Golden Lands, Golden Opportunity
Preserving vital Bay Area lands for all Californians
The following organizations contributed time, expertise, and/or Task Force Co-Chairs
resources to this project: Bettina Ring Executive Director, Bay Area Open Space Council
Jake Mackenzie Mayor, Rohnert Park, Greenbelt Alliance Board Member
Agricultural Advisory Committee Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District
Task Force
Agricultural-Natural Resources Trust of
Craig Britton* Former General Manager, Midpeninsula Regional Open
Contra Costa County Muir Heritage Land Trust Space District
Alameda County Resource Conservation Napa County Farm Bureau Bob Doyle Assistant General Manager, East Bay Regional Park District
District Amy Hutzel Program Manager, San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy
Napa County Regional Park and Open
Program, State Coastal Conservancy
American Farmland Trust Space District
Marilyn Farley Executive Director, Solano Land Trust
Association of Bay Area Governments Natural Heritage Institute Matt Freeman Planning Manager, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
Audubon California Nature in the City District
Melissa Hippard Chapter Director, Loma Prieta Chapter, Sierra Club
Bay Area Open Space Council Neighborhood Parks Council
Nadine Hitchcock* Deputy Executive Officer, State Coastal Conservancy
Bay Area Ridge Trail Council Nichols-Berman Environmental Planners Marc Landgraf Director of Land Acquisition, Peninsula Open Space Trust
Blue Ridge/Berryessa Natural Area North Marin Water District Andrea Mackenzie General Manager, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation
Conservation Partnership and Open Space District
Oakland Food Policy Council
Jeremy Madsen Executive Director, Greenbelt Alliance
Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust
PRBO Conservation Science Walter Moore* Executive Vice President, Peninsula Open Space Trust
California Council of Land Trusts
Peninsula Open Space Trust Nancy Schaefer Consulting Project Manager to Bay Area Open Space
California Department of Fish and Game Council, Upland Habitat Goals Project
Point Reyes National Seashore
Tom Steinbach* Former Executive Director, Greenbelt Alliance
California Department of Parks and
San Anselmo Open Space Committee Dee Swanhuyser North Bay Trail Director, Bay Area Ridge Trail Council
Recreation
San Bruno Mountain Watch Tim Wirth Director, Bay Area Program, Trust for Public Land
California Native Plant Society
San Francisco Bay Conservation and John Woodbury General Manager, Napa County Regional Park and Open
California Oak Foundation Space District
Development Commission
California Rangeland Trust * former task force member
San Francisco Bay Joint Venture
California State Parks
San Francisco Bay Trail Project Greenbelt Alliance Staff
Center for Whole Communities
San Francisco Beautiful Jeremy Madsen Executive Director
Citizens for East Shore Parks
San Francisco Estuary Institute Carey Knecht Policy Research Director
City and County of San Francisco Elizabeth Stampe Communications Director
San Francisco Recreation and Park
City of Fairfield Department
Bay Area Open Space Council Staff
City of Novato San Francisco Weed Management Area
Bettina Ring Executive Director
City of Rohnert Park San Mateo County Parks Department Elizabeth Adam Director of Marketing and Communications
City of San Jose Santa Clara County Open Space Suzanne Beahrs Director of Programs
Authority Ryan Branciforte Director of Conservation Planning
City of San Rafael
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
City of Walnut Creek
Association of Bay Area Governments Staff
Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation
Committee for Green Foothills
Plan Ken Kirkey Planning Director
Conservation Corps North Bay (formerly Jaqueline Guzman Regional Planner
Santa Clara Valley Water District
the Marin Conservation Corps)
Save Mount Diablo
County of Contra Costa Special thanks to:
Save the Redwoods League
County of Napa
Larry Orman GreenInfo Network
Sempervirens Fund
County of San Mateo Stephanie Reyes Greenbelt Alliance
Sierra Club Barbara Rice National Park Service
County of Santa Clara: Santa Clara
County Parks and Recreation Silicon Valley Land Conservancy Tom Robinson Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and
Open Space District
Department, County Planning Office
Solano Land Trust Deborah Schoenbaum Conservation Corps North Bay
County of Solano Tina Stott Stott Planning Associates
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation
County of Sonoma and Open Space District Stu Weiss Creekside Center for Earth Observation
East Bay Municipal Utility District Sonoma County Regional Parks Interns:
Robbie Adler Jesse Gossett
East Bay Regional Park District Sonoma Ecology Center
Sarah Brett Kathryn Faulkner
Environmental Action Committee Sonoma Land Trust Andrew Chahrour Kristen Johnson
Bryan Eck Zev Vernon-Lapow
Friends of Napa River Southern Sonoma County Resource
Conservation District
Friends of Redwood City
Suisun Resource Conservation District Thank you to the foundations that funded the production of this report:
Friends of the Urban Forest
Sustainable Agriculture Education State Coastal Conservancy: San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program
Greenbelt Alliance
The ESRI Conservation Technology Support Program
The Nature Conservancy
GreenInfo Network Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
The Presidio Trust
Half Moon Bay Open Space Trust The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Tri-Valley Conservancy Resources Legacy Fund
Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation
Trust for Public Land The San Francisco Foundation
Land Trust of Napa County
University of California Cooperative
LandPaths
Extension Thank you to the many donors and funders who helped make this
Livermore Area Recreation & Park District project possible:
University of California, Division of
Madrone Audubon Society Agriculture and Natural Resources The Arntz Family Foundation The Clarence E. Heller Charitable
Foundation
Marin Agricultural Land Trust Urban Creeks Council Compton Foundation
Mary A. Crocker Trust George Frederick Jewett Foundation
Marin Audubon Society US Fish and Wildlife Service David L. Klein Jr. Foundation
The Wallace Alexander Gerbode
