Lesson of the Leaf Cutter Bee

By Carol Dolcini

August 22,

True value of open space could be great

I am writing in regard to a recent article about the happy discovery of a species of bee on Mount Tamalpais’ Marin Municipal Water District land (“Mount Tamalpais search party finds rare bee,” Aug. 29).

Volunteers and watershed staff celebrated the discovery of a bee that had not been seen in the region since 1980. A spokesperson commented about how fortunate it was that the watershed had been so carefully managed. They had been protecting a species they hadn’t even known was there. That’s wonderful.

I was struck by this unforeseen discovery. It made me realize that carefully protected open space is important and valuable to us in ways we are not yet aware of. It was so fortunate that the space was protected — even though no one knew that leaf-cutter bee was out there.

The story connects with our daily lives and Marin’s water problem. The lesson lies with what we don’t yet know. For example, if Soulajule reservoir is expanded, aside from all of the losses we know about — many acres of farmland of local interest, carbon sequestration from the elimination of all those willows and oaks that line over three miles of creeks — there are untold numbers of resources at risk. Those are resources that we are going to appreciate in years to come as we continue to learn how important biodiverse open space is to us.

Please pay attention to the lesson of the leaf-cutter bee: I hope that someday we can thank MMWD for not expanding Soulajule and flooding portions of Hicks Valley. Who knows how valuable it is going to be to all of us in the future.

— Carol Dolcini, Hicks Valley