spring 2009 horizons, muir heritage land trust newsletter

8/3/2019 Spring 2009 Horizons, Muir Heritage Land Trust Newsletter

1/8

S p r i n g / S u m m e r 2

M u i r He r i t a g e La n d t r u s t

Message from thExecutie Direct

Dear Land Trust Supporters,

The Muir Heritage Land Tru20th anniversary invites us toboth reflect upon our pastsuccesses and to train our sigon the ways in which we wilcontinue to accomplish ourmission. The Martinez RegioLand Trust began as a gatheriof concerned citizens dedicatthe preservation of the AlhamValley. Today the Muir HeritaLand Trust is a vital, developiorganization dedicated to thpreservation of natural areathroughout Contra Costa CoA living, growing organizatiois not inexpensive, however. Tprice is always a commitmeof people to share their timand financial resources. As wbuild on the past, and redoubour efforts for the future, we reminded that the Muir HeriLand Trust is and always will powered by you, the thousanof land trust contributorswhose passionate, enduringsupport ensures that the beaudiversity and fullness of ContCostas very special wild landwill continue to enrich and

sustain all generations of life.

Linus EukelExecutive Director

By Sherida Bush

As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary,we recognize the Muir HeritageLand Trust exists because people have longdedicated themselves to its continuanceand vitality. Countless individuals devotedlong hours of work, punctuated withmoments of elation. The beginnings andgrowththe lifeof the Muir HeritageLand Trust are imbedded in their

experiences and remembrances.Memories are carried in the heartas well as the mind. The impressionsthey leave, the meaning they carry, areas important as the cold facts. Yet thisaccount can encompass neither theaccomplishments nor the memories ofall who contributed. This tale insteadoffers highlights culled from witnessesof the time, and unfolds through washesof memory.

As we honor the past and thosewho were here in the beginning, we

understand that each new experiencebuilds history, and that our futuredepends on the dedication of thepeople who continue the work today.

Trust formed to protectMartinez open space

The Tribune, September 1, 1989

The idea of forming a land trust wasa gleam in the eye of Tina Batt (then

Wilson), along with Hal Olson andMary Ann Gaebe in 1987. The threemembers of the Alhambra Valley SpecificPlan Committee started a dialog ondevelopment rights for the proposed235-acre Stonehurst subdivision in thearea. Fellow committee member anddeveloper Jim Busby of Security OwnersCorporation already had approval fromContra Costa County to develop homeson five acre lots. Instead, he thought it

made more sense to cluster the homeson 1 acre lots and leave 150 acres asopen space. His plan was to dedicate the

development rights to the open land tothe county.The county had just extinguished a

scenic easement for an Alhambra Valleyproperty to accommodate a landownersrequest to build on the ridgeline. Thatdidnt sit well with Tina, Hal andMary Ann. They agreed the Stonehurstdevelopment rights might be more securein the hands of an organization dedicatedto preserving land. The problem was, nosuch group existed in the area.

Tina enlisted the help of the Trust

for Public Land (TPL), which organizedworkshops on setting up a land trust.It was there the fledgling group metfuture Board Member Nancy Schaefer,who worked for TPL and lent invaluableexpertise. Nancy, who for most of herlife has worked to save open space,was interested in working in my ownbackyard, she said. (Nancy is stilla member of our Land AcquisitionCommittee.) Then future first Treasurer,

Heart and Mind continues on page 2

Heartand mind


2/8 Mu i r H er i t age Land trust Horizons2

Heart and Mind continued from page 1

Mu i r Her i tage

Land trust

P.O. Box 2452

Martinez, CA 94553

925-228-5460 925-372-5460fax

[email protected]

www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

staff

Linus Eukel

Executive Director

Suzanne Jones

Land Specialist

Beth Pardieck

Stewardship Manager

Ellen Visser

Outreach Coordinator

Johna Winters

Administrative Manager

Board

of directors

Donn Walklet

Chair

Ann Cormack

Vice Chair

Paul Craig

Secretary

Louis E. Stoddard

Treasurer

Bob Aston

Steve Hutchcraft

Peter Colby

Ken FischerDenis Huston

Beth Mallonee

Mark Wilson

editor

Linus Eukel

newsLetter

contriButors

Sherida Bush

Linus Eukel

Suzanne Jones

Beth Pardieck

Ellen Visser

Johna Winters

20th Anniversary logo: Tom Taneyhill

Tim Platt, joined the group. Timremembers early meetings spent gatheredaround the dining table at the homeof future Board Member Jeanne Will.(Jeannes death on Christmas of 1997was an early loss to our team.)

