Bair Island restoration site, San Mateo County.
Progress in Pictures
Jump to:
- Alameda Flood Control Channel
- Eden Landing Ecological Reserve, North Creek Marsh
- Cogswell Marsh, Hayward Regional Shoreline (1)
- Cogswell Marsh, Hayward Regional Shoreline (2)
- Citation Marsh, Robert’s Landing (1)
- Citation Marsh, Robert’s Landing (2)
- San Pablo Bay NWR, Sears Point
- Project map with photo points
Alameda Flood Control Channel
2003
The Alameda Flood Control Channel was the original introduction site for invasive Spartina in the 1970s. In 2000, the Coastal Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiated the Invasive Spartina Project (ISP) to head up a multi-agency response effort to remove invasive Spartina from the Bay. This image and the next have circles indicating the same clones of hybrid Spartina, to give a sense of how quickly the population can advance over a short time period.
2005
In only two years, the hybrid Spartina clones have taken over the mudflats, creating a large-scale transformation of the channel.
2019
The same channel has undergone successful control and extensive replanting with native cordgrass. Plantings have expanded to re-establish the continuous narrow band of native cordgrass that existed prior to invasion and local displacement by hybrid Spartina. Notice how this healthy marshland includes small channels between the cordgrass, navigable by waterfowl and wildlife.
Eden Landing Ecological Reserve, North Creek Marsh
2011
This former salt pond was opened to restore tidal flow in 2005. This image from 2011 shows the site during the early phase of tidal marsh restoration with open, unvegetated mudflats.
2019
Intensive planting of native Spartina foliosa has successfully converted this former salt pond into a marsh. In 2018, Ridgway’s rails were first detected here. Since then, biologists have detected steadily increasing numbers of birds each year. This site is still under treatment to remove invasive Spartina.
Cogswell Marsh, Hayward Regional Shoreline (1)
December 2022
At this higher elevation transition zone, project teams have treated and removed upland weed species. The site is flagged to replant with diverse native species that can provide year-round habitat for wildlife.
September 2023
Marsh baccharis and creeping wild rye grass thrive with watering and maintenance, less than one year after initial plantings.
Cogswell Marsh, Hayward Regional Shoreline (2)
2016
This site has been treated to remove invasive Spartina and is now flagged for planting.
2020
The restoration team has enhanced this site with marsh gumplant to restore native tidal marsh habitat.
Citation Marsh, Robert’s Landing (1)
January 2023
This is a higher elevation transition zone, where project teams have treated and removed upland weed species. Colorful flags mark out which diverse native species will be planted to provide year-round habitat for wildlife.
September 2023
Salt marsh baccharis creates thriving habitat at Citation Marsh in Robert’s Landing, City of San Leandro.
Citation Marsh, Robert’s Landing (2)
2020
This marsh in San Leandro had been restricted from treatment since 2010. When the team resumed treatment here in 2020, the bright white/yellow flowering stalks of invasive Spartina were easy to spot.
2021
This image was taken as teams monitored the efficacy of 2020 treatment at this site. Careful application has created standing dead biomass of hybrid Spartina (brown) and allowed native marsh gumplant (yellow flowers) to thrive and expand.
San Pablo Bay, Sears Point
March 2018
Habitat enhancement is underway, as crews from SOLitude Lake Management plant native Pacific cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) on constructed islands in the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The two smaller figures in the background are also installing plants on a constructed island.
April 2022
The restored habitat is thriving, with native Spartina foliosa on both islands.
Project map with photo points
Click any marked point to open a panel showing the location and a link to a photo gallery.