Rev. 1/3/18

LEGISLATIVE, FUNDING, & PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

R-19-129 October 8, 2019

AGENDA ITEM 2 AGENDA ITEM Consideration of a Special Recognition to Honor Chris MacIntosh GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION

Recommend to the full Board of Directors approval to either name a trail in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve the “Chris MacIntosh Trail” or name the Harkins Ridge Trail bridge in the preserve as the “Chris MacIntosh Bridge” in recognition of Chris MacIntosh’s long-standing volunteer contributions to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. SUMMARY The Legislative, Funding, and Public Affairs Committee (LFPAC) is considering forwarding a recommendation to the full Board of Directors (Board) for a special recognition to honor the long-standing volunteer contributions of Chris MacIntosh, who has recently completed 40 years of volunteer service with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District). LFPAC will consider whether to name a short trail in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve (Purisima Preserve) the “Chris MacIntosh Trail” or name the Harkins Ridge Trail bridge over Purisima Creek the “Chris MacIntosh Bridge.” The District received a request from Paul Billig, another longtime docent (20 years), seeking consideration of a trail naming, or similar recognition, in her honor. Ms. MacIntosh is the District’s longest serving docent who started her service in 1979, two years after the Docent Program began in 1977. DISCUSSION Chris MacIntosh is the District’s longest serving docent, with 40 years of service engaging and enriching the public about the wonder of nature and the value of open space. In June 2019, the District received the attached letter from Mr. Paul Billig, requesting that the District consider a special way to recognize Ms. MacIntosh’s contributions to the District. Chris MacIntosh has been involved and contributed as a District docent since 1979, longer than any other docent in District history. Chris is an accomplished naturalist with significant bird and wildflower identification skills, and is the District’s “resident expert” on fungi. Each winter Chris leads interpretive hikes she calls “Fungal Fun”. The hikes are most often through Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve along the North Ridge, Whittemore Gulch, and Harkins Ridge Trails. The trail segment recommended for naming is currently unnamed, and many fungi can be found there. In addition to her long-standing docent role, Ms. MacIntosh has also been an active Trail Patrol volunteer since 2014 and occasionally assists with community outreach and Preserve Partner projects, and special events such as Founders’ Day, the Mount Umunhum opening, and

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Wingding Family Fest. Chris also serves as a resource for staff and new docent naturalists during their training and onboarding. The Site Naming, Gift, and Special Recognition Policy (Site Naming Policy) provides for trail naming requests. The sections pertaining to this request are provided below. I. Site Naming… …B. Preserve Areas, Trails, Site Improvements, Historic Sites and Unnamed Natural Features…

...1. Preserve areas, trails, site improvements including benches and bridges, historic sites and previously unnamed natural features shall ordinarily be named after: … ...b) Historical persons, uses, or events associated with the site, or persons and organizations listed in Section III: “Special Recognition”. 2. Preserve areas, trails, site improvements, historic sites and unnamed natural features may in rare instances be named after a living individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the District, subject to approval by the Board of Directors…

...III SPECIAL RECOGNITION The Legislative, Funding and Public Affairs Committee (LFPAC) shall be the committee designated to discuss all requests that meet the criteria of the policy for special recognition made by members of the Board of Directors, and after deliberation shall forward a recommendation to the full Board for a vote… ...D. Founders, Significant Supporters, and Volunteers "Founders", "Significant Supporters", and “Volunteers” are eligible for special recognition, including memorials… …“Volunteers” shall be defined as individuals or groups of individuals who donated a minimum of 250 volunteer hours and 5 years of service to the District by working for the District’s docent or volunteer program… The request from District docent Paul Billig is consistent with the Site Naming Policy. As the longest-serving docent in the District’s history, Ms. MacIntosh exceeds the requirements for recognizing a significant volunteer. Ms. MacIntosh is also very active with environmental organizations in her community doing advocacy, leading outings, and serving on committees and boards, such as for the Friends of Bedwell Bay Front Park and Sequoia Audubon. Mr. Billig suggested naming a trail after Ms. MacIntosh that she loves to frequent as part of the interpretive fungi hikes she leads. This 0.5-mile trail starts at the North Ridge parking lot off Skyline Boulevard and connects to North Ridge Trail at the top and bottom of the trail. The segment is currently unnamed. Since the trail is unnamed, it is not currently referenced on trail directional signs elsewhere in the preserve. Therefore, existing signage would remain unchanged. Two new signs would be installed at either end of the trail. The proposed trail name would be the “Chris MacIntosh Trail.” Another option for recognizing Ms. MacIntosh’s contributions is to name the Harkins Ridge Trail bridge over Purisima Creek the “Chris MacIntosh Bridge.” The bridge is also located along