The handful of volunteers discussed

how the group should be organized,and worked on the maze of paperworkrequiredarticles of incorporation,by-laws, an application for nonprofit status.Looking to get other people involved, thenascent group announced its first annualmeeting, which drew about 40 people.

In July of 1989, an organization was

officially born: the Martinez Regional Land

Trust. Tina, Hal, Nancy and Tim were the

four founding Board Members on the legal

by-laws. When office space was needed,

Jack and Asilee Telfer donated space in their

building. (Jack, who was a Board Member

for eight years, died in 2007.)

New, inexperienced, and with few

assets, the groups band of volunteers

plotted the future. A 14-member Board

of Directors was established, with Hal

as the first Board Chair. Hal sees hisbiggest contribution as persuading Hulet

Hornbeck to become a Board Member.

Hulets background in land acquisition for

the East Bay Regional Park District was

vital to the Land Trusts negotiations for

our land acquisitions, he said. An AdvisoryBoard was also formed, which had the duty

of recommending new board members.

Others joined the Steering, Fundraising

and other committees. Publicity on the

organizations founding began to attract

membersabout 100 of them.Tim also remembers meetings in

the office of Jim Cutler, then Chief ofComprehensive Planning for Contra CostaCounty (and Land Trust Honorary BoardMember). Jim displayed a dazzling mapwith transparent overlays in multiple colorswe were salivating over, Tim said. Goodmaps were hard to come by then. TheLand Trust later adopted it as a base mapfor planning.

The subdivision that started it allbecame the organizations first completedproject. In March of 1991, SecurityOwners Corporation dedicated thedevelopment rights to 150 acres of openspace in the Stonehurst subdivision to thenew Land Trust.

But the Board had already taken onsomething they werent sure they wereready for

186-acre purchase putsgroup on the map

Contra Costa Times,March 31, 1991

Still new, inexperienced and with fewassets, the Land Trust took on whatseemed a massive undertaking in Februaryof 1991. Local rancher Gordon Strain wasnegotiating with the National Park Servicefor the sale of 186 acres of his ranch as anaddition to John Muir National HistoricSite. The land had once been part ofMuirs fruit ranchMuir had namedits highest hill after his oldest daughter,Wanda.

Negotiations were at a stalemate, andanother $75,000 was needed to accomplish

the acquisition. Many feared the funding

Congressman George Miller had earmarked

for the project would be taken to support

the then-waging Gulf War. The Land

Trust took a position in support of Gordon,

the property owner, said Tina. With

trepidation, the Land Trust made a pledge

for the remaining $75,000 and the deal was

closed. Jack Telfer gave the Land Trust an

18-month interest-free loan.

The decision came with some anguish.

Board Member Everett Turners angst wasquoted in the Times article: Turner saysthe decision to make the pledgewasfrightening. We were all a little queasy.

Tina knew what had to be done:

learning the ropes of fundraising. Tinawrote to major foundations and businessesasking for contributions, although todayshe admits I didnt know what I wasdoing, but I did it..

In February of 1992, the groups firstauction fun-raiser brought in $10,000.

Individual donations started pouring inwhen Contra Costa Times Columnist GaryBogue ran a donation campaign in hiscolumn, raising thousands of dollars. Aseries of articles in the Martinez Gazette

brought in more than $3,000. The San

Francisco Foundation, an early supporter,

contributed $25,000. But a year later, the

group had raised less than half of the money.