Marin Conservation League US National Park Service: Golden Gate Foundation The Seed Fund
Marin County Community Development National Recreation Area The David B. Gold Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Agency US National Park Service: Rivers, Trails, Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund The Strong Foundation for Environmental
and Conservation Assistance Program Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Values
Marin County Flood Control
Marin County Open Space District USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Editorial consulting: Thinkshift Communications
Service
Marin Municipal Water District Graphic design: Karen Parry | Black Graphics
Mapping support: Alexandra Barnish, GreenInfo Network
1
Contents
Statement of Principles 2
Methods: Identifying Vital Lands 2
Our Golden Opportunity 3
Golden Lands
Watersheds 4
Working Farms and Ranches 6
Community Greenbelts 8
Wildlife Habitat 10
Parks and Trails 12
Regional Coordination 14
Golden Lands Snapshots
Urban Parks 15
San Francisco County 15
Marin and Sonoma Counties 16
Napa and Solano Counties 17
Contra Costa and Alameda Counties 18
Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties 19
Take Action: Preserve Vital Bay Area Lands
for All Californians 20
Statement of Principles Methods: Identifying Vital Lands
To ensure a healthy future for vital Bay Area lands and the people who In 2006, Greenbelt Alliance and the Bay Area Open Space Council
depend on them, we believe that: convened a group of land conservation leaders to map important Bay
Area lands and to create a coordinated strategy to protect them.
• Every resident, current and future, should be able to rely on Bay Area
The group held a series of meetings for all nine counties asking local
lands to provide clean drinking water, clean air, and protection from
experts—land managers, county officials, and biologists—to identify
disasters like flooding, landslides, and climate change.
valuable lands, the benefits those lands provide, and the threats they
• Every resident should be able to live in a walkable neighborhood face. The process was innovative: working together, participants
with affordable homes, good jobs, and reliable public transit, where digitally mapped unprotected areas, using a live geographic
new development revitalizes the community rather than consuming information system (GIS) database projected on whiteboards.
irreplaceable farmland and natural areas. This method directly captured experts’ local knowledge and created a
• Every resident should have access to fresh, affordable food from local previously unavailable data set. Greenbelt Alliance and Bay Area Open
Space Council staff compiled the data, then worked with each county
farms and ranches.
to refine and add to the data to create a regional picture of important
• Every resident should live within easy walking distance of a park that lands to conserve and their benefits.
is safe and clean, have access to trails connecting cities and parks,
By summer 2008, the group had identified unprotected landscapes—
and be able to easily reach larger natural areas like regional parks,
watersheds, working farms and ranches, community greenbelts,
beaches, and forests.
wildlife habitat, and recreation areas—with significant value to the
• Every resident should have the opportunity to help decide how to Bay Area and the state. These are presented here in Golden Lands.
sustain their community and natural areas, and should benefit from the This regional picture is a crucial first step toward helping dozens
health of both. of organizations work together to set priorities, decide which lands
can be protected through policies and which should be purchased,
and—ultimately—save the most land in the most effective way.
The benefits of achieving these goals transcend regional boundaries.
Bay Area lands contribute to the health of the entire state, and we have
an obligation to maintain them for all Californians—now and in the future.
Data Sources
Many of these lands are endangered. That’s why we must take steps
Data sets used in the mapping process include:
now to create a future where the benefits of the Bay Area’s natural fabric
• Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program, California
are truly shared by everyone. We are committed to acting—through our
Department of Conservation—boundaries of important farmland
own work, through partnerships, and with local, regional, and state policy and urbanized areas in all nine counties
makers—to make this vision a reality.
• Bay Area Protected Areas Database—lands owned in fee or
easement that are managed for open space values and off-limits
to development
• Regional Trails—San Francisco Bay Trail, Bay Area Ridge Trail,
California Coastal Trail
• Base Data—natural and jurisdictional features such as county
and city boundaries, highways and roads, water bodies, and
topography
3
Photo: Ken Smith Photography
FPO
Our Golden Opportunity
The San Francisco Bay Area’s iconic landscapes provide more identify vital Bay Area lands and create a coordinated, strategic
than beautiful vistas. They are vital to the health and prosperity approach to protecting them.
of the region—and the state.
Key Actions
The Benefits of Bay Area Lands These key actions are needed to preserve these lands:
Bay Area lands support the region’s $400 billion economy and
Create Access
contribute to California’s quality of life.
Provide parks that are safe, clean, and easy to reach, to ensure
• Bay Area watersheds provide clean water for people and that open space benefits are shared by all.
wildlife, and some drain into the Sacramento–San Joaquin
Fund Conservation
River Delta, which supplies drinking water to 24 million
Increase funding for land purchases, conservation easements,
Californians.
and stewardship to protect essential natural areas and keep
• Farms and ranches provide fresh, local, affordable food. them healthy and functioning.
• Community greenbelts make cities and towns more livable Adopt Strong Policies
by encouraging development within their boundaries. Create policies and programs that protect privately held
lands—including farms, ranches, and forests—and support their
• Diverse habitats support a broad array of native plants and
care and restoration, to safeguard their public benefits.
animals—many endangered or threatened.
