Events

Point Molate Conservation Hike – May 16th

By Tom Butt
Tuesday May 11, 2010 - 10:25:00 AM

Please meet us at 10am on the 16th of May for a field trip co-lead by David Amme and Lech Naumovich on the grasslands of Point Molate. 

 

The grasslands of the Potrero Hills at Point Molate are one of the last undeveloped landscapes on San Francisco Bay, with intact native coastal bunchgrass prairies. These prairies are currently threatened by a proposed mega-casino project being considered by the City of Richmond and the US Interior Dept. Point Molate is a peninsula in the narrows of San Pablo Bay, in the rain shadow of the Marin County hills and with a spectacular view of Mount Tamalpais, San Francisco and San Pablo bays. On the knolls and swales overlooking the bay are coastal prairie meadows, transitioning into valley grassland. California oatgrass grows with purple needlegrass, squirreltail, junegrass, and red fescue next to patches of California fescue and the unique form of creeping wildrye. On this trip we will revel in this as yet undisturbed beauty and discuss what can be done to save it. 

 

Directions: From the East Bay, take the Western Drive/Point Molate exit from 580, just before the toll booths at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Proceed straight at the first 3-way fork, which gradually rises up a hill, curving more towards the north. As the road descends the hill, park at the parking lot right before the open gate marked “Point Molate Restricted Area”.