Friends of the Nature Area held an Open House in April. A large group of Orinda current and past students, as well as Orinda residents, enjoyed the shaded seating while listening to Professor Daniel Phillips.
The Wagner Ranch Nature Area was significantly damaged in the winter storms of 2022-23. The 18+ acres parcel is owned by the Orinda Union School District (OUSD). Conservation and preservation of this historical site are supported by the non-profit Friends of the Orinda Nature Area (FONA).
FONA Co-President Katherine Barrett said over 15,000 Orinda children have gone through their program since 1970. FONA, with the help of Boys Team Charity, East Bay Tree Service and OUSD, helped open the biodiversity garden last year.
“The rest of the Open Area has been fenced off for the safety of the students and others as trees have fallen down on the trails,” said OUSD Superintendent Aida Glimme.
OUSD has explored multiple options to raise funds to clear and reopen the area. The current estimate is that it will take anywhere from $250K to $400K, just for initial tree mitigation to make the area safe.
“The Wagner Ranch Nature Area has and continues to be a unique treasure in Orinda. It has been painful to have it closed off to the students and the community. The District is committed to keeping the space as nature and returning programming for our students,” said Glimme.
In 2023, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan secured $1.5 million of California Legislative Budget Appropriation funds with the intention of assisting OUSD in opening the nature area up to visitors after its closure due to storm damage.
This grant requires the nature area be preserved and protected as an “Open Space.” However, the OUSD staff and Bauer-Kahan’s staff have not converged on the definition of Open Space, or the required time period of the designation.
The Nature Area closure and reopening was discussed at the May 6 OUSD Board of Trustees meeting.
Glimme presented a set of charts to the trustees to explain how the Nature Area is a valued, unique and historic site and how it has been used over the decades. She summarized that the state grant comes with a number of mandates, the details and terms of which were not available at the initiation of that allocation.
The OUSD staff is in negotiation with the assemblymember’s staff to develop those terms of the agreement and identify common goals. Currently, with the understanding that the funds are tied to perpetuity mandates, the OUSD staff has recommended the state funds not be accepted.
One issue is continued maintenance of the Nature Area beyond the five years for which OUSD had budgeted the expenditure of the grant. Glimme stated that the staff does not recommend placing the Nature Area into a perpetual conservation easement because the $1.5 million is not sufficient to maintain the property in perpetuity.
“We discussed seeking funding for years beyond because the district has no intention of building on that area or developing that area,” said Glimme. “It is our intention to seek funding to support the ongoing maintenance of the area.”
General funds are not available since they are already stretched as a result of the severe deficit in the state budget. OUSD recommended exploring Fund 40 (Special Reserve – Capital Outlay) or Measure E and I funds (building funds).
Glimme’s presentation was followed by a discussion with the trustees.
Trustee Hillary Weiner said she had spoken directly with Bauer-Kahan and suggested that the staff reach out to further understand the assemblymember’s requirements for the funds.
The trustees allowed 20 minutes for public discussion, limiting each speaker to roughly a minute and half.
Former Orinda Mayor and current councilmember, Inga Miller, who was also an Orinda student, stated the Nature Area is too important to not be reopened. She said some students told her that working in the Nature Area during the pandemic had given them a sanctuary and reflection time away from the screens in their homes.
“The Nature Area brings people together. It is a rare resource that teaches tolerance and provides mental and emotional support,” she said. “I urge you to do everything in your power to open the Nature Area to programming immediately.”
Other public speakers included FONA board members, as well as Toris Jaeger, who has worked with students in the Nature Area for 46 years. All public speakers recommended accepting the state grant since it would be available immediately and would allow the Nature Area to be opened sooner rather than later.
Bauer-Kahan said the Wagner Ranch Nature Area is an incredible resource for the East Bay community.
“As an outdoor enthusiast and mother, I am dedicated to protecting the area for generations to come. As part of my efforts, I have been working for months with partners at Orinda Union School District to ensure that the Wagner Ranch Nature Area in Orinda is both protected and open to all,” she said. “Engagement with Wagner Ranch will increase their knowledge and appreciation of its robust and diverse ecosystem.”
“Discussions are ongoing about the feasibility of using these funds for implementation,” she added. “I deeply hope that we can achieve Wagner Ranch preservation for our environment and our children.”
Bauer-Kahan’s staff explained they would prefer the Nature Area be designated as Open Space in perpetuity for future generations, although they are willing to consider a shorter time frame. They also added this grant should not prevent OUSD from raising additional funds for maintenance and improvement of the Nature Area.
At the end of the meeting, the trustees tasked OUSD staff to reach out to the assemblymember’s staff to seek clarity on the funding.
Barrett emphasized their sense of urgency as the $1.5 million grant money will disappear on June 30, as the state starts a new fiscal year every July 1.