• Parks and trails help California’s families stay healthy and
Poised for Success
draw a talented workforce.
The Bay Area is well positioned to make the most of initiatives
and investments in these areas. In addition to the mapping
Facing the Challenges
and strategic planning work led by the Bay Area Open Space
A network of vital Bay Area lands is a great asset to our region Council and Greenbelt Alliance, the Association of Bay Area
and state, but it is not a guarantee. Habitat degradation, climate Governments and other regional agencies have identified priority
change, and development pressures pose serious threats. conservation areas as part of their blueprint for growth. The
The Bay Area faces great change: an estimated 1 million more result is a remarkable level of consensus about what needs to
people will call the region home by 2020. To accommodate be done and a collective commitment to making it happen.
this growing population while maintaining a strong, diversified
economy and a healthy environment, we must act now to ensure The Time Is Now
that our land continues to provide for our way of life.
This is a time of great challenge, and it is the time we most
need to lead. We can secure a network of vital Bay Area lands
A Coordinated Strategy for Conservation that supports people and wildlife, helps us to cope with climate
Greenbelt Alliance and the Bay Area Open Space Council have change, supports our health and our economy, and makes
assembled experts from land trusts, park districts, environmental the state’s natural heritage accessible to all Californians. We
nonprofits, and government agencies throughout the region to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to leave a legacy.
GOLDEN LANDS
Strong leadership has protected
key watershed lands around the Bay
Area, providing stunning settings
for outdoor activities, preserving
essential wildlife habitat, and
ensuring clean waterways that
supply drinking water and support
healthy fish populations.
“The quality of our drinking WATERSHEDS:
water is only as good as the
watersheds it passes through.
Clean Water
If we want clean water, we for People
need to protect our land.”
– Ann L. Riley, San Francisco Bay
and Wildlife
Regional Water Quality Control Board
Threats Opportunities
Protected, well-managed Bay Support the protection and
Area watersheds will mean lower stewardship of private lands
costs for water treatment and around waterways to reduce
storage, more fish, and fewer erosion, protect water quality, and
damaging floods. We can conserve support healthy fish and wildlife
these lands if we: populations.
Increase funding for acquisition Voters across California consistently
and careful management of cite water quality and supply as a
key watershed lands to safeguard critical issue. Preserving watershed
our drinking water. lands is an essential step in
addressing their concern.
Plan for conservation across
political boundaries to reduce
the need for water filtration and
flood management.
5
Healthy Watersheds Reduce Flooding
Soil and plants in protected watershed lands Paving even 10% of a landscape can cause
act like a sponge, naturally limiting flood danger serious problems. Keeping watershed lands
by absorbing and slowly releasing storm water. unpaved and healthy reduces the need for
Paved surfaces lack this capacity—water flows expensive flood-prevention engineering as well
over them, unabsorbed, at much greater as the costs of repairing flood damage—and
volume and speed, breaching barriers and limits threats to human life.
overwhelming drainage systems.
Healthy Bay Area watersheds Bay Area watersheds provide for threatened and endangered
are fundamental to safeguarding many benefits: species and protect the aquatic
California’s limited water resources, ecosystems that sustain fisheries.
Clean Drinking Water
now under increasing strain from
These lands catch and filter The benefits of our watersheds
development and climate change.
rainwater and replenish ground- are unique, and these ecosystems
These lands filter a portion of the
water supplies. cannot be replaced: manmade
region’s water supply, and some
infrastructure is at best an
feed into the Sacramento–San Reduced Costs
expensive and incomplete
Joaquin River Delta—a source Functioning watersheds reduce
substitute. As part of ensuring
of drinking water for 24 million the need for costly infrastructure
California’s long-term prosperity,
Californians. Conserving and by storing water and naturally
we must protect, restore, and
managing these lands will help to filtering polluted runoff.
carefully manage the Bay Area’s
ensure adequate supplies of clean
Wildlife and Fisheries vast network of watershed lands.
water for people and wildlife.
Watershed lands provide habitat
GOLDEN LANDS
Sweet corn from Contra Costa,
beef from Alameda, wine grapes
from Napa, tomatoes from Solano,
mushrooms from San Mateo and
Santa Clara, and cheese from
Marin and Sonoma are just a few
of the Bay Area’s contributions to
California’s agricultural bounty.
Photo: Jan Hecking
FPO
“Maintaining agriculture in WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES:
the Bay Area would help
secure the future availability,
Healthy
quality, and affordability of food Local Food
in the region and the state.”
– Edward Thompson, Jr.,
American Farmland Trust
Threats Opportunities
Between 1984 and 2006, nearly subdivision of agricultural lands.
200,000 Bay Area agricultural and
Keep farmers and ranchers
grazing acres were lost.* Develop-
in business by reducing costs
ment is disproportionately claim-
and barriers to farming, helping
ing the best land: 1 in 4 acres
products get to market, and com-
of the Bay Area’s best farmland
pensating farmers for the public
is threatened, compared with
benefits their land provides.
1 in 10 total acres, according to
Greenbelt Alliance’s At Risk: The Protect privately held agricul-
Bay Area Greenbelt research. tural lands through easements,
zoning, and other innovative tools
To save what remains, we must:
such as agricultural parks and
Promote land-use policies that conservation districts.
contain urban growth and prevent
* California Department of Conservation Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
7
Sonoma County Dairies Face Challenges
Sonoma County’s 100,000-acre coastal County dairies in the past decade. To
dairybelt produces high-quality food for help remaining farmers stay in business,
hundreds of thousands of nearby residents— conservation organizations have purchased
along with Marin dairies, enough to provide agricultural easements on more than 21,400
41% of milk and cheese consumed in the acres. Additional incentives and technical
greater Bay Area. Challenging economics, assistance are needed to preserve this
however, have led to the loss of 26 Sonoma important local food source and way of life.
