Sunday, December 20, 2009

The science behind the Sharp Park decision.

The full video stream of Ross Mirkarimi's Government Audit and Oversight Committee meeting on 12-16-09 is available online at SF Gov TV. For anyone willing to devote almost four hours of their life to this epic, you will find all of your favorites from the Sharp Park Golf War among the cast of characters (friend and foe alike). Personally, I find this as compelling as a World Wrestling Federation Pay-per-View Steel Cage Match, but for those of you who have a life, I've begun excerpting somewhat more digestible clips.

IMHO, the most important clip of all, is this 14 minute excerpt of Biologist Karen Swaim's presentation.

Before viewing, it is important to have an appreciation of who Karen Swaim is. I've included her introducing her credentials at the beginning of the clip.

Here is what you need to know: She has been studying the Ca. red leg frog and SF garter snake at Sharp Park/Mori Point/SFO for over 20 years. She has been called on as an expert on these critters and this habitat by the GGNRA as well as the Department of Fish and Wildlife, before being called on again for this purpose on the SF Rec and Park report. She helped design the frog pond habitat at Mori Point for the GGNRA.

She is not a golfer, and does not give a rat's ass about golfers, Alister McKenzie, or the Sharp Park golf course. Her scientific work is the basis for the recommendation to keep the 18 hole course to protect the habitat. This is why:


Her prez speaks for itself, but here are a few of her choice quotes:
"Our goal is to provide the science about the biology of what is best for the San Francisco garter snake..."

"Golf is not what is responsible for the decline of the San Francisco garter snake."

"This is a photograph from 1928. There is no golf here. The land surrounding Laguna Salada to the East, to the South, to the North, everywhere except the ocean, was agricultural fields. It is not pristine upland coastal prairie that would've been high quality upland for the San Francisco garter snake. You can see that there is a major channel up here [points to Laguna Salada] that illustrates there was connection to the ocean."

"1946 is the very first year the San Francisco garter snake and the California red-legged frog were documented... there are 46 [garter snakes] he gets over two years, and golf has already been here for 16 years."

"In 1978 Sean Berry did his studies and he observed 37 San Francisco garter snakes along this area... and again golf has been in place for 46 years"

"1989 - This [photo] is not long after the the El Nino storms and the big storms of the eighties that resulted in a lot of sea water intrusion into the lagoon. By now, the sea wall is mostly constructed... From 1986 to 1988 some studies were done and no San Francisco garter snakes were found in this area after all the salt water intrusion. That was to a large part because the red legged frog was wiped out by the salt water."

"We're back to present day conditions... the frogs are prolific west of highway one, they are not in any trouble at all west of highway one. San Francisco garter snakes are concentrating again at Mori Point pond and horse stable pond."

"You need to protect the sea wall. You need to have a fresh water managed habitat currently for this species to recover it, and that is all there is to it."
What she said.

cross-posted from MW mobile blog.

15 comments:

Plater Pod #47 said...

But her scientific conclusions are in complete conflict with my preconceived opinions!

Plater Pod #23 said...

And all our lawyer's billable hours are not going to be reimbursed under EAJA unless they close the course!

Plater Pod #7 said...

Who is that redhead Plater Pod #12? She is kind of hot.

Plater Pod #12 said...

I am the perfect mate for you, Plater Pod #7. I look just like you and we all know how much you enjoy yourself.

Plater Pod #69 said...

but Peter Baye and Ian Butler and Carlos Davidson and I say she is wrong. wrong wrong wrong. wouldn't you believe 4 known liars over her?

Kathy Meeh said...

WOW, major reference and report. Plater Pod comments #23 is good. Big thanks for sending this, as you said 4 hours of education.

R. Mirky said...

Doh! That's not what the plan was when Brent and I commissioned the study.

Plater Pod #11 said...

You are malfunctioning Plater Pod #69. She was right when she conformed to our preconceived opinions on Mori Point. She is only wrong now that she no longer conforms to our preconceived opinions on Sharp Park. Why was she not assimilated?

The Grand, Almighty, Omnipotent Platerpuss, Esq. said...

Poddies, poddies, PLEASE stop this nonsense or I'll immediately turn this Prius around and take you right back to the laboratory. Pods #7 and #12, there will be no inbreeding of my bots without my express written consent. PERIOD!

Now I'm just going to say this once so stop arguing with each other and give me your undivided attention: Baye (Pod #3), Butler (Pod #13) and Davidson (Pod #5) have been specifically programmed by CBD Animatronics to provide the only "Platerpuss approved" account of the SFGS and the RLF at Sharp Park Golf Course and Laguna Salada. Ignore all others. I repeat, IGNORE ALL OTHERS! This Swaim broad wouldn't know a red-legged frog if it bit her in the arse!

Over and out...
Your Leader

Jeffrey W Simons said...

El Nino wiped out the frogs and snakes? Seems a stretch. Perhaps Plater should sue God and force Him to restore the planet in Plater's image.

Plater Pod #7 said...

I hate it when he talks to us like that.

Anonymous said...

The narrow vision put forth by Karen Swaim is in effect the Swaim full employment act, since picking up snakes and frogs and moving them requires a masters degree in snakes and a license from fish and wildlife. And who's got one of those?

Jeffrey W Simons said...

Ianonymous Butler,

Would it help if I said her science was unassailable?

mike bell said...

Anyone seen the orgasmatron?

Pod #9 said...

Fearless Leader:

Human Simons used our code word "unassailable". He can't do that! STOP HIM! IMMEDIATELEY! FILE SUIT FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT!!! NOW! This behavior will not be tolerated...

As a side note, there is something just and right with the world knowing that we will be paying six figure salaries to licensed masters degree scientists to do nothing more than walk out in front of the golf course lawn mowers and move any snakes (wink wink) that are so feeble that they can't avoid the blades of the slow moving tractors themselves. Plater-God, I love these new green jobs!