A Great Egret stands on the edge of a marsh
Great egret (Ardea alba) in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Wetland restoration is one of the top priorities of the refuge. Some of the refuge’s most scenic areas were once practically lifeless. For example, the drive to the refuge headquarters in the early 1980's was anything but scenic. Marshlands Road did not exist. Rather, it was an extension of Thornton Avenue, leading up to the CalTrans Toll Plaza on the way to the old Dumbarton Bridge. Between the present Thornton Avenue and the refuge’s Visitor Center, the old road bisected white and crusty salt crystalizer beds which were unappealing to the human eye and even less appealing to wildlife. After many consultations with engineers and biologists, refuge staff breached levees, excavated channels, and reintroduced tidal waters into the former salt beds. Today, the road passes through an area of marsh grasses and lush stands of pickleweed filled with the sounds of endangered California clapper rails and migratory birds. La Riviere Marsh, which it is now called, is an example of how partnerships, science, and patience can restore a bleak landscape back to a thriving community full of life. (US Fish and Wildlife Service)
Size: 7500px × 5000px
Photo credit: © Kip Evans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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