Antonelli Pond: A Nonprofit’s Quest for Security of an Open Space

California Trails and Greenways Conference

April 20th, 2017

Bryan LargayConservation Director

&Ginger Wojciechowski

Access Coordinator

Photo: Ted Silveira

Who We Are and What We Do

• Mission: Protect, care for, and connect people to the extraordinary lands that make this area special

• Guided by Conservation Blueprint

• 14,000 acres protected since 1978

• Half operating budget goes to Stewardship

• 7 of 14 staff are Stewardship

AntonelliPond You are here

Antonelli Pond: on the edge of the city

AntonelliPond

Downtown Santa Cruz

Antonelli Pond, Santa Cruz

Antonelli Pond, Santa Cruz

Antonelli Pond

• 19 acres of wetlands and uplands• In the Santa Cruz city limits• 1 mile of trails• The Land Trust owns it

Management: Goals for the Pond

• Public access • A variety of recreational opportunities. • Protect rare habitat: wetlands • Support a diversity of wildlife• Priorities

Photos: Sir Robert Pavey, Jim Howes & Patricia Gonzalez

Ecological Resources

Photo: Jim Howes

Sensitive habitats• Willow Riparian• Freshwater Marsh• Open Water

Over 200 species of birds5 species of reptiles A variety of small mammals

Non-native fish, frogs, turtles, plants

Recreation

Antonelli Pond: on the edge of the city

AntonelliPond

Downtown Santa Cruz

Safety

• Staff, volunteers, contractors, visitors• Foster stewardship culture• Monitor and patrol

• Tap professionals to inspect and engage• Potentially volatile people• Potentially hazardous sites

ASSESSENGAGE

DETERDETECT

Safety

• Pathogens• Blood • Human waste• Needles• Bedding• Debris• Soil

• Equipment • Procedures• Caution

Urban Edge Issues

• Encampment and trash• Criminal Activity/ Risk of Violence • Substance abuse

Why do we care?• Interfere with public recreation• Compromise environmental quality

Initial Efforts

• Staff visited once a week• Volunteer clean-ups,

habitat restoration, and building structures

• Local school groups • Basic trail maintenance

New priority: Safety

• More staff effort• Hiring private security

– Managing security– Figure out your needs

• Investing in relationships with police

• Vegetation management• Facilities upkeep

Vegetation Management

• Streambed Alteration Agreement through City’s Routine Maintenance Activities

• 30K Grant from PG&E.• Partnering with:

• City of Santa Cruz• UC Santa Cruz• CalTrans• Cal Fire-CDCR crews• Regional Transportation Commission

Trail Management

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Before After

Structure Removal and Improvement

Trash Management

• 24 Hour policy: Top priority• Improved facilities• Less contact with health hazards• Employee training

Taking advantage of Community Resources

• City of Santa Cruz• Graffiti hotline and app• Encampment hotline

• Local Advocacy Groups• Needle reports• Graffiti Removal Project

• Santa Cruz County• Illegal dumping

• Police Reports

Gaining Knowledge• Citizen Police Academy• Regional Neighbors

• Midpeninsula Open Space District• State Parks

• City of Santa Cruz• Community meetings

• Keeping in the know• Newspapers• Social Networking

• Next Door• Instagram• Apps

Picking Up Trends

Partnering With Neighbors

• UC Santa Cruz• Volunteer Programs • Class Programs

• Pacific Collegiate School• Parent volunteers • Student volunteers

• Pacific Shores Apartments• Resident volunteers

Antonelli Pond Stewards

Volunteer patrols report issues and clean up litter • Enables 24-hour policy• Training• Providing tools• Reporting• Engagement • Results

Land Trust Spending Vs. Encampment Issues

The Future

• Financial sustainability• Apps and Social Media• More community engagement • Volunteer program

• Volunteer labor to supplement staff labor

• Not outdoor education• Not a membership or

fundraising strategyMust be• Consistent• Reliable• Engages their strengths• Low overhead• 80/20 rule (95/5 rule?)

Volunteers: Efficiency is key

Is there an app for that?

Promising output

Promising output

But no Android version…

Thank You!

Contact information:Bryan.Largay@LandTrustSantaCruz.org

Ginger.Wojciechowski@LandTrustSantaCruz.org

Volunteer and Staff Safety

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Volunteer Effciency

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Volunteer Reporting Apps and Tools

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