Clarks Island

12/13/2021

Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Alliance (TERA) planting tules at Clarks Island! https://www.facebook.com/TribalEcoRestorationAlliance/posts/330211655608239

Thank you Big Valley Rancheria for sharing your knowledge on tule restoration with TERA! We appreciate the work you've done over many years to restore the lake, and the opportunity to learn from you.

Look forward to seeing these little tules sprout here at Clarks Island.

12/13/2021

So grateful for this!

Thank you Big Valley Rancheria for sharing your knowledge on tule restoration with TERA! We appreciate the work you've done over many years to restore the lake, and the opportunity to learn from you.

Look forward to seeing these little tules sprout here at Clarks Island.

07/16/2017

Love how many people are enjoying Clarks Island this summer

11/20/2014

Looking for volunteers to help cleanup the water around Clarks Island on Dec 6. We'll be meeting at 9am. The water level is so low, there are approximately 2 dozen corroded steel drums that have surfaced. We'll also be cutting down protruding posts and picking up corrugated metals and debris. Also looking for ideas on how to pull out the drums from the heavily silted areas that are like quicksand!

08/26/2013

The "floating" Floating Island update.

As mentioned in a previous post our wonderful little island took on a life of it's own and decided to part company with its anchors. After resting quietly next to a Keys property owner's dock for two weeks while volunteers tried unsuccessfully to locate the submerged cables and concrete pads, it finally found a new home to the right of the bridge. Rather than cabling the island to the lake bed as before we fastened it to a 4x4 iron post with stainless steel chain and fittings. It's very happy at the new location as witnessed by it's thick, lustrous growth.

Thanks go out to Dennis Locke, Joe Gandolfo, Bill Stone, Alvaro Valencia and his son who pitched in to make this happen. Thanks to Dennis and Joe for providing a boat which made the task a lot easier.

08/25/2013

Does the living dock work? What's its purpose?

The photo shows before and after trimming. What's obvious is the dock vegetation has a ferocious appetite for nutrients. All the plants are doing beautifully, in fact they are so hearty that a complete trim was performed only a month ago.

The living dock is one more example of how we can help control cyanobacteria. The vegetation competes with blue-green algae for food. Also it has created an under water ecosystem and serves as a nesting area for waterfowl

08/24/2013

Too many birds are killed, maimed or permanently injured by fishing line carelessly discarded on our waterways. Through the collaboration of the Redbud Audubon Society, Lake County Sea Scouts and volunteer Rob Patton, fourteen fishing line recycle containers have been installed around Clear Lake, the most recent of which was a location on Clarks Island. Volunteers Rob Patton, Bill Rett and Chuck Lamb installed one next to the bridge yesterday. Sea Scouts and Rob empty the containers once a month and send the fishing line to Berkley, Pure Fishing, Inc. for recycling. Container contents are recorded and submitted to the Coastal Commission on a regular basis. We think this is an excellent way to promote responsibility and control a problem that is common around our lake. Kudos to the organizations and volunteers for such a worthwhile program.

06/14/2013

Help! In the recent high winds - despite the heavy cabling - the Floating Island broke loose and is now resting on property located opposite the south end of the island. We took a look, and everything seems okay. We can certainly haul it back into position but here's the dilemna - how do we find the cables, and how do we reattach them. Input is appreciated!

10/16/2012

Good news from P.G.& E. regarding fig tree:

Hello Chuck.

Below is the report from the arborist with regards to the fig tree trimming on Clarks Island. As you can see, he feels that the trimming should have no ill effects on the tree, and should fill out nicely in time.

I did a field inspection of the area in question and here are my findings. Clark Island is located on the south end of Clearlake Oaks and is accessible only by foot or boat. PG&E had a pole (with transformer attached) on the island that needed to be removed. Because of the lack of lift truck access, and the fact that the tree engulfed the pole, it was necessary to trim back the tree to gain safe access for pole and transformer removal. The tree work that was performed looked like it was in line with what was necessary and no more. All cuts appeared to be proper cuts as per ANSI standards that went back to a main stem. To shorten those cuts to cut only the end of the limb would have left a potential hazard to the pole removal and compromise the safety of the job at hand. The tree is approximately thirty feet tall and twenty inches DBH (diameter at breast height). The upper canopy is still intact with side trimming only. With the tree living at lake level, water availability is year round and is not an issue. The tree appears to be healthy and vigorous in spite of the fact that there are several carvings by locals into the cambium layer as well as a chain and joist hanger embedded into the tree (photos attached). The tree should have no problem sprouting in the spring and begin the process of filling in the trimmed area. There is no visible evidence of the trimming from west side of the tree at Hwy 20.

If you have any further questions, please ask.

Thank you,

Laine Campbell
WECI-North Coast
Outage-Tag Specialist/Estimating Arborist
PG&E Vegetation Management Dept.

10/12/2012

Fig tree update:

I spoke at length with representatives of P.G.&E. who admitted to a breakdown in communication concerning the limbing activity. Whether the tree could have been cut differently remains unclear but they sent an arborist to inspect the tree and report back with findings. Further P.G.&E sincerely regrets the mistake and has offered to help out with re-vegetation of the island when we are ready. We'll need to get the pagoda in place before we plant but the landscape design can take place any time. Landscape architectural students from USF as well as local experts will do the design work. P.G. & E. has requested a meeting of the minds to discuss the idea.

The damage has been done, hopefully our wonderful fig will repair itself and remain an appreciated part of Clarks Island for future generations.

Chuck

10/04/2012

So sorry to say. But, we were on Clarks Island today, and someone has cut off the entire side of the magnificent Luther Burbank fig tree that was on the left after you walked across the bridge. The most magnificent shade tree - with donated bench underneath - has been incredibly disfigured. We spoke with the County and they had nothing to do with this. We will let you know when we find out more. Does anyone have photos of the fig tree from the middle of the island?