INSIDE— June

• Belinda Point Trail Page 2 2006

• 30th Anniversary Page 3 The mission of the Mendocino Land Trust is to
• Sudden Oak Death Page 4 conserve important natural resources of Mendocino
• Big River Page 5 County including working farmlands and forests,
wildlife habitat, open space, scenic vistas,
• Calendar of Events Page 6 watersheds, and to facilitate public access.

Celebrating 30 Years of Land Conservation in Mendocino County, 1976-2006

Wildlife Conservation Board Approves Funding

for Land Trust to Purchase Ridgewood Ranch
Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement
On May 25, 2006, the California Wildlife Conservation
Board (WCB) approved a $2,137,500 grant to the Land Trust to
purchase a conservation easement on 1,689 +/- acres of conifer
forest, oak woodland, and rangeland on Ridgewood Ranch and to
undertake necessary surveying. The $2 million purchase price for
the Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement is substantially less
than market value and represents a significant bargain sale from
the landowner, the Golden Rule Church Association.
Ridgewood Ranch has eight types of oaks and 2,250 acres of
oak woodlands in total. California’s oak woodlands sustain Oak Woodlands and Pond at Ridgewood Ranch.
Photo by John Birchard.
higher levels of biodiversity than virtually any other terrestrial
ecosystem in the state. More than 300 species depend on oak
woodlands for food and shelter. Intact oak woodlands protect Free Public Access Schedule for 2006 Set
soils from erosion and landslides, regulate water flow in for Ridgewood Ranch Redwoods
watersheds, and maintain water quality in streams and rivers. The Conservation Easement
conservation easement includes 4.75 miles of Riparian Protection
Area that follows portions of Walker and Forsythe Creeks Consistent with the terms of the conservation
(steelhead streams) and seven miles of critical Class II tributaries easement protecting the Ridgewood Ranch old growth
of the two creeks. and second growth redwood groves, the schedule for this
year’s free public access days has been set. All group
$63,000 from the WCB will cover costs for surveying the tours will be held on Saturdays starting at 1 p.m. and
conservation easement area and create a legal description leaving from the Golden Church Association Dining Hall
necessary for closing, expected in September 2006. In addition, parking lot: July 1st, August 5th, September 4th and
$74,500 from WCB will be used to mark the 25 corners of the October 7th. For directions to the Ranch and to RSVP for
Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement that border on the the redwoods conservation easement tours, please call
proposed Agricultural Conservation Easement to be funded by the Tracy Livingston at (707) 459-3872.
California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP).
The conservation easement was finalized in March
A “wet meadow” and a vernal pool that could not be afforded 2005 and permanently protects an old growth redwoods
sufficient protection under the CFCP funding guidelines are also stand with trees 800 years old, 200 feet tall, and 10 feet in
included in the Oak Woodlands conservation easement although diameter as well as a mature second growth grove
they are located geographically inside the proposed Agricultural including three-quarters of a mile of Walker Creek, a
Conservation Easement area. steelhead stream tributary to the Russian River.
The conservation easement calls for 15 days of limited public All of the public access tours will follow tours of the
access for passive recreation at no charge to the public that will be historic Ranch, including the restored barn of Seabiscuit,
in addition to the six days of public access to the Ridgewood the legendary racehorse. The historic tours are from
Ranch Redwoods conservation easement. The Oak Woodlands 9 a.m. to noon on the days listed above and cost $25 per
Conservation Easement will completely surround the second person. For more information and reservations, contact
growth redwoods grove and enhance protection of that area of the the Willits Chamber of Commerce, (707) 459-7910.
Ranch.
 Board of Trustees The President’s Perspective by Dave Jensen
President
Dave Jensen While reflecting on the people and events that were the first thirty
Vice President years of our Land Trust, my thoughts have turned to the thirty years that lie
Bill Lemos ahead. The success of the Land Trust depends as much upon future
Secretary generations as it has upon the efforts of the current staff, the original
Janice Gendreau founders, and all who labored in between. This past year we have worked
so hard to consummate current projects and initiate new ones, that there
Treasurer
Chet Anderson has been little time to anticipate the future. However, an organization
responsible for managing lands “in perpetuity” must dedicate some
Trustees resources for the cultivation of its future.
Alan Falleri
Jessie Van Sant We continue to work with Mendocino High School’s School of Natural Resources
Win Bowen
(SONAR) program to provide meaningful educational opportunities in the Big River watershed.
Staff The Big River Lecture Series offers interesting and educational programs to the general
Executive Director
community. We also sponsor a diverse selection of nature walks and other outdoor programs,
James Bernard such as Jon Klein’s nature photography workshop.
Conservation We provide numerous opportunities for young people of all ages to become directly
Project Manager involved in preserving our natural landscape. Our annual Beach Clean-Up Day draws volunteers
Louisa Morris
of all ages. The Big River Stewards program offers interested people the opportunity to remove
Membership and invasive plants while learning about native species. The Big River Bird Survey offers a unique
Outreach Coordinator opportunity for young people to learn about the local wildlife and participate in a long-term
Holly Newberger
monitoring program.
Big River Program
Manager
The Land Trust also engenders a sense of appreciation and loyalty through the recreational
Matt Gerhart opportunities offered by its holdings. I regularly visit our sites along the coast. What I see gives
me hope and encouragement for the future. Families with children going for walks; young
Big River Stewards
Volunteer Coordinator
couples canoeing and biking up Big River; wedding ceremonies on the headlands; these are just
Matt Coleman some of the seeds that will produce future members and contributors to the Land Trust.

