Back from the Brink: for the last wild franciscan manzanita

It has long been known that the Presidio is home to the last Raven's manzanita on earth. Surprisingly, a chance discovery made in 2010 during the Doyle Drive reconstruction project revealed the existence of the Franciscan manzanita, thought to have been extinct in the wild for more than 70 years. This 23-minute film by San Francisco filmmaker Melissa Peabody tells the compelling story of these two icons of California's natural heritage. Produced 2011. Presidio Trust.

[@tanglediver]

I got my first Manzanita only this year, just a few months ago. Not long ago, I saw this video, how fascinating! Today, I found an example of the Franciscan to bring home. The Theodore Payne Foundation added them to their inventory this week, and I was elated when I found out they were in stock! This will make the tenth Manzanita I've planted. :D I think I have enough ... >

[@gilsgate1992]

Love this story of discovery and rescue. Makes me so happy.

[@gilsgate1992]

Saw on TV today, April 3, 2016, Every Sunday till Oct 9th, 11 am to 4 pm, Food Fest at the Presidio. Check it out.

[@ReclusiveMountainMan]

We're actually growing some Franciscan Manzanita in our backyard here in San Francisco. It's a beautiful native San Franciscan plant.

[@wendyscott8425]

And they attract bumblebees! :) Lovely story happening in my home town.

[@FriendshipSeven]

FANTASTIC story! I saw reports of this Manzanita in the SF Chronicle, but could only imagine the kinds of details so clearly presented here...

[@InnatthePresidio]

Phenomenal!

[@barkmaker]

How much did it cost and who paid for the translocation?

[@infocat13]

Hybrid introgression so I want one

[@kjfirebird]

$205,075. Of taxpayer dollars. Not joking.

[@jonaskatona7136]

As they cover in the video, way, way more is spent due to random delays in construction work and fixing infrastructural mistakes. A simple freeway widening and restructuring (often not even necessary or done to appease a small group of people) costs millions or tens of millions of dollars. Are you going to complain about those cases too? Also, think about it instead of clutching your pearls (and yes, I mean this in two ways). $205,075 is literally less than a single cent of each person's taxes going to this (remind me how many people lived in California in 2011?), and one average techie or business person living in the SF Peninsula probably makes more than this per year anyway. To save the sole surviving member of a species in the wild, it is worth it.

[@nehcnoraa5562]

IMO well spent