THE DAILY KERNEL

Just returned to the computer tonight after a day of meetings to see this article on Tennessee Hollow restoration project in today’s Chronicle. Peter Fimrite, staff writer at the Chronicle, interviews Allison Stone of the Presidio Trust. If you’re not familiar with where the Tennessee Hollow watershed or El Polin Springs are located in the Presidio, here’s a map, courtesy of the Presidio Trust.

Lots of very interesting thoughts in the comments section. Many wondered why the water at El Polin Springs was not potable. While lots of answers were given, the principle reason is that the spring is not protected at the source from contamination by mammals, wild and domestic. The spring is fairly low flow, easily contaminated by coliform bacteria and therefore, not good to drink.

Great to see this project receiving some good press and congratulations to Allison for the interview.

–Doug Kern

Tags: Restoration by Doug
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Back in May I noted this ABC News report on the dangers of artificial turf. Today’s LA Times reports that California Attorney General Jerry Brown alleges in a lawsuit against top makers of green plastic playing fields that:

…three makers of artificial turf deliberately failed to disclose that their products contain lead.

It turns out that lead is used to give the green color to artificial turf. According to the article:

lead,…,has been identified by state agencies as a chemical that can cause cancer, damage to male and female reproductive systems, and birth defects in developing fetuses.

The article does indicate that excessive lead was not found in all of the artificial turf samples from the three companies.

However, it was noted that:

Although artificial turf presents little or no danger when it is new, lead levels rise to potentially harmful levels as it gets older, said Deputy Atty. Gen. Dennis A. Ragen, the state’s lead attorney on the lawsuit.

The lead in artificial turf is a serious issue as the field ages and the dust from the material comes off on children’s hands, which they then put in their mouths. Lead contaminated dust could wash off the field and into the environment. Any installation of artificial turf at the Presidio should be carefully considered in the light of this information.

–Doug Kern

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Guided Project Tours at El Polin Springs in the Presidio’s Tennessee Hollow Watershed 

• Saturday, September 6, 10:30 am–Noon
• Saturday, September 13, 10:30 am–Noon
• Meet at the picnic tables at El Polin Springs, off MacArthur Avenue, in the Presidio. RSVP/Directions (415) 561-5357.
• Sponsored by the Presidio Trust 

Restoration of the Tennessee Hollow watershed is now continuing at El Polin Springs, a place remarkable for nature and wildlife as well as for its extraordinary human history.

Beginning in September 2008, habitat restoration will begin to return ecological richness to the wetland area surrounding the springs. As a first phase, 60 eucalyptus, cypress, and pine trees will be removed from around El Polin Loop. Habitat will then be restored with plants and trees grown in the Presidio Nursery, including coast live oak and California buckeye, as well as wax myrtle, toyon, willows, and native grasses.

Later, a number of improvements will showcase the history of the area and welcome visitors. El Polin Loop will be transformed into a boardwalk and trail with a new picnic area, public restrooms, and benches. The stone channels and well will be restored, and interpretive gardens and other features will share the long history at the springs.

For complete project details, visit the Presidio Trust website on the Tennessee Hollow Project.

Artist’s conceptual rendering of boardwalk and restored habitat around El Polin Springs. Illustration by Art Zendarski.

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Synthetic turf has been recommended for potential use at the Presidio of San Francisco for upgrading the ballfields. Identified advantages are greater playing time and less maintenance. In October 2007, the Urban Watershed Project commented on the use of synthetic turf as proposed in the Tennessee Hollow Environmental Assessment:

While we do understand and support the benefits of using synthetic turf, UWP remains concerned about water quality impacts from this surface downstream of proposed ballfield sites. We would like to see that potential impacts are studied prior to installation and that the synthetic turf presents no danger to downstream receptors.

I’d still like to know whether maintenance of the field will introduce problem chemicals to the environment and restored creeks below the site.  For example, what is applied to clean and disinfect the field?  Fabric softeners?

While potential water quality impacts remain a major concern, what about the human health impacts?  Check out the April 17, 2008 video below from ABC News looking at the potential health impacts from synthetic turf. I certainly support further investigation into synthetic turf prior to its use at the Presidio. 

