Green: Nature & Ecology
They’re on their way
Jack Beigle was the first to report a Monarch sighting in Pacific Grove — a single “scout” seen last week.
“It would be interesting to know if the Monarchs sort of glide down a freeway route to the Sanctuary, or if it is a random distribution of arrival all over town” said Helen Johnson of Monarch Alert.
Anyone spotting a Monarch in Pacific Grove over the next few weeks is urged to call Monarch Alert at 1-877-7740, Mailbox 7. If the butterfly is tagged, the tag number would be helpful but it is not vital. Or spotters may call Cedar Street Times at 831-324-4742. We’d like to know where it was seen.
Monarchs were seen last week in coastal Marin as well. There were five sightings in one day at Muir Beach and three in the Marin Headlands.
PG birders: Raptors on view locally
Fortunately, Pagrovians do not have to take lengthy or expensive trips to see multiple species of birds. I combine my birding with my photography walks in our Marine Sanctuary in P.G., and Spanish Bay. Raptors are among my favorite birds, and for those of you who can turn your head away from our splendid beach and Ocean and look inland, there are several raptor species of note which you may see. Of course, being in the right place at the right time is happenstance too. Birds will not be waving their wings at you, in anticipation of your visit; some days are more productive than others.
A pair of Red Shouldered Hawks may be seen fairly frequently, as they perch at lower levels in shrubs and trees, and they have three color phases, all of which are beautiful. Their larger Buteo cousin is the Red Tailed Hawk, which some of you may be familiar with. Red-tails soar more than the smaller red shouldered hawks do, but often can be spotted perched in trees near Pt. Joe. Another raptor of beauty is the White-Tailed Kite of which there are at least one or possibly two pairs. This predominantly white (crow sized) raptor has black on its wing shoulders ( it once was called the black shouldered kite). Almost the size of the Red-shouldered hawk, but more streamlined, it has black wing plumage, and an almost translucent white tail. Capable of hovering high up in the air like a helicopter, it can remain stationary as it searches for suitable rodents to prey upon. When seen with back lighting from the sun shining on its back as it hovers, it is a most beautiful bird to see. I have watched it plummet down and seize a gopher fat and large enough to make me wonder if it could get airborne carrying its prey. It is one of my favorites to photograph and “capture on slide film” as are the other two species.
Unlike the other two species, the kite plucks most of the fur from its prey before consuming it. Clamorous crows, in groups, frequently like to dive bomb kites and the other hawks, in the hope of chasing them from their perch, and hopefully getting the raptor to drop its prey. I witnessed an encounter of this type for 20 minutes before the very likely exasperated Kite raised one foot off its perch and held it with talons extended at the crows. The crows got the message and immediately veered off and away. A Coopers hawk, a fast flying accipitor, gave me the pleasure of photographing it, after it chased a frightened male quail into my picture window. The quail hit my window with a resounding thud and fell to the ground, but escaped the predator; however the Coopers hawk perched in one of my juniper trees as it scanned the area where the quail had fallen, and even hopped down to peer into the small crawl space where the quail had scrambled, before it flew off. It was a juvenile Coopers, based upon its eye (iris) color, but it was a beauty. The quail might not have been so lucky had the Coopers hawk been a more experienced adult. This sighting occurred when I was a resident of Carmel Valley, where quail were quite plentiful.
A most thrilling encounter was seeing a Peregrine Falcon flying rapidly at low altitude, and actually zooming over the Bay, before it banked like a jet fighter, and turned landward at great speed. Luckily I had my camera set at 1/4000th of a second and took several slides of it, before it was out of sight and telephoto range.
Another raptor, the American Kestrel, is the smallest member of the falcon family. This pretty little robin sized “Beau Brummel” of a tiny hawk has light and airy wing beats and is also capable of hovering. It feeds upon grasshoppers, and small mice, or other small rodents. The male is the gaudiest little fellow, with a chestnut/rufous-colored back and blue on the upper side of his primary wing feathers, with a boldly marked white face marked with dark feathers resembling sideburns, and more short dark feathers near the base of his beak as if he had a drooping moustache. This Kestrel has a habit of pumping his tail when perched. The females are more subdued in color, as are the immatures. Decades ago, he was also known as the sparrow hawk.
Watch for migrating species
As autumn is almost upon us, the migration season is about to begin. Many of the song birds such as the warblers will be passing through here in the weeks to follow.
