Help Save The Sharp Park Wetlands!

Please send the letter below and urge the City of San Francisco to vote YES on legislation that would shut down the city's frog-killing Sharp Park Golf Course and turn the Sharp Park Wetlands over to the National Park Service. Thanks!

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will vote December 5th, 2011 on legislation that will shut down the Sharp Park Golf Gourse and give management of the Sharp Park Wetlands to the National Park Service. Victory is on the horizon, but we need you to make your voice heard...this will be a close vote!

Background:
The Sharp Park Wetlands are home to the endangered California Red-Legged Frog and San Francisco garter snake, as well as numerous bird species. Unfortunately, in 1931 the City of San Francisco built a golf course on top of the wetlands. The golf course has been killing endangered frogs and costing the City's taxpayers money ever since. Our vision is a new Sharp Park: a public park that protects endangered species, restores wetland habitat, ends wasteful spending and is accessible to all. The legislation being voted on came at the request of 1,359 SAVE THE FROGS! supporters who sent letters to the City of San Francisco asking them to save the Sharp Park Wetlands, and 100 people who attended our Save The Frogs Day Rally at the steps of City Hall. Special thanks to the Wild Equity Institute for all their efforts on this important campaign.

Your letter will be sent to the Mayor of San Francisco and the Board of Supervisors. Please edit the subject line and content to improve the likelihood of your letter being opened and read.

Subject:

Your Letter:

As a supporter of SAVE THE FROGS! (www.savethefrogs.com), I am writing to urge you to support Supervisor John Avalos' proposed legislation that would shut down the Sharp Park Golf Course and turn management of the property over to the National Park Service. The Sharp Park Wetlands provide critical habitat for the endangered California Red-Legged Frog and a variety of other wildlife. Both frogs and wetlands are rapidly disappearing in California and worldwide, so it is disconcerting that the City of San Francisco is currently using taxpayer dollars to pump the Sharp Park Wetlands dry, killing endangered frogs in the process, and violating state and federal laws.

The Sharp Park Golf Course has a long history of environmental and economic troubles, and the time has clearly come for the City of San Francisco to change course. By closing the golf course and handing the management of the land over to the National Park Service, the City of San Francisco would relieve itself of its current financial, legal and environmental burden, and it would also clearly mark itself as a world leader in environmental protection efforts.

The restored Sharp Park Wetlands would be a safe haven for threatened wildlife and would provide valuable recreational opportunities to San Francisco residents and tourists alike. This would not only improve the quality of life for San Francisco’s residents, it would increase the long-term economic value of the property.

Frogs already face an array of threats from climate change to habitat destruction; pesticide use; over-collection for frog legs and dissections; invasive species; and infectious diseases spread by human activity. Frogs eat mosquitoes, provide us with medical advances, serve as food for birds and fish, and their tadpoles filter our drinking water. Plus kids love frogs, and it is our obligation to them to leave this planet in better shape than when we arrived here.

On behalf of all those who enjoy nature and wildlife, thanks for your consideration.

Edwin Lee

City of San Francisco

SAVE THE FROGS! is America's first and only public charity dedicated to amphibian conservation.
Our mission is to protect amphibian populations and to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife.

More info on Sharp Park:
http://savethefrogs.com/sharp-park