Volunteers gathered at Bair Island Ecological Reserve to remove invasive plant species from the area on Sunday, Nov 3.
Events similar to this are organized by volunteers from the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO). These organizations help preserve local land and its animals through volunteer events that clean up the area of invasive species, such as fennel.
“POST buys land to help preserve it and then always transfers it to another agency. POST partners with other organizations to run events on land the POST has helped protect,” said Laurie Bechtler, a POST volunteer.
Volunteers from all along the peninsula came together to help preserve Bair Island. These events happen every month to help save the birds and native species of plants.
“The main environmental threat that this work is addressing is habitat loss,” said Eric Lynch, a habitat restorer for the SFBBO.
Over the years, human activity has drastically changed the habitats in the Bair Island region. This human activity has contributed to climate change issues and habitat loss, which has endangered species’ survival.
In response, Bair Island underwent restoration in 2015 but eventually partnered with POST for monthly volunteer events in 2019.
With many species in danger, these organizations that help preserve the land have become increasingly important. Volunteer numbers have also increased over time to help at these events which have begun to make an impact.
“I found the event posted on volunteer connection and wanted to help,” said Chelsea Wirth, a volunteer.
These volunteers and organizers have been exploring ways to leverage the networks and resources of partner organizations further, such as the POST, to increase volunteer participation.
“In general, organizations like the POST and SFBBO are here because of public support. Having people come out and volunteer with us or donate is really helpful,” Lynch said.
Other conservation organizations have highlighted the importance of San Francisco Bay and its wetlands to raise awareness and garner more public support.
“About 90% of Bair Island was destroyed due to development actions, but there is a huge effort in restoring it right now, through the South Bay salt pond project and other projects, and the potential to increase the health of the bay and the amount of wildlife that uses it,” Lynch said.
In the past, Bair Island was often overlooked, but recent restoration efforts have led to an influx of path use along the area.
With community support, Bair Island has the potential to become a clean and invasive-species-free area for outdoor recreation along the bay.