My favorites among these Northern breeding birds are the Townsend’s Warbler, who will over winter here wherever pines and dense conifers afford them suitable cover. Primarily insectivorous, these perky little guys are delightful to watch as they dart around in their boldly striped yellow and black striped plumage, with the males having a black throat patch like an ascot, and olive colored feathering on their backs, and on the faces of the females. They often will come down from shrubs to search for insects on lawns, along with another small warbler, the Yellow Rumped Warbler, which is minimally larger. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is often easier to see, as it will frequent more exposed shrubbery; however it too will hunt for insects on lawns in the company of the Townsend’s Warbler. The Yellow- rumped Warbler will often perch on tall shrubs from where it will pursue flying insects. Its plumage is less flashy than the Townsend’s Warbler, but the bright yellow rump patch color is unmistakable, and it also has a small narrow yellow sash on its flanks. Unlike the Townsend’s Warbler, it is less dependent upon dense conifers for nesting sites and cover, however it will inhabit in willow thickets and similar sized shrubs in more open habitat.
Among the more familiar wintering birds will be the chicadees, nuthatches, and many other species, including waterfowl which will be discussed next time.
Coastal cleanup results for 2009
At Lover’s Point beach there were 27 volunteers who picked up 50 pounds of trash and 31 pounds of recyclables according to Jill Poudrette, Monterey County Coordinator of the Coastal Cleanup Day and Adopt-a-Beach Manager for the California State Parks, Monterey District.
At Asilomar State Beach 80 volunteers picked up 130 pounds of trash and 50 pounds of recyclables. Once again, it appeared that most of the trash was purposefully dumped or left as litter.
In 2008, Asilomar had 75 volunteers who picked up 36 pounds of trash.
Green Building Starts at Home: Max Perelman’s, to be exact
By Cameron Douglas
At a time that many see as a financial downturn, there are also many who see nothing but opportunity for long-term growth through a commitment to the environment. Green building, graywater irrigation, storm water reclamation, improved forest management, lower carbon footprint, solar power, wind power and incentives for green industry are terms we are going to hear more and more. On the Monterey Peninsula, a grass-roots movement is pushing for our area to lead the way in sustainable living. One of those dedicated individuals lives in Pacific Grove. His name is Max Perelman.
For a young man, Max Perelman has a long list of titles: LEED-accredited professional; MBA; graduate student; member of the Pacific Grove Planning Commission; president of American Environmental & Agricultural, Inc.; husband and dad. Read more…»
Are we saving the environment for people and wildlife?
Some of the most fascinating landscapes I encountered were in southern Utah.
Family members had regaled me with the unique features of the landscapes in Capital Reef National Park decades ago, when it was still classified as a National Monument. I arranged a trip there, and also to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in mid October.
Whirling snow greeted my arrival, although I had noted the scudding cloud formations on my drive there. I stayed at the only ranch located within the Monument, owned by some great folks, Lurt and Alice Knee.
The first few days I did my birding from the back of their Arabian mare, and also took many slides of the wonderful sandstone rock formations and enjoyed viewing the cake like layers of reddish brown Navaho sandstone alternating with the greenish Chinle sandstone layers and intermediate shades of buff and cream sandstone.
Lurt Knee’s delightful weimaraner dog Smokey, virtually acted as a guide in the wilder areas, which were easy to get lost in; but Smokey led the way back always.
From Capitol Reef, I went on to the Grand Staircase -Escalante National Monument.
To see Dippers again, those songbirds which can dive into turbulent running streams or rivers, and walk on the bottom, had been a compulsion of mine. Dippers are 7- 1/2 inch long, plump, short tailed, long legged, charcoal gray birds that feed on aquatic insects and tiny fish which they catch in swift running waters . They hold their breath longer than seems possible for such small songbirds, and they never emerge from the water where you expect them to. My rancher hosts in Capitol Reef suggested that I try the Paria River Canyon, in the Monument as the most likely place to see Dippers since the water level was high enough that year.
Arriving at the Paria River Canyon, I encountered a group of ORV [Off-Road-Vehicle] drivers who seemed to be either drunk and downright reckless, or both. Predominantly young, but including many others much older, they seemed annoyed over the fact that I guided my rental jeep carefully around rocks and any water filled depressions on the canyon floor. They deliberately drove into and out of the riparian habitat so the rear wheels of their vehicles hurled broken branches, mud and rocks helter skelter. They crowded my jeep, trying to force me into the river. I had no option but to hug a sheer wall of the canyon, until these crazies moved on.
Any Dippers that might have been further upstream would have quickly departed as soon as these noisy, water-churning, destructive vehicles approached nearby.. Reluctantly, I turned back, and decided to report this illegal activity to the BLM.
The BLM official I spoke to was cordial enough, if extremely nervous. Glancing around to see if any of his co-workers were within earshot, he suggested we get some coffee, then selecting a small room, started to question me, to determine if I was a member of any special organization. I showed him some ID and told him that I really was there for some wildlife and landscape photography; but wanted to report my harassment from the ORV group. His responses were guarded until I informed him that I was a career environmentalist, and favored protections for endangered wildlife, including their habitats. When I mentioned the destructive roiling up of the riparian habitat by these ORV drivers, he nodded in agreement , and then very softly told me that he was a member of Ducks Unlimited, the Izaak Walton League; and none of his co-workers knew that. He also pointed out that his job would be terminated immediately, if his superiors in the BLM found out about his secret affiliations. He went on to tell me that the large groups of ORV members and the retailers of the ORV’s , were lobbying to convert faint deer trails and hikers’ tracks in roadless areas ( the R.S. 2477 maps ) into county roads; and they had the full support of of the Kane County Commissioners, so that it would open more forested wildlands to ORV usage.
