Stewardship Update
Written by Haley Sutton, Land Stewardship Associate and Frenchy Hendryx, Education & Outreach Associate
Students Give Back
Students remove invasive species at Mangini. Photo by Alexander Broom
We hosted our first Conservation Collaboration Agreement (CCA) field experience of the fall at Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve.
For the ecological restoration element, Campolindo High School students tackled the removal of a few noxious weeds: Arundo donax and Dittrichia graveolens.
Individuals of both plant species were located along Galindo Creek and nearby drainages, and the students walked along the shaded creek and pulled out all the weeds they could, while also avoiding scattered poison oak plants.
The Dittrichia, or stinkwort, is easy to pull by hand and the Arundo was small enough that it was also manageable to pull out by hand.
We will continue to keep a close eye on the Arundo population and implement necessary abatement measures to eradicate the species from the property while it is still a small population.
The students also participated in a contemplative solo and learned about native plants and the natural and cultural history of the land. Thank you Campolindo students for your hard work!
Stewards in the Field
Volunteers clean up Balcerzak. Photo by Haley Sutton
The Trail Dogs accomplished numerous projects, including trail work for the state parks and the regional parks, and fence removal work for the regional parks and Save Mount Diablo’s newly acquired Balcerzak property.
The trash removal project (TRP) team worked with the Trail Dogs to disassemble unnecessary fences from within and around the Balcerzak property.
Additional stewards also helped staff begin the Balcerzak beautification efforts by removing metal debris from the property to be disposed of properly.
The Goldilocks of Conservation Grazing
Cattle grazing at Irish Canyon. Photo by Al Johnson.
In September and October, staff collected residual dry matter (RDM) measurements from properties where there are cattle grazing at some point during the year.
Residual dry matter is the amount of remaining dry matter, or grass, left on the ground at the end of the season. We collect RDM measurements in the fall before the first big rain, after cattle have been on the property for some time and the grass is still dry.
Collecting residual dry matter (RDM) measurements. Photo by Haley Sutton
To collect measurements, we utilize a square foot measuring tool that is placed at flat, moderate, and steep locations around a property that, when combined, will yield a complete representation of the quality of grazing on the property.
At each point, we remove and weigh all the dry grass from the surface of the ground within the square foot.
We plug the measurements into an equation to see how many pounds of dry matter are left per acre, which will help us understand if properties are under grazed, overgrazed, or just right.
This year, we collected measurements from Curry Canyon Ranch, Thomas Home Ranch, and for the first time, Marsh Creek 1 and 7.
Discover Diablo
Borges Ranch Fall Hike, Saturday, October 7: Participants enjoyed the fall weather on a three-mile walk through parts of Walnut Creek Open Space.
Hike leaders Jim and Sharon Lawrence led participants through Borges Ranch, where they looked at the old ranch buildings and farm animals and explored the surrounding woodlands and grasslands.
On Belay-Rock Climbing, Saturday, October 14: Participants joined Save Mount Diablo staff, Sean Burke, Haley Sutton, and Frenchy Hendryx for a fun-filled day of beginning rock climbing and instruction at Mount Diablo’s classic Pine Canyon.
Participants received coaching on top rope climbs, equipment instruction, and insight into the importance of climbing stewardship at climbing areas and in outdoor recreation.
Rocks on the Move, Saturday, October 28: Participants explored 180 million years of geologic history on Mount Diablo with hike leader and naturalist Ken Lavin. Participants visited fascinating geologic features, rocks, landforms, and fossils on several short hikes.
Conservation Collaboration Agreement at Mangini Preserve. Photo by Alexander Broom
Other Education Happenings
Contra Costa Creek and Watershed Symposium: Save Mount Diablo staff were delighted to table at the 2023 Contra Costa County Creek and Watershed Symposium with over 300 guests and amazing organizations.
Attendees such as creek enthusiasts, wildlife supporters, conservationists, students, and the community had great opportunities to engage with one another and with the speakers.
Conservation Collaboration Agreement (CCA) with Campolindo: Save Mount Diablo staff provided an in-class educational presentation to five Campolindo AP environmental science classes.
Students learned about land conservation of the Mount Diablo area, the first part of the Conservation Collaboration Agreement program.
