Muir Heritage Land trust

H eart
By Sherida Bush

and

m ind

Spring/Summer 2009

s we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we recognize the Muir Heritage Land Trust exists because people have long dedicated themselves to its continuance and vitality. Countless individuals devoted long hours of work, punctuated with moments of elation. The beginnings and growththe lifeof the Muir Heritage Land Trust are imbedded in their experiences and remembrances. Memories are carried in the heart as well as the mind. The impressions they leave, the meaning they carry, are as important as the cold facts. Yet this account can encompass neither the accomplishments nor the memories of all who contributed. This tale instead offers highlights culled from witnesses of the time, and unfolds through washes of memory. As we honor the past and those who were here in the beginning, we understand that each new experience builds history, and that our future depends on the dedication of the people who continue the work today.

Message from the Executive Director

Dear Land Trust Supporters, The Muir Heritage Land Trusts 20th anniversary invites us to both reflect upon our past successes and to train our sights on the ways in which we will continue to accomplish our mission. The Martinez Regional Land Trust began as a gathering of concerned citizens dedicated to the preservation of the Alhambra Valley. Today the Muir Heritage Land Trust is a vital, developing organization dedicated to the preservation of natural areas throughout Contra Costa County. A living, growing organization is not inexpensive, however. The price is always a commitment of people to share their time and financial resources. As we build on the past, and redouble our efforts for the future, we are reminded that the Muir Heritage Land Trust is and always will be powered by you, the thousands of land trust contributors whose passionate, enduring support ensures that the beauty, diversity and fullness of Contra Costas very special wild lands will continue to enrich and sustain all generations of life.

Trust formed to protect Martinez open space

The Tribune, September 1, 1989

The idea of forming a land trust was a gleam in the eye of Tina Batt (then Wilson), along with Hal Olson and Mary Ann Gaebe in 1987. The three members of the Alhambra Valley Specific Plan Committee started a dialog on development rights for the proposed 235-acre Stonehurst subdivision in the area. Fellow committee member and developer Jim Busby of Security Owners Corporation already had approval from Contra Costa County to develop homes on five acre lots. Instead, he thought it

made more sense to cluster the homes on 1 acre lots and leave 150 acres as open space. His plan was to dedicate the development rights to the open land to the county. The county had just extinguished a scenic easement for an Alhambra Valley property to accommodate a landowners request to build on the ridgeline. That didnt sit well with Tina, Hal and Mary Ann. They agreed the Stonehurst development rights might be more secure in the hands of an organization dedicated to preserving land. The problem was, no such group existed in the area. Tina enlisted the help of the Trust for Public Land (TPL), which organized workshops on setting up a land trust. It was there the fledgling group met future Board Member Nancy Schaefer, who worked for TPL and lent invaluable expertise. Nancy, who for most of her life has worked to save open space, was interested in working in my own backyard, she said. (Nancy is still a member of our Land Acquisition Committee.) Then future first Treasurer,
Heart and Mind continues on page 2

Linus Eukel Executive Director

Heart and Mind continued from page 1

M u i r H e r i tag e L a n d t ru s t
P.O. Box 2452 Martinez, CA 94553 925-228-5460 925-372-5460 fax info@muirheritagelandtrust.org www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

s taff
Linus Eukel Executive Director Suzanne Jones Land Specialist Beth Pardieck Stewardship Manager Ellen Visser Outreach Coordinator Johna Winters Administrative Manager

of

B oard d irectors

Donn Walklet Chair Ann Cormack Vice Chair Paul Craig Secretary Louis E. Stoddard Treasurer Bob Aston Steve Hutchcraft Peter Colby Ken Fischer Denis Huston Beth Mallonee Mark Wilson

e ditor
Linus Eukel

n ewsLetter c ontriButors
Sherida Bush Linus Eukel Suzanne Jones Beth Pardieck Ellen Visser Johna Winters 20th Anniversary logo: Tom Taneyhill

