Stewardship Update
Written by Haley Sutton, Land Stewardship Associate and Kendra Smith, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Fire Abatement Season
Goats R Us. Photo by Sean Burke
Our team spent about half our time this month weed whipping and mowing to meet fire abatement protocol in Contra Costa County.
As private landowners, Save Mount Diablo is responsible for eliminating fire hazards through annual weed abatement per the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District’s weed abatement standards.
For parcels that are five acres or less, including Marsh Creek 4 and Lot 25, we need to cut all flammable weeds and grasses. For parcels that are greater than five acres, we need to create a perimeter fuel break along property boundaries and roadways.
Animal grazing during spring and summer months also helps us with our fire abatement effort. Our grazing partners at Curry Canyon Ranch, Wright Canyon, and Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve help us meet these requirements each year.
This year, we also partnered with Goats R Us to bring 560 goats to Lot 25. The goats spent three days on the property chomping away at grasses and shrubs, which saved many hours of staff time, allowing the team to complete fire abatement at other locations.
Goats R Us. Photo by Sean Burke
Fire abatement at Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve. Photo by Haley Sutton
ConFire also graded fire roads to build fuel breaks at multiple properties, and we are very grateful for their support!
When all is said and done, our team—including five staff and three caretakers—mowed the following properties to meet the weed abatement standards: Anderson Ranch, Balcerzak inholding, Big Bend, Curry Canyon Ranch, Dry Creek, Ginochio Schwendel Ranch, Lot 25, Oak Hill Lane, Marsh Creek 4 and 6, Marsh Creek 1 and 7, Smith Canyon, Thomas Home Ranch, Thomas Kirker Creek, and Wright Canyon.
We also cleared the single-track trails and parking area at Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve for all visitors. Go team!
Fun in the Sun with Patagonia
Knobcone Point area with thinned-out understory. Photo by Haley Sutton
We hosted a second work group from the Patagonia San Francisco store at Curry Canyon Ranch, where participants helped with thinning in the Knobcone Point area and constructed six burn piles.
Staff led an interpretive hike to the upper ponds and noticed copious dragonflies, tree frogs, red-legged frog tadpoles, and aquatic garter snakes.
Lastly, during their tour, we helped teach about species of Phytophthora while we collected leaves for the UC Berkeley Sudden Oak Death Blitz.
A big thank you to Patagonia for another great day outdoors together!
Shrubs regrowing along Knobcone Point Road. Photo by Haley Sutton
Other Stewardship Happenings
Christina with dug up artichoke thistle root mass. Photo by Haley Sutton
At the end of the month, and with fire abatement behind us, the team pivoted to removing the noxious weed, barbed goatgrass, from patches at Curry Canyon Ranch, and weeded the pollinator gardens at Marsh Creek 7 and Mangini Ranch.
Staff and volunteers have been working on creating maps and signage for Magee Preserve trails as well as the kiosks that will be installed at the trailheads to hold the information.
Lastly, the California Conservation Corps spent a few more days thinning and chipping in the Knobcone area and pulling invasive thistles in the valley.
Many of the pruned chamise, black sage, and other shrubs are sprouting new growth thanks to the help of the California Conservation Corps crews.
Discover Diablo
Mitchell Canyon Medicinal Herb Walk, May 2.
Participants enjoyed a meander along Mitchell Canyon to learn about the wonders of our native medicinal plants.
Everyone was intently engaged in learning the modern-day uses of these plants and asked lots of questions as they explored this abundant ecosystem.
Birding walk with Mount Diablo Bird Alliance. Photo by Karen Bakar
Birding Walk with Mount Diablo Bird Alliance at Mitchell Canyon, May 8.
Save Mount Diablo Senior Land Use Manager and Mount Diablo Bird Alliance Conservation Chair Juan Pablo Galván Martínez led participants on this pleasant birding walk.
Participants were treated with finding a mixed species warbler flock in White Canyon that gave good views of Townsend’s warblers, watching ash-throated flycatchers along the Globe Lily Trail, and seeing endemic Mount Diablo globe lilies and mariposa lilies along the walk.
Caminata en Español. Photo by Lisa Price
Caminata en Español: Naturaleza, Flora y Fauna de Pine Canyon, May 9.
Save Mount Diablo Senior Land Use Manager Juan Pablo Galván Martínez was excited to lead the first fully Spanish Discover Diablo outing.
Participants admired the stunning views of Castle Rock with swallows and white-throated swifts swooping and circling above, found a house wren nest in a hollow tree snag alongside the trail, and smelled lovely buckeye flower spikes along the way.
Celebrating Mother’s Day with Mother Nature, May 10.
Participants had a lovely outing at Round Valley Regional Preserve celebrating all the mothers who attended. It was a diverse and talkative bunch, enjoying the fresh air and camaraderie as they ambled through the green-turning-gold hills.
Wonder Hike, May 16.
Mount Diablo’s incredible biodiversity was on display at Save Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch. Participants saw numerous species of birds, butterflies, wildflowers, and more, truly sparking “wonder” on this hike.
The group even saw a red-tailed hawk flying with a lizard in its beak!
Reptile ramble. Photo by Peter Alley
Reptile Ramble, May 17.
It is always a pleasure for folks to experience Curry Canyon Ranch with East Bay Regional Parks District Naturalist Kevin Dixon as their guide.
Although many exciting reptiles were spotted on this ramble, a true highlight of the outing was viewing incredible blooms of red ribbons Clarkia along the trail, giving participants a well-rounded experience.
24-Hour BioBlitz
Attendings BioBlitzing in Del Puerto Canyon. Photo by Emily Sherwood
This year’s 24-hour BioBlitz event featured a private ranch in Del Puerto Canyon.
A small group of scientists and researchers were invited to camp out and collect observations of species diversity over a 24-hour period within the ranch.
Participants were not disappointed in what they found.
Among the 25 scientists, researchers, and Save Mount Diablo volunteers and staff, more than 246 species were recorded within the ranch, including rare and charismatic species like golden eagles, foothill yellow-legged frogs, and talus fritillary (Fritillaria falcata).
The Save Mount Diablo team is excited to continue partnering with the owners of the ranch to do species surveys for future BioBlitz events.
The private ranch in Del Puerto Canyon. Photo by Mary Nagle
2026 Two-Week BioBlitz Results
Red-tailed hawk observation. Photo by Matt and Lauren Mahlke
We’re celebrating another successful year of citizen science with our 2026 two-week BioBlitz, which spanned all 12 counties of the Diablo Range!
Save Mount Diablo’s BioBlitz events offer a unique snapshot of biodiversity within a specific place and time, providing valuable data that helps shape stewardship and land management decisions across the region.
This year, we surpassed last year’s numbers for both observations and species recorded.
Forty-six dedicated observers contributed an impressive 2,693 observations, identifying 776 species. Among them were several rare, endemic, and charismatic finds, including bald eagles and foothill yellow-legged frogs.
Echo azure observation from Clayton. Photo by Matt and Lauren Mahlke
Participants also spotted many beloved species such as golden eagles, Mount Diablo globe lilies, gray foxes, and mule deer.
We’re excited to continue expanding our efforts throughout the Diablo Range, with the goal of increasing protected lands beyond the current 27 percent and preserving this vital wildlife corridor.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year’s BioBlitz a success!
