By Erik Schmidt, Regulatory Permitting Specialist WRA expects to soon submit its first project application to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for regulatory review through the innovative Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act (HRE Act), an alternative approval process for small-scale habitat restoration activities. Many types of commonly proposed restoration work may be … Continue Reading »
Landscape Architecture and Planning
Wildlife Impacts and Public Access: Are there unintended consequences of increasing open space visitation?
By John Baas, PhD The Shelter in Place (SIP) order has been in effect in the San Francisco Bay area for nearly three months and has implications for how park, recreation, and open space agencies may need to manage public access in response to wildlife impacts. Last week I saw a juvenile coyote trotting down … Continue Reading »
[VIDEO] People & Projects: Marlene Tyner-Valencourt and the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy Project
With many people still working from home, the WRA team is finding innovative new ways to stay connected with our clients. One such way is through Zoom meetings – which got us wondering, what else can we use Zoom for? It turns out, it’s a great way to record an interview! You can get to … Continue Reading »
Greenways and Climate Change Resilience: A Call to Action at the ASLA Ecology & Restoration PPN Meeting
With a record number of industry events postponed or canceled this year, it’s comforting to have a good record of past conferences to reflect on for inspiration. The 2019 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Conference was particularly memorable. WRA Landscape Architect, Ingrid Morken, captured the highlights of the Ecology & Restoration Professional Practice Network … Continue Reading »
Why You Should Check For This Underwater Plant Before Planning In-Water Construction
Perhaps you are considering the addition of a private boat pier to your property, or need to increase the depth of a channel through dredging. For whatever in-water construction you are planning, it’s important to know if an underwater plant called eelgrass lives in or near your project site to make sure your work can start without a hitch.
Pathogen Poses Threat to Habitat Restoration and Open Space Projects in California
By Isaac Swanson, Tanner Harris, and Kari Dupler Phytophthora is a water-borne fungus transmitted through contact with infected soil, water, or leaves. Some Phytophthora species are relatively innocuous, but others–like Phytophthora ramorum, the cause of Sudden Oak Death–can be deadly to woody shrubs and trees and even to some grass and marsh species native to … Continue Reading »
Oak Knoll Groundbreaking September 12, 2018
On September 12, 2018, the Oak Knoll development project broke ground after nearly decades of planning. WRA’s Amanda McCarthy, Kari Dupler, and Susie Bennett attended the event as guests alongside our client SunCal, government officials including Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Oakland City Council President Larry Reid, and local community leaders. The site, formerly … Continue Reading »
WRA Featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine
WRA to Present Posters at the State of the Estuary Conference
WRA’s experts have been invited to present posters at the 13th Biennial State of the San Francisco Estuary Conference being held October 10-11, 2017 in Oakland. The posters will be on display throughout the conference and a special poster session reception is scheduled for Tuesday, October 10 at 5:00 pm. Posters The poster abstract program is … Continue Reading »
Endangered Species Habitat Expanded in Marin
The Creekside Marsh near Hal Brown Park is home to the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse, California Ridgway’s rail, and many other tidal marsh species. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filled this marsh and many other tidal wetlands in the watershed with dredge spoils in the late 1960’s when the earthen channel for the … Continue Reading »