Farming and ranching are integral Revenue to residents through farmers’
to California’s identity and Bay Area agriculture earned markets, community-supported
economy—people across the $1.4 billion in 2006, according to agriculture, and restaurants
country are nourished by the county agricultural commissions. enhances California’s reputation
Golden State every day. And the That’s just the net value of the for innovation.
Bay Area is a significant agricul- product when it leaves the farm
Self-Sufficiency
tural region, producing 1.3 million or ranch—food processing and
Bay Area farms produce enough
tons of food annually (more than food-related tourism and jobs
food to meet one-fifth of the
enough to feed San Francisco).† multiply that impact.
region’s demand.† Regional
Bay Area farms and ranches Market Innovation self-sufficiency is particularly
benefit the state and region in The Bay Area’s leadership in important with a changing economy
several ways: delivering local food directly and fluctuating fuel prices.
†
Think Globally – Eat Locally: San Francisco Foodshed Assessment. 2008. American Farmland Trust, Sustainable Agriculture Education, and Agriculture in
Metropolitan Regions. Food comparison by weight; does not consider distribution across food groups.
GOLDEN LANDS
Protected green space around
communities preserves surrounding
hills and scenic views and helps
local farms stay in business.
Greenbelts can also help direct
investment into city centers, to
revitalize downtowns and create
inviting neighborhoods.
Photo: Stephen Joseph
Photo: Karen Parry
“Greenbelts help guide COMMUNITy GREENBELTS:
development into existing
cities and towns, making them
The Secret to
more attractive and more Vibrant Cities
sustainable. That’s in everyone’s
best interest—the business and Towns
community included.”
– Matt Regan, Bay Area Council
Threats Opportunities
More than 63% of Bay Area cities defined, long-lasting, and under
with unprotected greenbelts lack voter control, they protect natural
urban growth boundaries, and assets and community health.
many that have them are vulner-
Increase land acquisition
able to county policies that allow
funding locally to leverage
development of open space.
state funds and help preserve
Without action, the vitality of
surrounding hills and open space
these communities will be
in perpetuity.
compromised.
Provide incentives for infill
To protect greenbelts, we must:
and city-centered growth to
Adopt urban growth bound- encourage sustainable develop-
aries at the city and county levels. ment and protect natural areas.
When these boundaries are well
9
Southern Santa Clara at Risk
Southern Santa Clara County illustrates by encroaching development pressures.
the risks of unprotected greenbelts. Lands Protecting natural assets and maintaining the
surrounding Morgan Hill, San Jose, San Martin, character of these communities will require
and Gilroy contain important wildlife corridors, strong city and county growth policies, the
the Pajaro River watershed, and some of the purchase of key portions of wildlife corridors,
last stretches of Santa Clara Valley’s fertile and support for local farming.
farmland. Many of these areas are threatened
Community greenbelts—parks, opportunities and define distinct Helping People Stay Healthy
farmland, and other natural areas communities. These features Walkable neighborhoods and
surrounding cities and towns—play make cities and towns appealing nearby outdoor recreation areas
an important role in creating vibrant places to live and visit. encourage healthy lifestyles.
Photo: LandPaths, www.LandPaths.org
communities. They help build An extensive study found that
Limiting the Need to Drive
thriving local economies, reduce with a 10% increase in nearby
Creating protected greenbelts is a
pollution and greenhouse gas green space, people have fewer
critical first step toward encour-
emissions, and improve public physical complaints and better
aging infill development and
health. They do this by: mental health.†
robust central business districts.
Attracting Visitors, Residents, Both allow people to drive
and Businesses less and walk more, reducing
Greenbelts provide recreational emissions from cars and trucks.
†
“Nature and Health: The Relation between Health and Green Space in People’s Living Environment,” paper presented at the conference “Cultural Events and
.
Leisure Systems.” 2001. Sjerp de Vries, Robert A. Verheij, and Peter P Groenewegen.
Rendering: Urban Advantage
GOLDEN LANDS
With a foundation of protected
lands to build on, strong local
political support, and scientific
planning (see right), the Bay Area
is well positioned to make the
most of conservation resources
and provide habitat for species
like the burrowing owl and Bay
checkerspot butterfly.
Photo: Stuart B. Weiss
“Connecting and expanding WI LDLIFE HABITAT:
protected areas acts as an
insurance policy for maintaining
Unique
our quality of life. Healthy Ecosystems
ecosystems support healthy
people and communities.
” to Save
– Dr. Healy Hamilton,
California Academy of Sciences
Threats Opportunities
The Bay Area’s remarkable agreements with ranchers and
biodiversity is eroding: the forest owners.
San Francisco metropolitan
Promote land-use policies
area contains 257 plant and
that direct development away
animal species threatened by
from natural areas and protect
development—the most among
resources to prevent habitat
the nation’s 35 fastest-growing
fragmentation and destruction.
metropolitan areas.*
Provide resources to restore
The path to preserving this
and maintain natural areas on
biodiversity is clear:
public and private lands to allow
Protect and connect habitats imperiled species to recover and
using land purchases, conserva- prevent invasives from displacing
tion easements, and cooperative rare plants and animals.
