Protect Alkaline Soil Habitats

The Alameda Creek Alliance is working with the Friends of Springtown Preserve, East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and the Center for Biological Diversity to preserve rare plants, animals and birds that occur in the unique Springtown Alkali Sink ecosystem and other alkaline soil habitats of the Livermore-Amador Valley.

This unique mosaic of habitats including claypan vernal pools, alkali sink scrub and alkali meadows is threatened by development, invasive exotic species, hydrologic modification (from water diversion, arroyo channelization and water table alteration), off-road vehicles, habitat fragmentation and road construction. Rare species found here are endemic plants such as Palmate bracted bird’s-beak, Livermore tarplant, Brittlescale, San Joaquin spearscale and Hispid bird’s-beak, as well as western burrowing owls, California tiger salamanders and vernal pool fairy shrimp.