SPAWN Secures Funding to Complete Habitat Restoration on San Geronimo Golf Course

Issue No. 1, 2015

THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT ofFish and Wildlife’s Fisheries Restora -tion Grant Program recently awarded

SPAWN two critical grants to save cohosalmon from the brink of extinction.Wethank the agency for making the restora-tion of Marin’s Lagunitas Creek Watersheda priority. The grants to SPAWN areincluded in a total of $665,237 for threeprojects all located in the watershed.

To accomplish the work funded throughthese grants, SPAWN will also rely oncommunity partnerships and dedicatedvolunteer support. The grants support flood -plain and instream habitat restoration on SanGeronimo Creek that runs through the SanGeronimo Golf Course, which we thankfor being a committed and active partner indeveloping the project. SPAWN will designa plan to restore this section of the water-

shed, and provide a welcome refuge forsalmon so they can migrate with ease, sur-vive floods, and have cold water to stayhealthy during hot weather. This project ispart of a larger golf course restoration designthat is currently underway. When bothprojects are completed the entire stretch ofSan Geronimo Creek on the golf coursewill be restored, improving crucial salmonhabitat and the Course’s sustainability.

“We believe this is a wonderful opportunityfor San Geronimo Golf Course to do oursmall part to help protect the endangeredsalmon,” said Jennifer Kim, ExecutiveDirector of the Course.

The second grant to SPAWN will restoreredwood forest and enhance riparian habi-tat at the former Redi-mix Concrete Plantalong Lagunitas Creek. SPAWN will removean unused parking lot and re-create 12,000square feet of riparian habitat. Additionally,SPAWN will be planting 1,000 trees andremoving invasive plants throughout aone-mile stretch downstream of the plantto help restore conifer forest to the area.These projects rely on community supportand are a wonderful way to help the water-shed and the salmon! Email Preston Brownat preston@spawnusa.org to be added toour monthly volunteer list and getinvolved.

MARIN COUNTY’S cohosalmon are going extinct,with the latest count of

juveniles (smolts) heading to sea atcatastrophically low numbers. In aseries of talks, Dr. Doug Karpa,Turtle Island Restoration Network’slegal program director, addressed thecurrent state of our coho. Althoughthe current population has averaged500 adults for the last two decades,a small decline puts the populationin great danger. To thrive, salmonneed clean streambeds for spawning,clear, cold water to hatch and maturein, and large woody structures toprovide shelter from large winterstorms. Today the biggest threatgoing forward is excessive develop-ment along streams. Now it’s time toput in place common-sense, science-based rules governing development.Marin coho salmon need you! Tojoin our movement to raise publicawareness and support, email DougKarpa at dkarpa@spawnusa.org.

State of Coho Talks

A Creek runs Through usNewsletter of the Salmon Protection And Watershed Network of Turtle Island Restoration Network SpawnUSA.org

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SPAWN’S EFFORTS to alert thepublic and demand science-based,common-sense regulations to

protect the critically endangered cohosalmon’s stream habitat has ignited afirestorm of action from Marin’s youth—giving us all hope in a healthy futurefor the environment and revitalizing theenvironmental movement of Marin!

High schoolers from throughout MarinCounty have initiated the #SaveMarinsCoho social media campaign, whichincludes a photo petition where peopleshare photos of themselves holding a signvoicing their concerns about the coho(facebook.com/salmonprotection). The

goal is to have 5,000 photos by the endof summer from Marin residents andconcerned citizens who want to pre-vent the extinction of the last run ofwild coho salmon in the Bay Area. Anonline sign-on petition is also gather-ing steam—add your signature here:seaturtles.org/saveourcoho.

Many of these high schoolers (juniorsand seniors) will be voters in the nextMarin Supervisors election, and eventhose that don’t are beginning theirorganizing at home—educating andmotivating their parents to supportefforts to create a healthy future forthem and their younger siblings.