The last six months were tense, butsupport continued. One reader alone


3/8 Mu i r H er i t age Land trust Horizons 3

mu i r H er i t a g

La n d t r u St

Board memBer H iS

1989 - 2008

1989 Founding Board Mem

(as listed in legal by-laws)

Tina Batt

Hal OlsonTim Platt

Nancy Schaefer

Former Board Membe

(chronological)

Tina Batt

Mary Ann Gaebe

Nancy Schaefer

Tim Platt

Hal Olson

Jack Telfer

Hulet HornbeckHarriett Burt

Jeanne Will

Kathy Radke

John Wilson

Dale Sanders

Frank Pereira

Everett Turner

Doug Burgess

Kay Cox

Peter Langley

Subir Sanyal

Sharon Hicks

Kevin Sha

Bob Chap

Roger Do

Yvonne C

Cathy Iver

Fran Frase

Bill WeineCece Sellg

George Sw

Kathryn P

Don Mann

Dick Awen

Marj Ross

Joe Byrne

Ellen Visse

Sheila Gri

Steve Pard

June Roge

Former Advisory Boar

(alphabetical)

Seth Adams

Carol Baier

Alice Bonner

Sherida Bush

Earl Dunivan

Glen Lewis

Linda Moon-Stumpf

Honorary Board

Jim Cutler

ForMerstaFF

Tina Batt

Marilyn Rigdon

Mary Alice Stadum

Elizabeth N

Petal Turne

Bill Weine

Scott Willi

Jeff Wilson

Sean Wood

Barbara Wo

Heart and Mind continues on page 4

of Gary Bogues column gave $12,000.Tinas fundraising efforts garnered majorcontributions from many foundationsand businesses.

Land Trust Makes Goodon $75,000 Pledge

Martinez News-Gazette, August 4, 1992

Because the Land Trust is the story ofpeople, life and death are a part of the pasttwo decades.

After 18 months of anxiety, theLand Trust Board was able pay off the$75,000 loan as promised. In July of 1992,

a dedication was held to celebrate the

completion of the Mt. Wanda addition to

the John Muir National Historic Site.

Gordon spoke to the assembled crowd:

I think we have really set something aside

for the community that will last a long time.

Those may have been his last words.Minutes later, Gordon collapsed and diedof a heart attack. Just as his years-longeffort to forever protect his land was beingcelebrated, his fragile life was over. Thesadness of that time lingers, but is temperedby the accuracy of his words.

Passion and Perseerance

Tina Batt spent years working as theExecutive Director for the Land Trustwithout pay. In the beginning she had noexperience, said Mary Ann Gaebe, butshe had a passion, and went after it. Andshe had perseverance. In 1992, Tina hadto leave her non-paying job for a payingone, so she went to work at the LindsayMuseum for two years. Everett Turnerstepped in as Executive Director duringthat time (Everett, who served on theBoard for ten years, passed away last year).

After two years, the Land Trust wasable to bring Tina back on a contract basis.She had spent two years working with theLindsays development directors, so whenshe returned I knew how to fundraise,she said. That was key, as much was aboutto happen.

Land Trust Sets Sightson Sky Ranch

Martinez News-Gazette,January 16, 1997

Who knows what the Philippines-basedcorporate owners thought of a small

nonprofit taking on a Goliath of a project.

But they accepted the Land Trusts offer ofa sale agreement for a 242-acre parcel of

land in the Franklin Ridge. Again, wehad 18 months to raise the $685,000purchase price.

The Sky Ranch acquisition projectbudget included administrative funding, soat last we had the funds to hire Tina as astaff Executive Director.

Tinas fundraising efforts brought ina lot of money, but after 18 months, wewere a disappointing $190,000 short of thegoal. At the time, Tina told reporters, We

just couldnt let this property go. So, theLand Trust took out a loan and bought theproperty. It took three years, but by early2000 we paid off the loan.

For the first few years of theLand Trust, everything was a long, hardstruggle, said Mary Ann (still a memberof the Outreach and Land Acquisitioncommittees). Part of thestruggle wasgetting people to believe in us and thatwe could do something.