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the route of Chris’s favorite fungi hike. This option would entail the installation of a dedication plaque on the bridge. FISCAL IMPACT There are sufficient funds in the adopted FY2019-20 Budget to cover the cost of the recommendation. The cost of implementing either request would be under $2,500 including staff time for the purchase and installation of either two new trail signs or a dedication plaque on the bridge. If a trail dedication is preferred, trailhead maps would be updated and replaced during the next round of preserve brochure printings. PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act. CEQA COMPLIANCE This action is categorically exempt under section 15301, Existing Facilities. NEXT STEPS If LFPAC agrees to forward a special recognition to the Board, the item would be agendized for the next available Board meeting and Ms. MacIntosh and her family would be invited to attend. The Board has final authorization to approve the proposal. If approved, Land & Facilities staff would move forward with the assistance of both Planning and Public Affairs staff to implement the special recognition. Attachments:

1. Letter/Naming Request – Paul Billig; 6/13/2019 2. Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve Map – Trail and Bridge Location

Staff Contact: Renée Fitzsimons, Interpretation & Education Program Manager Responsible Department Head: Matthew Anderson, Visitor Services Manager/Chief Ranger

From: paulbillig@gmail.comTo: Ana RuizSubject: Docent 40th Anniversary of ServiceDate: Thursday, June 13, 2019 3:07:33 PM

Ana, It was nice meeting you earlier this year at the Bay Nature Local Heroes banquet.  The reason I amwriting to you is to talk to you about another Outdoor Activity Docent, Chris MacIntosh.  If you recall, when I first met you at the new docents lunch last year, she was also there as an

“experienced docent” for the new docents to meet.  This year is Chris’s 40th year as a docent withMidpen.  That is longer than anyone else in district history, docent or volunteer, with volunteering atthe district.  I’m sure that the district will commemorate this milestone at the Volunteer RecognitionEvent in September.  I would like to make a recommendation to that. For many years now, Chris has been our resident expert on mushrooms and other fungi.  Eachwinter she leads a few hikes that she now calls “Fungal Fun” on district properties.  Her favorites arehikes at Purisima Creek Redwoods where she hikes down along the North Ridge and WhittemoreGulch Trails and back up along the Harkins Ridge Trail.  At the start of the hike, there is a half milehiking-only trail that I don’t believe has a name where a lot of mushrooms and other fungi are found. For Chris’s service, I think it would be nice and appropriate to call that trail the Chris MacIntosh Trail. Recently, the district has renamed or given names to trails of significant district people, such as theBo Gimbal Trail in Russian Ridge.  I think that Chris’s unmatched years of service is truly worthy ofsuch an honor and it would be good for that little trail to have a name of its own of its most historicaluser. I don’t know the details of how the district goes about naming its trails, but I imagine it goes throughsome kind of staff submittal and board approval.  I would be happy to talk with you or anyone else inthe district if that would help make this happen. I hope that you are doing well and I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet last week at Bear CreekRedwoods.  Our paths must have almost crossed as I was getting training for the opening weekendhikes there. Paul Paul Billig99 Cashew Blossom Dr.San Jose, CA 95123(408) 809-6479 

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Map Legend

Midpen Preserve

Closed Area - No Public Access

Other Public Land

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Private or Leased Land - No Public Access

No Public Entry in Midpen Water Areas

Highway or Major Road

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Dogs not permitted in this Preserve

For More Information

Visit www.openspace.org

or call (650) 691-1200

In case of emergency, call 911

or 24-hour Ranger Dispatch

at (650) 968-4411.

For your safety,

and the protection of the preserves:

The preserve is open from dawn until one-half hour after sunset;

Auto burglaries are increasing; Take valuables with you and lock your vehicle.

Pack it in, pack it out- please do not litter;

Please leave natural features, plants, and animals undisturbed;