Tim Platt, joined the group. Tim remembers early meetings spent gathered around the dining table at the home of future Board Member Jeanne Will. (Jeannes death on Christmas of 1997 was an early loss to our team.) The handful of volunteers discussed how the group should be organized, and worked on the maze of paperwork requiredarticles of incorporation, by-laws, an application for nonprofit status. Looking to get other people involved, the nascent group announced its first annual meeting, which drew about 40 people. In July of 1989, an organization was officially born: the Martinez Regional Land Trust. Tina, Hal, Nancy and Tim were the four founding Board Members on the legal by-laws. When office space was needed, Jack and Asilee Telfer donated space in their building. (Jack, who was a Board Member for eight years, died in 2007.) New, inexperienced, and with few assets, the groups band of volunteers plotted the future. A 14-member Board of Directors was established, with Hal as the first Board Chair. Hal sees his biggest contribution as persuading Hulet Hornbeck to become a Board Member. Hulets background in land acquisition for the East Bay Regional Park District was vital to the Land Trusts negotiations for our land acquisitions, he said. An Advisory Board was also formed, which had the duty of recommending new board members. Others joined the Steering, Fundraising and other committees. Publicity on the organizations founding began to attract membersabout 100 of them. Tim also remembers meetings in the office of Jim Cutler, then Chief of Comprehensive Planning for Contra Costa County (and Land Trust Honorary Board Member). Jim displayed a dazzling map with transparent overlays in multiple colors we were salivating over, Tim said. Good maps were hard to come by then. The Land Trust later adopted it as a base map for planning. The subdivision that started it all became the organizations first completed project. In March of 1991, Security Owners Corporation dedicated the development rights to 150 acres of open space in the Stonehurst subdivision to the new Land Trust.

But the Board had already taken on something they werent sure they were ready for

186-acre purchase puts group on the map

Contra Costa Times, March 31, 1991

Still new, inexperienced and with few assets, the Land Trust took on what seemed a massive undertaking in February of 1991. Local rancher Gordon Strain was negotiating with the National Park Service for the sale of 186 acres of his ranch as an addition to John Muir National Historic Site. The land had once been part of Muirs fruit ranchMuir had named its highest hill after his oldest daughter, Wanda. Negotiations were at a stalemate, and another $75,000 was needed to accomplish the acquisition. Many feared the funding Congressman George Miller had earmarked for the project would be taken to support the then-waging Gulf War. The Land Trust took a position in support of Gordon, the property owner, said Tina. With trepidation, the Land Trust made a pledge for the remaining $75,000 and the deal was closed. Jack Telfer gave the Land Trust an 18-month interest-free loan. The decision came with some anguish. Board Member Everett Turners angst was quoted in the Times article: Turner says the decision to make the pledgewas frightening. We were all a little queasy. Tina knew what had to be done: learning the ropes of fundraising. Tina wrote to major foundations and businesses asking for contributions, although today she admits I didnt know what I was doing, but I did it.. In February of 1992, the groups first auction fun-raiser brought in $10,000. Individual donations started pouring in when Contra Costa Times Columnist Gary Bogue ran a donation campaign in his column, raising thousands of dollars. A series of articles in the Martinez Gazette brought in more than $3,000. The San Francisco Foundation, an early supporter, contributed $25,000. But a year later, the group had raised less than half of the money. The last six months were tense, but support continued. One reader alone

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of Gary Bogues column gave $12,000. Tinas fundraising efforts garnered major contributions from many foundations and businesses.

Land Trust Sets Sights on Sky Ranch

Martinez News-Gazette, January 16, 1997

m u i r H e r i tag e L a n d t ru S t B oa r d m e m B e r H i S to ry 1989 - 2008

1989 Founding Board Members (as listed in legal by-laws): Tina Batt Hal Olson Tim Platt Nancy Schaefer

Land Trust Makes Good on $75,000 Pledge

Martinez News-Gazette, August 4, 1992

Because the Land Trust is the story of people, life and death are a part of the past two decades. After 18 months of anxiety, the Land Trust Board was able pay off the $75,000 loan as promised. In July of 1992, a dedication was held to celebrate the completion of the Mt. Wanda addition to the John Muir National Historic Site. Gordon spoke to the assembled crowd: I think we have really set something aside for the community that will last a long time. Those may have been his last words. Minutes later, Gordon collapsed and died of a heart attack. Just as his years-long effort to forever protect his land was being celebrated, his fragile life was over. The sadness of that time lingers, but is tempered by the accuracy of his words.

