Alcatraz (9 am–3:30 pm)
Alcatraz “alumni”—former inmates, correctional
officers and their families,
and residents—present their
personal stories of Alcatraz’s
past through panel discussions, presentations, and
tours. Ticket purchase required: www.alcatrazcruises.
com. Note that this date
often sells out three to four
weeks in advance.
6/27 FOGG Barbecue
Crissy Field (7–10 pm)
Enjoy delicious food and
drinks, live music, a silent
auction, and the company
of young professionals who
love the parks as much as
you do. For details about
FOGG and event ticket
information: www.parksconservancy.org/fogg.
Muir Woods (7–9 pm)
Explore the evening magic
of an old-growth redwood
forest. Easy, two-mile walk
on paved trail. Bring a
flashlight. Children under 8
not advised. Reservations
required: (415) 388-2596.
Assisted listening devices
available.
Crissy Field (11 am–2 pm)
Nature and art lovers
come together to enjoy
the stunning steel sculptures of the Mark di Suvero at
Crissy Field exhibition. SFMOMA docents and Conservancy
naturalists will be on hand to
help you make the most of
your visit. RSVP requested:
(415) 561-3060.
8/11 Beginning Birding
8/1 Sutro’s to
Sea Cliff Walk
of an old-growth redwood
forest. Easy, two-mile walk
on paved trail. Bring a
flashlight. Children under 8
not advised. Reservations
required: (415) 388-2596.
Assisted listening devices
available.
7/22 Muir Woods
After Hours
7/13 Parks Conservancy
and SFMOMA
Members Day
m
7/13 National
Cemetery Walk
Presidio (10 am–Noon)
Hear about Medal of Honor
recipients, a Union spy, an
Indian scout, Buffalo Soldiers, and more on a guided
one-mile walk. Registration
required: (415) 561-4323.
m
before a city grew and
developed! Registration
required: (415) 561-3060.
Welcome to the
Presidio: Milestones +
The Next Chapter
Presidio ONGOING
At this new exhibit (at 103
Montgomery Street on the
Main Post), trace the transformation of the Presidio
from Army post to national
park, and learn about—and
help shape—the future of
the historic Officers’ Club.
More information: www.
presidio.gov.
music demonstrations, and the
colorful uniforms of Civil War
soldiers and civilians. For more
information: (415) 556-1693.
Marin Headlands (9:30–11:30 am)
Check out summer bird life at
Rodeo Lagoon on an easy walk
with docent Jane Haley. Meet
at the Marin Headlands Visitor
Center; bring binoculars and field
guides. Registration required:
(415) 331-1540.
8/20 Muir Woods
After Hours
Muir Woods (6:30–8:30 pm)
Explore the evening magic of an
old-growth redwood forest. Easy,
two-mile walk on paved trail. Bring
a flashlight; children under 8 not
advised. Reservations required:
(415) 388-2596. Assisted listening
devices available.
8/17 Fort Point
Civil War Days
Fort Point (10 am–5 pm)
Fort Point comes to life with
music, marching, artillery drills,
PITCH-IN REPORT Volunteer News
Mark Your Calendars: National Trails Day
It’s Moving Time in the Nurseries
There are about 200,000 miles of trail across the
United States. Do your part to give back to these
amazing resources, right here in your backyard national
park! On June 1, the Parks Conservancy is organizing
volunteers for trail building and maintenance and habitat restoration throughout these national parklands.
Thanks to the support of the American Hiking Society
and REI, this day of celebration promises to be a fun
and productive day.
During the summer, from mid-June to mid-August, the
Conservancy’s native plant nurseries face the herculean task of transferring 100,000 seedlings into their
pots. This transplanting process involves moving young
plants into larger containers so they have room to
grow into the hardy specimens that will be planted at
restoration sites across the parks. All the nurseries need
your help—especially the Marin Headlands nursery,
where our staff and volunteers are tasked with growing
plants for the massive Muir Beach project. To help with
transplanting, seed-collecting, pot-washing, gardening,
and more, call (415) 561-3044 or e-mail volunteer@
parksconservancy.org. To learn about our nurseries, visit
www.parksconservancy.org/nurseries.
Get involved! For more information, contact us at
(415) 561-3044 or [email protected],
or visit www.parksconservancy.org/ntd.
Summer’s a great season to flex your muscle for park trail projects
WEEKLY VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE
PROGRAM
MON
TUES
WED
THUR
FRI
SAT
SUN
BEACHES: Cleanups & Beach Maintenance
9:30–11:30 am
(2nd Sat)
10 am–Noon
(3rd Sat)
Muir Beach Cleanup
Ocean Beach Cleanup
HABITATS: Restore & Monitor Critical Habitats
Marin Programs
10 am–Noon
San Francisco Programs
10 am–2:30 pm
10 am–1 pm
9:30 am–2:30 pm
9 am–Noon
9 am–Noon
1–4 pm
10 am–1 pm
1–4 pm
1–4 pm
San Mateo Programs
10 am–1 pm
LANDSCAPES & HISTORIC SITES: Groundskeeping & Site Restoration
Alcatraz Gardens*
8 am–Noon
Golden Gate Maintenance
9 am–Noon
Presidio Campground Stewards
10 am–1 pm
(1st Tues)
9 am–Noon
8 am–Noon
9 am–Noon
Presidio Forest Stewards
9 am–Noon
9 am–Noon
9 am–Noon
(1st & 2nd Fri)
10 am–1 pm
(3rd Sat)
10 am–1 pm
(3rd Thur)
Presidio Garden Stewards
PLANT NURSERIES: Grow & Care for Plants
Fort Funston Nursery (San Francisco)
9:30 am–12:30 pm
Marin Headlands Nursery
1–4 pm
9 am–Noon
Presidio Nursery
1–4 pm
1–4 pm
Redwood Creek Nursery (Marin)
Tennessee Valley Nursery (Marin)
10 am–1 pm
1–4 pm
TRAILS: Repair, Construct, & Monitor Trails
9 am–Noon
(3rd Sat, Apr–Oct)
Golden Gate Trail Crew (Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo)
Presidio Trail Stewards
10 am–1 pm
(2nd Tues)
* Registration required. For registration and more information, call (415) 561-3044 or e-mail [email protected].
Save this handy at-a-glance
calendar grid that lists the
volunteer opportunities
across the Golden Gate
National Parks. There are
activities for every interest
and level of ability. Make this
season the one you start
volunteering with us!
n Many of our weekly volunteer programs are drop-in
opportunities, so it’s easy to
get started. To learn about
programs listed to the left,
visit www.parksconservancy.
org/volunteer.
n Though most opportunities
are drop-in, we recommend
registering, as meeting
locations, times, and projects
may vary. For more information, call (415) 561-3044, or
e-mail [email protected].
n Tools and training are
provided and no regular time
commitment is required.
Please wear closed-toe
shoes, dress in layers (in
clothes that you won’t mind
getting dirty), and bring water and a lunch or snack.
n Volunteer programs are a
cooperative, parkwide effort
of the Golden Gate National
Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the
Presidio Trust.