Rats becoming a problem at Herons Head

The state's drought is hitting home, leading to an increase in the visibility of rats in places like Heron's Head Shoreline Park in the Bayview. 

More at NBC

Help Envision Better Streets Connecting to Heron’s Head

Today the SF Planning Department is putting on the first in a series of walks as part of its new Green Connections project, an effort to improve access to parks making better use of city streets.

The intent of the program, according to the department's website, is to create "a citywide network of green streets that can be built over time, improving pedestrian and bicycle access to parks, open space and the waterfront."

Biking and walking routes to Heron's Head Park.
See the full PDF.

At a kick-off meeting last month, planning department staff began collecting feedback and showing how traffic calming and greening techniques could be included in the plans. On tomorrow's walk, you can tell planners what you like and don't like about the pedestrian environment en route to Heron's Head Park near Hunter's Point.
Planners will use the walks and other public events to engage communities in shaping the Green Connections project, and by late 2013 they hope to finish conceptual designs in six neighborhoods: Chinatown, the Tenderloin, the Western Addition, Potrero Hill, Visitacion Valley, and Bayview-Hunter's Point.
Today's two-hour walk meets at 1 p.m. the EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park at 32 Jennings Street (coincidentally at the east end of Cargo Way, where crews are currently constructing a two-way protected bikeway).
Check out all the project materials from the kick-off meeting on the Green Connections website, and see highlights after the break.

Green Connections Walk at Heron's Head

Join us for the first Green Connections walk at Heron's Head Park in the Bayview!

Spot everything from birds of the bay and shore to coast live oaks on Cargo Way. Heron's Head Park is one of SF's premier open spaces, so get ready to see black rail, jackrabbit, gofer snake, savannah sparrow, and rare and specialized salt marsh plants.

When & Where:
SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2012
1:00 to 3:00 PM
Meet at the EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park (see Map)
32 Jennings Street, San Francisco CA 94111
 
Green Connections will increase pedestrian and bicycle access to parks, open space and the waterfront, by re-envisioning City streets and paths as 'green connectors'that can be built over time.In the first year of the project, the focus will be to map a citywide network. The second year will build on this framework to design green connections in the following six neighborhoods: Bayview-Hunters Point, Chinatown, Potrero Hill, Tenderloin, Visitacion Valley and Western Addition.

Get involved! Visit the project web site below for project information and upcoming events. Also, follow Green Connections on Facebook and take our survey!!!

http://greenconnections.sfplanning.org

Clapper Rail Spotted at Heron's Head Park

Last summer, I was out volunteering with Literacy for Environmental Justice at Heron's Head park and Myla Ablog, ecologist for the park, mentioned that they were very excited at having seen a clapper rail in the marshes (more from Nature in the City). Well, even though some bird experts apparently dismissed the sighting as a singular event, a pair of the birds has now been seen, nesting and with chicks.  This is a great sign for the restoration of the wetlands in this area.

More from SFGate

Heron's Head Park will be closed, gated, and guarded for the 4th of July

Don't even think about going to Heron's Head park to watch fireworks this year.  The park will be closed, gated, fenced off, and a security guard may be present.  The following is from the folks at the Port:

Please be advised that the Port of San Francisco will be closing the entrance to Heron's Head Park from 4:00 PM on the 4th of July to 8:00 AM on the 5th of July.  The Port will install temporary fencing and a security guard may be present.  The closure is taking place for security and safety reasons, to protect the park as well as human and wildlife park users.

No fires outside of the designated barbecue pits, and no fireworks are allowed at Heron's Head Park.

Please contact Ruben Solis at the Port Authority if you have any questions or concerns about this proposed closure.

Emergencies can be reported to 415-274-0400 or by calling 911.

Spotting Birds at a Record Pace, with a Camera and a Bike

From SF Weekly,

San Francisco, despite being the western United States' most densely populated city, is also the heartland of a growing urban ecology movement that promises to become environmentalism's next wave. During the past 10 years, more and more locals have worked individually, formed groups, and then networked with other like-minded groups to restore, preserve, protect, expand, and proselytize about the pockets of natural ecosystems that exist within the city's gritty environs.

These local organizations, which now number at least 50, include homeowners in the western Sunset neighborhood working to establish a native plant species corridor that connects groups of endangered green hairstreak butterflies, and kids in the eastern Bayview-Hunters Point housing projects re-creating bayshore wetlands in the former industrial wastelands of Heron's Head Park.

More habitat, of course, means more birds. And Heron's Head is where Mosur and Clark detect an endangered California clapper rail, which has only recently returned to this side of the bay. All day long we witness similar stories of rejuvenated nature.

Read more at SF Weekly

SF EcoCenter wins EPA Award

Congratulations!!

From the Bay Citizen,

The EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park, operated by the Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ), is truly a diamond in the rough.

Nestled deep in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood among a tallow rendering plant, a wastewater treatment facility, a concrete plant, and one of the state's largest Superfund sites, the environmental justice education facility may just be the Bay Area's most innovative green building.

Solidifying the EcoCenter's spot as environmental jewel, it was awarded the Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 National Achievements in Environmental Justice Award. According to the EPA, the award "recognizes partnerships that address local environmental justice concerns and result in positive environmental and human health benefits in communities." Only five awards were given out last year.

Read more at the the Bay Citizen,

EPA Announces 2010 Environmental Justice Awards - TreeHugger.com

The EPA's environmental justice working group was only revived this year, but the agency has been giving out awards for leaders in the area for a few years. This year's winners represent different regions and are focusing on different problems, but all unified in the struggle for environmental justice. Five awards were given to multi-stakeholder partnerships representing 35 organizations.

The 2010 winners include San Francisco's EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park "for creating an environmental justice education center for use by the residents San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point and other communities with environmental justice concerns."

The center is San Francisco's first completely off-grid building and the first environmental justice education center in the Bay Area.

More at treehugger.com

US EPA Environmental Jusice Awards

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, EPA recognized partnerships in San Diego, San Francisco, Puerto Rico, Oregon and Minneapolis for their contributions to advancing environmental justice in communities. EPA's National Achievements in Environmental Justice Awards Program recognizes partnerships that address local environmental justice concerns and result in positive environmental and human health benefits in communities. 

2010 Awardees Include:

EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park Partnership, San Francisco, Calif.— for creating an environmental justice education center for use by the residents San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point and other communities with environmental justice concerns. 

Read more at the EPA

More information on the National Achievements in Environmental Justice Awards:http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/awards/index.html

Take a Walk on the Waterfront

Looking for an outdoor activity this weekend (rain or shine)?  How about checking out India Basin?

Saturday November 20
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Meet at Heron’s Head Park, Cargo & Jennings

FREE. Join the India Basin Neighborhood Association (IBNA) on a 3-mile flat walk along the beautiful shoreline & hear about the Community Vision for the future. This tour travels along what will someday be a portion of the Blue Greenway. See the only SF waterfront property not in the public trust.

The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency has created a DRAFT Plan for the 76-acre India Basin Shoreline — from the PG&E Power Plant to the Hunters Point Shipyard — that changes: Zoning, Building Heights,Transportation, and Housing Density. Their plan calls for 1200 housing units and up to 85 foot building heights. Meanwhile, the IBNA Community Vision takes advantage of this unique location for active recreation and entertainment areas, jobs and business opportunities, family homes, boating center, community farm, dog park, skate & bike park, and creative transportation solutions. Find details on www.indiabasin.org

The walk begins and ends at Heron’s Head Park, with 8 informational stops. Wear sturdy shoes. All invited.