Very recently I discovered that ORV proponents already had an existing 1000 miles of motor vehicle routes in the Monument’s 10 year travel plan; and the Paria River is not one of them, as it is a river, not a road!! It also is part of the Paria-Hackberry Wilderness Study Area, and merits inclusion for the National Wild and Scenic River System. For eight years the Bush Administration’s BLM, spinelessly did not enforce the ORV travel plan, or even make a casual attempt at enforcement. The BLM states that it relied upon “voluntary compliance”, which is hypocrisy at its worst; since the BLM had previously documented the destructive impacts from illegal vehicular use, with the attending loss of critical wildlife habitat for fish, amphibians, reptiles , birds and mammals.
In early May of this year, in a fit of motorized mass dementia, several hundred ORV riders illegally drove their machines up the Paria River in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, in open defiance of the BLM’s laissez-faire attitude re: travel compliance in ecologically sensitive areas. The BLM had known in advance of this forthcoming illegal invasion, as the rider’s had already trumpeted the ride; however the BLM virtually acted as a welcoming committee when they did not issue citations, or take any legal action against the participants and organizers of this destructive ride.
How sad it is to think that the very people who so vociferously proclaim their love of the outdoors, as in this situation, are the same ones who cannot wait to trash such sensitive environment. Hopefully we may be able to enlist the help of the Secrtaryy of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to terminate this lawlessness once and for all.
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, to which I have been donating, has issued a report on the relationship if any, between televised hype from ORV retailers, and the vigilante driving tactics of too many ORV owners, with the help of Responsible Trails America ( RTA). Based upon a five-year period of surveys, RTA found “troubling parallels between the advertising rhetoric, and reckless, even violent behavior taking place on off-road vehicles throughout the country.” Three of the four companies —Arctic Cat, Suzuki, and Polaris had televised ads that were the most aggressive, and were most likely to incite very aggressive, anti-social behavior and lawlessness in ORV buyers.
There are of course decent and law abiding ORV owners; however their numbers are overshadowed by the ones who commit the rapes of the very ecosystems we need to scrub our air from airborne pollutants, and to prevent the enhancement of global warming. It should also be noted that conservation of wildlands protects human communities, as well as wildlife in the forests.
Dark Sky: What is it?
The City of Pacific Grove will soon be looking more closely at the issue of light pollution, an issue brought forth by David Dilworth at the July 15, 2009 City Council meeting. Light pollution is what causes that urban glow in the night sky surrounding a populated area. It is caused by unshielded, misdirected and excessive light sources.
According to the Dark Sky Society, bare bulbs can affect the night vision of drivers. It can blind maritime navigators, and negatively affect birds, animals and fish in the vicinity. In addition, there is evidence that human beings need dark to produce tumor-suppressing melatonin and to avoid sleep deprivation.
The Dark Sky society advocates directing outdoor lights toward the ground and turning them off when not in use.
More than $4.5 billion dollars is wasted every year in the United States on light pollution, according to some estimates. Dilworth believes that Pacific Grove could save up to half of its electricity bill by using ground-directed fixtures and timers as well as simply turning off unnecessary lights.
The Dark Sky Society can be found at www.darkskysociety.org, and there are other sources on the Internet as well.
