Ecological Restoration - Field Seminar

Year 2024/25

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Instructors:

Glen Schneider: glennyfrank@gmail.com

Cynthia Adkisson: adkisson1@aol.com

Mary Palafox: mhpalafox@gmail.com

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1. Seminar content and subject matter

This field seminar will focus on the ecological restoration and natural history of a section of the High Ridge Volcanic Area in the Berkeley Hills. This ridgeline area, known as Skyline Gardens, is a 250-acre “Noah’s Ark” of native plants. Located on EBMUD watershed land that lies between Tilden and Sibley Regional Parks, Skyline Gardens is the most botanically diverse area of its size in the entire East Bay, and also the East Bay’s area of highest recorded rainfall. It is where the fog of the Bay meets the heat of the Diablo Valley. All these factors make for great ecological diversity. Recently removed stands of Eucalyptus and invasive annual grasses have opened up large areas where native ecosystems are re-establishing in competition with aggressive invasive plant species. This class is organized by the Skyline Gardens Alliance of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS), working under a Watershed Permit from the East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD). Each session will focus on principles and practice of habitat restoration as well as one facet of local natural history, such as climate, geology, woodlands, grasslands, lichen,

etc. Participants will be expected to do readings of one hour + each session, learn at least five native plant species each session; and take part in three hours of “hands-and-knees” restoration work such as control/weeding of invasive plant species and nurturing/replanting of local natives. For the final session, each participant will make a 5 minute presentation on some aspect of local restoration and natural history.

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2. Key learning outcomes

Over the course of a half year on site (from rainy season through wildflower season to dryseason), participants will learn the basic theory and practice of ecological restoration.This rests on learning this geographic and ecosystem area in depth, and learning the basic keystone and sensitive plant and other species of the area. We will learn not only theirnames, but how they live, season to season, as seedlings and small plants; in their breeding and seeding, and in their many ecological interactions, such as pollinator and predator/prey relationships. Students will learn to quickly distinguish native and invasive

plant species at various stages of growth through “hands and knees” restoration and weeding sessions, which are expected to comprise about two-thirds of the average field time.

Specifically, we will focus on:

• Learning local Bay Hills natural history in depth, including climate, geology, 70 key local native plants and all the common weeds and how to control them.

• Learning and applying the philosophy and steps of ecological restoration defined as “the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been damaged, degraded, or destroyed (SER).” This includes assessing the initial biological health of a site, understanding the likely ecological trajectory of a site, finding good reference sites, preserving and enhancing local genetic diversity, and the Bradley method of restoration (working outward from good concentrations of natives).

• Learning field-tested techniques for weed control, including exhausting the weed seed bank in the soil; and a strategy and timeline for doing that.

• Learning field tested techniques for seed collecting, propagation and planting of new plant material.

Beyond these nuts and bolts of restoration, there are other, more intangible

“enrichments,” including:

- Spending a lot of time in a restored and restoring meadowland area, from rainy

season through wildflower season to the dry season - becoming saturated in that

natural reality – so that is becomes “normal”, experiencing it from the inside

looking outwards.

- Experiencing a volunteer-based effort based on learning, personal empowerment

and community building.

- Having a lot of fun and fellowship with like-minded people.

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3. Methods

This is a field seminar, with an ecosystem approach. Seminars will last four hours (in the afternoon) every other week. Students will learn in the field, emphasizing direct experience: looking, feeling, touching, planting and weeding, all in a small group setting. Fieldwork will be anchored by weekly readings.

Materials: What to bring with you into the field.

-Water

-Hat

-Boots – high top to keep stickers out

-Long pants & shirt

-Gloves

-Hand lens - optional

-Sunscreen

-Backpack with writing supplies, notebook, pen, pencil

-Snacks (for yourself & to share :)) - optional

- (Hand tools are provided)

Reading Materials: See weekly schedule. All required reading material will be emailed in pdf format (also available on our website) one week before each meeting.

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Weekly Schedule

Week 1: The Meadowland Restoration Cycle

• Bradley Method – work outward from good concentrations of natives

• Reference areas

• Locally sourced plant material for genetic diversity

• 3 year restoration cycle for meadowlands

• Readings:

- “Keys to Restoration” manuscript, Skyline Gardens

- Brock, Thomas D., University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The Bradley Method for

Control of Invasive Plants”

- Skyline Gardens: “From Weeds to Wildflowers”

- “What is Ecological Restoration” SER (Society for Ecological Restoration)

- (handout in class) Skyline Gardens Swale native plant list

Week 2: East Bay Hills – Natural History Overview

• Mediterranean Climate

• East Bay Weather and Rainfall Patterns

• Readings:

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript, “Seasons of California”

- Bakker, Elna , 1984. An Island called California, Ch. 4, “Patterns on the Hills”

UC Press

- Gilliam, Harold, 2002. Weather of the San Francisco Bay Region;

“Introduction” UC Press

- Contra Costa County, 2009. Mean Seasonal Isohyets (rainfall)

Week 3: Basic Botany & Control of Invasives

• Basic strategies: prevent seeding and exhaust seed bank in the soil

• Principal invasive species

• Methods of control – chemical, manual

• Readings:

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript. “Naming Nature”

- California Invasive Plant Council (Cal IPC), “About Invasive Plants”

https://www.cal-ipc.org/plants/impact/

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript. “Using Household Vinegar to Control Invasive

Plants in the Bay Hills of California”

Week 4: Geology of Skyline Gardens – Field Trip

• Geologic history

• Moraga Volcanics

• Orinda Gravels

• Site visit to Caldecott/Hwy 24 East Portal road cut

• Readings:

- Sloan, Doris, 2006. Geology of the San Francisco Bay Region, Ch. 9 “The East

Bay” UC Press

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- Smith, David, The geology and paleontology of the Caldecott Tunnel's Fourth

