A Chorus Of Pacific Tree Frogs

Photos both taken last Saturday, 4/23. Top photo taken out at Wavecrest Open Space during our work day. Bottom photo taken of a frog hidden amongst the rushes surrounding a pond in Pescadero.

**Nature Nugget**

Spring here on the coastside can be a noisy season- full of chirps, and buzzing and frog calls. Many of you Coastside residents have become very familiar with the sound of the Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla). These frogs are also known as Pacific chorus frogs, and they live up to this name, as anyone who has been near a breeding pond can attest to. Their sounds are shared amongst themselves as a “language” that organizes breeding, each adapted to particular functions in attraction and rivalry.

These little frogs are unmistakable, with a conspicuous dark "mask" or eye stripe extending from the nostrils through the eye as far as the shoulder. They are small frogs, at approximately 5 centimeters in length, and have a rounded toe pad at the end of each digit. Females are slightly larger than males, a feature common with many frogs. The presence of a vocal sack on the male throats can also help to identify the gender. 

The coloration of these frogs includes shades of green, tan, grey, brown, reddish, or black - and can change colors over periods of weeks or even hours due to specialized skin cells in their skin that expand or contract, causing the skin to appear lighter or darker. Environmental factors such as light, temperature, and humidity can also influence this skin coloration. This adaptation helps frogs camoflauge themselves with their surroundings.

The Pacific Tree Frog ranges from British Columbia to Baja, Mexico, and eastward to Montana and Nevada. They are the west coast’s most prevalent and adaptable frog species. More resistant to pollution and habitat modification than others, they will breed in almost any kind of fresh water, including seasonal puddles. These frogs eat a wide variety of arthropods, including spiders, flies, beetles, ants and other insects, and they can expand their bodies to eat prey that is almost as large as they are.

To learn more about the amphibians and reptiles of our coast check out this recent CLT community webinar:

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE COAST

Presented by: Dr. Rayna Bell

Nature Journaling with the Junior Land Stewards Teachers

The Coastside Land Trust hosted the 4th grade teachers of Cabrillo Unified School Disctrict (CUSD) in their second nature journaling workshop of the year. The group discussed the benefits and challenges of the Junior Land Stewards Program and the importance of the work they are all doing together. They also journaled with handheld microscopes and flowers. One teacher said they felt like they had just had two hours of therapy. We love treating our teachers and think they deserve the best! 

Donate now to support the Junior Land Stewards, and the magic of this program that connects our local Coastside students in stewardship of their local open spaces.

Wavecrest Work Day Thanks

Thank you to the brave folks who came out over the weekend, between the storms, to help steward the Wavecrest Open space. Lots of great weeding and wetland garbage removal done, a beautiful rainbow viewed, and a bit of wildlife there to thank us.

Donate to support the Coastside Land Trust, and its dedication to preserve, protect and enhance the open space land for present and future generations.

Wavecrest Work Day Is Still On!

The work day at Wavecrest is still on this morning- for all you committed and tough folks willing to come out in a little bit (everything is relative, right?) of mud. Don't forget to wear those boots and a rain layer!
More info at https://www.coastsidelandtrust.org/events

Junior Land Stewards Flower Dissection Labs

The Junior Land Stewards have been busy in their classrooms. All 171 Junior Land Stewards participated in flower dissections over the last two weeks. That's a lot of flowers! Flowers were donated by Safeway, Half Moon Flowers and Alena Jean, in addition to flowers picked from Haley and Barbara's garden. Students learned all about the reproductive parts of a flower and how a seed is formed. This translates directly to the importance of their own pollinator gardens that they planted last month. They learned that not only are their plants providing food for pollinators, but those pollinators are also helping the flowers to reproduce and how exactly that all happens. 

Recording: The Archaeology and History of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Franklin Point- With Mark Hylkema

Please enjoy this free webinar recording, as Coastside Land Trust welcomes acclaimed archaeologist, Mark Hylkema, to share the fascinating history of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Franklin Point. Hylkema has shared the following abstract for this talk…

On the evening of January 17th, 1865, while the American Civil War was still reaching towards a conclusion, the crew of the clipper ship Sir John Franklin found themselves enveloped in thick fog as they approached the Port of San Francisco. However, tragedy would intervene, just as it had for the ship’s namesake- a reference to the ill-fated arctic explorers of the Franklin Expedition, for the ship and crew were destined to wreck just as they had. Compounding this tragedy, two other sailing ships would wreck in just a few more years with a significant loss of life. Many of the victims were buried on the small, windswept headland now known as Franklin Point. Ultimately, these three shipwrecks spurred the installation of Pigeon Point Lighthouse. This presentation will review aspects of San Mateo County maritime history and describe the archaeology, history, and stabilization of the Franklin Point Historic Shipwreck Cemetery.

