San Rafael, CA – There’s a new way to combine a reading adventure with a fun family walk in southern Marin County.
Matt Lefferts of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy checks a storyboard that tells the story of the book "A Stone Sat Still.""Through the end of the year, visitors can stroll and read
A Stone Sat Still, a new book, by award-winning children’s author and illustrator Brendan Wenzel, along the
Mill Valley-Sausalito Multiuse Pathway at Bothin Marsh Open Space Preserve, in upper Richardson Bay. As readers follow the path they learn about the stone in the book, and there are prompts to look, listen, and interact with Bothin Marsh — getting to know both of them more intimately. It takes about 10-15 minutes to take in the half-mile literary and recreational experience on the pathway between Almonte Boulevard in Mill Valley and the bridge that crosses Coyote Creek.
One Tam partners, Marin County Parks and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, collaborated on the creative campaign with local libraries and Chronicle Books to create the StoryWalk.
“The Bothin Marsh StoryWalk encourages wonder and imagination,” said hydroecologist Veronica Pearson, who is spearheading the project for Marin County Parks. “It deepens appreciation for this incredibly dynamic wetland habitat and how it is changing over time.”
In conjunction with the temporary installation the Mill Valley Library and Marin City Library will host the author for a reading of A Stone Sat Still. The Mill Valley event is 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday, October 3, and the Marin City event is 10-11 a.m. Saturday, October 5. The author will also appear at a gathering at the pathway installation, scheduled for 1-2 p.m. Saturday, October 5. Greg Reza, Parks Volunteer Coordinator, will lead another walk from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, October 19.
Bothin Marsh, is at the center of discussions about how a community can adapt to climate change. One of 34 open space preserves managed by the Marin County Open Space District, the 106-acre marsh is a reminder of the vast salt marshes that once surrounded San Francisco Bay. It serves more than 400 species of migratory birds traveling on the Pacific Flyway and resting after their long flights.
“We’re excited to collaborate with community members to identify solutions to address sea level rise at Bothin Marsh,” said Rob LaPorte, Project Manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. “Our installation of the StoryWalk is a fun way to explore adaptation in a changing environment while also providing a family-friendly reading adventure.”
The posted and enlarged book pages are just a few feet off the pathway. Visitors are encouraged to step off the pathway while reading so as not to disturb the regular flow of foot and bike traffic.
The StoryWalk at Bothin Marsh is part of the Evolving Shorelines initiative, a series of events hosted by Marin County Parks and the Parks Conservancy to encourage discussion about ways to preserve and protect people, place, and the natural landscape while implementing a shared vision for Bothin Marsh.
There is an Evolving Shorelines Happy Hour gathering at which visitors can enjoy conversation and refreshments while learn more about adapting to sea level rise from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, October 17, at Proof Lab (244 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley).
For more information, visit One Tam’s webpage on Bothin Marsh.