* Endangered by Sprawl. 2005. National Wildlife Federation, Smart Growth America, and NatureServe.
11
Project Puts Biodiversity on the Map
The San Francisco Bay Area Upland Habitat connections between them—that are needed
Goals Project, led by the Bay Area Open to sustain healthy plant, fish, bird, and other
Space Council, is bringing scientists and wildlife communities. With this information in
land managers together to identify lands vital hand, public agencies, conservation nonprofits,
to maintaining the Bay Area’s biodiversity. and others can develop scientifically grounded
conservation and restoration strategies.
Mountain by mountain, valley by valley, the
(See draft map, below left; more information at
project is mapping the habitats—and the
www.uplandhabitatgoals.org.)
The Bay Area is a rare ecological A network of healthy habitats commercial and sportfishing
gem: It is one of the six most contributes to: industries. Open spaces rich with
important biodiversity hot spots native plants and animals attract
Coping with Climate Change
in the nation, according to The tourists and a talented workforce
Intact, functional habitats provide
Nature Conservancy. With only that values nearby nature.
environmental resilience. Forests
5% of California’s land, the Bay
remove greenhouse gases from California’s Enduring Appeal
Area supports 33% of the state’s
the atmosphere, wetlands buffer Walking through towering
natural communities.
rising tides, and wildlife corridors redwood forests, watching
Preserving and restoring this allow animals to migrate to adjust shorebirds swoop into tidal flats,
extraordinary environment is both to climate changes. spotting hawks on family camping
an ecological imperative and in trips—experiences like these are
Economic Competitiveness
our self-interest. why people love California.
Healthy fisheries fuel California’s
Photo: Mike Kahn/Green Stock Media
GOLDEN LANDS
Enhanced parks and trails would
help California deliver on the
Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights.
This calls for giving all children the
opportunity to discover California’s
past, play in a safe place, camp
Photo: LandPaths, www.LandPaths.org
under the stars, explore nature,
learn to swim, play on a team, follow
a trail, catch a fish, and celebrate
their heritage.
“Our greenway has had a ripple PARKS AND TRAILS:
effect. It’s inspired economic
revitalization and larger-
Healthy
scale plans—to bring in new People and
housing, open space, retail,
and community resources.” Economy
– Fran Martin, Visitacion Valley
Greenway Project, San Francisco
Threats Opportunities
The Bay Area can tap strong Keep all parks safe, clean,
public support for parks to realize and inviting by funding ongoing
key opportunities: maintenance and community
engagement strategies.
Close gaps in the regional park
system. For example, full protec- Provide better access to parks
tion of Franklin Ridge and Franklin and trails by creating walking and
Canyon would close a significant biking paths to local parks and
gap in the Bay Area Ridge Trail, providing public transit to more
completing part of the Carquinez distant natural areas.
Strait Scenic Loop Trail’s bicycle-
pedestrian path between Contra
Costa and Solano counties.
13
Bay Trail Knits Counties Together
Linking 47 cities in all nine Bay Area counties and wildlife watching but also for cycling or
and ultimately crossing all major bridges, walking to work—healthy, climate-friendly
a completed Bay Trail would be a 500-mile commute options that also relieve traffic.
pathway rivaled by few others worldwide.
The Bay Trail enjoys widespread public
Nearly 2.7 million people and 1.8 million jobs support, but is only 60% complete. It will take
are within two miles of the trail, making it $191 million to make the vision a reality.
convenient not only for hiking, jogging, skating,
Bay Area parks and trails are lively A Stronger Economy Centers for Disease Control and
and well-used public spaces—the Muir Woods, Golden Gate Park, Prevention has called for creating
Golden Gate National Recreation and other famed landscapes more parks and playgrounds to
Area alone draws more than help make California a top tourist help fight the obesity epidemic.
13 million people a year, making it destination. Accessible parks and
By expanding our network of
California’s most visited national trails also contribute to a high
parks and trails and keeping
park. These protected open quality of life that attracts a strong
them in peak condition, we can
spaces attract residents and workforce, encouraging busi-
make sure the state has a solid
tourists, yielding public health nesses to locate and stay here.
foundation for business growth
and economic benefits for the
Healthier Kids and Adults and meets the needs of a growing
region and the state.
Studies show that people exercise population.
Plentiful, accessible parks and more when outdoor recreation
trails result in: spaces are nearby, and the
REGIONAL COORDINATION
Successful Regional Planning:
Complementary Efforts Identify Areas for Conservation
regional significance, level of consensus, and urgency. This collaboration
brought additional county and regional perspectives to bear while also
“By naming Priority Conservation Areas,
streamlining the process.
FOCUS took a crucial step toward making
The result is a regional blueprint for conserving natural areas and guiding
the Golden Lands vision a reality.” development. This blueprint allows coordinated action by local govern-
ments, land trusts, and other organizations; minimizes redundant efforts;
– Amy Hutzel, San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program,
and ensures that conservation funding goes to the highest-priority lands.
State Coastal Conservancy
A Model of Regional Planning
The Bay Area is well positioned to make the most of conservation funding The entire process—regional agencies prioritizing short-term actions as
and policy support, due to coordinated regional efforts. part of a long-term plan, in facilitated collaboration with conservation
Golden Lands, Golden Opportunity identifies the Bay Area lands that professionals—can and should be replicated by other regions.
provide public benefits—watersheds, farmlands, greenbelts, habitat, Ultimately, the Bay Area could be a model for the nation in accommodat-
and parks and trails—and the actions needed to ensure they continue ing growth while protecting the natural assets that define a place and
providing those benefits. enable it to thrive.
