Sign Hill Stewards July Newsletter

Greetings Sign Hill Stewards, Summer is coming in hot on Sign Hill! The first day of summer, June 21, reached a sweltering 98°F. Fortunately, here on the peninsula Karl the Fog always seems to hang on the coattails of the hot weather and cool us back down.  As residents across California know well, summer is a time of low rainfall and peak fire danger. While many of California’s native plants and natural ecosystems are adapted to periodic burns, the practice of fire suppression over the last century along with the impacts of climate change have caused fires to burn faster and hotter. Sign Hill is no exception, so with this change of seasons we have begun to shift our efforts to fire safety. Visitors to the park may notice that some large areas have been mowed, including the area around the letters. This reduces fuel should a fire break out and helps prevent some invasive plants from being able to produce seed. More fire safety measures are in store for the month of July. We are partnering with the San Francisco Conservation Corp to create a 100 foot fire break border around the edges of the park. This work will take place over the course of 10 weeks and will be guided by parks staff to ensure that sensitive plant species are protected.  Our long-term efforts to protect Sign Hill and surrounding residents from fire are ongoing. Tree work is still underway in close collaboration with wildlife biologists who perform regular nesting bird surveys before advancing with removals. It is an exciting time to be able to witness Sign Hill returning to a more natural landscape.  This month has also brought some pleasant surprises, including an exciting discovery of a rare plant species on Sign Hill, the Scouler’s catchfly. Also known as simple champion, Silene scouleri spp scouleri has a California Rare Plant Ranking of 2B.2 in the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB.) It is incredibly encouraging that enough native coastal prairie habitat has been preserved on Sign Hill to support this rare species. Candace LaCroix Natural Resource Specialist Leading the Sign Hill Restoration Project 

2022 Bay Area Explorer Campaign!

Now is a great time to try the Agent's of Discovery app!

Explore new communities around the Bay Area during this year's Bay Area Explorer Campaign from July 29th to September 9th! The City of South San Francisco's Parks Department is partnering with local agencies to bring you a fun, new way to learn about the history, nature and wildlife around you using the Agents of Discovery app. Simply open the app, navigate to a featured park such as the Bay Trail, Sign Hill or the Sculpture Garden, and play! There are prizes for every mission you complete, and during the campaign you will earn entries to win grand prizes! Download the app today to start planning your adventure! Check out the video below to hear more about the campaign!

Click here to explore all the missions!

Sign Hill Resident Spotlight: Scouler's Catchfly

The Scouler's catchfly is also commonly known as simple campion, and it's scientific name is Silene scouleri spp. scouleri. It is a perennial herb that blooms from June to August. It has elongated sepals that erupt into beautiful starburst-shaped blossoms which vary from white to dark pink. This species is native to the rocky slopes of northern California's coastal scrub and coastal prairie and it has received a California Rare Plant Rank of 2B.2 (CNDDB), meaning that it is rare and fairly threatened in California. One of the primary threats to the Scouler's catchfly is habitat loss from foot traffic and recreational activities. According to Calflora observation records, its range is now limited to two stretches of California's coast from Pacifica to Bodega Bay, and from Eureka to Smith River. We are fortunate that a small strand of suitable habitat still remains on Sign Hill to host this unique, beautiful and increasingly rare plant species. Please remember stay on designated trails and keep dogs on leash when visiting Sign Hill to continue to protect rare and endangered wildlife habitat!

What's Blooming?

As spring continues on Sign Hill, the wildflowers continue to progress and change. Early spring wildflowers have gone to seed, while late bloomers continue to open. Here are some of the flowers that are blooming now. Remember not to pick wildflowers and take pictures instead in order to protect sensitive habitat and ensure that everyone can enjoy the beautiful wildflowers of Sign Hill.

Scouler's Catchfly (Silene scoulerii spp. scoulerii) 'San Bruno Mountain' Golden Aster (Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp. bolanderi) Ruby Chalice Clarkia (Clarkia rubicunda) Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) Fleabane (Erigeron foliosus) Buff Lettuce (Dudleya farinosa) Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa)

California Goldenrod (Solidago velutina spp. californica) Pink Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium ramosissimum) Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium) Sticky Monkeyflower (Diplacus aurantiacus) Brownie Thistle (Cirsium quercetorum) Seaside Daisy  (Erigeron glaucus) Coast Tarweed (Madia sativa)

Tree Work Update

Our contracted tree workers have been busy removing many of the trees that were planted on Sign Hill beginning in the 1960's and through the turn of the century. Those historic efforts to beautify Sign Hill, a naturally open coastal prairie, resulted in a change to the landscape that compromised the native ecosystem, including habitat for the endangered mission blue butterfly. Today, the City of South San Francisco's Park Department is dedicating their efforts to restoring Sign Hill to its natural grassland landscape in order to protect and restore local wildlife and ecosystem function. Additionally, the removal of installed trees helps to reduce the fuel load should a fire break out on the hill, an important consideration for the people and homes that surround the park. All tree removals are performed in close collaboration with wildlife biologists to insure that nesting birds are protected throughout this time of change. Take a look that these photos that show 3 weeks of progress from June 14th to July 8th. It is amazing to the see the changes on the southwestern part of Sign Hill!

Volunteer with Sign Hill Stewards!

Volunteer information:

When: Every other Friday and the 2nd Saturday of each month from 9am-12pm. Only cancelled for heavy rains. Where: Volunteers will park at the Sign Hill Parking Lot nearby 964 Ridgeview Ct, South San Francisco, CA and hike with staff to the restoration site. Registration: Registration is required. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have a youth waiver signed by a parent/guardian. Youth under the age of 15 are welcome and must be accompanied by an adult. Click the link below to RSVP. What to bring: To prepare for working outdoors, please bring work gloves, plenty of water, sturdy shoes, long pants and long sleeves, a hat/sunscreen, and a completed waiver for each volunteer. Volunteers should expect some hiking on steep terrain.

RSVP