Sunday, September 25, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
We’ll start off with an overview of the 2008 Wetlands Restoration, which converted the 550-acre site from a dairy diked off from Lagunitas Creek to a fully connected tidal wetland. The talk will cover the transformation of the affected plant communities over the seven years since the restoration into an evolving mosaic of tidal wetlands, mudflat, grasslands and riparian forbs. The hike will follow the public trail towards the historic dairy barn where the group will stop to look over the wetlands, then proceed down into them. This second part of the hike is not strenuous, but it will be off the formal trail, and the ground is somewhat uneven in places, so sensible shoes are advised. Once down in the tidal zone, group members will have a chance to look closely at the salt marsh plant community including arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima), pickleweed (Salicornia pacifica), gumplant (Grindelia stricta), and sea lavender (Limonium californicum); seek out the rare salt marsh annual Point Reyes bird’s beak (Chloropyron maritimum ssp. palustre); and examine the upland transition zone, which has several native brackish water-tolerant native grasses such as creeping wildrye (Elymus triticoides), meadow barley (Hordeum brachyantherum), and Alaska alkali grass (Puccinellia nutkaensis).
Meet at the Giacomini Wetlands Trailhead at the corner of 3rd and C Street, Point Reyes Station.
Leader: Lorraine Parsons, project manager for the Giacomini Wetlands Restoration.