News from the Trail—Belinda Point Boardwalk

Installed
by Louisa Morris, Coastal Access Program Manager
Several sections of the Belinda Point Trail were very wet this winter;
the Land Trust has remedied this situation with a new boardwalk,
constructed with recycled plastic lumber (“Trex”) decking fastened to
treated fir joists (“stringers” in trailspeak) with stainless steel screws. We
invite you to hike the new improved trail that is slowly drying out . Next
Winter, the boardwalk will be a great asset. The boardwalk saga unfolds
below:
The Land Trust received approval for their Belinda Point boardwalk Belinda Point Boardwalk Crew: Bob Gerbi, David Russell, Jennifer
coastal development permit amendment just before noon on Tuesday, April Wolfman, Tom Quinn and Win Bowen.
18. On Wednesday, April 19, staff members Matt Coleman and Louisa
Morris moved the first load of Trex from the Land Trust offices to a staging area near the Belinda Point Trail. Volunteer David
Russell started cutting the first pile of Trex on Wednesday April 19 and on Friday April 21, four volunteers (Chet Anderson,
Rich Frank, David, and Wade Grey) helped move, cut and pre-drill about 350 pieces of Trex.
On Sunday, April 23 at 9 a.m., four people (and two pickup trucks) from the boardwalk crew met at the Land Trust offices
to pick up the 4 x 8 x 12 "stringers" (Louisa, James Bernard, Alan Ross, and Hayley Ross). Meanwhile, a second crew (Bob
Gerbi, Win Bowen, and David--also with two trucks) moved the prepared Trex to the trailhead. James and Louisa placed pairs of
stringers on the trail to lay out the boardwalk sections. At about 10:30 a.m., all eight volunteers (Alan, Hayley, David, Bob, Win,
Dale Coon, Jennifer Wolfman, and Tom Quinn), including five from the Belinda Point Trail neighborhood, met for a brief
training session on boardwalk construction. The crew finished construction of most of the new boardwalk by mid-afternoon that
day, using all available materials.
The crew worked hard and brought considerable skill and dedication to the job - a big thanks to everyone who helped out.
2 We will be installing additional boardwalk at Belinda Point in the near future; please contact Louisa Morris to help.
 The Land Trust In Pictures, Spring 2006

Photo: Matt Gerhart Photo: Matt Gerhart

Earth Day 2006

Clockwise from above
left: Big River Boat
Tour, Invasive Beach
Grass Removal Crew,
Big River Beach
Cleanup Crew. Special
thanks to the California
Conservation Corps.

Photo: Louisa Morris Photo: Matt Gerhart

Land Trust
30th Anniversary
Celebration!
Above: Big River Haul
Road Bike Tour.
Clockwise from right:
Open House and
Vineyard Tour at
Bonterra Vineyards,
Ridgewood Ranch
Redwoods Tour, and
Ice Cream Social at
Big River Beach.
Photo: Holly Newberger