You can visit the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, per Mark Hylkema's recommendation, to learn more about the region’s diverse human, animal and plant communities - from the shoreline of Monterey Bay to the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Check it out at: https://www.santacruzmuseum.org

As Hylkema also referenced, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has published a breadth of investigations/ management reports of California's most important cultural heritage sites for over 50 years. You can check these out here: https://www.parks.ca.gov/29395

Donate to support the Coastside Land Trust free webinar programs and the protection and stewardship of our shared open spaces at https://www.coastsidelandtrust.org/donate

Junior Land Stewards - Plants in the Ground

Navigating their way through the storms over the past three weeks CUSD 4th graders managed to get all of their plants in the ground and right in time for some more rain headed their way. Students planted a combination of native plants they grew themselves from seed and those donated by the Half Moon Bay State Parks Nursery. Thank you Susan Boyer! The Junior Land Stewards planted over 350 pollinator plants at Wavecrest Open Space, El Granada Elementary, and Farallone View Elementary. They learned about how their work will benefit the soil, the landscape and all of the creatures that live here on the Coastside. Well done 4th graders!

Donate now to support the Junior Land Stewards, and the magic of this program that connects our local Coastside students in stewardship of their local open spaces.

The Archaeology and History of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse- Free community Webinar

THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF THE PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE

PRESENTED BY MARK HYLKEMA

Free Community Webinar

Saturday, March 2 @ 10:00 am

Join the Coastside Land Trust as we welcome acclaimed archaeologist, Mark Hylkema to share the fascinating history the Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Franklin Point. Hylkema has shared the following abstract for this talk…

On the evening of January 17th, 1865, while the American Civil War was still reaching towards a conclusion, the crew of the clipper ship Sir John Franklin found themselves enveloped in thick fog as they approached the Port of San Francisco.  However, tragedy would intervene, just as it had for the ship’s namesake- a reference to the ill-fated arctic explorers of the Franklin Expedition, for the ship and crew were destined to wreck just as they had.  Compounding this tragedy, two other sailing ships would wreck in just a few more years with a significant loss of life.  Many of the victims were buried on the small, windswept headland now known as Franklin Point.  Ultimately, these three shipwrecks spurred the installation of Pigeon Point Lighthouse.  This presentation will review aspects of San Mateo County maritime history and describe the archaeology, history, and stabilization of the Franklin Point Historic Shipwreck Cemetery.

Mark Hylkema (retired) was the Supervisor of the Cultural Resources Program for 32 Park units within the Santa Cruz District of California State Park, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist.  With 44 years of professional experience in California archaeology, he has worked on archaeological projects throughout the state.  His primary research emphasis and publications are focused on ancestral Native American cultures of the San Francisco Bay area, and early Spanish Colonial Period history.  Mark is also an Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, and has taught anthropology, archaeology, and Native American Studies courses at Santa Clara University, University of California at Santa Cruz, De Anza College, Ohlone College and Cabrillo College.  Mark was President of the Society for California Archaeology (search scahome.org) during the 2015/2016 term and has contributed a great deal to the regional archaeological literature.

Junior Land Stewards Study The Soil

The Junior Land Stewards learned all about soil without getting dirty (saving that for their planting field trip coming up next). They discussed the importance of soil in our world, soil habitat, soil texture and erosion. Students determined the soil texture of their garden sites by doing a jar analysis test, using some complex fractions and percentages and the soil texture pyramid. They also got to take a closer look at soil particles through hand microscopes and discovered that sand it very beautiful!

Donate to support the Junior Land Stewards Program, connecting our local Coastside students to the natural world, and guiding them in stewardship of their local open spaces.

MIGRATING FISH OF COASTAL SAN MATEO COUNTY RECORDING

MIGRATING FISH OF COASTAL SAN MATEO COUNTY

PRESENTED BY AMY KAESER AND JARRAD FISHER

OF THE SAN MATEO RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Please enjoy this recording, as the Coastside Land Trust welcomes Amy Kaeser and Jarrad Fisher of the San Mateo Resource Conservation District to present about the anadromous (migrating) fish of our coastal waters. They will be sharing the incredible life of these fish and their journey from river to ocean and back. They will also talk about what’s happening locally to make sure these fish thrive- from removing migration barriers to monitoring and improving habitat.

