Birds of TuBBs island San Pablo Bay National Wildlife TRefuge Turns 40 By Kia Croom he San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1974 by the United States Congress to protect and preserve wetlands for migratory birds and wildlife and is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. The refuge acquired its first piece of land, the Figueras Tract (located at the Northwest Tip of Mare Island) which spanned approximately 93 acres and has since continued to acquire lands from willing sellers or persons interested in selling land to the United States government, according to Don Brubaker, Refuge Manager. (This isn’t a complete sentence –missing either when it was acquired) “We established a lease with the California State Lands Commission and over time the refuge grew. Lands continued to be conveyed to us,” said Brubaker. 40 MARKETPLACEcontrac osta .com november 2014 Brubaker says the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge nearly doubled in size with the acquisition of Cullinan Ranch in 1991. The Cullinan Ranch Restoration Project, which is currently underway will restore over 1500 acres of tidal wetlands in the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Once complete, the site will be open to the public to explore on foot, bicycle or kayak. After interior demolition, protecting important infrastructure, and installation of public use elements, the project will breach aging levees along the perimeter to allow tidal flows back into the site. Over time, it will become an expansive marsh, bisected by tidal channels and filled with a multitude of birds, fish and other aquatic species. The final phase of development for Cullinan Ranch is slated for 2014.
Contra Costa Marketplace - Nov 2014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above