SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After 10 years of planning and raising $18 million, on Sunday, October 25, Sonoma Land Trust will breach the levee along the bay at Sears Point Ranch (south of Highway 37/Lakeville Highway) to allow salt water to fill the new 1,000-acre tidal marsh basin along San Francisco Bay. This area will evolve to tidal marsh, much as it was 140 years ago before being diked off from the bay.
This new wetland will enhance the entire bay ecosystem and offer the following significant benefits:
1) providing habitat for endangered and native species,
2)
capturing carbon,
3) filtering pollutants, and
4) buffering
our infrastructure from the rising seas and storm surges resulting from
climate change.
A new 2.5-mile-long section of the San Francisco Bay Trail and kayak ramp will provide excellent access to the bay and open by early 2016.
Sea Change events on October 25
In the morning (starting at 9:30 am), a private brunch and program will be held for elected officials, project partners, wildlife agencies and key contributors to the project, followed by the levee breach at noon. Among others, speakers will include U.S. Representative Mike Thompson, State Assemblymember Lois Wolk, and Greg Sarris, Tribal Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
In the afternoon, the public is invited to witness the returning of the tides from 2–6 pm. Participants may visit the newly-breached levee site to watch the waters rushing through and explore the future 2.5-mile addition to the San Francisco Bay Trail. Pre-registration is required at www.sonomalandtrust.org.
“We are literally changing the map of the bay with this project,” says Sonoma Land Trust’s Baylands program manager Julian Meisler.
Complete press kit available at: http://www.sonomalandtrust.org/protect/campaigns/seachange/index.html
Sea Change events for press
WHEN?
Sunday, October 25:
10:00 am - Program of speakers
(media is welcome to arrive b/w 9:15-10).
11:00 am SHARP -
March to the levee breach site.
12:00 pm - The levee breach.
2:00-6:00
pm - Site is open to the public.
WHERE?
All events take place at Sears Point Ranch off Reclamation Road, the southern extension of Lakeville Highway, across Highway 37 at the traffic light.
PARKING?
Designated press parking is close to all events.