This complements a regional initiative called FOCUS, which identifies
Priority Conservation Areas: specific targets for conservation within
five years. These areas are a subset of the lands identified in Golden
Lands, Golden Opportunity. The FOCUS process highlights priorities for
conservation in the near term through purchases and easements. Golden
Lands offers a comprehensive picture of Bay Area lands that need
protection over the long term and could be protected through a variety of
strategies—policies as well as purchases and easements.
FOCUS on Conservation and Development
FOCUS is a multiagency effort led by the Association of Bay Area
Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, with
support from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Bay
Conservation and Development Commission. It is partially funded by a
state Blueprint Grant.
The FOCUS initiative considers both conservation and development to
address climate change, transportation, housing, the economy, and other
issues that transcend boundaries. Local governments apply to have
certain areas designated as priorities for conservation or development,
making them more competitive for funding from regional agencies. The
initiative encourages land conservation and compact development within
established communities.
Collaboration and Vision The FOCUS initiative identifies priority areas for
development and conservation; the near-term
In identifying Priority Conservation Areas, FOCUS has drawn on
conservation priorities complement the longer-term
the mapping process informing Golden Lands, Golden Opportunity.
needs identified in Golden Lands.
FOCUS reconvened many of the same nonprofits and agencies to
evaluate the applications for Priority Conservation Areas for their
URBAN PARKS GOLDEN LANDS SNAPSHOTS 15
Oakland
CONTRA
CO S TA
San Francisco
ALAMEDA
Fremont
SAN
M AT E O Redwood City
S A N TA
CLARA
San Jose
The Trust for Public Land’s Bay Area Park Equity
Analysis reveals that many communities throughout
the region lack easy access to parks. The darker the San Francisco County
Renowned Parks, Rare Natural
red on this map, the greater the need.
Areas Attract Locals, Tourists
Diverse, Accessible Urban
Parks Help Cities Thrive With beaches, wetlands, Golden Gate Park, a substantial portion of
the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and significant habitat
for native plants and animals, San Francisco has exceptional natural
Green spaces within cities are as important as those surrounding
resources. It also has exceptional need: it’s the nation’s second most
them. Parks take up carbon emissions, keep cities cooler, and help
densely populated city, but the neighborhoods with the most people
manage storm runoff. They give children a much-needed place to
have the least parkland.
play outside. And they serve as a community living room—a place to
relax, celebrate, and hold events. We can help Bay Area cities thrive Opportunities
by making sure all residents have safe, clean parks nearby. • Create more parks, natural areas, and places to play by ensuring
that open space and ecological preservation are priorities in
Opportunities
development and planning projects.
• Provide funding to maintain parks—and involve residents in their
care—to keep parks safe, clean, and inviting. • Manage the network of natural areas throughout the city to
preserve and connect rare habitat, restore creeks, and give
• Support many types of green spaces—from urban creeks to
children access to wild places.
sports fields and playgrounds to community gardens—to allow
parks to serve the whole community. • Complete the Blue Greenway, a 13-mile corridor along the city’s
southeastern waterfront that will bring green space, recreational
• Require that parks be located no more than a 10-minute walk
opportunities, and Bay access to an underserved part of the city.
from every resident’s home to ensure easy access for all.
Population
Public Support 2005: 796,000 | 2020 projection: 857,000
California voters care: they
approved nearly $13 billion in Conservation in Action
conservation funding—including The Crissy Field restoration transformed the
money for parks and play- former Presidio airstrip into a thriving tidal marsh,
grounds—from 1988 to 2008. learning center, and popular place to bike, run,
and play. It involved thousands of volunteers plus
Key Indicator
public and private funding.
Photo: LandPaths, www.LandPaths.org
62% of Bay Area children
under 15 do not live within
walking distance of a park, and
low-income neighborhoods
are particularly underserved,
according to the Trust for Golden Gate Park alone gets about 15 million visitors
Public Land. each year, nearly half of them nonresidents, and city lands
support more than 300 species of native plants.
GOLDEN LANDS SNAPSHOTS
Marin County Sonoma County
Gems Like Mt. Tam, Point Reyes Rural Character Survives
Show Value of Conservation With Help From Key Policies
Marin County is a leader in preserving its natural heritage, from Sonoma County’s diverse landscapes—redwood forests and oak
the rugged Point Reyes coast, to farm and bay lands, to Mount woodlands, rivers and wetlands, vineyards, grasslands, and small
Tamalpais. As a result, the Mount Tamalpais watershed supplies 75% farms—are remarkably well preserved. This is largely due to urban
of eastern Marin’s clean water, the public has access to hundreds of growth boundaries around eight of nine cities and an open space
miles of trails, and local farms provide fresh food to the region. The district that helps to preserve farms. The keys to maintaining this
priorities now are filling in gaps and keeping these lands healthy. natural bounty are protecting watershed and greenbelt lands and
avoiding subdivision of agricultural lands.
Opportunities
• Close gaps in Marin’s protected lands system to preserve Opportunities
15,000 acres of habitat, complete wildlife and trail corridors, and • Guide growth into existing cities and prevent inappropriate
save wetlands. development to help preserve Sonoma County’s rural character.
