Watershed and Ecosystem Restoration
AROs emphasis on the intersection of ecology and equity combines our primary responsibilities as Native peoples to tend healthy lands, waters, and peoples. Ramaytush ancestral territory runs along the San Francisco Peninsula, surrounded by ocean and bay coastlines, much of which faces climate impacts, including sea level rise.
Our work includes cultural resource management and interpretation, education, ecological and water restoration, and consulting on climate resilient and sea level rise adaptation projects across the region. As a small organization, we achieve our work in part through strong partnerships with organizations on land, water, and community restoration projects.
Our work includes cultural resource management and interpretation, education, ecological and water restoration, and consulting on climate resilient and sea level rise adaptation projects across the region. As a small organization, we achieve our work in part through strong partnerships with organizations on land, water, and community restoration projects.
Ecological Projects: Pacific Region
|
San Pedro Creek, Pedro Point Headlands2023-Present
ARO is working in collaboration with San Mateo RCD to restore critical habitat and native plant recovery, provide community resilience and fire/forest management support, and creek restoration along watershed corridors that are habitat areas for the critically vulnerable California red-legged frog and the endangered San Francisco garter snake. |
|
Tunitas Creek2023-Present
In partnership with the ARO and Potrero Nuevo Farm, the San Mateo Resource Conservation District submitted and received a grant for about $5.5 million for improving water storage at Potrero Nuevo Farm that serves the homeless and Latinx population in and around Half Moon Bay. Funding from the grant will support ARO's hiring and training of its future Director of Native Ecology. |
|
Pilarcitos Creek2022-Present
The ARO is consulting with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District on projects along Pilarcitos Creek and its tributaries to remove obstacles limiting increasing stream flow and fish passage, and to increase water storage for Johnston Ranch in order to reduce reliance upon the creek during the dry season. |
|
Sunset Natural Resilience Project2022-Present
A grant of up to $555,000 to San Francisco Estuary Institute (and its partners, like the ARO) to prepare designs, design recommendations, and/or guidance documents for the Sunset Natural Resilience Project, six urban greening, wildlife connectivity corridor, and dune restoration projects in the western portion of the City and County of San Francisco. One of the six projects includes a five-acre community garden for the Ramaytush Ohlone, American Indian, and other Indigenous peoples in San Francisco. |
|
Pescadero Creek2020-Present
The ARO is partnering with a number of agencies and organizations in the broader Pescadero watershed to restore the health of ecosystems (habitat restoration, increase stream flow, fish passage, etc.) and to address issues related to, foe example, sea level rise and flooding. Below is an image from a 2020 fish plant in Pescadero Creek. The critically endangered Central Coast Coho salmon was reintroduced in 2020 throughout the watershed after many years of habitat restoration to help ensure their survival. |
Ecological Projects: Bay Region
|
Yosemite Slough2023-Present
San Francisco faces significant flood risks with sea levels projected to rise from 3 to nearly 7 feet by 2100. ARO has been part of the team developing The Yosemite Slough Neighborhood Adaptation Strategy which recommends measures to protect the Bayview neighborhood surrounding Yosemite Slough from the impacts of sea level rise and coastal flooding. The Strategy advances environmental justice in Bayview Hunters Point by building community capacity and positioning the neighborhood for funding to develop a Neighborhood Adaptation Plan. The strategy, released February 2026, is now available here. |
|
Palo Alto Horizontal Levee Pilot Project2021-Present
The City of Palo Alto (City) is collaborating with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and ESA to design and construct a horizontal levee pilot in the Palo Alto Baylands. The project would utilize highly treated wastewater from the Regional Water Quality Control Plant to irrigate a vegetated ecotone prior to discharge into the San Francisco Bay. The ARO is helping to raise funds for the project and will assist in the planting and maintenance of native plants as well as provide interpretive content for the project. |
|
San Francisco Estuary Blueprint2021-Present
The ARO is participating in an update to the San Francisco Estuary Blueprint. In late 2016 more than 70 organizations reached collaborative agreement on four long-term goals and 32 actions to be taken over the next five years to protect, restore, and sustain the San Francisco Estuary. The SF Estuary Blueprint update addresses current concerns and future uncertainties— ranging from rising sea levels to drought, habitat loss, and failing fish and wildlife. For more information please visit the San Francisco Estuary Partnership website. |
|
Waterfront Plan2021-Present
The Port of San Francisco’s proposed 2019 Waterfront Plan Project sets long-term goals and policies to guide the use, management, and improvement of 7.5 miles of properties under the Port’s jurisdiction, from Fisherman’s Wharf to India Basin. The ARO is consulting on matters of ecological and cultural concern. |
|
San Francisquito Creek2023-2025
ARO’s work with The SAFER Bay Regional Project has been in support of a multi-benefit, multi-jurisdictional collaboration that will protect critical infrastructure, protect and restore critical habitat, provide community resilience to current tidal flooding and projected sea level rise, and improve recreational access, using both engineered structures and nature-based flood protection. Learn more here. |
|
Western Tiger Swallow Butterfly2022-2023
Nature in the City is assisting in the re-design of San Francisco's civic spine by creating butterfly habitats along the roofs of BAST stations along Market Street. ARO consulted with Nature in the City on this incredible project to enhance biodiversity in urban spaces. For more information on the project, please visit www.natureintecity.org/tigers. |
|
Colma Creek2021-2023
The ARO consulted on the redesign of Colma Creek with Hassell Studio. The planning and design of Colma Creek will inevitably result in dramatic changes to the drainage in order, for example, to make the lower end of the creek more publicly accessible and to account for sea level rise. The ecological restoration of the creek will radically transform the cement channel into a beautiful and usable watershed. |
|
California Indian Environmental Alliance2019-2021
The ARO participated in a $6.5 million Bay Area environmental grant. The CIEA provided technical assistance for Tribal leadership and Tribal staff to advocate on their own behalf for the benefit of their own people. The ARO partnered with other organizations and agencies, like the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District and the San Francisco Estuary Institute, to identify projects to forward for funding. |
Housing Element
|
2021-Present
The Housing Element is San Francisco’s long-range plan for meeting anticipated future housing needs throughout the city. As discussed below, the housing element must be updated on a regular basis in accordance with state planning and housing law. The ARO is consulting on matters of ecological and cultural concern. |
|