– Doug Kern

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Save the date!  Project WISE (Watersheds Inspiring Student Education) will present their findings on May 28th and 29th at two completely different sessions.  

• 2008 Project WISE Environmental Science Symposium
• My Health, My Park, My Community
• WHERE:    Crissy Field Center in the Gathering Room
• WHEN:     May 28 and May 29; 2:00-3:30pm
• WHAT:     Presentations of results of final projects
• TOPICS:   Projects include bioremediation with mushrooms, wetland filtration studies, Presidio tap water quality, effectiveness of water filters, safe and effective cleaners, lead in our Park and our environment, mercury in the Bay and in your body, low level ozone in the park, carbon dioxide studies, presence or absence of coliform in Lobos Creek, geologic modeling, and sand crab monitoring 

Tags: Education by Doug
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We’ve been down a long road with years of discussing the vision for this wonderful restoration project. Community members have commented during the scoping process in 2003 and have responded to proposed alternatives in 2007.  The Presidio Trust released its response to public comments (pdf — 1.5mb) in late 2007 and have posted a tentative timeline for restoration activities subject to funding availability.

I’ve been reviewing the Response to Comments and look forward to discussing the details here.

Stewardship of the various Tennessee Hollow sites will be a key element in the ultimate success of the project. What will stewardship of Tennessee Hollow look like?  What kind of organization will have the greatest impact? How will it be funded?  How will it get started? Who will manage it? What do you think?

Since any restoration of Tennessee Hollow will be subject to funding availability, what can we do to encourage potential donors to explore this project?  What kinds of activities can we begin in order to promote Tennessee Hollow to the philanthropic community?

Hey, it’s an exciting time for Tennessee Hollow restoration!  Lot’s of opportunity to make a difference.

– Doug Kern

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In 1994, the National Park Service produced their General Management Plan Amendment for the Presidio of San Francisco. This document was the result of four years of work with stakeholders looking to the future of the Presidio. From these early days of the Park, the Tennessee Hollow watershed was foreseen as an important place for natural and cultural resource restoration. Since that time, Tennessee Hollow has been further identified for restoration in many key documents produced by the Presidio Trust including the Presidio Trust Management Plan and most recently, the Tennessee Hollow Environmental Assessment (pdf - 4.4mb)  which refines the most detailed vision to date.

In 2005, environmentalists looking to restore, preserve and protect natural and cultural resources at the Presidio developed the following vision statement for Tennessee Hollow.

Hidden among the protective willow trees, a rare songbird welcomes the pink glow of a new dawn with a buoyant melody.  As morning wanes a great blue heron stands motionless among the wildflowers, silently optimistic that breakfast will soon crawl near.  Snowy egrets prowl the tranquil creek waters for plentiful small fish and other aquatic prey.  The shrill cry of a circling red-shouldered hawk chases small furry creatures back to their burrows. 

Dusk sees a large flock of migrating songbirds settle from great heights into a canopy of oaks, seeking the food and shelter the majestic trees provide.  Nightfall summons the hoot of a great-horned owl while a chorus of frogs cheers the stars across the sky.

Fed by springs and rainfall, and changing with the seasons, newly daylighted streams nourish a diverse riparian community as they wend their way to the Crissy Field wetlands.   

This is the Tennessee Hollow Watershed in San Francisco’s Presidio National Park, fully restored. 

Human visitors from across the street and around the world enjoy the cultural, recreational, aesthetic, educational and spiritual benefits of a fully functioning coastal ecosystem in the middle of a bustling City.  Some are awestruck with nature’s wonder and beauty as they admire the rare Presidio clarkia or the elusive endangered damselfly.  Some are fascinated by the history of Juana Briones or the Native Americans who once dwelled here, revealed by interpretive signage.  Others take pleasure in hiking the trails that skirt the bird-filled willow thickets and stately oak trees.  Binoculars at the ready, wildlife watchers thrill at the sound and sight of the many resident and migrant species animating their reestablished habitat. Many roll up their sleeves and partake of the camaraderie and personal satisfaction of stewardship – helping indigenous species to flourish and assuring that the once-degraded ecosystems will continue to thrive.  School children on field trips study the complex and wondrous natural processes evident throughout the watershed. 

The realization of this vision is within our grasp. 

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