Death to Dandelions - Flower Killers Dig In!

Under the awesome arches of the Golden Gate, Sierra Clubbers remove non-native dandelions from San Francisco's Crissy Field.
Photo by David Wasserman

by Peggy Moody
OUTING

You know those moments when everything flows, and you feel apart of a greater purpose? Today has been one of those days. San Francisco is not totally unfamiliar to me, but it has been more than a decade since I was last here. I must have been on the smooth lane designated for the pure of heart -- that lane that is more special than the car pool lane -- because from the moment I left my home in South County St. Louis, all lights were green, parking spaces open, airport shuttle just about to leave, plane ride with minimal turbulence, arrival 10 minutes early into SF, with another shuttle ready to escort me to my cousin's house in Portrero Hill. I was driven to Moscone Center to join the Legacy Project, and I arrived within minutes of the group's departure to Chrissy Field in the Presidio.

Taking my seat on the bus with the 20 or so others was the first time it was sinking in -- I'm in San Francisco, and I'm going to be pulling dandelions out of a historic airfield, the first grass runway in the nation. Lynn, our Forest Ranger Volunteer Coordinator, gave us an overview of the Field's historic landings and takeoffs. Lynn showed told us why we were to remove the lovely yellow flowers that contrasted so nicely with the wet Kelly green grass -- the original runway didn't have dandelions. Ah.

So, for historic reasons, not invasive reasons per se, we dug away into the afternoon. The wind was cool for me coming from the muggy hot Heartland -- land of the air you can wear. My heartbeat slowed to the digging rhythm, my eyes searched the green patterns, my fingers separated grass from weed, and the sun gently burned my arms. I was more peacefully connected with nature in the city, a culmination of the flow the journey to that point had meant me to find.

It's wonderful to share connecting nature moments with others. One volunteer digger, Ray Buchan of Cape Cod, MA, found a rubber squeaky frog in the grasses. How odd and delightful. Click on the brief video to get a taste of our Chrissy Field day.

Thanks to Dr Edgar Wayburn, who named the Legacy Project, for giving us an opportunity to touch a greater purpose in service to Gaia.

-- 09/08/2005 Thu
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