The Claremont Chert, named after our own canyon, is a type of marine sedimentary rock. It consists of hard, fine-grained silica, plus more friable shales and mudstones from ancient siliceous skeletons of microscopic creatures. These tiny skeletons and other materials were deposited over millions of years in off-shore basins—when the shoreline of the California coast looked quite different from today.
An awesome Earth Month in Garber Park, by Shelagh Brodersen
Walking in Garber Park just became easier—and safer—thanks to the many volunteers who came to the park during Earth Month. Eager to once again be out in nature, we formed small groups on three consecutive weekends in April to pull weeds and haul them down to a dumpster provided by the City of Oakland.
President's spring message, by Jon Kaufman
Over the past year, we’ve had to curtail our group stewardship activities, but our board has been busy on other fronts. Recently, we met with the general manager of the Claremont Resort and Spa and were assured a spacious conference room for our annual meeting in November, if all goes well. While our Zoom meeting last fall was a success, we look forward to seeing everyone in person. In addition, the hotel, along with PG&E, plans to continue to manage hazardous trees on the back of its property for fire safety and better egress
UC's Evacuation Support Project, by Marilyn Goldhaber
Claremont Avenue above Alvarado Road was transformed this past winter as part of an ongoing fire management program carried out by UC’s Facilities Services. Eucalyptus and other trees that could fall across the road during an emergency or ignite close to the road were logged along with brushy understory, within 100 feet of edge of the pavement . The total project area was approximately 18 acres.
Coastal Cleanup Day coming in September, by Dillon Hanson-Ahumada
This past year I’ve had the opportunity, as many of us have had, to work from home. I feel especially lucky to be living at the doorstep of Claremont Canyon with its many great trails. When I need to take a break, I often step out for a quick tour around the 1.5-mile Loop Trail of Garber Park. I enjoy the beauty and peacefulness there while I gather my thoughts about all the things I need to do for my job at the National Resources Defense Fund.
Petition filed against UC's Vegetative Fuel Management Plan and EIR
Despite urgings from us, and others, UC failed to make last minute amendments its Plan and EIR to reduce the risk of wildfire on its Hill Campus beyond versions of released in July, 2020 (the Plan) and January 2021 (the EIR). In response, the Conservancy has filed a petition with the Superior Court as we believe both the Plan and EIR, in their present forms, violate state law.
We would like nothing better than to work cooperatively with UC to make its vegetation management plan robust enough to counteract the increased wildfire risk imposed by climate change and increased fuel loads in the upper campus area.
Letter to the Park District: Work needed near homes on Stonewall Rd
Our concern in writing you today is the condition of the upper eucalyptus woodland in the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. The woodland is situated behind homes along Stonewall Road in what the District calls polygon CC001. While the lower part of the woodland has been managed for years, the upper part remains untouched and is densely overgrown with a vast accumulation of dead leaves, branches and duff underneath. It is clearly a fire hazard. It also attracts unauthorized campers.
Ca. Insurance Commissioner's wildfire transparency rules for homeowners
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After hearing from many Californians about their frustration and confusion over how insurance companies rate properties for wildfire risk, today Commissioner Ricardo Lara proposed new rules to give homeowners and businesses open access to their properties’ wildfire risk scores.
California needs dedicated wildfire prevention funds, as per the Mercury News
California needs a long-term, dedicated source of revenue for wildfire prevention.
It’s inconceivable that the Legislature failed to take action in 2020 to address one of the state’s most pressing issues. Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers must not let another year pass by without making a serious investment in wildfire prevention.
The Aubry's Tree of Hope
We wanted you to know that the 1991 “Tree of Hope” was lit on Thanksgiving night in honor of all those who have perished from the virus. We will also light it from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1 to remember all the souls we have lost in California fires over the years. We want to especially thank our daughter, son in law and grandson (Janae, Lawrence & Christopher) who came over from Sacramento with their masks and managed to put the 1,000 lights on our “tree”.
