Stewardship Update
Written by Haley Sutton, Land Stewardship Associate and Kendra Smith, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Everyone Chipping In
Photo by Haley Sutton
Volunteers joined staff on a Friday afternoon to keep chipping away at the sheet-mulching work at the pollinator garden at Save Mount Diablo’s Marsh Creek 7 property in Clayton.
The coconut blanket layer we put down earlier has proven to be very effective at keeping the weeds at bay. Staff picked up a trailer full of mulch and more rolls of coconut blanket to keep the project going.
After another successful mulching day, the garden is about two-thirds of the way to completion.
Thank you to our volunteers, including members of Scout Troup 1630!
Carondelet High School faculty helped steward the trails at Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve in a team-building service day.
The group focused on clearing the lower western side of the Chupcan Canyon Trail loop first, where they raked away leaves, pruned overhanging and encroaching branches, and scraped through the soil to create a visible path and smooth tread.
Then they traveled east to make a similar result on El Camino de Vacas that goes into the picnic area before hiking back. We appreciate the enthusiasm and hard work of the group!
Valley Oak Legacy
Photo by Scott Hein
The glorious valley oak that stood for many generations near the entrance to the Curry Canyon Ranch house has succumbed to gravity and now lays stretched upon the ground.
This occurred one evening at the end of March and was observed by a guest staying at the house at the time. The guest said that he was looking at photos he had taken during the day when the house began to shake as if there was an earthquake.
Photo by Haley Sutton
He looked outside and saw the tree begin to fall apart and land on the ground. We are saddened that another valley oak at Curry Canyon has fallen. We plan to leave the tree in place so that it may provide habitat for wildlife in a new way.
Staff are also strategizing ways to continue the legacy of the magnificent oak with acorns collected this past fall through our 10,000 Trees and Plants project. A humble reminder of the cycle of life!
Stewards in the Field
Staff clearing road access at Ginochio Schwendel Ranch. Photo by Sean Burke
Stewards are observing a growing abundance of spring blooms and other vegetative growth across properties, and the powerful movement of water flowing down the mountain.
The new property stewards for Save Mount Diablo’s Oak Hill Lane and Krane Pond properties have been conducting onboarding visits to the respective properties.
Staff conducted trail and road access work at the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch by clearing fallen trees.
Staff also joined partners at Mount Diablo Trails Alliance to assist with trail maintenance work on Secret Trail, Oak Knoll Trail, and Summit Trail in Mount Diablo State Park.
Discover Diablo Program
Group tour of the Concord reuse project. Photo courtesy of Brookfield Properties
Concord Naval Weapons Station Tour, March 2nd. Participants braved the rain to get a behind the-scenes tour of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station, now the Concord Reuse project area.
On this bus and walking tour, staff of the City of Concord and Brookfield Properties shared information ranging from the history of the area to what big next steps are coming for the project.
Participants got close-up views of Mount Diablo Creek and “bunker city” and the ammunition storage area, among other facilities and areas that will be a part of the project.
Green Hills, Ponds, and Newts, March 10th. Participants went out to Briones Regional Park to explore the various ponds looking for smooth-skinned California newts.
Volunteer hike leader Bennett Berke shared fun facts about the newts’ life history along the way, and although the newts woke up late because of Daylight Savings time, several were spotted on the hike.
Krane Pond Property Dedication, March 14th. Participants came out for this special property dedication at Krane Pond, Save Mount Diablo’s newest land acquisition.
This beautiful property has one of the largest ponds on the north aspect of Mount Diablo and is adjacent to Mount Diablo State Park. Participants trekked off trail across the grassy terrain to attend the ribbon cutting at this wildlife haven.
On Belay Rock Climbing in Pinnacles National Park, March 23rd. Postponed because of rainy weather.
Photo by Kendra Smith
Spring Blooms of the Northern Foothills, March 25th. East Bay Regional Parks District Naturalist Kevin Dixon led participants on a wildflower hike at Chaparral Springs.
Numerous wildflower species were spotted, including blue dicks, owl’s clover, fiddlenecks, California poppies, California milkweed, and more. Participants got a surprise treat when Dixon spotted a colony of Lewis’s woodpeckers on the trail.
Photo by Laura Kindsvater
Perkins Canyon Geology and History Hike, March 30th. Participants got a lucky break in the rain to venture out on the east side of Mount Diablo to learn about the geology and history of the area.
Volunteer hike leader Ken Lavin shared tales of the odd characters who once populated Perkins Canyon as he led participants to view volcanic domes and early spring wildflowers.
Elementary Students Explore Mangini Ranch
Photo by Kendra Smith
On March 11th, third- to fifth-grade students from the CARES program joined Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers at Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve for a day of hands-on science learning and stewardship.
Students took part in an interpretive hike along Galindo Creek, learning about watersheds and how open spaces support healthy watershed ecosystems.
Students got a closer look at the creek, viewing water samples under magnifying glasses and even spotting a Pacific tree frog, the first time some of the students had ever seen a frog.
After a picnic lunch at the pavilion, students learned about different types of seeds and what they need to survive.
This lesson was put into practice for their stewardship project, where students installed protective tubing around sprouting California buckeye seeds.
The tubing to prevents the buckeyes from being eaten by the cows that graze the hillsides and allow the buckeyes to grow to their full potential.
The students had so much fun that many of them said they did not want to leave at the end of the day! Save Mount Diablo staff are excited to have CARES students participate in more programs this summer.
Save Mount Diablo’s BioBlitz
Ohlone Wilderness, one of the areas covered by our 2024 two-week BioBlitz. Photo by Scott Hein
Save Mount Diablo invites you to lace up your hiking boots and get out to explore all 12 counties in the Diablo Range for this year’s BioBlitz event, happening April 20th–May 4th.
Very little is known about the Diablo Range, and this BioBlitz gives us a great opportunity to visit these sites and help monitor the biodiversity found in different habitats.
There are numerous ways to recreate at these public access open spaces; find out more about them on our BioBlitz pages.