Passion and Perseverance

Tina Batt spent years working as the Executive Director for the Land Trust without pay. In the beginning she had no experience, said Mary Ann Gaebe, but she had a passion, and went after it. And she had perseverance. In 1992, Tina had to leave her non-paying job for a paying one, so she went to work at the Lindsay Museum for two years. Everett Turner stepped in as Executive Director during that time (Everett, who served on the Board for ten years, passed away last year). After two years, the Land Trust was able to bring Tina back on a contract basis. She had spent two years working with the Lindsays development directors, so when she returned I knew how to fundraise, she said. That was key, as much was about to happen.

Who knows what the Philippines-based corporate owners thought of a small nonprofit taking on a Goliath of a project. But they accepted the Land Trusts offer of a sale agreement for a 242-acre parcel of land in the Franklin Ridge. Again, we had 18 months to raise the $685,000 purchase price. The Sky Ranch acquisition project budget included administrative funding, so at last we had the funds to hire Tina as a staff Executive Director. Tinas fundraising efforts brought in a lot of money, but after 18 months, we were a disappointing $190,000 short of the goal. At the time, Tina told reporters, We just couldnt let this property go. So, the Land Trust took out a loan and bought the property. It took three years, but by early 2000 we paid off the loan. For the first few years of the Land Trust, everything was a long, hard struggle, said Mary Ann (still a member of the Outreach and Land Acquisition committees). Part of the struggle was getting people to believe in us and that we could do something. Sky Ranch showed that we were the little land trust that could.

v
Former Board Members (chronological) Tina Batt Mary Ann Gaebe Nancy Schaefer Tim Platt Hal Olson Jack Telfer Hulet Hornbeck Harriett Burt Jeanne Will Kathy Radke John Wilson Dale Sanders Frank Pereira Everett Turner Doug Burgess Kay Cox Peter Langley Subir Sanyal Sharon Hicks Kevin Shaw Bob Chapman Roger Dolan Yvonne Cottrell Cathy Ivers Fran Fraser Bill Weiner Cece Sellgren George Swanson Kathryn Petersen Don Manning Dick Awenius Marj Ross Joe Byrne Ellen Visser Sheila Grilli Steve Pardieck June Rogers

v
Former Advisory Board (alphabetical) Seth Adams Carol Baier Alice Bonner Sherida Bush Earl Dunivan Glen Lewis Linda Moon-Stumpf Elizabeth Neumann Petal Turner Bill Weiner Scott Williams Jeff Wilson Sean Woodburn Barbara Woodburn

Martinez Regional Land Trust Outgrows Its Name

Land Trust newsletter, Fall 1999

The roller coaster ride was getter faster; the Land Trust was entering what Tina today calls a big period of growth. We moved to a model of putting together a menu of projects and programs. The expansion of our work meant we had outgrown our name. We became the Muir Heritage Land Trusta name, said Tina, intended to associate our mission to preserve land with both the heritage of land conservation in our nation and John Muir, the founder of our National Park system. During the years between 2000 and 2003, we initiated 15 land preservation projects (Land Trust newsletter, Fall 2003).
Heart and Mind continues on page 4

v
Honorary Board Jim Cutler

v
ForMer staFF Tina Batt Marilyn Rigdon Mary Alice Stadum

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Heart and Mind continued from page 3

Sky Ranch is a Wrap: Now What?

Land Trust newsletter, Spring 2000

Beth Mallonee, a
Midwest native, spent several years as an information technology professional in the construction, banking, chemical, and software industries. With a focus on leadership of quality assurance and technical support staff, she has provided guidance on engineering software and engineering data configuration management practices. Beth and her husband, Mike, have embarked on numerous domestic and international business transfers, including assignments in Australia, Canada and Iceland. She first joined the Muir Heritage Land Trust as a volunteer for the Education & Outreach Committee, concentrating most of her efforts on the annual Fresh Aire Affaire. An interest in drought tolerant plant species also led her to volunteer work for The Ruth Bancroft Garden. She and Mike are on a local Bocce league and live near Briones Regional Park in Martinez.

