BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Marin Conservation League - ECPv6.17.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.marinconservationleague.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Marin Conservation League
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Los_Angeles
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20250309T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20251102T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20260308T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20261101T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20270314T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20271107T090000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260709T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260709T163000
DTSTAMP:20260705T182435Z
CREATED:20260626T185107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260705T182435Z
UID:10002605-1783607400-1783614600@www.marinconservationleague.org
SUMMARY:MCL Parks and Open Space Committee Meeting
DESCRIPTION:Marin Conservation League\nParks and Open Space Committee\n3:00- 5:00 pm\nIn-person/Zoom hybrid\nRegister: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOmgrD4vG9XtnkUk-dxDuEZFSvAuGyhD \nJuly 9: Wildlife Monitoring and Management \nAt 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. \nTule Elk History\, Monitoring\, & Management at Point Reyes National Seashore \nDave 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. \nTule 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. \nTule 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. \nUnder 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.  \nNorth Bay Bear Collaborative: Learning to Coexist with Black Bears \nJohn 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. \nOver 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. \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nBowman Canyon Draft Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration Public Comment Period Open \nMarin 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. \nThe 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. \nBowman 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. \nAfter 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. \nIn 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. \nThe 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.
URL:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/event/mcl-parks-and-open-space-committee-meeting-4-4-6-2-2/2026-07-09/
LOCATION:Marin Conservation League\, 175 N. Redwood Dr\, San Rafael\, CA\, 94903\, United States
CATEGORIES:Parks and Open Space
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Parks-and-Open-Space-Committee.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260611T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260611T163000
DTSTAMP:20260528T201551Z
CREATED:20260527T041935Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T201551Z
UID:10002174-1781188200-1781195400@www.marinconservationleague.org
SUMMARY:MCL Parks and Open Space Committee Meeting
DESCRIPTION:Marin Conservation League\nParks and Open Space Committee\n2:30 – 4:30 pm\nIn-person/Zoom hybrid\nRegister: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOmgrD4vG9XtnkUk-dxDuEZFSvAuGyhD \nNote changed time 2:30 – 4:30 \nThe June 11 meeting of MCL’s POSC will present two vastly contrasting open spaces in Marin\, one fully protected\, the other still a community’s dream of future protected land.   \n\nThe 2\,600-acre tidal and non-tidal wetland restoration project now known as “Novato Baylands Wetland Restoration Project\,” a multi-decade investment of hundreds of millions of dollars; and\nA 28-acre site at 70 Oxford Drive\, tucked into the Oxford Valley area of Santa Venetia and valued for its streams\, seasonal wetlands and native plants and wildlife. This story also features Marin Open Space Trust (MOST) and its success in working with neighbors and grassroots groups like those in Santa Venetia to facilitate the acquisition of special sites that are “For Sale” in their communities.\n\nNovato Baylands Wetland Restoration Project \nLinda Tong\, Deputy Regional Manager of The State Coastal Conservancy San Francisco Bay Program\, will report on how the restoration of Novato Baylands on Bel Marin Keys Unit V is preparing 1\,600 acres to expand the restored Hamilton airfield wetlands into an eventual 2\,600 acres of connected tidal and seasonal salt water\, fresh water\, and upland habitats. \nMuch of the history of this multi-decade project is well-known. Twelve years have passed since the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project\, after years of preparation\, breeched the levees in 2014 to let the tides in\, creating 648 acres of tidal and seasonal marsh. The success of the effort is evident in the spread of 10\,000s of native plants\, grown for the project and introduced by volunteers\, and the teeming flocks of waterfowl\, shorebirds\, and other bird life that now frequent the site. Immediately to the north\, the so-called North Antenna Field (344 acres\, owned by State Lands Commission) was added to the project.  Currently\, The Coastal Conservancy is managing restoration of Bel Marin Keys V hayfields to eventually become 900 acres of tidal wetlands\, 680 acres of non-tidal/freshwater wetlands\, plus upland and subtidal habitats. \nAs an essential piece of the program\, the area will receive millions more yards of mud dredged from navigable sites around San Francisco Bay in order to raise the subsided land surface to an elevation high enough to support intertidal plant species.  When that elevation is achieved\, the levee will be breeched\, as it was at Hamilton\, bringing in tides that have been withheld from the land for 100 years. In addition\, by avoiding the need to transport dredged materials for disposal out in the Pacific Ocean\, this “beneficial reuse” of dredge material will be a major cost benefit of the project. \n70 Oxford Drive\, Santa Venetia \nViewed from one perspective as a prime opportunity for “thoughtful residential planning and infrastructure\,” and by another as a peaceful meadow and stream amidst surrounding ridges for neighbors to enjoy and wildlife to thrive\, this 28.7 acre site is tucked into the Oxford Valley area off North San Pedro Road.  A “For Sale” sign appeared recently on the property\, which is designated by San Rafael as a priority housing site\, just minutes from key transit routes and established neighborhoods. Neighbors envision a very different long-term outcome for the property as permanent open space. \nMary Hanley\, long-time resident of Santa Venetia\, and her neighbors will illustrate why the site is called out in the Santa Venetia Community Plan for its special environmental values and constraints to development and\, therefore\, why it should be acquired for the public. The Plan describes the main stream through the property as a unique wildlife corridor\, providing access to water for a variety of animal species. Neither stream nor seeps and seasonal wetlands on the property should be developed or fenced.  Other constraints to development include oak woodlands\, native purple needle grass and other sensitive biological resources\, including special status animal and plant species as reported from a survey commissioned by a community working group in 2020.  The site is also known for its high archaeological sensitivity\, and the steep slopes around the periphery exceed 40%. \nThis is not a new tension in competing land values\, especially where private land has remained undeveloped for long periods of time and been habitually trespassed\, giving the illusion of permanent open space. Bill Long\, Chairman of MOST\, and his colleagues recognized almost twenty years ago the need for a non-profit “agent” to assist local grassroots and neighborhood groups who had long targeted certain vacant lands for permanent open space. The list of MOST’s in-fee and easement aquisitions has grown over the years – twelve to date\, including the recent Wall Property in Fairfax and\, hot off the presses\, the crest of King Mountain in Larkspur\, after more than 40 years of local effort to break through an easement to the privately-owned top. \nBill will recount some of the experiences that have challenged MOST and why they have been so successful in bringing some of Marin’s treasured\, threatened landscapes into the fold of public open spaces.
