Habitat Restoration in Open Spaces
Approximately one third of Marin’s land is protected open space. The county’s natural assets are preserved in 39 county parks, 34 open spaces, and six state parks. Marin also has three national parks: Point Reyes National Seashore, the Golden Gate National Recreational Area, and Muir Woods National Monument.
In addition, the Marin County Open Space District is responsible for acquisition and stewardship of ridge lands, bay lands, and other environmentally sensitive areas. The county’s watersheds are controlled by the Marin Municipal Water District and the North Marin Water District.
Restoration of habitat in open spaces is an ongoing effort conducted by many public agencies and nonprofits. In recent years, the disappearance of overwintering monarchs has prompted swift action by the National Park Service, Marin County Parks, and community partners including One Tam and the Golden Gate National Park Conservancy.
The overriding goal of these organizations has been to restore and monitor overwintering habitats as well as propagate milkweed and nectar plants throughout the county.
Read on for some examples…
Monarch habitat restoration project on Mount Burdell
Marin County Parks and Open Space District officials are working to remove invasive plants and restore nectar plants and narrow-leaf milkweed in a variety of sites including, for example, Mt. Burdell, where volunteers recently assisted county staff in planting milkweed propagated from seed collected on the mountain.
Another example of restoration in developed areas include the project at Creekside Marsh in Corte Madera, where staff and volunteers have worked to remove the non-native plants and re-introduce native vegetation to the area, providing habitat for endangered species like the Ridgeway's rail.
Learn more about the county’s open space vegetation management here.
Ole Schell
West Marin Monarch Sanctuary
In 2021, Ole Schell partnered with Xerces, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN), MMWG co-founder Mia Monroe, and Guardian Grange to create a monarch sanctuary in Bolinas on the former cattle ranch where Schell grew up.
The group has planted over 1,000 native pollinator/nectar flowers, shrubs, and grasses to complement existing crops, including blueberry, passionfruit, and apple plants.
By 2022, the first monarch had appeared on a nectar plant on the property. Schell is working to double the number of plants and to upgrade the irrigation system with a grant from the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.
For more insight into these efforts to preserve monarch habitat in Marin, watch Monarchs Make their Home in Marin Again. This video recording features MMWG co-founder Mia Monroe, Ole Schell, and Audrey Fusco, Native Plant Nursery Manager at SPAWN.
Or watch this short video featuring the establishment of the West Marin Monarch Sanctuary.