Whenever I contemplate the possible extinction of some of our most interesting and impressive fauna, I ponder what mental aberrations the individuals of so-called humanity that were responsible for bringing these species to potential annihilation, possessed. Among the most endangered species are mammals and many bird species that once were so very plentiful, that that no one ever considered the possibility that human excesses regarding hunting, trapping, and destroying their habitats could wreak upon some of these popular species. Many of you may have heard of the conflicts between the Timber Industry and biologists, over the Spotted Owl. Those who live in the North Central States, and parts of the Rocky Mountain States, may be aware of the animosity that some ranchers have for the Black Tailed Prairie Dog, a member of the ground squirrel family. Others may have heard of the relentless shooting of the Passenger Pigeon, a really beautiful bird, once so numerous that ignorant wastrels had fun times shooting them out of their roosting trees, or killed them by hundreds of barrels full for feeding swine. Oddly enough, the passenger pigeon, was not an obnoxious bird like the imported European starling, nor did it damage or consume human crops, since these native American pigeons, were forest dwelling birds that fed on acorn mast and seeds, nuts and berries of our forest trees. Among the mammals, few were shot as wantonly as our American bison, whose numbers once were in the many millions, and whose range extended from Western New York and Pennsylvania to the Rocky Mountain states, south to Texas, and North deeply into Canada. As soon as the cross continental railroad was completed, many of the adventurers headed westward often amused themselves by indiscriminately shooting into the remaining bison herds from the moving trains, thereby wounding or slowly killing hundreds of bison that they never could recover. Decades later, wolves were often shot for merely being a wolf; they too were victims of unbridled ignorant hatred, and Old World phobias and superstitions. When the Northern and Western parts of America, and some Indian Lands were being ravaged by foreign settlers; trappers for the fur trade occasionally encountered the wolverine. This extremely endangered mammal is one of America’s most interesting, however more superstitions and folklore nonsense abounds regarding this intriguing member of the weasel family than virtually any other species on earth. Wolverines are the largest species and most handsome of Mustelids, to which the tiny ermine and long tailed and short tailed weasels belong to; however the closest relative to American wolverines are the Scandinavian subspecies (Gulo gulo) found in limited numbers in Northern Scandinavia, except Denmark. Humans have always tended to anthropomorphize their own behavior to non human domestic or wild animals; never considering the fact that wolverines having been pushed to the limits of habitats where prey can be very scarce. Since the trappers were a greedy and basically ignorant lot, only intent upon how much money pelts could be worth, they never considered the demise of a species, but were intent upon getting “theirs” while the supply lasted. Some of the better educated wild animal seekers were paid by zoos, to obtain wolverines for exhibits especially in Scandinavia, but countries such as Austria, Germany, and Norway wanted handsome unblemished specimens to exhibit. The uninformed gave the wolverine the name “Glutton” as the pursuit of wolverines meant these hapless animals were forced to keep running from their would be captors, or fur traders. Any mammal that has to hunt for prey animals over huge distances, especially in the taiga, or Alaskan tundra north of the tree line, is likely to be very famished when it does find any prey sources. They naturally tend to eat ravenously or gorge if possible, since they may go for weeks before additional prey is found. If possible wolverines who sometimes may overcome an injured caribou, or find the remains of a wolf or bear kill, may eat quickly and then remove some part of the carcass and try to cache it for future feedings. What do wolverines look like and how large are they? Are they a menace to humans? The average male wolverine is roughly the size of the original Shetland sheepdog, or Shelty. Their heads are broader between the ears, and their upright ears are rounded, and sort of bear like. Their muzzles are medium sized and much blunter than a Shelty’s would be, their eyes are a beautiful dark brown, not protruding, and in general their head and face is that of an intelligent looking quite attractive mammal. Their body is robustly built and their forelegs are slightly short for their torso and powerfully built, with broad paws. Their coats are usually a dark mink colored brown, with a sash of yellowish-white running lengthwise down their body. The tail is medium-short in length and bushy. Their furry coat which is quite dense in the winter is often their undoing also. I have met Alaskan trappers who still insist that frost will not form on wolverine fur, and many itinerant trappers sell the pelts to use as frost free collars, or ruffs. I found that to be another of the myths surrounding this rare mammal. The average male wolverine may weigh 40 pounds, and many are much less, depending on the availability of prey. Wolverines will and do scavenge and when hard pressed for food will attempt to chase a solitary wolf from a kill. Depending on the size of the wolf, and its determination, the wolverine may sometimes succeed, and the wolf may yield to it. However wolverines avoid wolf packs, who may or may not target it. As for its “legendary” ferocity, that too has been greatly exaggerated. Biologists that I know and trust in Alaska, have informed me that wolverines are usually quite timid of people, and even when they attempted to dig some out of a den, to see if pups were present, the mother wolverine growled and snarled but fled from the den. Wolverines that have languished in a painful leghold trap for several days, will attempt to bite as they are being dispatched, and why shouldn’t they? Like other mustelids, wolverines have anal scent glands, which they may discharge when extremely frightened or stressed just as some of our domestic dogs do involuntarily also. As for being dangerous, wolverines have far more to fear from the human biped than we ever could from them.
I’ve only seen one wild wolverine in my life, and that was when I was returning from the Alaskan North slope and was close to Gates of The Arctic, a most beautiful part of Alaska. The wolverine was quite distant, but through my binoculars, I watched as this beautiful animal was running northward, with its characteristic semi gallop semi-bounding gait. It kept this up as it traversed hills and the valley without breaking its pace. I have seen captive wolverines, in the New York Zoological Park. The keeper would enter their enclosure and they seemed to be very friendly to him. He related and demonstrated how playful they can be, and he also introduced me to a book called “Demon of the North”, written by Peter Krott, an Austrian Forester by education; who spent many years researching and owning, handling wolverines in Finland. The book is excellent reading and contains many photographs taken by the owner. I have been informed that a solitary wolverine had been seen in the Sierra Mountains of California. Hopefully it has come to no harm but ALL Fish and Game Departments are derelict if they still allow trapping of wolverines. California has had a very poor record in that respect, but Alaska is an absolute disaster regarding trapping of any fur bearing wildlife! This animal needs our protection immediately, and should be on the Endangered Species List NOW! –
Big Sur State Park: June Update
By Cameron Douglas and Darci D’Anna
With reports coming in of deeper budget cuts and possible state park closures, there’s a lot of concern about local revenue in the Big Sur village. Many are wondering what the summer will bring in the way of camping and tourism. This week, Cedar Street Times visited Big Sur to talk with locals and officials.