After Sky Ranch, the Land Trust indeed forged ahead with a menu of projects and affiliations. Among them are: Gustin Ranch. In 2000, the Land Trust was able to purchase the Gustin property, thanks to a contribution and loan from the Coastal Conservancy. In January of 2003, we paid off the loanon the eve of our 15th Anniversary. Purchase of the 80-acre property, situated near Sky Ranch, protected the historic Feeder Trail #1 from being turned into a paved access road for a subdivision. Pacheco Marsh. The Land Trust purchased the 247-acre Pacheco Marsh (formerly the Praxis property) in 2001a decade after our first acquisition attempt. Contra Costa County holds title and plans to restore saltwater tidal flow to the land. Contra Costa Goldfields Preserve. To protect a rare and endangered plant, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority awarded the Land Trust a 30-acre conservation easement and $200,000 in 2002. Dutra Ranch. In 2003, the Dutra family approached the Land Trust, hoping we would buy a 159-acre property that had been in their family since 1917. The open space lay between Sky Ranch and the new Gustin acquisition. When we purchased Dutra Ranch in 2004, we protected 660 acres of contiguous open space and important habitat. Access Adventure. The Dutra Ranch dedication (October, 2004) began a partnership with Michael Muir, John Muirs great grandson. The event was the first time he brought his horse-drawn carriage that allows physically challenged individuals to visit our wild places. He credits that day as being the beginning of Access Adventure, his nonprofit organization that allows people with all levels of physical abilities to enjoy the outdoors. Schumann-Perry Property. In 2003, the Land Trust contributed $80,000 of federal Coastal Impact funds toward the East Bay Regional Park Districts purchase of the 70-acre Schumann-Perry property in the Franklin Hills.

Bodfish Preserve. Local residents approached the Land Trust in an 11thhour pitch to save the seven-acre Bodfish Preserve in Orinda from being subdivided in 2003. With just hours to spare, the Land Trust took ownership to protect it as a public open space and wildlife sanctuary. Environmental Studies Academy. The Land Trust secured a grant and began a restoration of a section of Alhambra Creek with the participation of at-risk youth from Briones Independent Studies High School and the Vincente Continuing Education High School. When teacher Rona Zollinger took over the program in 2003, the Environmental Studies Academy (ESA) became a full-time school with a curriculum based on environmental lessons. The students work on restoration projects on our properties. The students have greatly improved the habitat at Sky Ranch, said Stewardship Manager Beth Pardieck. The Land Trust considers our role in the ESA one of our greatest successes, she said. Fernandez Ranch. The historic property of Bernardo and Carlotta Fernandez had stayed in the family for nearly 150 years. The Fernandez descendants approached the Land Trust to preserve the 702 acres that remained of the original ranch. We were able to raise $3.2 million to complete the purchase in 2005. The stunningly beautiful land is rich habitat. An exciting new sighting is wildlife biologist Jerry Roes discovery of a breeding pair of red-legged frogs (federally listed as threatened) on the property. Restoration plans that will allow public access are complete. We have now begun the actual work so we can all spend sun-and-fog kissed days there.

the Land Trust has always been like my third child

Tina Batt, Land Trust newsletter, Spring 2006

Tina was a founder and driving force behind the Land Trust. She had much to learn in the beginning, along with the rest of the Board. Yet she accomplished a great deal during her 17 years with the organization.

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In 2006, Tina left to attend the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University to earn a Mid-Career Masters of Public Administration. Tina said her third child, at age seventeen, will thrive without my constant attention and mothering. Tina strongly recommended that Linus Eukel, who had joined the staff in 2003, take over as Acting Executive Director, which he did. When Tina decided not to return to her former post, she stongly endorsed the decision of the Board of Directors to hire Linus as the permanent Executive Director in January of 2007. Its been a very successful transition, said Tina. As we were lucky to have Tina in the formative years, we are equally lucky in her successor.

We set this goal because we know that protecting our wild legacy is the key to protecting our future. Twenty years of growth, success and experience says we can do it.

What is now proved was once imagined.

William Blake

Steve Hutchcraft grew

up exploring the hills that the Muir Heritage Land Trust is working to protect. His love of nature led him to a second career as a nature photographer. His work has received several honors, including winning the North American Nature Photography Associations inaugural Showcase competition. He is currently working on his first book in an effort to share his love of birds and photography with children. Prior to photography, Steve had a successful career in manufacturing, primarily in the heating and airconditioning industry. His last role was as President and Chief Executive Office of Amana Heating and Air-conditioning based in Fayetteville, Tennessee. Steve holds a M.B.A. from Harvard University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford. He currently lives in Alamo with his wife June and their two year old daughter Heather.