URL:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/event/mcl-parks-and-open-space-committee-meeting/
LOCATION:Marin Conservation League\, 175 N. Redwood Dr\, San Rafael\, CA\, 94903\, United States
CATEGORIES:Parks and Open Space
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Parks-and-Open-Space-Committee.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260514T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260514T170000
DTSTAMP:20260508T173008Z
CREATED:20260424T200503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260508T173008Z
UID:10002291-1778770800-1778778000@www.marinconservationleague.org
SUMMARY:MCL Parks and Open Space Committee Meeting
DESCRIPTION:Marin Conservation League\nParks and Open Space Committee\n3:00 – 5:00 pm\nIn-person/Zoom hybrid\nRegister: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOmgrD4vG9XtnkUk-dxDuEZFSvAuGyhD \nMay 14:  Forest Health and Wildfire Resilience in Marin’s Open Spaces \n \nAs part of Wildfire Awareness Month\, May’s POSC meeting will focus on how Marin County Parks approaches forest health\, wildfire resilience\, and vegetation management across Marin’s 34 open space preserves as they face the prospect of increasingly hot\, dry summers. \nForest health is not a new subject for MCL’s Parks & Open Space Committee\, nor a new practice for Marin County Parks\, which has long employed forest health strategies. The challenge\, however\, remains immense: protecting the ecological integrity and biodiversity of the preserves from catastrophic fire while simultaneously reducing wildfire threats to the 3\,500 neighbors whose homes lie at the wildland-urban interface. \nThree members of the County Parks vegetation management team will offer their perspectives on this work. Julian Geoghegan will discuss forest health and vegetation management strategies within Marin County Parks preserves. Luke Bishop will focus on fuel management work along preserve boundaries and defensible space tools at the wildland-urban interface\, where homes and infrastructure face the greatest wildfire risk. Sarah Minnick will review wildfire trends and discuss how the County’s natural resource science capabilities have evolved into a coordinated team effort focused on protecting and restoring ecological function and biodiversity across the preserves. Jon Campo will introduce the topic and moderate the discussion. \n \nThe meeting will also feature an update from Bree Hardcastle\, Senior Environmental Scientist with California State Parks\, on major habitat restoration and wildfire resilience projects underway in Mount Tamalpais and Tomales Bay State Parks. \nPlease register above. We hope you will join us!
URL:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/event/mcl-parks-and-open-space-committee-meeting-5-14/
LOCATION:Marin Conservation League\, 175 N. Redwood Dr\, San Rafael\, CA\, 94903\, United States
CATEGORIES:Parks and Open Space
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Parks-and-Open-Space-Committee.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260409T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260409T163000
DTSTAMP:20260626T185956Z
CREATED:20260401T222230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260626T185956Z
UID:10002172-1775745000-1775752200@www.marinconservationleague.org
SUMMARY:MCL Parks and Open Space Committee Meeting
DESCRIPTION:Marin Conservation League\nParks and Open Space Committee\n2:30 – 4:30 pm\nIn-person/Zoom hybrid\nRegister: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOmgrD4vG9XtnkUk-dxDuEZFSvAuGyhD \nNote changed time 2:30 – 4:30 \nCHINA CAMP STATE PARK – “A lot’s going on!”—– \n \nThat’s what Executive Director of Friends of China Camp (FOCC) Martin Lowenstein told me when I asked him to give an update to MCL’s Parks & Open Space Committee on current activities and programs on China Camp State Park – a lot going on\, but not without the daily challenges of full financial responsibility for keeping the park open 365 days of the year. \nIt will be 15 years this coming May that the park received notice it was on State Parks’ chopping block for closure in 2012\, along with 69 other parks that the state budget could no longer support.  The story of the park’s rescue by FOCC is a saga that is well known to most\, a testament to the power of grass roots volunteerism coupled with dogged persistence. \nThe persistence has never stopped\, nor the teams of volunteers who make possible the most varied and creative programs and activities of any state park in Marin. UnderMartin’s leadership\, a small staff and myriad volunteers continue to work miracles\, often against odds that would seem overwhelming. \nMartin Lowenstein brings his own distinctive qualifications to his unusual job.  Trained as civil engineer and armed with an MBA\, Martin has been able to address the practical tasks of managing and maintaining the complex infrastructure across the park\, at the same time he has built membership\, a sense of community\, and managed the multiple funding sources that are necessary to keep the park viable. \n \nJoining the discussion will be Matt Ferner\, Director of the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)\, which includes China Camp State Park. Matt is an environmental scientist and educator with a background in oceanography and aquatic sensory ecology\, and has worked with the Reserve since 2008. Based at San Francisco State University’s Estuary & Ocean Science Center in Tiburon\, he will speak to the research and stewardship work underway at China Camp. \nMartin will recount the “lot that is going on” at China Camp\, with additional perspective from Matt on the science and stewardship supporting the park at the April 9 meeting.  Attend in person\, or tune in remotely at the unusual time of 2:30. We look forward to seeing you!