Teresa Bradford, owner of the Heart Beat Gallery at River Inn, suggested there might be ways to keep park maintenance happening if regular park workers are laid off. Bradford pointed out that California has an untapped labor resource in the prison system. “Put the low-risk inmates to work,” she said. “We’re already paying their living expenses.” Read more…»
Trees that should never be planted in Pacific Grove
By Bruce Cowan
BLUE GUM EUCALYPTUS (Eucalyptus globulus)
There are roughly 600 species of eucalyptus, all from Australia. While some, such as red flowering gum, make satisfactory landscape trees, the one most common locally is definitely a problem tree.
Problems include:
Huge size and rapid growth–witness the two by the Pacific Grove Post Office, much too large for most yards.
Branches can break and fall at any time. Trees can blow over in strong winds, endangering life and property.
Bark and leaves litter the landscape and poison soil for other vegetation. Round seed pods scattered around can cause sprained ankles.
Extremely invasive–in the forest it crowds out native plants, including pines and oaks. Under dense groves of blue gum, little will grow but numerous eucalyptus seedlings and poison oak.
Extremely flammable; Eucalyptus forest fires in Australia are the hottest in the world.
Cut down for removal, or after a fire, blue gum resprouts and grows quickly with many new trunks.
Note: While honored as a home for overwintering monarch butterflies, the monarchs actually seem to prefer clustering on pines and cypress at P.G.’s Monarch Sanctuary. Strong winds can blow butterflies more easily out of eucalyptus than out of pines or cypress, increasing monarch mortality.
ACACIAS
Acacias seen locally are all from Australia. All have proven to be invasive in our forest, spreading by seed that can last for decades in the soil. All have flowers full of allergenic pollen; the pollen is what provides the yellow color. Most are considered shrubs, not trees.
BLACK ACACIA (Acacia melanoxylon) is a truly fast growing tree which can be deceptively attractive in early spring with its handsome form and cream colored, pollen-laden flowers.
Invasive in the forest and in landscapes, it spreads not only by seeds but by suckers that arise from the roots, like bamboo. One tree can eventually become a dense grove. No respecter of property lines, black acacia suckers will come up and grow quickly in neighbor’s yards, in shrubs, against home foundations where they will eventually cause considerable damage if not pulled out. Pulling is a temporary solution, as new suckers rise quickly. An unwanted black acacia that is cut down for removal soon sprouts even more suckers that quickly become a forest of fast growing acacia trees.
Blue gum eucalyptus and black acacias are problem trees, not only for the property owner but to neighbors as well, and are a threat to the natural forest.
Be Careful What We Wish For—-becoming a green society too often has its unintended pitfalls.
Its many important uses propel paper into the forefront of why we must limit its use, and aim to use as much of it in a recycled form as possible. The remnant Boreal Forests in the Northern States, and the larger ones in Canada are rapidly being depleted as they are being felled for making paper pulp. The numerous species of songbirds and both small and large mammals that inhabit these green and beautiful habitats, are losing their homes too rapidly. Many of our so-called winter birds breed in these evergreen coniferous forests, before they migrate here. Species such as Mountain Caribou already severely endangered, are precariously low in numbers in the northern Rockies, and even in Canada, they exist minimally better. Read more…»
PG City tree ordinance review continues
By Cameron Douglas and Bruce Cowan
Members of the city’s Beautification and Natural Resources Committee and the general public are waiting for a single, definitive version of Pacific Grove’s controversial tree replacement ordinance. Mayor Cort asked the committee to review the ordinance after recent brou-ha’s regarding the law’s specific provisions and penalties for non-compliance. Read more…»
Big Sur Mudslides: Devastating fire left no protection against winter rains
By The Consonant Cowboy
By the second week of April, most folks in Big Sur thought the mudslide threat had passed. River Inn had already removed the heavy concrete barriers - K-rails they are called - from in front of their establishment. But at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, the barricades in front of Big Sur Lodge stayed put at the insistence of park maintenance. And that was darn lucky. Read more…»
Living Wild in PG: Expert Opinion
By Marvin Sheffield, DVM
Home owners would protest and be suitably outraged if people unknown to them expected them to pay part of the fee their exterminators charged them for ridding their homes of termites, carpenter ants, hornets, bats, mold, or their lawns from mole occupancy. However millions of Americans are unwittingly paying without ANY benefits, for an ill conceived agency, a little known Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, originally known as Animal Damage Control. This Agency was developed in response to the failing Bureau of Biological Survey (whose name falsified the qualifications of its employees), and eventually Congress decided to eliminate the BBS, unless it could justify its existence, which it could not.