Bore, http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/caltrans/index.php UCMP

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript. “Faces of Nature”

Week 5: Restoration Planting

• Basic strategies – establish mother colonies

• Growing plant starts

• Timing

• Follow up care

• Readings:

- Emery, Dara E. Seed Propagation Of Native California Plants. Santa Barbara

Botanical Garden

- Ornduff, Robert, 1974. California Plant Life, Climate of California, pp. 37-54

UC Press

Week 6: First (Native) Peoples in the Land

• Human ecology – food and fire

• East Bay tribal and language areas

• Readings:

- Anderson, Cat, 2005. Tending the Wild, “Introduction” & Ch. 1 “Wildlife,

Plants and People”

- Edwards, Steve Four Seasons

- Marshall, Amelia Sue, 2017. East Bay Hills, Ch. 1 “Natives”

Week 7: Plant communities – High Ridge Meadow and Scree

• Grass species

• Forbs

• Animal ecology

• Readings:

- Barbour, Michael et. al, 2007. Terrestrial Vegetation of California, Ch. 7

“Coastal Prairie”, pp. 194-205 UC Press

- Crampton, Beecher, 1974. Grasses in California, “Introduction” pp. 5 – 23. UC

Week 8: Plant communities - Coastal Scrub

• The Three Sisters: Sage, Coyote Bush, and Sticky Monkey

• Understory plants

• Animal ecology

• Readings:

- Barbour, Michael et. al, 2007. Terrestrial Vegetation of California, Ch. 7

“Northern Coastal Scrub” pp. 180-194 UC Press

- Quinn, Ronald D. et. al, 2006. Introduction to California chaparral, Ch. 1

“California Chaparral”

Week 9: Plant communities – Woodlands

• Principal tree species

• Understory plants

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• Animal ecology

• Readings:

- Barbour, Michael et. al, 2007. Terrestrial Vegetation of California, Ch.12 “Oak

Woodlands and Forests” UC Press

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript, “Ten Trees of Home”

Week 10: Wildflowers

• Basic ecology

• Perennials

• Annuals

• Readings:

- Keator, Glenn, 1994. Plants of the East Bay Parks, “Encyclopedia of

Wildflowers” pp. 176 forward. Roberts Reinhart

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript. “Poppies,” “Soap Root,” and “Buttercup Woods”

Week 11: Local Animals

• Reptiles

• Amphibians

• Mammals

• Readings:

- Stebbins. Robert C., 2012. Amphibians and Reptiles of California,

“Introduction” UC Press

- East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP, October 2006. “Alameda Whipsnake”

- EBMUD, Mulchaey, B. 2013 “Alameda Whipsnake Trapping Effort: Siesta

Valley”

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript, “Botta’s Pocket Gopher,” “Broad-footed Mole,”

and “Dusky-footed Woodrat”

Week 12: Pollinators & Predators

• Insects

• Wind

• Readings:

- Schneider, Glen, manuscript. “Yellow-faced Bumblebee”

- Skyline Report, July 14, 2018. “Ruderals and the life of Tarweeds”

- Garvey, Kathy 2013. BUG SQUAD “Bring on the Tourists!” UC Riverside

- Chen, May “Pollinator Posts”

Week 13: Fungi and Lichens

• Habitats

• Basic biology

• Key lichen groups and species

• Readings:

- Campbell, Neil A. et. al. 2005. Biology, Chapter 31 “Fungi” Pearson-Cummings

- Sharnoff, Stephen, 2014. Field Guide to California Lichens, “Introduction” pp. 1

– 30. Yale Press

- Clayden, Stephen R. 1998. “Thallus initiation in Rhizocarpon lecanorinum”

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Week 14: Seed Collecting

• Basic strategy

• Timing

• Storage

• Readings:

- Teel, Matt. January 3, 2018 “California Native Plant Propagation” California Native Plant Society

Week 15: Class Presentations, Creatures of the Evening (night field class)

• 5 minute class presentations

• Mammals

• Moths

• Potluck and Moth Night with UV lights

• Readings:

- Powell, Jerry et. al. 1979. Insects of California, “Moths and Butterflies, Order Lepidoptera UC Press

- Jameson, E.W. 1988 California Mammals “Coyote, Bobcat, Grey Fox, and

Skunk” UC Press

Resources:

Websites:

• Jepson Manual of California Plants, Jepson Herbarium eFlora

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/

• Skyline Gardens website: skylinegardens.org

• Skyline Gardens Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkylineGardensEBCNPS/

• Weather Forecast: NOAA, website. WFO San Francisco Bay Area / Monterey

Precipitation Forecast

https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/precipForecast.php?cwa=MTR&day=1&img=5  (basic National Weather Service rain forecast)

• East Bay Rainfall totals: Contra Costa County Flood Control, website. Rainfall

Durations http://www.ccflood.us/raintable.html (up-to-date rainfall for 31

locations; Skyline Gardens is EBRPD Bald Peak, Tilden Park)

Books:

• Keator, Glenn, 1994. Plants of the East Bay Parks Roberts Reinhart

• Ertter, B. and Bowerman, M., 2002 The Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mount

Diablo California; California Native Plant Society. (Mary Bowerman was a

student of Jepson’s and wrote this classic, best of its kind local flora as a PhD

thesis; first published in 1944; updated and reprinted in 2002).

• Jameson, E.W. 1988. California Mammals UC Press

• Powell, Jerry A. et. al. 1979. California Insects UC Press

• Sharnoff, Stephen, 2014. Field Guide to California Lichens Yale Univ. Press

• Stebbins. Robert C., 2012. Amphibians and Reptiles of California UC Press

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