Sky Ranch showed that we were the

little land trust that could.

Martinez Regional LandTrust Outgrows Its Name

Land Trust newsletter, Fall 1999

The roller coaster ride was getter faster;the Land Trust was entering what Tinatoday calls a big period of growth. Wemoved to a model of putting together amenu of projects and programs.

The expansion of our work meant we

had outgrown our name. We became the

Muir Heritage Land Trusta name, said

Tina, intended to associate our mission to

preserve land with both the heritage of land

conservation in our nation and John Muir,

the founder of our National Park system.During the years between 2000 and

2003, we initiated 15 land preservationprojects (Land Trust newsletter, Fall 2003).

v

v

v

v



Heart and Mind continued from page 3

Sky Ranch is a Wrap:Now What?

Land Trust newsletter, Spring 2000

After Sky Ranch, the Land Trust indeedforged ahead with a menu ofprojects and

affiliations. Among them are:Gustin Ranch. In 2000, the Land

Trust was able to purchase the Gustinproperty, thanks to a contribution and loanfrom the Coastal Conservancy. In Januaryof 2003, we paid off the loanon the eveof our 15th Anniversary. Purchase of the80-acre property, situated near Sky Ranch,protected the historic Feeder Trail #1 frombeing turned into a paved access road fora subdivision.

Pacheco Marsh. The Land Trustpurchased the 247-acre Pacheco Marsh(formerly the Praxis property) in 2001adecade after our first acquisition attempt.Contra Costa County holds title and plansto restore saltwater tidal flow to the land.

Contra Costa Goldfields Preserve.To protect a rare and endangered plant,

the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

awarded the Land Trust a 30-acre conserva-

tion easement and $200,000 in 2002.

Dutra Ranch. In 2003, the Dutrafamily approached the Land Trust, hopingwe would buy a 159-acre property that

had been in their family since 1917.The open space lay between Sky Ranchand the new Gustin acquisition. Whenwe purchased Dutra Ranch in 2004, weprotected 660 acres of contiguous openspace and important habitat.

Access Adventure. The DutraRanch dedication (October, 2004) begana partnership with Michael Muir, JohnMuirs great grandson. The event wasthe first time he brought his horse-drawncarriage that allows physically challengedindividuals to visit our wild places. Hecredits that day as being the beginningof Access Adventure, his nonprofitorganization that allows people with alllevels of physical abilities to enjoy theoutdoors.

Schumann-Perry Property. In 2003,the Land Trust contributed $80,000 offederal Coastal Impact funds toward theEast Bay Regional Park Districts purchaseof the 70-acre Schumann-Perry propertyin the Franklin Hills.

Bodfish Preserve. Local residentsapproached the Land Trust in an 11th-hour pitch to save the seven-acre BodfishPreserve in Orinda from being subdividedin 2003. With just hours to spare, the LandTrust took ownership to protect it as apublic open space and wildlife sanctuary.

Environmental Studies Academy.

The Land Trust secured a grant and begana restoration of a section of AlhambraCreek with the participation of at-riskyouth from Briones Independent StudiesHigh School and the Vincente ContinuingEducation High School. When teacherRona Zollinger took over the program in2003, the Environmental Studies Academy(ESA) became a full-time school witha curr iculum based on environmentallessons. The students work on restorationprojects on our properties. The studentshave greatly improved the habitat at Sky

Ranch, said Stewardship Manager BethPardieck. The Land Trust considers ourrole in the ESA one of our greatestsuccesses, she said.

Fernandez Ranch. The historicproperty of Bernardo and CarlottaFernandez had stayed in the familyfor nearly 150 years. The Fernandezdescendants approached the Land Trust topreserve the 702 acres that remained of theoriginal ranch. We were able to raise $3.2million to complete the purchase in 2005.

The stunningly beautiful land isrich habitat. An exciting new sighting iswildlife biologist Jerry Roes discoveryof a breeding pair of red-legged frogs(federally listed as threatened) on theproperty.