Animal Damage Control its successor, started in essence as the private lackeys to the open range Sheep and Cattlemen’s Lobbies, who when they were not at each other’s throats, were waging war on American Wolves, Mountain Lions, and Bears. Using aircraft, traps and poisons galore, they virtually exterminated the indigenous gray wolves from the West initially; and eventually through most of the Midwest and Eastern states as well. When the wolves were eradicated, they focused their energies on coyotes, which now had expanded their range in the absence of wolves. Coyotes also were accidentally released into the Eastern States, when Eastern fox hunters who wanted to revive their “sport”, received shipments of coyote pups instead, and were unaware of the differences.
Besides coyotes the chief target of Animal Damage Control, Mountain Lions, Bobcats, Badgers, Western Grey foxes, raccoons, hawks, owls and even Bald and Golden eagles were shot or died as a result of ingesting poisoned baits set out indiscriminately, to placate the ranching groups. In 1997 A.D.C changed its name to “Animal Services” in order to improve its image to the American Public, who now began to protest the wanton killing of wildlife.
I had locked horns with ADC, when engaged in Livestock practice in Arkansas and Texas; and they asked me to falsify my necropsy reports on livestock that died of bacterial or viral diseases. These “good old Boys” wanted me to change my necropsy findings to “Wolf or coyote predation” so that the livestock owner could then fraudulently collect reparations from Uncle Sam for their “losses” on Public Lands. I turned then down firmly and flatly.
Animal Services is an unnecessary and wasteful agency that still adheres to its unsound biological practices of animal predator extermination. Removing a raccoon, or ‘possum from an attic or basement, does not justify your tax dollars being squandered and diverted to this agency.
-Marvin J. Sheffield, DVM
Monarch update: Bye, bye, butterflies
By Jessica Griffiths
Well, it’s official: the Monterey County monarch season has come to a close. Our final monarch count at the Pacific Grove Sanctuary was last Wednesday, and it looks like the monarchs finally decided to start dispersing. Our last count was just Read more…»
PG Planning Commission Reviews Farmers’ Market
By Cameron Douglas
The Pacific Grove Farmer’s Market, struggling through bad weather and a serious economic downturn, faced the Pacific Grove Planning Commission as part of its six-month review on March 5. Sounding like a replay of most other reviews the Farmers Market has faced, the same questions arose: How is the downtown Pacific Grove Farmers’ Market doing? Does it live up to its initial proposal? How is it affecting local businesses? Should it be moved to another location? Would it be better on a different day? Should it be opened up to other vendors in Monterey County? Should it continue at all?
Monarch Update
By Jessica GriffithWe counted at PG on Friday Feb. 27.
There were still 11,605 monarchs, and they were all still clustering in the pines and cypress trees outside of the Sanctuary boundaries. Not a single one on any eucalyptus! They were flying around and mating like crazy by 9 a.m. that morning. There were still around 900 monarchs at the private property site in Big Sur, but the monarchs are basically gone from all of the other sites. Just that site & the PG Monarch Sanctuary still have butterflies.
This week will be our very last week of monarch counting, so stay tuned for one more update!
Native Plants
by Marvin J. Sheffield Many Pagrovians frequently ask me what I am photographing in my garden and when I do my walks at Spanish Bay. As a career environmentalist, and lover of wildlife both mammalian as well as avian, I am always pleased to point out the delightful native birds (or mammals) that we share our State with. When people ask me how they can be more successful in attracting native birds, I ask what plants or shrubs they already have; and too often their garden favorites are “foreign” plants that offer little or nothing in the way of food, or shelter during inclement weather, (such as our recent needed rains) or nesting sites. I suggest that they utilize groups of Native American shrubs and trees, with preference given to those well adapted to our Coastal climate. An example of a “nice” shrub that grows well here, but offers nothing to native birds or other wildlife, is the Camellia. Native conifers such as Monterey Pines, or Cypresses are an excellent source of shelter for many species of birds especially when they are young and under 40 feet tall. Berrying shrubs such as Toyon, are certain to attract American Robins and Cedar Waxwings, including Northern mockingbirds. Our native Coastal Live oak is an excellent choice, if one has the room for it, and both serves as a food source for Acorn woodpeckers, Band tailed pigeons, as well as our native gray squirrel. It also is a favorite for many species of owls to roost in. Basically, arranging your garden so that two conifers grouped in a corner of the garden, will offer nesting sites and shelter for many indigenous bird species. Manzanitas and other low growing shrubs will supply ground cover and little apple-like fruits for the ground-dwelling birds, and offer shelter. Incense Cedars while native to California but not our peninsula region do very well here with just a bit of supplemental water until well established, and they ARE fragrant when wet. Adding nectar source native plants such as Hummingbird sage and penstomens, plus our native buckwheat species, is certain to attract butterflies, and hummingbirds, and our native wild bees, that are important pollinators. The California Native Plant Society has a Monterey Bay Chapter which along with the Audubon Society has monthly meetings at the Pacific Grove Museum, and can be an excellent source of plant information and sales. I will list some feathered visitors to consider encouraging next time.
