BULL VALLEY AGRICULTURAL CENTER
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Mission Statement
The nonprofit Bull Valley Agricultural Center promotes land stewardship and preservation for agricultural, educational, and recreational uses that respect habitat, connect people with nature, and build community resources.
About This Cause
Deeply alarmed by the rapid decline of honeybee populations worldwide, Bull Valley Agricultural Center (BVAC) founder Earl Flewellen sought to establish a bee yard away from the impacts of pesticides and conventional agriculture, joining a worldwide effort to support sustainable beekeeping and farming practices. In 2011, the endeavor led him to Port Costa where his vision fell on receptive ears with a local property owner who offered up her nearby land. The two formed a lasting bond, embarking on a 5-year odyssey—a remarkable collaboration that drew townsfolk, partners, and friends to join in on what was to become a community restoration. Holding solid to the belief that personal and community health is rooted in a deep sense of place and a connection to nature, Flewellen set out to engage folks in breathing life back into the town’s historic businesses and to protect nearby lands from degradation. Supportive community members and friends came forward, pitching in to revive the town’s historic Burlington Hotel & cafe along with the beloved old restaurant next door. Opening in 2012 as The Bull Valley Roadhouse the restaurant sourced directly from responsible farms and producers in the region and quickly became a Bay Area favorite known for its commitment to sustainable agriculture. With these projects finally holding their own, the time was right to focus on giving back to the surrounding land and community. To these ends, the Bull Valley Agricultural Center was founded in 2015, and donations were raised to acquire the land where the bees were happily thriving—a first step towards preserving that land, protecting it from relentless vandalism and refuse dumping, and securing its future as a community resource. Together, Flewellen, BVAC, and the hard-working crew at the Bull Valley Roadhouse are embarking on what they hope is the beginning of a long future of giving back to their community and contributing to a greener, healthier world. CURRENT ONSITE EFFORTS • ANTI-DUMPING MEASURES In 2015, after a load of more than 80 tires was dumped on the land in clear view, we resolved to stop all illegal dumping on the property. As an immediate response to this violation, we decided to fence the property to limit ease of access for dumping. Though this was a hard decision to make, the measure was very successful. The fencing, joined with the vigilance of friends and neighbors who enjoy strolls and rides around the property perimeter, has brought a complete halt of dumping activity—a good first step to improving the health and good stewardship of this land. • REFUSE CLEANUP Friends and volunteers continue to help us in an ongoing effort to undo decades of refuse dumping. To date more than 300 cubic yards of refuse including furniture, appliances, tires, construction debris, and household garbage have been removed from the land. • TREE MANAGEMENT Consecutive years of drought have stressed California trees, especially pines. When some pines reach a certain threshold of moisture deprivation, they succumb to beetle infestation and die as a result. Dying pines lining the parcel have been cropped, removing all limbs and tops, while leaving the remains to serve as perches for birds and food sources for wildlife. • SPILLWAY MAINTENANCE To keep water flowing freely from the reservoir into the creek diversion covert during rains, restaurant staff and BVAC volunteers perform an annual cleanup of the reservoir spillway, hauling out all leaves, tree limbs, and other detritus that makes its way into the channel. FUTURE PROJECT GOALS • EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING BVAC is currently in preliminary, explorative discussions with an educational endeavor called The Field Semester, a program aimed at providing a rigorous semester of learning to scholastically-motivated high school students, immersing them in nature and sustainability while they pursue their regular, demanding academic curriculum. The two organizations hope to team up with The Port Costa Conservation Society to host this body of inspired learners and to build out a roster of extra services, programming, and amenities that will directly benefit the immediate community. • RETREATS AND WORKSHOPS BVAC will aim to provide retreat opportunities primarily geared toward the community of professionals who work within the sustainable farming industry and its related fields. With a focus on demonstrating how human endeavors can coexist with good land stewardship, the organization will improve existing outdoor assets and implement others including paths, garden spaces and gathering spots along with rustic retreat spaces. In addition, BVAC hopes to host workshops ranging from gardening and cooking to composting and water conservation. Whether paths, gardens, retreats, or workshops, we aim for all to be made accessible to the immediate community to participate and enjoy. • COMMUNITY ACCESS PROJECTS With the land being a historic part of Port Costa’s history, its reservoir having once supplied water to the steam ships and locomotives converging at the old port and having once served as the town swimming hole (replete with diving platform, concessions, and picnic areas), BVAC hopes to restore the land as a community resource with thoughtful focus on how recreation and responsible stewardship overlap. • Perimeter walk path: Many town residents enjoy long walks around the reservoir. Those strolls have been limited to walking along the shoulders of the street encircling the property. BVAC will endeavor to improve existing paths to provide residents strolling with children and pets a more intimate engagement with the land and a safer alternative to walking along the street. • Garden Spaces and Picnic spots: To augment town gathering spaces for quiet moments away or to spend time with friends and family, BVAC will have meditative garden spaces and picnic spots where one can sit in a sunny spot to read a book, or sprawl out on a blanket for a picnic. • Water Access: In an effort to keep the land accessible to the immediate community, we’ll strive to make paths available for enjoyment of all aspects of the property, including the reservoir’s shores, in a manner compatible with its other shared uses and habitat stewardship goals. • COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS As BVAC’s volunteer and member base grows, we will hope to work directly with the community to undertake projects that directly benefit the town. Be it flower and tree plantings along roads, or beach and parking lot cleanups, BVAC will aim to be a community player with a commitment to making life better for everyone it serves.