Check out the ANSWERS TO FOLLOW-UP WEBINAR QUESTIONS, as shared by our presenters.

Also check out these links Amy Kaeser and Jarrad Fisher have provided:

Coho Release into Pescadero Creek (Nov 2020)

NPR- A rare salmon went extinct in a California creek. People are trying to bring it back

KQED- Conservationists Help Coho Salmon Return To Pescadero

San Mateo RCD General YouTube Channel

Learn more about the San Mateo Resource Conservation DIstrict and make a donation to support their important work at https://www.sanmateorcd.org

Donate to support the Coastside Land Trust free webinar programs and the protection and stewardship of our shared open spaces.

Look What's Popping Up In The Junior Land Stewards Program

Those little seeds that the Junior Land Stewards planted not so long ago, have been steadily growing, and are building in strength and structure to soon be planted outside in our local open spaces. There is excitement in the air, and energy in the soil, as the JLS fourth graders prepare to plant these seedlings.

Donate now to support the Junior Land Stewards Program, and the magic of this program that connects our local Coastside students in stewardship of their local open spaces

The Migrating Fish of Coastal San Mateo- A free community webinar

Photo credit: San Mateo Resource Conservation District

MIGRATING FISH OF COASTAL SAN MATEO COUNTY

PRESENTED BY AMY KAESER AND JARRAD FISHER OF THE SAN MATEO RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT

FREE COMMUNITY WEBINAR

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2024

10:00AM

Join the Coastside Land Trust as we welcome Amy Kaeser and Jarrad Fisher of the San Mateo Resource Conservation District to present about the anadromous (migrating) fish of our coastal waters. They will be sharing the incredible life of these fish and their journey from river to ocean and back. They will also talk about what’s happening locally to make sure they thrive- from removing migration barriers to monitoring and improving habitat.

Happy New Year from the Coastside Land Trust

From the students and naturalists of all ages, and the creatures big and small, we thank you for your continued support of the Coastside Land Trust and the mission to preserve, protect, and enhance our shared open space environment. 
Happy New Year to you and yours.

Jo Chamberlain Retirement Tribute

Please enjoy this tribute video made for Jo by the board members, staff, and CLT Stewardship Advisory Committee members. May we all celebrate Jo Chamberlain, a visionary who has had a significant impact on this coastside open space and its community.

“The land she preserved forever will forever remind us of her.” - Susan Dunn (CLT Board Member)

Please consider donating to the Coastside Land Trust to honor Jo Chamberlain and her legacy.

Half Moon Bay celebrates CLT's Jo Chamberlain, an "Extraordinary Coastal Champion"

Jo Chamberlain looks over future plans for open space in Half Moon Bay.

Half Moon Bay Review file photo. LINK TO HMB REVIEW

Dean Coppola

As 2023 draws to a close and we reflect upon another year of the Coastside Land Trust’s  dedication and work in the preservation, protection and stewardship of the critical shared open space land of coastal San Mateo, community members came together to celebrate the retirement of Jo Chamberlain, and her outstanding 17 years of service as CLT’s Executive Director.  The overarching theme of this gathering was in the celebration of Jo's history with the organization and how far they have come under her leadership. Members also acknowledged Mike Kimsey (past board member) for his work and achievement raising the money that enabled CLT to protect open space on the coastside. 

Bob Buffin, CLT board treasurer shared that “during her tenure as CLT Executive Director, Jo oversaw the organization’s acquisition of conservation easements along the historic Ocean Shore Railroad Right-of-way and in other sensitive locations. She also managed CLT’s taking title to 212 individual parcels of land, including 87.89 acres from POST as part of Wavecrest Open Space.” 

Paul Reidl, CLT board member and past board president  shared, “Her accomplishments as ED are remarkable and everyone on the Coastside who supports open space protection owes her a tremendous debt of gratitude.  She took a sleepy land trust and through tireless efforts turned it into one of the largest landowners on the Coastside.  She was passionate and tireless.  Being the ED was not just a job for her – it was her life’s mission.”