• Actively maintain natural areas—including controlling invasive • Support farming with agricultural easements and policies to
plants and erosion—to help protect Marin’s streams, such as ensure local food production and preserve prime farmland.
Lagunitas Creek, a rare remaining coho salmon run.
• Adopt policies that protect wetlands and forests from
• Permanently protect 60,000 acres of farmland from nonagricultural conversion to higher-intensity land uses, to help preserve
development to allow Marin to keep producing locally farmed food. biodiversity and local water sources.
Population Population
2005: 253,000 | 2020 projection: 271,000 2005: 479,000 | 2020 projection: 535,000
Conservation in Action Conservation in Action
Restoration of Tiburon Ridge lands should Sonoma County’s agricultural and open space
preserve six imperiled plant species, thanks to district used conservation agreements connecting
the open space district’s work with the cities of six farms and other properties in the Laguna
Tiburon and Belvedere to acquire two key areas de Santa Rosa to form a protected greenbelt
once slated for development. between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol.
Over 45% of North American bird species are found at Sonoma County’s 470,000 acres of forests and woodlands
Point Reyes National Seashore. Many stop there as they sequester an estimated 2.3 million tons of CO2 per year—
migrate along the Pacific Flyway. the equivalent of 400,000 cars.
17
Napa County Solano County
Premier Wine Region Values Wetlands, Farmland, Hills Can
Vineyards, Valley, Biodiversity Thrive With Focused Action
Napa put California wine on the world map, and the Valley’s grapes Oak-studded hills, miles of riverfront, and the Suisun Marsh—which
regularly draw the state’s highest average price per ton. Quick to contains more than 10% of California’s remaining natural wetlands—
recognize the value of its vineyards—as well as its exceptional give Solano outstanding wildlife habitat and watersheds. It also has
biodiversity and water resources—Napa was the first Bay Area abundant productive farmland, thanks in part to county policies that
county to establish strong protection for agriculture, which led help direct growth into cities. Suburban expansion threatens these
to today’s city-centered growth policies. The challenge now is to resources, however, and the diverse population has little access to
preserve the county’s natural abundance and expand opportunities open space.
for people to enjoy it.
Opportunities
Opportunities • Help farmers build value-added operations and provide economic
• Fund Napa’s newly created park district to take an essential incentives to keep farming. These essential steps will preserve
step toward increasing public access to nature. Solano’s valuable agriculture sector—the county’s second-largest
economic driver.
• Tighten growth controls to halt fragmentation and loss of
agricultural lands stemming from rural development. • Create an open space district—Solano is the only Bay Area
county without one—to preserve farm and grazing land and
• Develop trails, like the Napa Crest and Napa River trails, to
provide much-needed public access to the outdoors.
provide opportunities for enjoyment and education.
Population Population
2005: 134,000 | 2020 projection: 148,000 2005: 422,000 | 2020 projection: 515,000
Conservation in Action Conservation in Action
Napa voters committed to protecting farmlands Conservation groups are working to acquire
and natural areas by approving 1990’s Measure easements—with local, state, and federal
J, which requires a citizens’ vote to develop these funding—for prime agricultural lands between
lands. In 2008 Measure P extended the policy, Dixon and Davis, protecting a successful
protecting 540,000 acres for 50 years. economic enterprise while keeping the two
cities distinct.
The wine industry generates $9.5 billion annually for Napa Solano agriculture’s value was over $268 million in 2007,
County, according to a 2005 study by MKF Research for up nearly 15% from 2006, according to the July 2008
Napa Valley Vintners. Solano County Annual Crop and Livestock Report.
GOLDEN LANDS SNAPSHOTS
Photo: Scott Hein, www.heinphoto.com
Contra Costa County Alameda County
Suburban Meets Rural Expanding Focus From Hills
At the Foot of Mt. Diablo To Urban Parks, Rural Lands
Contra Costa’s intricate landscape ranges from Mount Diablo to a Alameda County’s long record of successful conservation efforts
fertile patchwork of farmland and ranchland. Its many watersheds includes protecting scenic East Bay hills and ridgelines and creating
support over 1,100 species, and drain into an aquatic ecosystem that much-loved parks. Among the key needs now are preserving the
stretches from San Pablo Bay to the Sacramento–San Joaquin county’s rural areas—a mosaic of ranchlands, vineyards, and wildlife
River Delta. Directing growth into existing towns will help preserve habitat—and meeting the demand for urban parks in the county’s
these outstanding natural resources. densely populated west.
Opportunities Opportunities
• Stop subdivision and development of farms, ranches, and natural • Curb sprawl in the Tri-Valley area to preserve habitat for rare
areas to preserve wildlife corridors and agricultural heritage. and endangered species, conserve working lands, and protect the
Livermore groundwater basin and watersheds—especially the rare
• Prevent development on Delta watershed lands to protect
alkali sink ecosystem.
California’s drinking water and help preserve a fragile ecosystem.
• Invest in urban parks to ensure that all city residents have
• Build parks and trails on the North Richmond shoreline to give
accessible, clean, safe places to gather and play outdoors.
underserved residents opportunities to enjoy the Bay.
• Protect the Bay shoreline, Alameda Creek, and their watersheds
• Preserve Concord Naval Weapons Station open space to
to increase public access and preserve sensitive aquatic habitat.
protect habitat and enable easy access to nature via BART.
