Mission Blue Butterfly

[jolaf]

Hello.  I'm looking for any information that you might have on the Mission Blue
Butterfly.  I recently went looking for this butterfly in its habitat around
Twin Peaks but I was disgusted by the amount of trash and garbage left by the
tour buses that bring tourists to this area.  As it turns out, the Golden Gate
Bridge, Highway and Transportation District will begin a restoration project in
the bay area, but to the best of my knowledge, the Twin Peaks tourist area is
not slated for habitat restoration.  Since this area is one of the most visited
sites in San Francisco, I feel that the inability of the city of San Francisco
to adequately address the restoration of this habitat is a great oversight and
should be added to the current list of butterfly habitats.  

- jolaf

http://www.goldengate.org/News/MissionBlueButterfly.html

"MISSION BLUE BUTTERFLY HABITAT RESTORATION BEGINS AUGUST 3, 1998 

Monday, August 3, 1998, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation
District (District) will begin a restoration project to create approximately
18.5 acres of Mission Blue Butterfly habitat within the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area (GGNRA). The habitat restoration will occur in two locations: 1)
6 acres in Marin Headlands near Kirby Cove Campground, on the south side of
Conzelman Rd. at Battery Spencer; and 2) 12.5 acres located in the vicinity of
Alexander Rd. and East Fort Baker. For public safety reasons, the Kirby Cove
Campground will be closed from approximately August 17 through August 28. 

Concurrently, on August 3, 1998, GGNRA will begin habitat restoration on the
north side of Conzelman Rd. in an area adjacent to the District’s project. As a
result of GGNRA’s project, Conzelman Rd. will be closed August 3 through
September 4, 1998, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Mission Blue Butterfly populations increase in areas where non-native species
are removed and the habitat restored. To this end, non-native plants and trees
including French Broom will be removed to reduce threats to butterfly
populations. Next spring, the restoration areas will be planted with the two
plants that sustain the butterfly: lupine and coastal buckwheat.

During the environmental review for the Golden Gate Bridge seismic retrofit
project, potential environmental impacts were evaluated. Habitat supporting the
endangered Mission Blue Butterfly was found under the north viaduct in the
seismic retrofit project area. To mitigate potential impacts to this habitat,
GGNRA has agreed to allow the District to restore Mission Blue Butterfly habitat
on nearby GGNRA lands. The habitat restoration is an environmental mitigation
for the first phase of the Golden Gate Bridge seismic retrofit project which is
strengthening the north approach viaduct."