Chronicle Columnist get FACTS wrong

SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
CW Nevius came out with a new article antagonizing  the efforts of the Kezar Gardens Ecology Center on Thursday.  Perhaps, if one were to read only the first and last lines of the piece, it could be considered accurate, but everything in between is highly questionable in terms of its precision.  We were lucky to get a tape recording of the interview between Nevius and Ed Dunn, recycling center director.
Tuesday morning, Chronicle photographer, Lea Suzuki, spent hours in the yard photographing recyclers and gardeners for the piece Nevius was writing this week.  She encouraged Nevius to come by as well to see the changes and talk to the energetic chief of staff, Ed Dunn.  And, to his credit, Nevius came by Tuesday afternoon and talked recycling center politics with Ed.  He let us tape him and did not hold back on his vehement opposition to the center, however, he seemed to be quite misinformed and uninterested in setting the record straight.
So, we waited to see what he would come up with.  What we got was an emotional article filled with inaccuracies and completely ignoring or failing to research many of the issues presented to him that day.  In response, we have put together a short video detailing the difference between his report and what actually transpired.  The major points we dispute in the video are:
1. The Native Plant garden was a "last ditch effort" to prevent an eviction
Greg Gaar began gardens at the site about a dozen years ago.  He has planted an acre of grounds in native plants surrounding the center and continues to develop and contribute to effective restoration projects all over the city including the Green Hairstreek Butterfly project on Golden Gate Heights.
2. The salaries are too high and no one wanted to show him the books.
Simple math demonstrated in the video refutes that along with an offer to look at the accounting that Nevius does not choose partake in.  The average salary with benefits for a staff member at HANC is approximately 36K and includes health care.
3.  Reference to the Golden Gate Master Plan as proof of non-conforming use.
Nevius was informed about the County General Plan that does allow for a public service that is hard to locate and cannot be located elsewhere to exist on parkland- he made no reference to this in his article.  Also, at this point, no other site on the west side of SF has been identified for HANC to relocate to.
4. Nobody wants us.  City Hall hates HANC.
In Feb 2011, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in favor of HANC recycling center, they demanded  that the City work in GOOD FAITH with the center on this issue.  There are also over 100 community gardeners as well as local recyclers that patronize the space everyday. Check out our other blogs detailing the visits of D5 Supe Christina Olague and Homeless Advocate Bevan Dufty, each having an extremely positive reaction to the site.
Take a few moments to see for yourself.  And take a gander at the Nevius article through the link below as well as HANC's 990, it's all public.  It's certainly not news that we have opponents in this struggle but we must be vigilant about reporting the facts to the best of our knowledge and holding this reporter to the same virtue.

Nevius Article
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/article/HANC-finally-at-the-end-of-the-line-isn-t-it-3684759.php#photo-3156836

HANC_990_2010

The butterfly is back!

ATOP A SMALL MOUNTAIN Head up the hill near 14th Avenue in the Sunset and you will wind your way into Golden Gate Heights and its surrounding and steep bluffs. An adorable neighborhood with pockets of native plants still present, some folks have taken it upon themselves to return more unused land back to its natural habitat. Before the Sunset and Richmond area of San Francisco were developed, they were miles of dunes and bluffs home to Coast Buckwheat, Seaside Daisies and other geographically specific plants, animals and insects. A GREEN BUTTERFLY ROAMS One of the inhabitants of this unique ecosystem is the Green Hairstreak Butterfly. A shimmering sage colored floater with white antennae and a flair for the camera, the Green Hairstreak Butterfly can only survive if she has her larval plant, the Coast Buckwheat to lay eggs on. The delicate joining of plant and insect is precious, original and historical. Through the work of Nature In the City, a local nonprofit, the corridor of native plants restored to the Golden Gates Heights area has proven its impact already. Many of the initial plants for the project were donated by the native plant nursery at Kezar. On our visit last Friday, we encountered three different green hairstreaks at the corner of 14th Avenue and Pacheco Street. BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME The extraordinary thing about ecological systems is how well they work. There is a certain simplicity in the earth’s natural systems, pairing plants with water and wind cycles and watching how they support a specific set of living creatures. There is also a satisfying sense of power, as a human, to restore an ecological system back to its more primal form. The result seems to be a good partnership between people and the planet, full of impact and inclusive of nature. THANKS MIKE BELCHER, BUTTERFLY GUY It was an absolute treat to explore and interact with the ever blossoming habitat restoration program for the Green Hairstreak Butterfly near Golden Gate Heights. We commend Mike Belcher for his dutiful stewardship of this program’s plots and for spending the morning showing us around hill. Today’s video gives you a look into this project and captures our own sighting of the Green Hairstreak Butterfly that day. Totally proud of his work, Mike was also missing the others who help bring this project to life and was sure to send along the following to highlight some of the major people involved in this unique and successful restoration project along with mention of another significant sighting at the 14th and Pacheco site the very next day. From Mike: “Hello Soumyaa, It sure was a special day, and it continued the next day when I returned to 14th and Pacheco and observed a female actually laying eggs on one of the coast buckwheats! This is the ultimate goal of the restoration project, to increase the habitat and population of the Green Hairstreak. As far as people to mention: First, Liam O’Brien the butterfly expert whose vision started the project. Nature in the City, the non-profit organization run by Peter Brastow with Melanie Trelles and Deidre Martin, who took this vision and made it a reality with the help of dedicated volunteers like Srah McConico (Steward of the site at 14th and Pacheco), Barbara Kobayashi, Matt Zlatnich and others. Also a big shout out to Ed Dunn and Greg Gaar from HANC for providing many of the native plants for the restoration projects. Thanks again and best of luck to you and HANC. “

A Spurious Argument

Kezar Gardens Community Work Day