URL:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/event/mcl-parks-and-open-space-committee-meeting-4-4-6-2/
LOCATION:Marin Conservation League\, 175 N. Redwood Dr\, San Rafael\, CA\, 94903\, United States
CATEGORIES:Parks and Open Space
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Parks-and-Open-Space-Committee.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260312T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260312T170000
DTSTAMP:20260312T061214Z
CREATED:20251219T180757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260312T061214Z
UID:10001640-1773327600-1773334800@www.marinconservationleague.org
SUMMARY:MCL Parks and Open Space Committee Meeting
DESCRIPTION:Marin Conservation League\nParks and Open Space Committee\n3:00 – 5:00 pm\nIn-person/Zoom hybrid\nRegister: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOmgrD4vG9XtnkUk-dxDuEZFSvAuGyhD \n \nJoin us in person or on Zoom to hear MCL’s first update on Point Reyes National Seashore in more than a year. The primary subject of the meeting will be the status of managing the natural and cultural resources of the Seashore since the January 8\, 2025 announcement of the removal of six dairy and six beef operations within 15 months. \nThe revised General Management Plan Amendment (GMPA) for the Seashore provides management guidance for the preservation of natural and cultural resources and the management of infrastructure and visitor use in the planning area. It also addresses the management of native tule elk and park lands currently leased for ranching. NPS also announced a settlement agreement resolving litigation filed in 2022 that calls for operators to surrender their leases in exchange for compensation from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). To support conservation efforts\, the NPS issued a cooperative agreement and lease option to TNC enabling TNC and NPS to collaborate on natural resource restoration projects on lands where ranching will end. \nSuperintendent Anne Altman will update MCL on progress over the past 15 months in implementing both the GMPA and Settlement Agreement on the Seashore. Greg Richardson\, Project Manager for TNC\, will describe how the organization is managing its assigned responsibilities on vacated ranch lands. \n  \nAnne Altman\, Superintendent\, Point Reyes National Seashore\nAnne Altman became superintendent of Point Reyes National Seashore September 22\, 2024 after serving as deputy and acting superintendent since 2022. She has worked for the National Park Service for 24 years in a variety of roles in parks\, the Pacific West Region\, and the NPS national headquarters in Washington D.C. As superintendent\, Altman oversees more than 80 miles of undeveloped coastline\, 147 miles hiking trails\, backcountry campgrounds and beaches. She is also responsible for the 32\,730-acre Phillip Burton Wilderness and roughly 300 historic structures\, including the 150-year-old Point Reyes Lighthouse. \nAltman started her 24-year career with the NPS as a business intern at Bryce Canyon National Park\, and manager assistant at Rocky Mountain National Park. After her time in Colorado\, Altman served as the chief of commercial services for the Pacific West Region\, special assistant to the deputy director for management and administration\, and as a senior member of the Washington\, D.C.-based Business Management Group. \nOriginally from St. Louis\, Missouri\, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth Systems from Stanford University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of California at Davis. Altman\, her husband Mike\, and her two teenage sons are longtime residents of Fairfax. \n  \nGreg Richardson\, Project Manager\, The Nature Conservancy\nGreg Richardson guides TNC’s work in Point Reyes National Seashore\, with a focus on supporting ecological stewardship and community engagement. He advances this important work with deep reverence for the history of this special place and its people. \nGreg’s work lies at the intersection of agricultural and conservation sciences. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy\, Greg was the research director for a 7\,500-acre ranch where he worked closely with its livestock and vineyard teams. He has also developed technical guides for monitoring change on rangelands and croplands and led a collaborative campaign to phase out the use and sale of invasive plants for gardening and landscaping in California. Greg received an M.Sc. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in soil science and agroecology.
URL:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/event/mcl-parks-and-open-space-committee-meeting-4-4-5/
LOCATION:Marin Conservation League\, 175 N. Redwood Dr\, San Rafael\, CA\, 94903\, United States
CATEGORIES:Parks and Open Space
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.marinconservationleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Parks-and-Open-Space-Committee.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR