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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