Marvin J. Sheffield, DVM Wild Canid Research Group 651 Sinex Avenue Pacific Grove, CA. 93950-42543 (831) 657 4175
Clean Up after Your Dog
Here’s why it’s important to clean up after your dog. Start with a “doggie treasure” left on a rainy sidewalk.
Add a healthy amount of runoff from the sidewalk into the storm drain.
And witness the drain emptying into the water at Lover’s Point.
This is also one reason the Monterey County Health Department advises humans to stay out of the water near storm drains for three days after it rains.
Going Green: The Corts on their Electrics
Pacific Grove’s Forests: Undergoing natural plant succession from Monterey Pines to Coast Live Oaks
By Bruce Cowan
The Monterey pine forest is a changing entity. In the Huckleberry Hill area of the Del Monte forest and at Jacks Peak, Monterey pines dominate, with various understories including native grasses and chaparral. While Monterey pine is somewhat a fire dependent species, in areas of the comparatively sparse native grasses the pines are reproducing well even without fire—in fact in some places they are becoming very overcrowded. Where shrubby understory is naturally dense, fewer pine seedlings can grow until a fire clears the understory, whereas in native grass cover pine seedlings can come up whenever there is adequate rainfall. Read more…»
Butterfly Update
Hello one and all,
This weekend was Valentine’s Day, and romance was in the air…or at least it would have been if it hadn’t been pouring rain! (Not that I’m complaining; we need that rain.) While the weather these last few days has put a damper on the monarchs’ mating, now that the skies have cleared they are ready for action. This morning at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary we had dozens of monarchs flying and chasing each other as early as 8:30 AM. If anyone is in the neighborhood in the next couple of days, I suggest you head over there to watch the show the butterflies are putting on.
Our weekly total today at the Sanctuary was 12,664, which is only slightly down from last week. As I mentioned, their mating and departure was put on hold for the rainy weather, but we fully expect things to kick into high gear this week. There is just one more count left in February, but because there are still so many monarchs left, we will do one more count in the first week of March. We want to keep track of the monarchs as long as they are here.
That’s it for now. Get out there and enjoy the sunny weather!
-Jessica
The Many Colors of Green
The meaning of “green” has been enriched in recent years and “organic” is one of the many shades of meaning that can now be included in the green category. But green doesn’t necessarily mean green! The Pacific Grove Farmers Market offers a rich selection of inexpensive, and colorful, organic produce. Here are some close-ups from last Monday’s abundant farmer’s market tables. Photos by Robert Lewis
Cypress Cleaners
Jin Jung and his wife, Karen, have a new little girl named Abby. She isn’t even walking yet, but it’s pretty obvious that she runs the Jung household. “When you have kids, you want to change the world,” says Jin. “I want to leave a better world for her. Jin had worked with his parents for eight years at Cypress Cleaners on Grand Avenue. He went to work in the hospitality industry, for the Westin chain of hotels, and that’s where he met Karen. It’s also where he learned about “green” things that could be done in the industry, particularly with regard to laundry and dry cleaning. When his parents decided it was time to retire (which they haven’t quite yet done!) they invited Jin and his wife to come into the business with them. Jin spent six months researching a green system and the machinery needed to “go green,” and then decided on a system called GreenEarth Cleaning. Most dry cleaning, says Jin, is done with solvents such as petroleum-based perchloroethylene, or perc. Perc is used on the fabric and it lifts out soils and carries them away . . .right into the environment. It is classified as a toxic air contaminant and is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Most people are familiar with the odor of perc on their clothing which has been dry cleaned. But the system which Jin chose to use uses chemically inert liquid silicone to carry the dirt and oils out of clothing. It breaks down into water, carbon dioxide and sand. The system, which cost the Jungs more than $100,000, does not have an odor and is more gentle to fabrics than systems which use perc. The Jungs look at the business as more than just a job. Jin has landed the contract to do commercial cleaning for some major accounts, and is looking for more. Jin’s next step is to switch to biodegradable plastic bags. “Currently, the bags most dry cleaners use are reusable, but not recyclable. They hang around for as many as five years.” Jin is looking at a bag that will only last two years, and then will “melt” away. For more information on GreenEarth Cleaning, you can see their website at www.greenearthcleaning.com. Cypress Cleaners is located at 230 Grand Avenue in Pacific Grove. Their hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The offer same day service, and they have a seamstress on staff. You can call them at 375-3111.