Photo: Matt Gerhart 3

 Celebrating the Past, Living Recognizing Contributions Made In Tribute
in the Present, Looking
We extend our thanks to those who sent contributions in
Toward the Future
memory of or in honor of loved ones: Richard Baldwin in
Letter From the Executive honor of Joy Griffin; Francine Bearden in memory of Hugh
Director Curtis; Francine Bearden in memory of Buck Meadows;
Andrea Clague in honor of Francine De Martini; Michael
James Bernard and Sally De Martini in honor of Francine De Martini, Vera
De Martini in memory of William Gordon and in honor of
By the time you receive this newsletter the members of Loring and Francine De Martini; George Howard in honor
the Land Trust, Board and staff will have raised a toast at of Pat Howard and Pat Bauer; Norma Rannie in memory of
the Annual Meeting June 11th to the marvelous Robert Carrell; Joan Searby in memory of Chuck Hinsch.
accomplishments of all of us who have worked over the
years to conserve 9,377 acres of Mendocino County. The
tangible nature of our collective efforts conserved the open 30th
space of Heider Field, the Caspar Headlands, Beach and
Uplands, Navarro Point, Big River, Ridgewood Ranch,
Anniversary
coastal access easements and conservation easements T-Shirts On
throughout the County. Sale Now!
The Land Trust continues to steadily conserve land, We are pleased to
but even though we receive state bond funds (see front announce that our
page), not all our expenses for negotiation, legal counsel special limited
and other associated costs are covered. We continue to rely edition 30th
on your generous support to bridge the gap and keep us Anniversary T-
moving forward. shirts are now
available. The
We believe that planning is the best way to anticipate shirts are short-
the future. The Mendocino County Coastal Conservation sleeve and white
Plan continues to be a vital touchstone for our conservation with Matt Gerhart’s image of the Fritz Wonder Plot on Big
efforts. The Big River Preliminary Plan provides a River in shades of green on the chest. The shirts are only $15
management, research, and monitoring agenda for the each, plus $2 shipping and handling for those who cannot
property we all conserved. This year’s Board retreat come to the Land Trust office to pick one up. Sizes available
yielded the basis for the Land Trust’s new Strategic Plan include medium, large and extra-large. Join the Land Trust in
that was adopted in April. The Strategic Plan clearly states celebrating our 30th anniversary and purchase your shirt now
the vision, mission and values of the Land Trust and sets by contacting Holly at [email protected]
out goals and objectives for the next two to five years. or (707) 962-0470.

Part of our “community of interest” is our members.

Our members are predominantly from Mendocino County,
How You Can Prevent Sudden Oak Death
and especially this coast, but a quarter of our membership from Coming to Big River
comes from Bay Area counties. The interest in protecting by Matt Gerhart, Big River Program Manager
the beauty here that we seek to conserve for future
generations attracts members from all over California and Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is a new plant disease
from 13 other states. threatening coastal forests in California and Oregon. Only
known since 1995, it is caused by the non-native fungus
Another part of our community of interest is the Phytophthora ramorum, which results in crown die-back and
shareholders--people and organizations who contribute eventual death in tanoak and oaks, and can affect up to 25
financially to conserve special lands. And we respond to other native tree and shrub species.
stakeholders--the people and organizations who hold a Phytophthora ramorum may be transported to new areas
stake in the management of the land we conserve, either by when infected plants or infested soil is moved, even
virtue of their interest in and concern for the land, their use inadvertently. It is often spread by vehicles, hikers, and even
of it, or their adjacent ownership. pets. Recently, serious infestations have moved into
Mendocino County, particularly threatening Maillard
We thank our community of interest for your essential Redwoods State Reserve and Hendy Woods State Park in the
involvement in our first 30 years as we look forward to the Anderson Valley.
challenges of the next 30—we value all of you. continued on back page
4
 The Big River Program of the Mendocino Land Trust

Point-count surveys such as this one need at least five years

of data to demonstrate population trends in the bird species
studied.
The Stewards’ bird surveys have already met an important
goal through reports that have helped State Parks personnel
in the creation of environmental planning documents for the
new park. The “Report on 2005 Big River Breeding Season
and Fall Bird Surveys Conducted by the Big River
Stewards” is available at www.mendocinolandtrust.org.

Big River Lecture:

