acterra\'s habitat restoration ppt

ACTERRA’SSTEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

What is Stewardship?

Protecting the earth

Preserving land

Restoring habitat

Parks vs. Pavement, Rooftops, Lawns…

Preserving LandPearson-Arastradero Preserve, Palo Alto

Habitat Restoration

Helping land heal from past uses:Grazing

Logging

AgricultureInvasive speciesRoads, buildings…

How have people used this land?

Early California

How do people use the land?California Today

Problems and Solutions

Too much concrete and asphaltErosion of soilToo few native plantsToo many weeds (invasive plants)PollutionLittle or no wildlife

Use less and remove concrete and asphalt

Plant bare slopes Plant a variety of

natives Weed the invasives Use cars less, don’t use

pesticides… If you solve other

problems, wildlife will come

Impacts Solutions

WHY?

Ethical: For your grandkids! What would the world be like if there were no trees?

Ecological: For plants, bugs, bunnies and birds! For bobcats, coyotes and snakes!

Economic: For you and me—what does nature give us?

Nature gives us…

Biodiversity

Different plants as habitat and food

Different animals to eat the plants and each other

If one species disappears, another can serve its purpose

Definition: The number of different types of living things in a community

Healthy communities have lots of diversity

Who Depends on Whom?

Habitats and CommunitiesWhat is a habitat?

An animal’s home

What is a community?

Like human community, it is all the characters (in this case, plants and animals) that live in one area

Example: a chaparral community

How is a community different from an ecosystem?

Miniature LupineMiniature Lupine

California Poppy-CA State flowerCalifornia Poppy-CA State flower

Grassland

Purple Needle Grass - CA State GrassPurple Needle Grass - CA State GrassWet Meadow RyeWet Meadow Rye

Bush MallowBush Mallow

Western Tiger SwallowtailWestern Tiger Swallowtail

Black-shouldered KiteBlack-shouldered Kite

WHO ELSE??

Coast Live OakCoast Live Oak

Valley OakValley Oak

Did you know that over 100

species use one oak

tree?

Oak Woodlands

Western BluebirdWestern Bluebird

Acorn WoodpeckerAcorn WoodpeckerDeer MouseDeer Mouse

Other Communities

Invasive Plants Destroy Diversity

Italian ryeItalian rye

Ripgut BromeRipgut Brome

Wild oatWild oat

• No native herbivore evolved to No native herbivore evolved to eat themeat them

• Out-compete native plantsOut-compete native plants

• Take up space, soil and waterTake up space, soil and water

• Most not used by wildlifeMost not used by wildlife

Invasive Plants: Non-native Grasses

Invasive Plants--thistles

Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) Poisonous to people and animals

Blue Wild RyeBlue Wild Rye

Purple Needle Grass - CA State GrassPurple Needle Grass - CA State Grass

Wet Meadow RyeWet Meadow Rye

Native Bunch Grasses

Forage for mammalsForage for mammalsSeed for rodents and Seed for rodents and birds.birds.Perennial--stay green Perennial--stay green longer and reduce fire longer and reduce fire risk.risk.Space between them Space between them allow flowers and tree allow flowers and tree seeds to germinateseeds to germinateProvide cover for Provide cover for other saplings and other saplings and seedlings.seedlings.

Pearson-Arastradero Restoration Projects: Pearson-Arastradero Restoration Projects: Bressler-Arastradero Riparian Corridor ProjectBressler-Arastradero Riparian Corridor Project

Acterra’s Restoration Efforts

Hundreds of volunteers work Hundreds of volunteers work thousands of hours each year thousands of hours each year by:by:Removing invasive plantsRemoving invasive plantsPlanting and caring for native Planting and caring for native

plantsplantsSpreading mulchSpreading mulch

See you at the Preserve!

Contact usActerra: Action for a Sustainable EarthActerra: Action for a Sustainable Earth

3921 East Bayshore Road3921 East Bayshore RoadPalo Alto, CA 94303Palo Alto, CA 94303

Sheri LubinSheri Lubin650.962.9876 ext.347650.962.9876 ext.347SheriL@acterra.orgSheriL@acterra.org

Miriam Sachs MartMiriam Sachs Martíínn650-962-9876 ext. 315650-962-9876 ext. 315arastradero@acterra.orgarastradero@acterra.org

Claire ElliottClaire Elliott650.962.9876 ext.311650.962.9876 ext.311ClaireE@acterra.org ClaireE@acterra.org

www.arastradero.orgwww.arastradero.orgwww.acterra.orgwww.acterra.org