Sign Hill Stewards August Newsletter

Dear Sign Hill Stewards, Almost a year ago, we launched the Sign Hill Habitat Restoration Project as part of a two-year Measure K grant through the County of San Mateo. We want to thank the County of San Mateo and Supervisor Dave Pine for supporting this project! As we look forward to the second year of the Sign Hill Habitat Restoration Project, we want to reflect on some of our project's accomplishments. We had 118 volunteers contribute over 500 hours of habitat restoration work. With your help, we planted 500 native plants. Most exciting, we documented the widespread distribution of mission blue butterflies on Sign Hill and even found mission blue eggs on our plantings! In this newsletter, we share project updates, recent iNaturalist sightings, and information on Coastal Cleanup Day. We continue to provide socially distant volunteering opportunities for individuals and families on Sign Hill, in accordance with public health recommendations. For more information, please email [email protected]. In August, I joined the board of San Bruno Mountain Watch. I look forward to supporting environmental stewardship of the larger San Bruno Mountain! Hope you are safe and healthy, Emma Lewis Natural Resources Specialist Leading the Sign Hill Habitat Restoration Project San Bruno Mountain Watch Board Member

Volunteers Protect Native Grasslands Removing Invasive Ice Plant & Fennel

This month, 11 volunteers helped staff remove invasive fennel and ice plant. We have been focusing our habitat restoration efforts on the south facing slope of Sign Hill. Remnant patches of native grassland are found scattered between non-native trees and invasive plant species. With a little help, these hardy native plants will bounce back!

Above: Volunteers clear invasive ice plant from a hummingbird sage patch along the Iris trail, giving the plants some much needed help!

Left: Hummingbird sage (flagged in orange) before restoration struggling to survive under ice plant. Top Right: Ice plant removed! Ice plant was likely introduced to Sign Hill as an ornamental plant between the 1960s-1980s. This plant was mass planted along the CA coast during the 1900s to stabilize soil. Unfortunately, ice plant's shallow roots actually speed up erosion, in addition to replacing native ecosystems. Bottom Right: A healthy patch of hummingbird sage. This native plant has colorful, nectar-rich flowers which attract the Anna's hummingbird. In the next few years, the hardy hummingbird sage will re-sprout from its roots following ice plant removal.

Top Left: Invasive fennel along the Iris and Seubert trails, spreading into the surrounding grasslands. Related to the fennel we eat, this invasive plant has escaped cultivation and spread throughout California. Top Right: Volunteer Rickesh Patel removing fennel on his regular Sign Hill hikes. Bottom: What's missing?! Where green & yellow fennel stalks should be, we only see the flowering stalks from last year. Thank you volunteers!

The City of South San Francisco Parks Division and Sign Hill Stewards continue to keep the safety of our residents and volunteers as our first priority, while recognizing and balancing the need to enjoy and interact with outdoor settings. Staff are following all County, State, and CDC guidance in regards to social distancing, sanitation, and mask requirements. All volunteers are expected to also abide by these rules to keep all participants safe and comfortable while on the hill. Special thanks to Donna Mandel, the Duldulao Family, Loretta Brooks & Chuck Heimstadt, the Kim Family, and Rickesh Patel for helping restore Sign Hill this month! Are you interested in volunteering on Sign Hill? Email [email protected] to find a volunteer activity that matches your interest and needs.

August iNaturalist Highlights

The SSF Parks and Recreation Department wants to learn more about the Sign Hill ecosystem. We need help from community scientists like you to make 1,000 iNaturalist observations on Sign Hill! We have risen to 302 iNaturalist observations! Check out some of Sign Hill's iNaturalist highlights from users schidigera and ambitioustiger.

View Sign Hill's iNaturalist Observations Here

Coastal Cleanup Day Every Saturday of September

The South San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department will be participating in Coastal Cleanup Day 2020! Coastal Cleanup 2020 is the world’s largest cleanup event that will be different this year to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of participating in large groups, your household or social bubble is encouraged to dedicate one or more Saturdays in September to pick up litter in your neighborhood (including Sign Hill) while following social distancing protocols.

Register Here!

Nature Sightings Sign Hill's native trees and more!

California Bay (Umbellularia californica) California bay can be along the California coast, especially within redwood forests. It was planted along the Seubert trail by Al Seubert between the 1960s -1980s. Its aromatic leaves and flavorful seeds are used by Indigenous people for a variety of cooking and health reasons. The leaves are a tasty substitute for the Mediterranean bay leaf; however, they are stronger and should be used in a smaller quantity!

Left: Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) Right: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) California has many different species of oak! The two most common species on Sign Hill are valley oak and coast live oak. Valley oak has thin lobed leaves while coast live oak has thick, waxy leaves.

Beard Lichens (Usnea) Beard lichens are found in foggy habitats. While they live on bark and twigs, they do not harm their plant hosts. Interestingly, beard lichens are very sensitive to air pollution and their presence is a good sign! They can be used as a bioindicator to understand air quality.

California Goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. californica) California goldenrod is a native wildflower common to grasslands. This late bloomer is loved by birds and pollinators!

Visit the SSF Online Recreation Center for More Resources

This project is supported by Measure K funding