The future is what is at stake. Will anysalmon still be around to spawn in ourcreeks and inspire future generations? Iam sad to report the answer is “no,”unless current or newly electedSupervisors rein in development thatcontinues to destroy the alreadydegraded habitat of Marin’s cohosalmon—now being regularly approvedin the state’s best remaining stream forthis beleaguered species.

For nearly three decades the Marinconservation community has politelyasked Supervisors to take action on thisissue—without adequate results. It isclear from the last year’s StreamConservation Area battles with MarinSupervisors that many conservationistsof my generation have accepted thatthe “best we can get” are lousy rules,not based on science, that in my opinionwould be a death sentence for Marin’scoho.

Now, my hopes are soaring as Marin’syouth are off the sidelines, stepping upand demanding a brighter future.

TODD STEINER

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

2 SpawnUSA.org

SPAWN currently has openingsavailable to host school and com-munity groups for customized

watershed experiences from habitatrestoration to creek walks to working inour native plant nursery. SPAWN candevelop programming to fit yourgroup’s needs and abilities. Currently,transportation grants are available toenable low-income youth to participate.

Please contact us for details. Everyone iswelcome.

We also have corporate group offeringsfor volunteering with Turtle IslandRestoration Network that can includevolunteer activities and team building.Spend a day in the luscious Lagunitaswatershed with hands-on restorationprojects to help protect our wild coho

habitat. Your company will have thechance to make a difference locally. Askus about opportunities to print customVolunteer Day t-shirts with your com-pany logo or arrange a deli cateredlunch. Contact Education SpecialistCatie Clune at catie@spawnusa.org tolearn more and get involved.

Marin Youth Demand Protection of Coho Salmon

Education, Community & Corporate Days

When Drake High School student Ryan Horn isn’t in the creek helpingSPAWN monitor salmon, he is organizing his fellow students to demandaction. “I am not going to sit by and let this vital species go extinct. I wantto make sure that the supervisors hear our message loud and clear. Savethese fish for the important role they play in our ecosystem. Save these fishbecause they are as much a part of California as we are. But most impor-tantly save these fish for future generations to enjoy.”

Ellie Evans of at Tamalpais High School eloquently expressed her viewsat SPAWN’s community meeting in Corte Madera, stating, “As a youthmember of the community, I’m speaking on behalf of the future genera-tions to come. The generations where, if we don’t act now, salmon won’t bea part of our future. We youth can’t solely depend upon our parents to solvethis issue… Coming together and showing political representatives howmuch we care is what’s needed, because frankly the government won’t doanything unless they believe people care.” You can view her entire speechhere http://bit.ly/ellieevans

AN EARLY APRIL RAINSTORM

washed native wildlife down-stream into SPAWN’s smolt

traps. SPAWN biologists, interns andvolunteers counted coho salmon, steel-head trout and Pacific lampreys in thesmolt trap located on the SanGeronimo Creek.

The oft-present but rarely seen Pacificlamprey is a primitive, slender eel-likecreature that spends part of its lifespawning in the freshwater SanGeronimo Creek. In freshwater, it isbrown in color, but when it is in theocean, blue to black in color.

“Seeing a large number of lampreys inour own backyard creeks is exciting,”said Dr. Alex Hearn, Turtle Island’sConservation Science Director. SPAWNIntern Michael Rhodes agreed saying,“I’ve never seen this many lampreysbefore.”

In the three days following the down-pour, 416 juvenile lampreys, 11 cohosmolts, 141 steelhead smolts, and twoadult steelhead (an unusual find) werecaptured, counted and re-released

unharmed as of mid-April. This year,SPAWN has seen a significant increasein the number of steelhead smolts butfewer coho smolts were seen than lastyear.

Despite the legions of lampreys count-ed and a marked increase in steelhead,SPAWN biologists remain concernedthat fewer of our native, endangeredcoho salmon smolts have been seen.

Todd Steiner, executive director ofSPAWN, believes this change is a causefor alarm. “Coho smolt numbers areabysmal, and yet we are still seeingplenty of steelhead trout. This is whatyou see when the stream system isbreaking down,” he said. “Steelheadtrout can survive in more polluted andsimplified streams than coho salmon,which are more sensitive to humanaltered creeks.”

