Antonelli Pond: A Nonprofit’s Quest for Security of an Open Space
California Trails and Greenways Conference
April 20th, 2017
Bryan LargayConservation Director
&Ginger Wojciechowski
Access Coordinator
Photo: Ted Silveira
Who We Are and What We Do
• Mission: Protect, care for, and connect people to the extraordinary lands that make this area special
• Guided by Conservation Blueprint
• 14,000 acres protected since 1978
• Half operating budget goes to Stewardship
• 7 of 14 staff are Stewardship
AntonelliPond You are here
Antonelli Pond: on the edge of the city
AntonelliPond
Downtown Santa Cruz
Antonelli Pond, Santa Cruz
Antonelli Pond, Santa Cruz
Antonelli Pond
• 19 acres of wetlands and uplands• In the Santa Cruz city limits• 1 mile of trails• The Land Trust owns it
Management: Goals for the Pond
• Public access • A variety of recreational opportunities. • Protect rare habitat: wetlands • Support a diversity of wildlife• Priorities
Photos: Sir Robert Pavey, Jim Howes & Patricia Gonzalez
Ecological Resources
Photo: Jim Howes
Sensitive habitats• Willow Riparian• Freshwater Marsh• Open Water
Over 200 species of birds5 species of reptiles A variety of small mammals
Non-native fish, frogs, turtles, plants
Recreation
Antonelli Pond: on the edge of the city
AntonelliPond
Downtown Santa Cruz
Safety
• Staff, volunteers, contractors, visitors• Foster stewardship culture• Monitor and patrol
• Tap professionals to inspect and engage• Potentially volatile people• Potentially hazardous sites
ASSESSENGAGE
DETERDETECT
Safety
• Pathogens• Blood • Human waste• Needles• Bedding• Debris• Soil
• Equipment • Procedures• Caution
Urban Edge Issues
• Encampment and trash• Criminal Activity/ Risk of Violence • Substance abuse
Why do we care?• Interfere with public recreation• Compromise environmental quality
Initial Efforts
• Staff visited once a week• Volunteer clean-ups,
habitat restoration, and building structures
• Local school groups • Basic trail maintenance
New priority: Safety
• More staff effort• Hiring private security
– Managing security– Figure out your needs
• Investing in relationships with police
• Vegetation management• Facilities upkeep
Vegetation Management
• Streambed Alteration Agreement through City’s Routine Maintenance Activities
• 30K Grant from PG&E.• Partnering with:
• City of Santa Cruz• UC Santa Cruz• CalTrans• Cal Fire-CDCR crews• Regional Transportation Commission
Trail Management
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Before After
Structure Removal and Improvement
Trash Management
• 24 Hour policy: Top priority• Improved facilities• Less contact with health hazards• Employee training
Taking advantage of Community Resources
• City of Santa Cruz• Graffiti hotline and app• Encampment hotline
• Local Advocacy Groups• Needle reports• Graffiti Removal Project
• Santa Cruz County• Illegal dumping
• Police Reports
Gaining Knowledge• Citizen Police Academy• Regional Neighbors
• Midpeninsula Open Space District• State Parks
• City of Santa Cruz• Community meetings
• Keeping in the know• Newspapers• Social Networking
• Next Door• Instagram• Apps
Picking Up Trends
Partnering With Neighbors
• UC Santa Cruz• Volunteer Programs • Class Programs
• Pacific Collegiate School• Parent volunteers • Student volunteers
• Pacific Shores Apartments• Resident volunteers
Antonelli Pond Stewards
Volunteer patrols report issues and clean up litter • Enables 24-hour policy• Training• Providing tools• Reporting• Engagement • Results
Land Trust Spending Vs. Encampment Issues
The Future
• Financial sustainability• Apps and Social Media• More community engagement • Volunteer program
• Volunteer labor to supplement staff labor
• Not outdoor education• Not a membership or
fundraising strategyMust be• Consistent• Reliable• Engages their strengths• Low overhead• 80/20 rule (95/5 rule?)
Volunteers: Efficiency is key
Is there an app for that?
Promising output
Promising output
But no Android version…
Volunteer and Staff Safety
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Volunteer Effciency
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Volunteer Reporting Apps and Tools
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