Celebrate Earth Day at the Presidio

Presidio of San Francisco (April 14, 2009) — Celebrate Earth Day with a family-friendly, interactive adventure at Crissy Field. The third annual Earth Stroll takes place Saturday, April 18, from 10 am until 3 pm.

Guided by their own Eco-Passports, participants can play eco-games, have an up-close visit with live animals and enjoy live music, all while learning about healthy living and creating a healthy planet.

“The activities are all designed to help people connect with our little corner of the planet,” says Damien Raffa, education and volunteer program manager with the Presidio Trust.

“Earth Stroll at the Presidio celebrates the special natural heritage that still abounds in the park,” Raffa continued. “The Presidio is like a living museum of the kind of habitats that once covered the landscape before it was fully developed. This natural history belongs to all San Franciscans, Californians, and Americans. We want the public to know and value these living treasures.”

Among the many activities available at stations around Crissy Field, people will be able to:

• Learn to identify native plants around the marsh
• Make tortillas with “Juana Briones,” one of the founding residents of Yerba Buena: the pueblo that would become the city of San Francisco
• Meet a live tortoise with Tree Frog Treks
• Make and fly kites on the historic Crissy Airfield
• Enter a bicycle rodeo
• Ride a Biodiesel bus

The Earth Stroll takes place Saturday, April 18, from 10 am to 3 pm at the Crissy Field Center. Drop-ins and all ages are welcome. The cost is $8 for an all activities passport, but free for Parks Conservancy members.

Earth Stroll is a partnership of the Crissy Field Center (National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service), the Presidio Trust, Presidio Community YMCA and the Richmond District Neighborhood Center.

The Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to oversee the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The 1,500-acre site contains expansive open space and spectacular views, a 300-acre historic forest, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. It also comprises nearly 6 million square feet of buildings, including 469 historic structures that contribute to its status as a National Historic Landmark District.