Please take action by making a call forcoho and telling your Marin CountyBoard of Supervisors that you wouldlike to see a science-based streamsideordinance put in place to protect whatfew coho salmon remain. VisitSeaTurtles.org/savewildcoho.

Legions of Lamprey Stark Contrastto Seldom Seen Salmon

Shop at the TurtleIsland Store

Leave a Legacy for Coho Salmon

THROUGH A BEQUEST to theSalmon Protection andWatershed Network in your

will and other estate plans, you canleave a legacy for coho salmon. Visitseaturtles.org/bequest for detailsand recommended language, or call usat 1-800-859-SAVE x105 for infor-mation on including a bequest toSPAWN in your will, adding a simplecodicil to your existing will, and otherways to give through your estate. Allinformation discussed is confidential.Thank you for considering thisimportant way to give.

3SpawnUSA.org

SPAWN HAT100% organiccotton—navy blue $21

RAINGARDENSIGN“This GardenHarvestsRainwater” $18

PEWTERSALMONLAPEL PIN$11

SPAWN T-SHIRTBlack Men’s & Women’sS, M, L, XL $28

All prices include shipping.Order online on our secure server atSeaTurtles.org/Shop or send a check toSPAWN, P.O. Box 370Forest Knolls, CA 94933.

Under state and federal Endangered Species Permits, SPAWN monitors all fish migratingdownstream out of the San Geronimo Creek during the spring–summer out-migrationseason, checking traps seven days a week for approximately three months with the help ofdedicated interns. Below is a report of this season’s findings collected thus far.

Part of one day’s catch of lampreys following last week’s rainstorm.

SPAWN Biologist Dr. Alex Hearn,SPAWN Intern Michael Rhodes & visitorsat San Geronimo Creek outmigrant trap.

Turtle Island Restoration NetworkSalmon Protection and Watershed NetworkP.O. Box 370Forest Knolls, CA 94933

A Creek runs Through us

TURTLE ISLAND RESTORATION NETWORK’SSALMON PROTECTION AND WATERSHED

NETWORK (SPAWN) program works to protect endangered coho salmonand steelhead trout, and the environment on which we all depend. The pro-tection of these keystone species leads to the protection of all the wildlife ofour community, and indeed the protection of our land and us.

SPAWN uses a multi-faceted approach, including grassroots action, habitatrestoration, policy development, environment education, and collaborationwith other organizations, media campaigns, and strategic legal action.

Visit SpawnUSA.Org to learn more.

Issue No. 1, 2015 Newsletter of the Salmon Protection and

Watershed NetworkA project of Turtle Island Restoration Network

Masthead photo: Susan Farrar

Design: Hummingbird Design Studio

Contact Us:

P.O. Box 370, Forest Knolls, CA 94933phone 415-663-8590 or 800-859-7283

fax 415-663-9534e-mail info@spawnUSA.orgwebsite www.spawnUSA.org

Join Today!Become a member of SPAWN with a donationof any size and help us protect and restore thewild, endangered coho salmon in West Marin.SPAWN’s successful conservation efforts areall made possible with the generous support ofour members and more than 700 volunteerseach year. Your membership includes a FREEnaturalist-led Creekwalk for four people.Please visit SeaTurtles.org/salmon, use theenclosed envelope, or call us toll-free at 800-859-SAVE x101 and join today!

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Make a Call for Coho!

AbouT spAwn

You can help save Marin’s endangered coho salmon by taking two simple actions:

1. Call (415) 473-7331 and ask the supervisor representing your district to putin place a commonsense, science-based streamside ordinance to protect salmon.

2. Join our social media campaign to #SaveMarinsCoho! Download andprint out the sentence starter kit here: SeaTurtles.org/cohophoto.Then, takea photo with the sign and upload it to Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag#SaveMarinsCoho to be part of the coho conservation movement.