From Salt Ponds to Wetlands

Recommended QUEST Resources

• Discuss the From Salt Ponds to Wetlands story

  Discuss the From Salt Ponds to Wetlands story on the KQED QUEST Community Science Blog.

• Wetlands Time Machine

  Over 100,000 acres of wetlands are being restored in the Bay Area, but how do we know what to restore them to? QUEST discovers how historical ecologists are recreating San Francisco Bay wetlands that existed decades ago.

• Legacy of Salt

  QUEST radio takes a look at the largest wetlands restoration in the West-- the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project. It will take decades and cost up to $1 billion to roll back the clock to the Bay's pre-industrial conditions.

• Last Minute Rules

  The Bush Administration has recently passed dozens of so-called "midnight regulations" - last-minute rules and amendments. Many of those new laws affect the environment, including a change to the Endangered Species Act that has California environmentalists deeply worried.

• Birds vs. Planes

  Following the recent crash landing of a U.S. Airways jet into the Hudson River, QUEST takes a look at local efforts to avoid collisions between planes and birds. Every year pilots in the U.S. report more than 7,000 bird strikes. The Sacramento International Airport has one of the highest incidences of bird strikes in the nation, thanks to its location next to the Pacific Flyway.

• Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge Exploration

  The nation's first urban National Wildlife Refuge, it's 30,000 acres of open bay, salt pond, salt marsh, mudflat, upland, and vernal pool habitats are constantly changing.

Additional Links

• South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project

  The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is the largest tidal wetland restoration project on the West Coast. When complete, the restoration will convert 15,100 acres of commercial salt ponds at the South end of San Francisco Bay to a mix of tidal marsh, mudflat and other wetland habitats.

• Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge

  Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the first urban National Wildlife Refuge established in the United States, is dedicated to preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat, protecting migratory birds, protecting threatened and endangered species, and providing opportunities for wildlife-oriented recreation and nature study for the surrounding communities.

• USGS San Francisco Bay Wetlands Project

  The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's (USFWS) San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge manages wildlife at a number of salt ponds that the Cargill Corporation currently operates for salt production. A number of these ponds probably will be purchased by the USFWS. With acquisition, the USFWS will be responsible for maintenance or restoration of thousands of hectares of wetlands, an extremely complex and expensive task.