SAN FRANCISCO—(May 22, 2024)—The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, working with Marin County Parks as a part of the One Tam partnership, was recently awarded $1.7 million in grant funding from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority (SFBRA) to support the planning of the Evolving Shorelines Project. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority is a regional agency that funds projects that restore, protect and enhance the wetlands and wildlife habitat in the San Francisco Bay and its shoreline. The project presents a nature-based approach to responding to sea level rise and climate change at Bothin Marsh Open Space Preserve and the Mill Valley-Sausalito Pathway, part of the Bay Trail, one of Marin County Parks’ most visited park units and the most vulnerable to sea level rise.
"This grant will allow us to keep working with our local community to continue developing a detailed plan to elevate the Bay Trail and to restore the marsh’s ability to adapt to rising tides,” said Veronica Pearson, hydroecologist and Senior Open Space Planner at Marin County Parks.
The SFBRA grant will also compliment ongoing monitoring of rare plant and wildlife species and the continued stewardship of this regionally important tidal wetland. The work completed in this next phase of the project will be an important step towards the long-term resiliency of Bothin Marsh and the biological diversity it supports.
“The low elevation and regular flooding of the tidal wetlands and the Bay Trail at Bothin Marsh offer a preview of what sea level rise could look like in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Rob LaPorte, Senior Project Manager at the Parks Conservancy. “Learning about how the tidal wetlands in this region have evolved and shifted in response to different environmental conditions over time has provided valuable context for thinking about building broader community resiliency to climate change.”
“This project is exciting because Bothin Marsh is such a great place to bike, walk, and connect with the Bay shoreline and its unique ecosystem,” said Claire Mooney, Vice President of Park Places & Innovation at the Parks Conservancy. “As we celebrate 10 years of the One Tam Partnership, we are looking forward to the continual creation of long-term strategies to protect these critically important open spaces.”
About One Tam: One Tam is a partnership of the National Park Service, California State Parks, Marin Water, Marin County Parks, and the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to ensure the long-term health of Mt. Tamalpais. Our partnership leverages the skills and resources of each partner and inspires community members to support the long-term stewardship of the mountain. www.onetam.org
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service overseeing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area—82,000 acres of national parkland spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, including Muir Woods, Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, and Alcatraz Island. The Parks Conservancy is a membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future. With our local and federal partners, the Parks Conservancy is committed to the work of supporting Bay Area national parks as places where we can further racial and social justice for our community and climate resilience for these protected lands. www.parksconservancy.org
Marin County Parks: Marin County Parks maintains 18,400 acres of public parks and open space preserves. It is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and engaging the people of Marin in the shared commitment of preserving, protecting, and enriching the natural beauty of Marin's parks and open spaces, and providing recreational opportunities for the enjoyment of all generations. www.marincountyparks.org
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