Restoration plans that will allowpublic access are complete. We have nowbegun the actual work so we can all spendsun-and-fog kissed days there.

the Land Trust has

always been like mythird child

Tina Batt, Land Trust newsletter,Spring 2006

Tina was a founder and driving forcebehind the Land Trust. She had much tolearn in the beginning, along with therest of the Board. Yet she accomplished agreat deal during her 17 years with theorganization.

Beth Mallonee, aMidwest native, spent several

years as an inormation

technology proessional in

the construction, banking,

chemical, and sotware

industries. With a ocus

on leadership o quality

assurance and technical

support sta, she has providedguidance on engineering

sotware and engineering

data confguration

management practices. Beth

and her husband, Mike, have

embarked on numerous

domestic and international

business transers, including

assignments in Australia,

Canada and Iceland. She frstjoined the Muir Heritage

Land Trust as a volunteer or

the Education & Outreach

Committee, concentrating

most o her eorts on the

annual Fresh Aire Aaire. An

interest in drought tolerant

plant species also led her to

volunteer work or The Ruth

Bancrot Garden. She andMike are on a local Bocce

league and live near Briones

Regional Park in Martinez.



In 2006, Tina left to attend theKennedy School of Government atHarvard University to earn a Mid-CareerMasters of Public Administration. Tina saidher third child, at age seventeen, willthrive without my constant attention andmothering.

Tina strongly recommended that Linus

Eukel, who had joined the staff in 2003,take over as Acting Executive Director,which he did.

When Tina decided not to return toher former post, she stongly endorsed thedecision of the Board of Directors to hireLinus as the permanent Executive Directorin January of 2007. Its been a verysuccessful transition, said Tina. As we werelucky to have Tina in the formative years,we are equally lucky in her successor.

At LastFranklinCanyon

Horizons newsletter,Autumn 2008

Franklin Canyon is adjacent to ourFernandez Ranch, and foryears theLand Trust was aware of the controversysurrounding the property. Major

development plans were approved,beginning in 1990, but the voters ofHercules twice rejected them. The LandTrust followed their leadership.

After extensive negotiations with theowner, Linus was at last able to announcea purchase agreement for a long-disputed423 acres of Franklin Canyon. We are nowin the process of raising the $2.5 millionwe need to complete the purchase. Oncewe do, we will have protected 1,125 acresof contiguous open space, safeguarding afertile watershed and essential habitat.

Imagining a Wild Future

Franklin Canyon is just part of our five-year, $8.5 million Keep It Wildcampaign.The task of raising this amount is a bigchallenge for a small nonprofit. Thecampaign begins with the same anxietythe Land Trust board experienced in 1991,with that $75,000 pledge to help secure apart of John Muirs former ranchland forthe public.

We set this goal because we knowthat protecting our wild legacy is the keyto protecting our future. Twenty years ofgrowth, success and experience says wecan do it.

What is now proed

was once imagined.

William Blake

The room is plain, not elegant. The ratheraustere meeting hall of the McMahon-Telfer Building seems an unlikelyincubator for preserving open space.

The first Land Trust Board metthere. The room has seen the first publicmeeting, along with decades of Land Trustcelebrations. The bare brick walls havewitnessed many ideas and struggles, allwith the goal of preserving our wonderfulwild places. Each mind may have adifferent reason for doing this work, butthe heart knows one.

In a Land Trust publication some yearsago, I wrote: More than escape, findingsolace in the natural world slows timeand distills life. William Blake may havecaptured it best:

To see a world in a grain of sand,/And heaven in a wild flower,/Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,/

And eternity in an hour.

When walking the earth lifts ourspirits, when a leaf echoes eternity, whenwe can be a link to the past andthe future,we must certainly preserve the places thatin turn restore us.

As we remember the past, we imaginethe next 20 years. Together, let us creatememories for our 40th anniversary.