Population Population
2005: 1.02 M | 2020 projection: 1.16 M 2005: 1.5 M | 2020 projection: 1.7 M
Conservation in Action Conservation in Action
The Environmental Studies Academy in Martinez The East Alameda County Conservation
is creating the next generation of environmental Strategy brings together city governments
problem solvers with a science-based curriculum and county, state, and federal agencies to
for at-risk high school students that includes create a conservation blueprint for more
restoring Alhambra Creek. than 271,000 acres in the upper Alameda
Creek Watershed.
Contra Costa’s agricultural core grows 45 crops, The golden eagle, red-legged frog, California tiger
including stone fruit, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, and salamander, burrowing owl, and San Joaquin kit fox are
more than enough fresh sweet corn to feed the Bay Area. among Alameda County’s rare and endangered animals.
19
Photo: Karl Gohl, Courtesy of MROSD
Santa Clara County San Mateo County
Diverse Natural Areas Face Accessible Coast, Forests
Growth Challenge Sustain People and Wildlife
The home of Silicon Valley was originally known for its agricultural San Mateo County’s spectacular coastline lies within easy reach of
abundance. That heritage remains in Gilroy’s famed garlic harvest 3 million people. The county is home to old-growth redwood forests,
and the 388,000 acres of ranchland that define Santa Clara County’s rare species, prime farmland, and four regional north-south trails.
landscape, along with urban creek corridors and oak woodlands. With the protection of key corridors and careful stewardship, we can
The county is the Bay Area’s fastest-growing and is an economic preserve these lands for generations.
engine for the state—protecting its natural areas is key to maintaining
Opportunities
its appeal.
• Protect the coast to safeguard watersheds, help complete
Opportunities skyline-to-sea trails, preserve wildlife migration corridors, and
• Create an interconnected system of open spaces to enable support the county’s unique coastal agriculture.
wildlife migration, trail connections, and continued farming.
• Restore baylands and urban creeks (many now diverted to
• Increase public access to open space, especially near fast- culverts and pipes) to provide essential habitat.
growing areas, to help Santa Clara County continue to attract a
• Prevent subdivision and large-lot residential development to
talented workforce and ensure that all communities benefit.
help protect up to 40,000 acres of farmland and natural areas.
• Protect watershed lands to safeguard the county’s water supply
• Fund park maintenance to keep San Mateo’s natural areas
for a growing population.
healthy and accessible to the public.
Population Population
2005: 1.76 M | 2020 projection: 2.08 M 2005: 722,000 | 2020 projection: 801,000
Conservation in Action Conservation in Action
The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project— The first habitat conservation plan in the nation,
the largest tidal restoration on the West Coast, adopted in 1983, protects several endangered
totaling 15,100 acres—will bring back wildlife, and threatened native butterfly species in San
provide flood protection, and enhance access to Bruno Mountain State and County Park.
San Francisco Bay.
Santa Clara County contains 31 of California’s 61 habitat San Mateo County parks and open space areas record
types, from coastal scrub to redwood forests to blue more than 5 million visits every year.
oak woodlands.
Take Action: Preserve Vital Bay Area Lands
for All Californians
The Bay Area’s vital lands provide clean water, fresh food, inviting Protect and maintain vital Bay Area lands through
places to play, and habitat for wildlife. They define communities; acquisition, conservation easements, and ongoing
attract businesses, workers, and visitors; and provide a strong stewardship.
economic foundation for the region and the state. • Ensure that we can purchase and steward threatened
These lands are threatened, and their ability to provide benefits— lands by increasing funding for those purposes. Sources
already unequally distributed—is increasingly compromised. include new and existing bonds, local measures, and budget
Farmers are having trouble making a living. Plants and animals appropriations at all levels of government.
are losing the places they need to survive. Children are not • Preserve privately held natural areas and agricultural lands
getting the opportunities they need to get close to nature. And by increasing funding for conservation easements.
climate change is raising the stakes.
• Maximize conservation investments by aligning local
initiatives, including mitigation of development impacts, with
The message is clear: we need to act now regional conservation objectives. Coordinate efforts early
on to deliver the most value.
to preserve the irreplaceable natural
resources that belong to every Californian. Adopt strong policies to protect and maintain Bay
Area lands.
• Protect natural areas and working lands with local land-use
The Bay Area is ready to take on the challenge—with the help of
policies and plans that define where development should and
legislators and funders. These strategies are essential to success:
should not occur.
Ensure that the Bay Area’s open space benefits all • Preserve local food supplies and the agricultural economy
of the region’s residents equally. by supporting strategies to improve the financial health of
farms and ranches.
• Give more people access to open space by requiring that a
park be located no more than 10 minutes by foot or bike from • Protect water supplies and reduce flooding by promoting
every resident’s home. watershed-scale planning.
• Make sure parks serve community needs and are well • Encourage private owners to preserve their lands’
maintained, safe, and clean by increasing stewardship ecological values through policies and incentive programs
funding and engaging community members. that support ongoing stewardship.
• Put nature within reach of all residents and visitors by
providing public transit from cities to beaches, forests, and The time to act is now: the health of our families,
our communities, and our environment is at stake.
other recreation areas.
info@golden-lands.org
“Preserving Bay Area open space
is a natural first step to
fight global warming and build
better communities for us all.”
– Mary Nichols, California Air Resources Board
“The level of regional collaboration
that made this work possible will
ensure that each dollar invested
in the Bay Area’s vital lands will
provide maximum benefits—for our
natural systems and our residents.”
– Michael A. Mantell, Resources Law Group
www.greenbelt.org www.openspacecouncil.org www.abag.ca.gov