At LastFranklin Canyon
Horizons newsletter, Autumn 2008

Franklin Canyon is adjacent to our Fernandez Ranch, and for years the Land Trust was aware of the controversy surrounding the property. Major development plans were approved, beginning in 1990, but the voters of Hercules twice rejected them. The Land Trust followed their leadership. After extensive negotiations with the owner, Linus was at last able to announce a purchase agreement for a long-disputed 423 acres of Franklin Canyon. We are now in the process of raising the $2.5 million we need to complete the purchase. Once we do, we will have protected 1,125 acres of contiguous open space, safeguarding a fertile watershed and essential habitat.

The room is plain, not elegant. The rather austere meeting hall of the McMahonTelfer Building seems an unlikely incubator for preserving open space. The first Land Trust Board met there. The room has seen the first public meeting, along with decades of Land Trust celebrations. The bare brick walls have witnessed many ideas and struggles, all with the goal of preserving our wonderful wild places. Each mind may have a different reason for doing this work, but the heart knows one. In a Land Trust publication some years ago, I wrote: More than escape, finding solace in the natural world slows time and distills life. William Blake may have captured it best: To see a world in a grain of sand,/ And heaven in a wild flower,/ Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,/ And eternity in an hour. When walking the earth lifts our spirits, when a leaf echoes eternity, when we can be a link to the past and the future, we must certainly preserve the places that in turn restore us. As we remember the past, we imagine the next 20 years. Together, let us create memories for our 40th anniversary.

Imagining a Wild Future

Franklin Canyon is just part of our fiveyear, $8.5 million Keep It Wild campaign. The task of raising this amount is a big challenge for a small nonprofit. The campaign begins with the same anxiety the Land Trust board experienced in 1991, with that $75,000 pledge to help secure a part of John Muirs former ranchland for the public.

Read the whole story at www.muirheritagelandtrust.org

Sherida Bush is a writer who began her involvement with the Land Trust at the first Annual Meeting 20 years ago. She was a member of the first Advisory Board, but her most significant contribution over the years has been writing, editing and managing (and in earlier days designing and illustrating) print materials for the organization. She says walking the lands she helped protect, and the many wonderful relationships she has found through the Land Trust, are her greatest rewards.

M u i r H e r i t a g e L a n d t ru s t Hor izons

WILDLIFE MONITORING PROJECT

By Beth Pardieck
MHLT has recently undertaken a project to learn more about the diverse range of wildlife species that live on Fernandez Ranch. Through the use of heat/motion triggered digital cameras, three of which were purchased with a generous grant from the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund, the Land Trust is now able to monitor and collect data about critters in their natural California Red-legged frogs breeding first habitats without disturbing or affecting their time observed on Fernandez Ranch natural behavior. Commonly referred to as camera traps, these research tools also help MHLT promote important environmental education opportunities amongst local high school students. Camera trapping is a non-invasive method of monitoring wildlife and is increasingly used as a conservation tool to learn about animal behavior and to document elusive animals. The cameras are placed in strategic locations, near creeks or along game trails, where there is a high probability of capturing a good image. When an animal walks by, an infrared sensor triggers a digital photograph. Photos are then stored on the camera and the project team visits the sites regularly to download the data. MHLT has teamed-up with wildlife biologist and camera trapping authority Jerry Roe of Nomad Ecology who is donating his time, expertise and leadership. Jerry has also very generously donated an additional four camera traps to the project bringing the total number of monitoring stations continuously gathering data on Fernandez Ranch to seven! Another key part of the team is the Environmental Studies Academy. With Jerrys The Wildlife Project team: guidance, ESA students learn setup, maintenance, and Jerry Roe and five ESA students trap station monitoring techniques. They, also learn more about animal species identification, field data collection and how the application of such methods help biologists study wildlife populations and conserve common and endangered species as well as the ecosystems they inhabit. Over the past 5 months, 17 species have been photo-documented on Fernandez Ranch including coyote, gray fox, raccoon, striped skunk, black-tailed Coyote photographed by camera trap deer, Virginia opossum, San Francisco dusky footed woodrat, California mouse, fox squirrel, California towhee, spotted towhee, Stellers jay, western scrub jay, hermit thrush, varied thrush, wild turkeys, and two domestic cats. Although the project has been an enormous success, a few species still elude our efforts: American badger, bobcat and mountain lion. As research continues and more images are captured everyday, the Muir Heritage Land Trust hopes to document these three species and many more ESA students installing through the use of this exciting new technology. camera trap on a bay tree

