Petaluma River Tidings: September 6, 2006
Sep 6th 2006DMYUncategorized
What’s new on the “Petaloo”
Hello Again River Friends;
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Fall; the weather is cooler, school is back in session, and the days are growing noticeably shorter. This is an excellent time to enjoy the peaceful beauty of our River; as the marshes are changing colors and migrant birds are making their autumnal visits. You can learn about some opportunities and read about Friends recent activities below.
Events:
Last Nautical Mass of 2006 – to convene Sept 15th:
Due to shortened days and cooler weather we are holding the last scheduled “Mass” on Sept. 15th (a week from Friday). It will again convene at the Petaluma Marina around 5:30 PM for a trip to the Turning Basin. Stay for dinner or plan your own itinerary, but join us on the water for a final fling.
A few photos from September’s picnic trip to Papa’s.
| Some Nautical Mass participants, Aug. 06. | ||
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| Jaimey & Tiff | Don & Sheryl | |
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| Patty & John | Pierre & Bob | |
News:
Challenge Grant update:
As reported previously we have been offered a “Challenge Grant” of $10,000 to help realize our dream of purchasing a floating office & Heritage Center. Every dollar contributed to “Friends” will be matched. I am thrilled to report that the two donors have extended the cutoff date 2 weeks to 11:59 P.M. on Sept. 18, 2006. To date we have received over $6000 in donations and pledges toward reaching our total match. Now is the time for all supporters of “Friends” and any other River devotees to make a special contribution to help us realize this Dream. Help us to truly be “on the water and in the community”; serving you and the river we love.
Now you can make donations online! Thanks to the web site additions by volunteer supporter Tiffany Renée, we now have an interactive reply form and donation button.
You can still Mail checks to:
Friends of the Petaluma River
PO Box 4928
Petaluma, Ca. 94955
For more information or to make a pledge call David at (707) 763-7756.
Special thanks to everyone who has made a donation already. To those of you who haven’t yet; please take advantage of this final opportunity to double your contribution.
Other Grant News:
We are delighted that Friends of the Petaluma River recently received a $1000 grant from The Strong Foundation for environmental values. They are providing “seed” money to help our organization grow.
We are also participating in sending a Paddle Access Grant proposal to the Coastal Conservancy in conjunction with the Sequoia Paddle Club under the guidance Susan Starbird. It will hopefully build on the wonderful work they began last year to develop more paddle craft amenities in Sonoma Co.
Public Displays - meet and greet “Friends”:
Petaluma Progressive Festival Sunday, Sept 24th at Walnut Park
This is the 9th year for this wonder gathering of social progressives and environmentally aware citizens. It will feature a full day of interesting speakers and a wide variety of displays and activities; its fun for the whole family. We will be there with our information and merchandise so come by and say hi. For more details see http://progressivefestival.org/index.html
Petaluma Jazz festival:
A big thank you goes out to Bob Brown, Jaimey Walking Bear, Rick DeGraff, and several other volunteers for setting up and peopling our display at this recent event. It was held in conjunction with the Alma’s visit. These colorful photos are provided courtesy of Rick DeGraff.
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| Bob and Jaimey “on display” | The turning basin scene |
A “Mako” in our midst:
Thanks to a generous loan by Baykeeper and the donation of berthing by Port Sonoma, we now have the fulltime use of a 21’ Mako motorboat to help in our efforts to “celebrate and conserve” the river. It is currently being used for educational trips to the Redwood Landfill. Read the story below.
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| Mako | Duncan |
Dump Tours: by Friends & NWLE supporter Duncan Dwelle
“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows” when you’re down wind of the dump!
For the last couple of months I’ve been taking small groups of Sonoma and Marin residents up the Petaluma River from Port Sonoma for evening tours of San Antonio Creek. Our 1 1/2 hour, 8 mile excursions wind through quiet sloughs lined with green and golden marsh grasses sheltering great blue herons, snowy egrets, and noisy flocks of red-winged blackbirds.
Then we round a bend and are suddenly confronted with that towering symbol of modern material success: the dump!
You think you’ve seen it from 101? That’s just the tip of the iceberg of garbage. Every passenger on our trips has exclaimed “I had no idea how BIG the dump is!” Nearly a mile long, looking like an airfield astride tidal meadows, the Redwood Landfill, at merely one quarter its eventual height, already dominates the Western rim of the lower Petaluma River estuary.
From the boat, at a distance of 20 yards, can you “appreciate” the plight of the remaining wild marsh dwellers who must live with constant noise and artificial light every day. Only from the creek can you comprehend the imminent risk of a “dump slump”; when tons of toxic waste would create massive marsh pollution.
Duncan Dwelle
See for yourself; join a scheduled boat tour by contacting Duncan or David
Duncan Dwelle DDwelle@comcast.net
415-265-9090 www.aisintl.com
David Yearsley
707 763-7756
To learn more visit No Wetlands Landfill Expansion: www.NoExpansion.org
We hope to see you on the water and in the community
Dave Yearsley – Friends of the Petaluma River
Celebrate & Conserve
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