Sustainable Pacific Grove looks back at 2008, forward to 2009
The vision of Sustainable Pacific Grove: “So let’s imagine Pacific Grove as a sustainable community, a place where residents eat locally grown food and shop locally for their daily needs. Parks are surrounded with edible landscapes. An open-air market bustling with people buying fruits, veggies and local crafts offers a place to find fresh items grown close to home. “The city has an odorless compost drop-off for all the area restaurant food waste. Residents can claim composted soil to use in their own yards, each planted with fruit trees and edibles. Cisterns collect rainwater from roofs, reducing the runoff into the bay while offering water for the dry season. A local reservoir holds local runoff and offers water for gardens. Solar panels allow a zeroing out of the electricity bill even during our foggiest years. “Residents walk throughout town finding the goods they need and new stores open to showcase locally manufactured products. A local bike store houses a bike-lending library, and citizens ride scooters and bikes down our roads. A tool-lending library and a fix-it shop opens to allow residents to share tools and knowledge. “Pacific Grove becomes a city that demonstrates simplicity and the beauty of being sustainable and grows the one thing few towns can grow — community. Sustainable Pacific Grove is dedicated to making such a vision a reality.” So how are they doing so far? Sustainable PG held their annual meeting on January 6 at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. Members and guests were treated to a slide show which celebrated the organization’s accomplishments for 2008, when the focus was on water, and presaged plans for 2009 when the focus will be on food. Among accomplishments, SPG lists work on mapping the local watershed and examination of water preservation methods such as cisterns and revitalization of the reservoir as well as other types of water-holding technology. They are pressing for regulatory changes as well, including allowing grey water systems whereby households - and perhaps even businesses and other institutions - can capture and reuse grey water for onsite use where potable water had previously been used. The Green Spot at the corner of Pine and Forest will be a showcase of solutions for those seeking earth-friendly lifestyles. The collaboration between SPG and Applied Solar Energy offers demonstrations of water cachement technology including a fog catcher. There is a butterfly garden as well. The Green Spot has been used for demonstration fairs and lectures, including subjects such as pedal power, composting, recycling, solar energy and reducing one’s carbon footprint. A work day at the Green Spot is scheduled for January 17 in preparation for Good Old Days, when the Green Spot will once again offer a demonstration fair. With the election of SPG stalwart Deborah Lindsay to the City Council, a subcommittee on water is in the formation process at the City Council level. Tree for PG is another cooperative project for Sustainable Pacific Grove. They have sponsored the planting of thousands of trees from seedlings, and recently another grant was approved by PG&E which will provide even more seedlings. The establishment of the weekly Farmers Market in downtown Pacific Grove was strongly supported by SPG and now offers food, flowers, and crafts by local growers and artists. SPG members are particularly proud of Pacific Grove’s ban on Styrofoam use in local restaurants, an example which has been taken by other communities. While the organization points out that not all restaurants in town are following the no-styrofoam guidelines, most are doing so and the results, they say, are gratifying, though more work needs to be done. Members suggested continued lobbying of non-compliant restaurants as well as public education on the issue. A plastics ban is a future project. A major panel discussion on the issue of climate change was held under the auspices of Sustainable Pacific Grove in September. Cedar Street Times offered a synopsis on Vol. I, Issue 5 (copies available by email). Sustainable PG members are also proud of efforts to reintroduce chickens as useful pets in Pacific Grove. Outreach efforts by SPG continue: Coalitions with master gardeners, Surfrider Foundation and others were lauded. There will continue to be an information table at the weekly Farmers Market (which resumes on Monday, January 12 after the holiday recess). A wealth of information is available on SPG’s website and emailings are encouraged. In 2009, Sustainable Pacific Grove will focus on food. The group expects to hold networking parties, lectures and demonstrations on such subjects as micro climates, growing local food, home gardens, seed-saving, composting, canning, fruit trees and herb-growing. An effort is under way to purchase bare root fruit trees in bulk to reduce costs, and the group hopes to see fruit trees planted not only in home gardens, but downtown, and will examine the possibility of promoting use of the PG&E grant money to help in this effort. There will be herb gardening workshops at Trellis Garden Shop in the spring months. Individuals are looking into recycling receptacles for downtown streets, and Joy Colangelo reported on food recycling efforts at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, where efforts are under way to use the food left over at CHOMP to produce compost. Kristin Cushman also reported on the Zero Waste school lunch program (see accompanying article).
Where has all the clean air gone?
CARB’s new laws are passed by Jon Guthrie
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is striking at the poor quality of air as a primary cause of local (and global) warming. The legislature has agreed, and Governor Schwarzenegge promises to sign the bill. Pacific Grovians, asked for opinions about the new rules, responded with mixed voices. Many proclaimed the changes are a long-overdue necessity. Others, however, bemoaned the rules as too stringent, too restrictive, and too costly. Read more…»
PG Farmer’s Market
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