2008 is the “Endangered Species Big Year” in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Posted by admin on Jan 14, 2008
Stretching from Point Reyes National Seashore, south through the Marin Headlands and parts of San Francisco, to San Mateo County on the Bay Area Peninsula, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) contains more endangered species that any other national park in continental North America.
While the diverse array of species in this region is impressive, the fact that so many of these species are threatened is cause for great concern. That’s why the GGNRA had launched the 2008 Endangered Species Big Year, a competitive "race against time" to observe each of the 33 endangered or threatened species found within the area, while taking 33 discrete conservation recovery actions that will help to preserve them.
Participants have until December 31, 2008, to complete as many of the Big Year challenges listed on the Big Year website as possible. Creatures both great (Humpback Whales) and small (San Bruno Elfin Butterfly) are on the sighting checklist, along with 11 species of flowering plants, including the Presidio Manzanita, a species with only one individual plant left in the world. Conservation actions range from everyday changes, such as using a reusable bag when shopping, to hands-on volunteer work at various parks to restore plant and animal habitats.
Competitors can keep track of their progress by logging their sightings and recovery actions on the GGNRA’s website, where they can also interact with other participants to swap stories and share information. An up-to-date calendar of GGNRA-sponsored events across the Bay Area is also available, which can help contestants find events to participate in to fulfill their Big Year sighting and conservation requirements.
Several of these Big Year events take place near the Hostelling International hostels that are located within the GGNRA. For example, the Marin Headlands Hostel is a prime jumping-off point for the Mission Blue Butterfly habitat restoration event on February 28, while the San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel is just a short walk away from Fort Mason Center’s Building 34, the carpool meeting spot for many of the out-of-city adventures. The Point Reyes Hostel in Point Reyes National Seashore, and the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel in San Mateo, are also convenient spots for excursions in the GGNRA.
The person who sees and helps save the most species by the end of 2008 wins the Big Year, but all participants will end the year with a greater understanding of the spectacular diversity of Bay Area ecology, and a new appreciation for our ability as individuals to preserve our environmental heritage.