By Tracy Grubb, South Bay Restoration Program  

It’s hard to think of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge without picturing Clyde Morris in the field with his binoculars, gesturing to a crowd on a tour of the salt ponds or hammering out the fine points of Refuge management during a public meeting. A true Face of the Restoration, Clyde has worked at the Refuge since 1998.  As Refuge Manager, Clyde skillfully weaves together a deep knowledge and interest in the natural habitats and species of the South Bay with an unwavering commitment to public engagement and dialogue. After nine years at the Refuge, Clyde will retire in January for new adventures on the east coast. We caught up with Clyde earlier this month.

You’ve worked in government service for 30 years, where did you work before joining the Refuge staff?

I was with the EPA wetlands protection program. Prior to that, I worked for the Park Service as a backcountry ranger in Yosemite and in Redwood National Park. I also served in the Peace Corps.

What did you do in the Peace Corps?

I worked in Honduras to establish their first national park.

What are your plans after you retire from the Refuge?

My wife, Joelle has accepted a job at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in

Virginia. So we are moving there next year. I’ll have more time to focus on some of my hobbies including bird watching and wildlife photography. I might also run a marathon.

How has the Refuge and the Bay changed during your tenure here?

It has changed in exciting ways as we launch these large-scale restoration projects and really increase the amount of public access to the shoreline.

You’ve spent a lot of time on and near the Bay, what rare species have you sighted during your time here?

Just this year I spotted a brown booby. I think it must have flown off course from

Mexico.

What is the strangest thing you’ve seen on or near the Bay?

One year, a hot tub floated into the Refuge marshes near Alviso.

What aspects of the SBSP Restoration Project are you most excited about?

I’m excited that millions of Bay Area residents will have the opportunity to gain greater access to the Bay and surrounding shoreline. There is, and there will be, so much more public access than when I was growing up here.

What aspects of the SBSP Restoration Project have been the most challenging?

I guess creating the proper balance of habitats for the variety of bird species that use the Bay.

Is there a spot on the Bay that you like to return to again and again?

I’d have to say the Island Ponds right now because they are the first ponds to be restored.

I love watching the changes taking place there. I’m also really looking forward to the restoration work at Pond SF2 near the Dumbarton Bridge. We’ll be creating nesting and foraging habitat for shorebirds and new public access features next year.

So you’ll come back to check it out?

Absolutely!

“Faces of the Restoration” is a regular feature of the South Bay Restoration Program newsletter.  The SBRP is a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game and the California Coastal Conservancy.  This is reprinted with permission from the December 2007 issue.