Wrap up of Annual Meeting, Sunday, November 15, 2020, 4-6 PM, by Marilyn Goldhaber
Great attendance in spite of the virus
We had a great turnout for our first online Annual Meeting (full recording is here), with an estimated 70-80 attendees (57 screens!). After a brief update from the Conservancy board, we moved on to our invited speakers, Carl Pennypacker of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, head of the FUEGO (Fire Urgency Estimator in Geosynchronous Orbit) Project and Nick Luby, Deputy Chief of the Fire Operations Bureau, Oakland Fire. The speakers were followed by a question and answer period.
Grizzly Peak lookouts, by Elizabeth Stage
How to join a Zoom meeting
Recommendation: You might want to download the Zoom app ahead of time. But you can go directly to the meeting, as described below, without the app. The app downloads automatically the first time you use Zoom.
From Phone
Call either 669-900-9128 or 253-215-8782.
You will be prompted to enter the meeting ID 832 6139 0800, followed by #.
Web Browser
Open Chrome (or other browser).
Go to join.zoom.us.
Enter the meeting ID provided by the host/organizer (832 6139 0800).
Click Join. If this is your first time joining from Google Chrome (or other browser), you will be asked to open the Zoom client to join the meeting.
Joining a meeting – Zoom Help Center
Claremont Avenue and UC Fire Trails will be closed 9 am- 3 pm, weekdays between November 17 —January 15 for Claremont Canyon Evacuation Improvement Project, UCB Facilities Services
The project is comprised of fire fuel mitigation work along upper Claremont Ave. on lands owned University of California, Berkeley (UCB). Project activities will take place within UCB Property 100 feet of the edge of pavement along Claremont Ave. The location of work is indicated on the map below, labelled as EST-3. Total project area is approximately 18 acres.
Toward an East Bay Wildfire Prevention Vegetation Management Agency, by Jon Kaufman (updated 10/06/20)
Osprey over Claremont Canyon ...
Comments of Stuart Flashman to UC DEIR
In our view there are impacts that have not been adequately addressed in the DEIR, and some of these impacts should cause the University to reconsider the range of alternatives analyzed in the EIR. In particular, the EIR should accurately analyze the long term environmental and fire risk benefits of the proposed Alternative A, submitted by Professor McBride, including that alternative’s recommendation that the Plan’s fuel reduction approach should commit to removing eucalyptus and Monterey pine (“pine”), rather than simply ‘thinning’ these species that pose such a high degree of fire risk. Based on the flaws to be identified in this letter, the Conservancy feels it is imperative that the University consider options beyond those identified in the DEIR. Because that will significantly affect the analysis presented in the DEIR, the Conservancy suggests that a revised EIR adopting a more complete and robust eucalyptus/pine removal strategy as the preferred alternative will need to be recirculated for additional public comment.
Response to UC Hill Campus Vegetation Management Plan by the Claremont Canyon Conservancy
The New Reality
The increased number and severity of wildfires in California over the past three years illustrates that we are in a new reality. Hotter summers combined with drought, longer, warmer falls and more prolonged Diablo winds, and now lightning, all brought about in large part by climate change, have altered our environment and increased the likelihood and danger of wildfires. (See notes A-D) Firefighters and government officials are telling us that once a wildfire gets started, our only recourse is evacuation. (See note E) The UC Hill Campus Vegetation Management Plan acknowledges this reality by making evacuation routes safer, removing highly flammable vegetation within 100 feet along Centennial Drive, Claremont Avenue and the Jordan Fire Trail. So far, so good.
Comments from Jerry Kent regarding UC's Draft Plan and EIR
The following comments are submitted by Jerry Kent on behalf of the Claremont Canyon Conservancy in response to the draft UC HILL WILDLAND VEGETATIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT PLAN/EIR (WVFMP/EIR). The Conservancy has been a strong supporter of University efforts to mitigate fire hazards on the Hill Campus since the 1991 fire. Including the significant fire hazard reduction improvements that were achieved by removing eucalyptus, pine, acacia, and other flammable planted and invasive vegetation between 2000 and 2007 in Claremont Canyon, at Chaparral Hill, and along the partial and incompleted joint EBRPD and UC Grizzly Peak Boulevard Ridgetop Fuelbreak.
