After 10 years, FEMA finally has issued its Record of Decision (ROD) on grants to reduce the fire danger posed by the eucalyptus trees in Claremont Canyon and the East Bay Hills. The ROD is not ideal. The Claremont Canyon Conservancy would have preferred the original draft that enabled the three grant applicants (UC Berkeley, the City of Oakland and the Regional Park District) to use the funds as each saw fit, rather than requiring all three grantees to use a “unified approach.”
On the trail, by Jon Kaufman
Nothing stays the same in nature. Willow trees are an example. They grow rapidly and also can die and fall over rapidly. That happened this past winter along the Willow Trail, named in honor of that species in upper Claremont Canyon. A large willow fell right across the trail making passage difficult, if not impossible.
Best of the Bay can be even better, by Fred Booker
This year in its "Best of the Bay" series, the East Bay Express named the Stonewall-Panoramic Ridge Trail in Claremont Canyon the Best Hike in the Sun. Similar honors were conferred in previous years, citing the trail’s spectacular vistas and easy access from the urban core. A car is not necessary to get there, a bus or bike, or even walking, will do.
Keeping abreast of Claremont Canyon, by Marilyn Goldhaber
There are many ways to keep abreast of the goings-on in Claremont Canyon—and also in its surrounding neighborhoods. If you are interested mainly in the wildlands of Claremont Canyon and the activities of the Claremont Canyon Conservancy, including our hikes, stewardship projects, trail upkeep, and wildfire safety, we have a monthly one-page newsletter that we send out by email to our members and anyone else who signs up for the service.
FEMA releases final EIS, by Jon Kaufman
On December 1, FEMA released the Final Environmental Impact Statement that sets conditions that must be followed by the University of California and the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Park District as they move forward with eucalyptus removal. The Conservancy has not yet examined the document in detail but here's our initial impression.
President's message: Conservancy update, by L. Tim Wallace
Counting the trees, by Fred Booker
There has been much ado over UC’s proposal to remove fire prone invasive eucalyptus, pine and acacia from the slopes of Claremont Canyon. UC’s plan has often been described by opposition forces as a “clear cut,” evoking images of the denuded hillslopes following old fashioned logging operations in the Northwest.
April 2014 fire in the canyon, by Joe Engbeck
THE ALARM SOUNDED AT 11:21 am. A fire of unknown size and origin was burning in Claremont Canyon. The cell- phone caller who was first to alert the Oakland Fire Department, reported a lot of smoke in the upper canyon not far from the intersection of Claremont Avenue, Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Fish Ranch Road. It was Tuesday, January 21, 2014—well into the driest winter ever recorded in the East Bay.
EIS talking points regarding eucalyptus removal program
Earth Day at Garber Park, by Shelagh Brodersen
Costs for growing large eucalyptus trees will sky-rocket, by Jerry Kent
AGENCY DECISIONS ABOUT GROWING large blue gum eucalyptus trees may be as risky as Frank Havens’ Mahogany Eucalyptus and Land Company of the early 1900s. That enterprise ultimately went belly-up when Havens’ 3,000 acres of eucalyptus trees in the East Bay Hills failed to become a “gold mine,” proving to be unusable for hardwood lumber.
Awaiting FEMA's release of the draft EIS, by L. Tim Wallace
Broom removal in the preserve with Ranger Jeff McKenna, by Marilyn Goldhaber
Another great stewardship day in the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. Although only four hardy souls showed up on this beautiful Saturday morning, we got right to work, splitting up into two locations to rid the lower canyon of French broom. We were fortunate to have Ranger Jeff McKenna, who brought along some large and small weed wrenches and a lot of muscle power. We feel that the lower Preserve is pretty much cleared of mature broom and only young seedlings are appearing--in smaller and smaller numbers each year.
Huge turnout for MLK Jr. Day of Service and Passive Restoration Workshop, by Shelagh Brodersen
As I write this post the rain is just beginning, and I smile thinking about our successful Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Event just four days ago that brought over 45 enthusiastic volunteers to participate in our restoration activities along the riparian corridor of Harwood Creek, and how all our new native plants are being nourished by the rain.
Claremont Canyon's many landowners take responsibility
DO YOU KNOW THAT CLAREMONT CANYON has many landowners? The two major landowners are the University of California, which owns the upper 150 acres of our mostly wildland canyon and the East Bay Regional Park District, which owns the lower 208-acres (including Gwin Canyon) best known for the dramatic Stonewall-Claremont hiking trail.
Interview with Jon Keeley, by Joe Engbeck
Invasive tree removal expected to go forward, by Jon Kaufman
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA’S PROGRAM of invasive tree removal from its land in upper Claremont Canyon has been on hold for the past three years while a federal environmental study assesses the environmental impacts of fire mitigation projects planned for the East Bay hills. Over 9,000 trees, mostly hazardous eucalyptus, have already been removed through UC’s program in Claremont Canyon. If all goes well, the program is expected to resume in 2013 or 2014.
President's message, by L. Tim Wallace
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE that Jon Keeley has agreed to be the featured speaker at our annual meeting on Sunday, November 4. Dr. Keeley last spoke to the Conservancy in the autumn of 2007—five years ago—so we’re pleased to have him back again to discuss the most important new findings in the field of wildfire behavior, climate, and local conditions.
Stewardship in the Stonewall area, by Marilyn Goldhaber
Barry Pilger saved the day by showing up with a gas powered hedge trimmer to rid the slope of several large stands of pampas grass. (We went back later that day with some old tarps and covered the pampas grass stumps to inhibit resprouting.) Ray Johnston also showed up and helped us rid the area of spurge (euphorbia) while the rest of us toured the rugged and steep area behind some homes as a site for future fuel break/wildfire mitigation work.