As people gathered together to celebrate Jo, friends and colleagues remarked on Jo’s dedication and vision, hailing Jo as a “renaissance woman”  who shared CLT’s vision, weaving its mission into community through the building of the coastal trail at Wavecrest, and the Junior Land Stewards Program, habitat restoration and work days, goats grazing at the railroad right of way, nature walks/talks/workshops, webinar series and art shows in the office gallery. Board member, Sara Polgar explained how, “Jo has an understanding that in order for people to care for and want to protect open space they have to connect with the land and feel empowered to care for it, and that she recognized that different people get engaged and feel connected in different ways. And in her work to connect with the community, CLT has become recognizable and familiar and cherished for these programs.”

While many hailed significant achievements, what emerged among those who shared in the celebration is Jo’s passion, organization, and her “exuberant, contagious  laugh”. May we all take this opportunity to reflect on a woman who has had a significant impact on this coastside open space and its community. And acknowledge what  Susan Dunn astutely expressed, “The land she preserved forever will forever remind us of her.” 

Thank you to Clay Lambert and the HMB Review for a beautiful editorial article to honor Jo…

The Magic of Environmental Storytelling- Junior Land Stewards Field Glimpse

At Farallone View, Christian Trujillo and Karen Offereins from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy lead the Junior Land Stewards on a guided hike through the Golden Gate Recreation Area (GGNRA). Along the way they learned about the endangered red legged frogs, coyotes, rare indigenous plants, and the SF garter snake. They listened to an interactive story told by Christian and also participated in Sound Mapping and My Secret Plant Activities.

Here we catch a glimpse of Christian Trujillo sharing a story about a San Francisco Garter snake trying to shelter from the rain, the bent tree sacrificing its life to save the snake.

Donate to support the Junior Land Stewards program, as well as the preservation and protection of the critical, shared open space land of the coast (that many people and critters call home).

Junior Land Stewards- Word from the field

The Junior Land Stewards have been busy in the field, as each school has taken its second field trip of the school year- combining open space history, ecosystem learning and journaling observation! 

Students from Hatch and King's Mountain came to Wavecrest Open Space where they explored the 50 acres and participated in 4 journaling activities. These included: I notice, I wonder, It reminds of me; My Secret Plant; Ecosystem Inspection Circles; and Sound Mapping. Students discovered that life is flourishing in the coastal prairie from the pacific tree frogs to the new indigenous plants that are coming up after the rain. 

El Granada students hiked up to the quarry floor at Quarry Park with a guided tour by Barbara Dye who taught them all about the history of their community, school, the Ocean Shore Railroad, as well as how Quarry Park became a protected open space. They then listened to the sounds around them and translated that into a sound map in their nature journals. Their final activity was My Secret Plant where they had to find an object in nature to draw in enough detail that their fellow classmates could find it by only looking at their drawing. 

At Farallone View, 4th graders had special guests Christian Trujillo and Karen Offereins from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy lead them on a guided hike through the GGNRA. Along the way they learned about the endangered red legged frogs, coyotes, rare indigenous plants, and the SF garter snake. They listened to an interactive story told by Christian and also participated in the Sound Mapping and My Secret Plant Activities. What a full afternoon! 

A Stewardship Year In Review

Check out our 2023 Stewardship and Events Report to lean more about the lands that we monitor and protect, as well as our events from 2023.

Donate to continue to support the Coastside Land Trust, and its dedication to preserve, protect and enhance the open space land for present and future generations.

Sound mapping at the Quarry floor with the Junior Land Stewards

The Junior Land Stewards create sound maps as a strategy for slowing down and tuning into the place they are in- broadening beyond their initial visual observations to incorporate the sounds around them. Students must find a spot to sit or stand still for 5 or more minutes. Next they log the sounds around themselves with symbols, colors, and/or words. Sound mapping encourages students to slow down and pay close attention to the detail around them, while connecting them with a better sense of the wider place.

Half Moon Bay High School Art Show- Gallery Event

Thank you to the everyone who came over to check out the incredible work of our own HMBHS Art students at the CLT gallery opening on Friday night. We couldn’t have asked for a better crowd. It is truly an impressive collection of work, featuring scenes from our Coastside- as seen through the eyes of our local students. The show will run through January 2024, so if you could not make it to the opening, please call our office to check our hours and arrange an opportunity to see the show (650) 726-5056.

Donate to support these programs and the critical protection and preservation of our shared open space land.