Read the whole story at

www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

Sherida Bush is a writer who began her involvementwith the Land Trust at the first Annual Meeting 20years ago. She was a member of the first Advisory Board,but her most significant contribution over the years hasbeen writing, editing and managing (and in earlierdays designing and illustrating) print materials for theorganization. She says walking the lands she helped

protect, and the many wonderful relationships she hasfound through the Land Trust, are her greatest rewards.

Steve Hutchcraftgreup exploring the hills that

the Muir Heritage Land Tr

is working to protect. His

love o nature led him to

second career as a nature

photographer. His work h

received several honors,

including winning the No

American Nature PhotogrAssociations inaugural

Showcase competition. H

is currently working on hi

frst book in an eort to

share his love o birds and

photography with children

Prior to photography, Stev

had a successul career in

manuacturing, primarily

in the heating and air-conditioning industry. His

last role was as President

and Chie Executive Ofce

o Amana Heating and

Air-conditioning based in

Fayetteville, Tennessee.

Steve holds a M.B.A. rom

Harvard University and a

in Mechanical Engineerin

rom Stanord. He currentlives in Alamo with his wi

June and their two year

old daughter Heather.



WILDLIFE MONITORING PROJECTBy Beth Pardieck

MHLT has recently undertaken a project to

learn more about the diverse range of wildlife

species that live on Fernandez Ranch. Through

the use of heat/motion triggered digital

cameras, three of which were purchased with

a generous grant from the Contra Costa

County Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund,

the Land Trust is now able to monitor and

collect data about critters in their natural

habitats without disturbing or affecting their

natural behavior. Commonly referred to as

camera traps, these research tools also help MHLT promote important environmental

education opportunities amongst local high school students.

Camera trapping is a non-invasive method of monitoring wildlife and is increasingly

used as a conservation tool to learn about animal behavior and to document elusive

animals. The cameras are placed in strategic locations, near creeks or along game trails,where there is a high probability of capturing a good image. When an animal walks by, an

infrared sensor triggers a digital photograph. Photos are

then stored on the camera and the project team visits

the sites regularly to download the data.

MHLT has teamed-up with wildlife biologist and

camera trapping authority Jerry Roe of Nomad Ecology

who is donating his time, expertise and leadership. Jerry

has also very generously donated an additional four

camera traps to the project bringing the total number

of monitoring stations continuously gathering data on

Fernandez Ranch to seven! Another key part of theteam is the Environmental Studies Academy. With Jerrys

guidance, ESA students learn setup, maintenance, and

trap station monitoring techniques. They, also learn more

about animal species identification, field data collection

and how the application of such methods help biologists

study wildlife populations and conserve common and

endangered species as well as the ecosystems they inhabit.

Over the past 5 months, 17 species have been

photo-documented on Fernandez Ranch including

coyote, gray fox, raccoon, striped skunk, black-tailed

deer, Virginia opossum, San Francisco dusky footed

woodrat, California mouse, fox squirrel, California

towhee, spotted towhee, Stellers jay, western scrub

jay, hermit thrush, varied thrush, wild turkeys, and

two domestic cats. Although the project has been an

enormous success, a few species still elude our efforts:

American badger, bobcat and mountain lion. As

research continues and more images are captured

everyday, the Muir Heritage Land Trust hopes

to document these three species and many more

through the use of this exciting new technology.

The Wildlife Project team:Jerry Roe and five ESA student

Coyote photographed by camera tr

ESA students installingcamera trap on a bay tree

AutumnCelebrationA large crowd o Land Trustsupporters attended MHLTsannual Autumn Celebration onNovember 13th, 2008. Guestsenjoyed seasonal are and a localwine tasting sponsored by WineOh! Magazine, Hannah Nicole,

Bloomield, and Viano Vineyards.Stephen Joseph and

Bonnie Gisel presented annspirational reading andstunning visual presentationo their new book, NaturesBeloved Son, Rediscovering JohnMuirs Botanical Legacy. Thanksso much to Stephen, Bonnie andSheila Grilli Bookseller orsupporting the Keep It Wildcampaign.