Autumn Celebration
A large crowd of Land Trust supporters attended MHLTs annual Autumn Celebration on November 13th, 2008. Guests enjoyed seasonal fare and a local wine tasting sponsored by Wine Oh! Magazine, Hannah Nicole, Bloomfield, and Viano Vineyards. Stephen Joseph and Bonnie Gisel presented an inspirational reading and stunning visual presentation of their new book, Natures Beloved Son, Rediscovering John Muirs Botanical Legacy. Thanks so much to Stephen, Bonnie and Sheila Grilli Bookseller for supporting the Keep It Wild campaign. A very special thank you to our extraordinary 2008 volunteer award winners: Glen Lewis, Tom Coleman & Larry Hanson accepted awards for their years of service to MHLT in countless ways - stewardship projects, event support and office needs. The King Family Dixie King accepted the award for her familys generous commitment in hosting two very successful fundraisers to benefit MHLT. Taproot Foundation Ellen Cantor accepted the award for the Taproot volunteer team. Taproots generous support has culminated in a new and improved database for MHLT.

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2009 suMMer

and

FaLL events

20tH anniVerSary CeLeBrationS

Birthday Benefit Concert Bash with Musicians of the San Francisco Opera Music Inspired by Nature
Sunday, July 26 | 4:00pm 5:30pm Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church Hailed by the New York Times as particularly impressive, local artist and San Francisco native Janet Popesco Archibald holds the position of Solo English Horn and Oboe with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Join Janet and fellow musicians of the San Francisco Opera for a beautiful afternoon of music and refreshments to benefit the Muir Heritage Land Trust upon its 20-year anniversary of incorporation (July 26, 1989). Everyone is welcome! Birthday cake will be served. Suggested contribution $25 at the door. Visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org or call the Land Trust at 925-228-5460 for more information.

Fresh Aire Affaire 20th Anniversary Party

Saturday, August 15th | 5:00pm 9:00pm John Muir National Historic Site 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the Muir Heritage Land Trust! This years anniversary party will feature Master of Ceremonies, Doug McConnell, celebrity guests, hundreds of Land Trust supporters, the pleasures of fine art, beautiful music, an exciting live auction and gourmet extravaganza. Champagne toasts in recognition of all those that have contributed to the Land Trusts success will also highlight the celebration. Please watch for your invitation in Julys mail and visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org for more information and online registration.

FALL EvENTS
Fernandez Hike with the Contra Costa Hills Club
Thursday, October 1st | 10:00am start Enjoy a weekday exploration of Fernandez Ranch with Mike Branning, the Contra Costa Hills Club and Land Trust staff. Learn about the ranchs history and restoration plans in progress for its opening to the public in 2010. We will picnic on a high point of the property with spectacular views of Mount Tamalpais and Mount Diablo. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water and a bag lunch. Please RSVP to ellen@muirheritagelandtrust.org or call 925-228-7152.

Autumn Celebration

Thursday, November 12th | 7:00pm 9:00pm We close the years events with our festive annual get together. Everyone is invited to share in our review of 2009 and a look ahead to 2010. Special guests, awards, and refreshments add to the evenings pleasures. Visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org in the fall or call the Land Trust at 925-228-5460 for more information.

For more information and directions please visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org or call the Land Trust at 925-228-5460.
M u i r H e r i t a g e L a n d t ru s t Hor izons

Land truSt 20tH anniVerSary CeLeBrationS

See calendar inside for details

Birthday Benefit Concert Bash

with Musicians of the San Francisco Opera

Music Inspired by Nature

Sunday, July 26th, 2009 | 4:00pm - 5:30pm Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church

Muir Heritage Land Trust believes that the vitality of our open spaces is essential to the health of our earth, air, water and our native plants and animalsand all of us. Our goal is to ensure that the beauty, diversity and fullness of our wild lands continue to enrich and sustain all generations of life. We acquire, protect and steward these diminishing lands, and we foster environmental awareness so that each person understands the need to preserve our natural heritage. We work for a healthful future, one where wild lands and all who depend on them will flourish.

Fresh Aire Affaire 20th Anniversary Party

With Doug McConnell
Saturday, August 15th | 5:00pm - 9:00pm John Muir National Historic Site
For more information and directions please visit www.muirheritagelandtrust.org or call the Land Trust at 925-228-5460.

P R I N T E D O N R E C Y C L E D PA P E R

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

P.O. Box 2452, Martinez CA 94553
Nonprofit U.S. Postage PAID Oakland, CA Permit #379