Once again Pacifica’s Environmental Family and the Pacifica Beach Coalition will hold their annual planting and habitat restoration day on Pacifica State Beach.
This year’s event will run on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to plant over 1,000 native dune plants to increase biodiversity and protect the wintering habitat of the endangered Western snowy plover and other wildlife.
In the past 15 years, volunteers have planted over 16,000 native dune plants, creating a more biologically sustainable and beautiful beach. Pacifica stewards Kathy Kellerman and Mary Petrilli will lead the event along with Pacifica Beach Coalition members and other volunteers who would like to lend a hand.
“Come and make this your tradition, too. Every year we have a wonderful mix of people who have been coming for years and those who are first getting their hands into the sand. Everyone is welcome to plant and learn and truly make a difference," said Petrilli.
This year volunteers will meet on the far north end of the beach. From Crespi Drive and Highway 1, walk north on the beach trail until you see all the plants in containers. For those desiring a New Year work-out, come at 9 a.m. and help haul plants from the side of the highway into the front dune area.
“This year’s planting site, The Giveback Patch, is a stretch of foredune formerly occupied by iceplant until volunteers from Earth Day, monthly beach restoration workdays, Alma Heights Christian School, Burlingame Intermediate School along with Genentech, Life Technologies, Target Stores, SalesForce, and VMware employees who “Gave Back” and heroically removed it, making it ready for a diversity of native plants that will bring life back into the land," Petrilli added.
Parking is available at the Pacifica Community Center parking lot at Crespi Drive and Highway 1. Tools, gloves, water and snacks will be provided, although volunteers are welcome to bring their own. Sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and warm layers are advised.
This event is a long standing commitment on the part of both Pacifica’s Environmental Family and the Pacifica Beach Coalition to preserve Pacifica’s natural environment through volunteer events throughout the year.
The Pacifica Beach Coalition’s Linda Mar clean-ups are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and you may join in with that on Jan. 19th also. They will meet in the main parking lot by the seawall just north of Taco Bell.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please email Mary Petrilli at mary355@comcast.net or go to pacificabeachcoalition.org.