A very special thank youto our extraordinary 2008volunteer award winners:

Glen Lewis, Tom Coleman &Larry Hanson accepted awardsor their years o service to MHLTn countless ways - stewardshipprojects, event support and oiceneeds.

The King FamilyDixie King accepted theaward or her amilys generous

commitment in hosting twovery successul undraisers tobeneit MHLT.

Taproot FoundationEllen Cantor accepted the awardor the Taproot volunteer team.Taproots generous supporthas culminated in a new andmproved database or MHLT.

California Red-legged frogs breeding first

time observed on Fernandez Ranch



2009suMMerand FaLLevents

For more information and directions please visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

or call the Land Trust at 925-228-5460.

FALL EvENTS

20tH anniVerSary CeLeBrationS

Birthday Benefit Concert Bash with Musicians of the San Francisco Opera

Music Inspired by Nature

Sunday, July 26 | 4:00pm 5:30pm

Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church

Hailed by the New York Times as particularly impressive, local artist and San Francisco native Janet Popesco Archibald holds the position Solo English Horn and Oboe with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Join Janet and ellow musicians o the San Francisco Opera or a beauul aternoon o music and rereshments to beneit the Muir Heritage Land Trust upon its 20-year anniversary o incorporation (July 26, 198Everyone is welcome! Birthday cake will be served. Suggested contribution $25 at the door. Visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org or call theLand Trust at 925-228-5460 or more inormation.

Fresh Aire Affaire 20th

Anniversary PartySaturday, August 15th | 5:00pm 9:00pm

John Muir National Historic Site2009 marks the 20th anniversary o the Muir Heritage Land Trust! This years anniversary partywill eature Master of Ceremonies, Doug McConnell, celebrity guests, hundreds o LandTrust supporters, the pleasures o ine art, beautiul music, an exciting live auction and gourmetextravaganza. Champagne toasts in recognition o all those that have contributed to theLand Trusts success will also highlight the celebration. Please watch for your invitation in Julysmail and visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org or more inormation and online registration.

Fernandez Hike with the Contra Costa Hills ClubThursday, October 1st | 10:00am startEnjoy a weekday exploration o Fernandez Ranch with Mike Branning, the Contra Costa Hills Club and Land Trust sta. Learn about the ranhistory and restoration plans in progress or its opening to the public in 2010. We will picnic on a high point o the property with spectacuviews o Mount Tamalpais and Mount Diablo. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water and a bag lunch. Please RSVP to ellen@muirheritagelandtrusor call 925-228-7152.

Autumn CelebrationThursday, November 12th | 7:00pm 9:00pmWe close the years events with our estive annual get together. Everyone is invited to share in our review o 2009 and a look ahead to 20Special guests, awards, and rereshments add to the evenings pleasures. Visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org in the all or call the Land Truat 925-228-5460 or more inormation.


8/8

Muir Heritage Land Tru

believes that the vitality of

our open spaces is essentia

to the health of our earth,

water and our native plan

and animalsand all of u

Our goal is to ensure that

beauty, diversity and fulln

of our wild lands continueenrich and sustain all

generations of life.

We acquire, protect and

steward these diminishing

lands, and we foster

environmental awareness s

that each person understan

the need to preserve our

natural heritage. We work

for a healthful future, one

where wild lands and all

who depend on them

will flourish.

DDRESSSERVICEREQUESTED

O.Box2452,MartinezCA94553

See calendar inside for details

Birthday Benefit Concert Bashwith Musicians of the San Francisco Opera

Music Inspired by NatureSunday, July 26th, 2009 | 4:00pm - 5:30pmLafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church

Fresh Aire Affaire20th Anniersary Party

With Doug McConnell

Saturday, August 15th | 5:00pm - 9:00pmJohn Muir National Historic Site

For more information and directions please visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

or call the Land Trust at 925-228-5460.

Nonprofit

U.S.Postage

PAID

Oakland,CA

Permit#379

Land truSt 20tH anniVerSary CeLeBrationS

spring 2009 horizons, muir heritage land trust newsletter

Documents