August 19, 2014
It Isn’t Easy Being Red, Either: Frog Greeting Green Gulch Creek Restoration is Protected Species

This month as a big portion of the construction on buildings at Green Gulch Farm is wrapping up, the Green Gulch Creek Restoration Project is taking off. This work aims to recreate a more natural meandering course for the creek instead of being restricted by a concrete channel, thus enhancing native riparian habitat for many species and widening the floodplain.

On Wednesday of last week, there was great excitement as a worker discovered a live member of a threatened species that the project aims to benefit: a California red-legged frog. Here are a few images of the strikingly marked creature.

GGF Creek red-legged frog 3GGF Creek red-legged frog 6

GGF Creek red-legged frog 1The frog is one of four protected species that the project especially aims to benefit; the others are coho salmon, steelhead trout and dusky-footed woodrats. Any time a member of these protected species is located, restoration work stops until it is relocated to a safe spot.

Read more about the creek restoration, view plan maps and watch a short video about it on the Renovation and Restoration blog. You can also donate to help fully fund the project (see sidebar on the Renovation and Restoration blog).

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Photos by Jennifer Michaud, MA, Sr. Wildlife Biologist, a member of our environmental consulting team, Prunuske Chatham, Inc.