Marin Conservation League

Parks and Open Space Committee

3:00- 5:00 pm
In-person/Zoom hybrid

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOmgrD4vG9XtnkUk-dxDuEZFSvAuGyhD

July 9: Wildlife Monitoring and Management

At the July 9 meeting we will learn about two continually-evolving efforts to monitor and manage wildlife in the north bay. Both species, tule elk and black bear, play an important role in ecosystem function, and both are occasionally in conflict with human communities. However, with research, thoughtful planning, and a willingness to try new approaches, we can find ways to live in balance with these species and the habitat they require. We will also have a discussion on the Bowman Canyon Draft Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration released for public comment.

Tule Elk History, Monitoring, & Management at Point Reyes National Seashore

Dave Press, Program Lead for Integrated Resources Management at Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), will briefly review the history of tule elk since their reintroduction to PRNS, describe tule elk monitoring strategies, and focus on recent changes in tule elk management approaches.

Tule elk are one of three subspecies of elk native to California and the only California endemic elk species. By the mid-1800s, tule elk populations had been severely reduced by hunting, introduction of cattle, and loss of habitat. Tule elk were thought to be extinct until a rancher found a small remnant herd on his land in 1874. All tule elk in California today, roughly 6,000, are descendants of that small herd.

Tule elk were historically found on the grasslands of what is now PRNS and were grazers important for balancing the coastal prairie ecosystem. By the 1850s they had been extirpated from the peninsula. A small population of ten tule elk, two bulls and eight cows, were reintroduced to a fenced Tule Elk Reserve on Tomales Point in 1978. The PRNS tule elk population has grown significantly over the years, though with annual fluctuations, and has experienced challenges related to overpopulation in the Tule Elk Reserve, disease, and limited forage availability during dry years.  In 1999 a small group of elk was released in the Limantour area and established a free-ranging herd here as well as a subsequent free-ranging sub-herd at Drake’s Beach.  These free-ranging herds have continued to grow and shape the landscape.

Under the 2024 Tomales Point Area Plan and the 2025 revised General Management Plan Amendment, the PRNS approach to managing tule elk, which now number over 700 individuals, is undergoing important changes. Dave Press will share information on monitoring strategies, management techniques and goals, and how tule elk fit into the ever-changing grasslands at Point Reyes. 

North Bay Bear Collaborative: Learning to Coexist with Black Bears

John Roney, Sonoma Ecology Center Park Manager for Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, will present on the North Bay Bear Collaborative’s work to monitor black bear populations in the north bay and proactively address bear-human conflict.

Over the last decade, black bears have been moving into the north bay in increasing numbers. Historically, this area was home to the California grizzly, a subspecies of brown bear. Over a hundred years after brown bears were extirpated from California, black bears are starting to fill that ecological niche.  Black bears are omnivores and will eat whatever is available, from fruit, to salmon, to cat food left unattended. They are also an important part of ecosystems, spreading seed in their scat, marine-derived nitrogen into the forest surrounding salmon streams, and maintaining populations of deer through predation. While many are excited to see bears returning to open spaces and natural areas, an increasing bear population has the potential to increase conflict with humans from property damage, vehicle collisions, trash storage break-ins, pet or livestock predation, and raids of beehives, orchards, and vineyards.

The North Bay Bear Collaborative (NBBC) was formed in response to increasing bear activity in the north bay. It is a working group of public agencies, non-profit conservation groups, landowners, and individuals committed to research, community outreach, and infrastructure improvements to keep human and bear populations safe and resilient. The NBBC, hosted by the Sonoma Ecology Center, aims to mitigate future challenges that may arise from an increasing black bear population.

The NBBC provides education and outreach to teach people how to live among bears safely, including guidance on how to avoid attracting wild animals into neighborhoods. They work with communities to be better open space stewards, with the goal of building resilient and biodiverse habitats to help bears stay in open spaces and away from communities. NBBC is also improving park infrastructure by installing bear-proof trash cans and food storage containers to reduce bear-human interactions. In addition, NBBC collects data, including images from wildlife cameras and DNA from bear scat, to map the range of black bears and better understand their dispersal patterns. John Roney will update us on how the NBBC functions, their research and outreach programs, and things we can all do to mitigate bear-human conflict.

Bowman Canyon Draft Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration Public Comment Period Open

Marin County Open Space District has released the Draft IS/MND for the Bowman Canyon Habitat Protection and Public Access Improvement Project at Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve in Novato. The public comment period ends on July 17, 2026.

The private Bowman Canyon Ranch land was a long-sought target for acquisition in the Novato area adjacent to Mt. Burdell Open Space Preserve (OSP).  Its recent acquisition was a victory in itself; 409 acres were acquired by the County in two phases in 2018 and 2020. Soon after, County Open Space District (OSD) staff began conducting surveys and studies to understand what they had acquired.

Bowman Canyon was used for cattle grazing for many years, and the ranch road system includes steep roads experiencing erosion and contributing sediment to Bowman Canyon Creek.  The site also contains social trails and minimally constructed bike trails which the previous private owner allowed to be installed. Thorough biological surveys found sensitive serpentine grassland habitat, several rare plants species, and a high concentration of badger burrows, as well as other sensitive habitats and special-status wildlife.

After completing studies to assess the site, the next question was where and how to connect trails from Bowman Canyon area with existing trails on Mount Burdell, already a very popular OSP for hiking, biking, and some horseback riding. Concerns about impacts of recreation on sensitive wildlife on Mount Burdell have already surfaced at MCL meetings of the POSC.

In recent years, MCL members of the County’s Environmental Roundtable were given a tour of Bowman Canyon, studied maps, and discussed sensitive areas with County OSD staff.  The MCL POSC also had a digital tour and presentation. When it came time to determine how and where to link new trails to the existing trails on Mount Burdell, we were included in the decision process, as were cyclists, who were eager to connect. The problem was how to build new trail connections without damaging or compromising these habitats. The Draft IS/MND details a new trail plan which includes two connections from Mt. Burdell to Bowman Canyon, one a multi-use trail connecting to San Andreas Fire Road, and the other a hiker/equestrian trail connecting to the Dwarf Oak Trail. In this plan, the existing road through the serpentine grassland is slated for decommissioning, and new trail alignments are designed to avoid the serpentine grassland, rare plant populations, and the area of highest badger burrows density.

The Draft IS/MND, out for 30-day review, details the project as an opportunity not only to build trail connection but also to protect habitats from future impacts.  The public comment period is MCL’s opportunity to comment on whether the County OSD has been successful in avoiding sensitive areas and mitigating any possible impacts.