The Conservancy is pleased to announce the completion of the Mid-Canyon and Stonewall Road fuels reduction projects, the final phases of our 2005-2006 fire-safety program in the Claremont Canyon Preserve. The program grew out of a consensus among neighbors, government agencies, and land-holders, who agree that we need to gain some control of the invasive eucalyptus, acacia, and pines that increasingly encroach upon the roads, homes, and wild habitat of the East Bay hills.
Members tell us what they think, by Marilyn Goldhaber
In February of 2006, we mailed surveys to 385 members and former members of the Claremont Canyon Conservancy. One hundred and thirty, or 34%, responded. Most of the respondents (92%) report close contact with Claremont Canyon by hiking in, driving through, or just viewing the landscape, presumably from their homes (over half). A few hearty souls (5%) report hiking the canyon daily and many more (49%) do so once a month or more. About a quarter drive through every day.
Liasons with Claremont Canyon's landowners, by L. Tim Wallace
When we formed our organization two and a half years ago, Claremont Canyon was being overlooked and ignored. Little had been done by the major stakeholders to control the spread of French broom, poison hemlock, yellow starthistle and the other invasive exotics. Damaged eucalyptus trees were re-sprouting. Roadsides were minimally managed and trails on parkland were virtually ignored. All this has changed.
Fall 2003 in the Canyon
We begin with two assumptions. First, that fire safety and preservation of the environment are everyone’s responsibility, public and private landowner alike. And second, that only through partnership and coordinated effort can we shape these responsibilities into wise and well-planned action. Accordingly, we have formed good working relationships with many agencies and individuals, each of whom holds an important piece of the overall puzzle.
