The Story of the Marsh: From Seeds to Roots

By Guest Blogger Jesse Amital

As part of our ongoing work to connect people with the Bay’s natural landscapes, we’re sharing a series that explores the story of San Francisco Bay’s tidal marshes — their history, science, and the community efforts that keep them thriving.
​
Our story with the marsh began at Pond A6. In 2010, we helped restore 330 acres of a former salt-production pond to tidal action, reopening the area to the natural ebb and flow of the Bay. We scattered native seeds across the newly restored marsh in an aerial seeding effort that helped jump-start plant growth and stabilize the soil. It worked: today, Pond A6 teems with life, from song sparrows trilling in the reeds to herons and rails hunting along the channels.

A few years later, our work expanded to Bair Island, another vital piece of the Bay’s wetland puzzle. In 2015, we partnered with local organizations and volunteers to till and weed levees, spread seed by hand and via hydro-seeding, and plant nursery-grown species across 15 acres in three fall phases. Since then, we’ve continued to monitor and care for the site, tracking the marsh’s recovery through a community-powered photo monitoring project — a living time-lapse of resilience in motion.

In 2024, Bair Island’s story reached the national stage when Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited to celebrate federal investments in natural infrastructure. Her visit underscored what we’ve known all along: when communities, scientists, and leaders work together, restoration can not only succeed — but inspire others across the country.

Together, these projects reflect a simple truth: restoring the Bay’s tidal marshes takes persistence, partnership, and hope.

Learn more about our ongoing tidal marsh restoration work at sfbbo.org/tidalmarsh