Save The Bay

This week the EPA announced that it will limit federal oversight of important wetland habitats under the Clean Water Act. This was part of a flurry of actions taken that threaten access to clean air and water, prioritize pollution over public health, and roll back progress on needed environmental protections. During the first Trump Administration, we and our partners sued to block a previous attempt to restrict federal authority over wetlands in the San Francisco Bay - and we won. We will continue to support efforts to protect and restore critical wetland habitat. We're grateful that Senator Ben Allen and California Coastkeeper Alliance introduced SB601 to reinforce the Clean Water Act in California. Given today's announcement, this bill is incredibly important and shows how California can continue to lead when crucial federal laws are eroded. Read more about how SB601 will protect California's waters.

Join us for a morning of pulling invasive plants at our Ravenswood site this Saturday. Removing non-native species is critical to helping the new native plants we planted this winter thrive! See the transformation of an industrial salt pond after the levee breach event in late 2023. This is a crucial moment for establishing healthy salt marsh habitat and we are making a big push to establish as many native plants in the ground and prevent invasive plants taking over. Saturday, March 15, 9 am - 1 pm Ravenswood Unit of Don Edwards NWR, adjacent to Bedwell Bayfront Park Please dress according to the weather, bring a water bottle and a snack. All tools and instruction will be provided – no experience necessary. Pulling invasive plants can involve bending, lifting and walking over uneven terrain. Save The Bay strives to include volunteers of all abilities in our programs, if you have specific access needs please reach out. Sign up: https://lnkd.in/gspBsrAT

In 2022 CA passed a groundbreaking law to reduce single-use plastic packaging because it harms wildlife, pollutes our communities, and contributes to climate-changing emissions. While environmental laws are increasingly under attack, Gavin Newsom must not back down in the face of industry pressure and ensure that #SB54's regulations are fully implemented.

Over the past month, we gathered with supporters at Ravenswood to witness the incredible transformation happening at the All-American Canal, the site of Save The Bay's largest restoration project to date. These walks offered a firsthand look at how a former industrial salt pond is being restored into a thriving wetland that provides habitat for wildlife and helps protect communities from rising seas. The wetlands we explored are more than just landscapes; they are living solutions. They filter water, buffer against flooding, and provide refuge for countless species. As we watched shorebirds wade in the shallows, egrets hunt in the marsh, and even a coyote roam the park, we were reminded of what’s possible when people come together to restore and protect the Bay. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us! Your support is what makes this work possible, helping wetlands continue to thrive for future generations. Photos (except coyote) by Dan Quinn

Join the Richmond Shoreline Alliance for a community Zoom meeting to learn about the Zeneca toxic site in Richmond on Thursday March 6, 6:30–7:30 pm. RSA will present the site's legal history and current standing, and thoughts on the role of the city council. This will be the first meeting that will give the community continued opportunities for engagement on this critical issue. Save The Bay is engaged with the need to remediate contaminated sites and account for flooding threats since this a a huge risk to people and wildlife in the Bay Area Register at bit.ly/RSAmtg250306. Hope to see you there!

It's always fun when our Habitat Restoration Team has the opportunity to learn and hone skills from our peers at Point Blue Conservation Science! Recently, we assisted the STRAW team with a special wetland infrastructure project at the Hamilton Wetlands in Novato. Together, we worked to replace 10 year old rotting boards that make up this weir. A weir is a low-rise barrier across a more narrow body of water like a river, channel, or stream that controls the flow of water. This particular weir is in place to separate a managed pond habitat from a channel that is open to tidal flooding. #themoreyouknow #coolwetlandknowledge

Over the last year and a half, the Habitat Restoration Team has had the opportunity to partner with our friends on the STRAW team at Point Blue Conservation Science, a continuation of our prior work in the Novato Baylands since 2017! More recently, HRT has primarily been in collaboration with STRAW at their Hamilton Wetlands site. Recently, staff went out and participated in planting a hedgerow of native shrubs in order to create a buffer between tidal marsh and a walking path. This hedgerow of California wild rose, Sticky monkey flower, and California sagebrush will improve habitat quality for wildlife, assist with erosion control, and be absolutely beautiful as they begin to flower. #habitatrestoration #SaveTheBay #nativeplants #collaboration #community #partnership

The Bay Area has some of the most scenic highway drives in the country—but some of these roadways are now at risk. Take Highway 37 (SR37), which runs along the Sonoma Baylands in an area that now includes the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Frequent flooding, traffic gridlock, and outdated designs are making commutes harder while cutting off tens of thousands of acres of former tidal marshlands from the Bay. A better solution exists. Instead of widening the highway, as Caltrans proposes, we should elevate SR37 on a causeway. Widening the existing road will still put it at risk of flooding within 15 years; a causeway would keep the highway above rising sea levels while allowing water and wildlife to move naturally beneath it. It’s a long-term investment that supports both people and the environment—protecting commuters from worsening delays and restoring the Bay’s natural flood defenses at the same time. Learn more how we can create a more resilient SR37 and a lasting solution for both commuters and the Bay: https://lnkd.in/g9QCyPiK

For the 25th anniversary of Save The Bay's Volunteer Program, we're spotlighting some of our super volunteers who dedicate their time and energy restoring San Francisco Bay's shoreline. Next up is Mary! Here's why Mary volunteers in her own words: I grew up in San Francisco where I spent a lot of my childhood at Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park. I remember being in awe of seeing a Red-tailed Hawk when I was on an elementary or middle school fieldtrip and seeing my first city coyote when I was a teenager. My exposure to habitat restoration started in 2017 when I became a regular volunteer with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in the Presidio National Park. Since then, I’ve actively looked for more ecological restoration-based activities, including working for CA State Parks, Save The Bay, and the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. Volunteering with Save The Bay is as rewarding as it can be physically demanding. It fills me with a sense of accomplishment to know that I’ve contributed directly to restoration work while also connecting with the community. I am inspired by seeing the returning wildlife, most notably the shorebirds and wading birds, to the restored wetlands. Knowing that I am doing my part, giving back, motivates me to continue coming out. With my regular job monitoring federally listed shorebirds, a big source of inspiration is the annual plover meeting where I can reconnect with people from across the recovery units and see the collective work we have been putting towards the conservation of a species. What excites me about the future of ecological restoration are the continued and compounding positive effects of our efforts. Restoring wetlands benefits the community in combating sea level rise, but wildlife numbers have also greatly increased because they have forage and refuge again. In my professional work, I’m excited about new tools and methods that are used to aid in wildlife conservation and seeing how their applications would take shape when incorporated into plover conservation. ?????? Thank you Mary and all our volunteers who make our work possible! If you'd like to come out on the shoreline with us, visit our calendar: https://lnkd.in/gGmPsT3m #25YearsofVolunteers #GiveBack #SaveTheBay #SFBay #BayArea

A California native bouquet for you, our Valentine! ??????