Citizen Watershed
Big River Bird Survey Training Participants Photo: Matt Gerhart Protection Successes in
Stewards Rise Early for the Spring Sing: 2006 the Mattole River Basin
Big River Breeding Bird Survey The Land Trust’s Big River
by Matt Coleman, Big River Stewards Volunteer Program is pleased to announce
Coordinator the next Big River Lecture, “Thinking Like a Watershed:
The Mattole River Story” on Thursday, June 22nd, with guest
“Quick three beers,” rings out over the marsh near the speaker Chris Larson, Executive Director of the Mattole
mouth of Big River. No, it’s not the cry of a thirsty tourist, but Restoration Council.
the song of the Olive-sided Flycatcher. Now that Spring has
sprung, Big River Stewards are once again rising at dawn to For over 20 years, the Mattole Restoration Council has
participate in the third Big River Stewards Spring Breeding worked in the Mattole watershed to improve native fisheries
Bird survey. through the restoration of stream and forest habitat. The
story of the Mattole restoration movement is regarded as the
The ambitious surveys, begun in 2003 by Janet Stein, have first community-based restoration effort in California.
documented over 68 bird species present in the varied
habitats—forest, riparian, coastal scrub, estuarine, freshwater Today, the Mattole Restoration Council is actively
and salt-water marsh—of our new state park. working on road restoration, reforestation, public outreach,
ecological education in the local public schools, water
And new species are being added to the list each time the conservation, and hazardous fuels reduction. The Council is
Stewards take to the field. In 2005, volunteer bird surveyors working persistently towards its vision of "a time when
added two species of birds known to occur at Big River: restoration is no longer needed."
Bullock’s Oriole and Peregrine Falcon. Already this year, alert
volunteers have detected the song of the Common The lecture will help kick-off the Land Trust’s own
Yellowthroat, a black-masked and yellow-breasted warbler, a efforts in watershed monitoring for Big River, scheduled to
species never detected during previous surveys. begin this summer with fisheries and stream monitoring
trainings and field sessions.
Even during the April bird survey training, co-sponsored
by the Land Trust and the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society, Chris Larson has worked in the conservation field for the
and led by Mad River Biologists’ David Fix (author, past ten years, focusing on the relationship between
endangered species consultant and uncannily-skilled bird biological diversity and human communities. Chris
imitator) volunteers identified two species never before graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in
observed at Big River. Conservation Biology in 1999, with a focus on aquatic
ecosystems conservation.
Sharp-eyed volunteers spotted a Dunlin, a small sandpiper
capable of flying 100-miles-per-hour, and a Red-necked The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. at Preston Hall in
Phalarope, the smallest of the phalaropes that migrate to the Mendocino (next to the Presbyterian Church on Main). For
Arctic to breed. more information, please contact Big River Program
Manager Matt Gerhart at (707) 962-0470, or at
While observing rare species is interesting, perhaps the [email protected].
most impressive yield of information from the surveys will be
the ability to track the density of common breeding birds over 5
time. continued on next column
Sudden Oak Death continued from page 4 Quarterly Calendar of Land Trust Events
Please take the following steps to help prevent the spread June 17, 2006. Big River Stewards Invasive Plant Removal Day
of SOD to Big River: at Big River; meet at Big River Haul Road Parking Lot; 9:00 a.m.
• Hikers/Runners: Remove soil and plant material from to 1:00 p.m.
your shoes, followed by a water rinse and a disinfectant, June 22, 2006. Big River Lecture Series featuring Chris Larson;
such as Lysol or a 10% bleach solution. If you are Preston Hall in Mendocino; 7:00 p.m. (see page 5 for more
frequently in and out of contaminated sites consider information).
committing footwear for use in that environment only.
July 15, 2006. Big River Stewards Invasive Plant Removal Day ;
• Dog walkers: Keep your dog clean by staying on meet at Big River Haul Road Parking Lot; 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
established trails and away from contaminated forest
areas. Clean any plant material and mud from your dog’s August 12, 2006. Big River Stewards Invasive Plant Removal
coat and paws with a towel and brush, or rinse off before Day; meet at Haul Road Parking Lot; 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
leaving the site. August 17, 2006. Big River Lecture Series “80 Years at the
• Bicyclists: Remove soil and plant material from your Wonder Plot” featuring Matt Gerhart, Big River Program
bike, shoes, and clothes. Rinse your bike and shoes with Manager; Preston Hall in Mendocino; 7:00 p.m.
water and follow with a disinfectant. August 19, 2006. Fritz Wonder Plot Hike guided by Louise
• Equestrians: Keep yourself and your horse clean by Young; by RSVP to [email protected];
staying on established trails and out of contaminated strenuous hike; bring a lunch and water.
forest areas. Clean any plant material and mud from the
September 16, 2006. California Coastal Cleanup Day from 9:00
horse and its hooves with towels and brushes before
a.m. to Noon. The Mendocino Land Trust coordinates the
leaving the site.
cleaning of 25 beaches from Westport to Gualala. Contact Holly
Additional information about the disease and prevention to volunteer at (707) 962-0470.
techniques can be found at: www.suddenoakdeath.org.
For more information on Land Trust events see our website at
This newsletter is printed on recycled paper with
www.mendocinolandtrust.org or call Holly at (707) 962-0470.
30% post consumer waste content.

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