Friendship Trail

The Friendship Trail is located at the Baylands Nature Preserve. The trail connects Palo Alto's sailing station and East Palo Alto's Cooley Landing. It includes a series of interpretive signs linking Palo Alto and East Palo Alto - the two communities that enjoy and care for the salt marsh. The signs are brief, and interpret what can be seen at each location. The subjects include the value and the abundance of life in the marsh, historic neighborhood, cities infrastructure, and information about the interpretive centers. 

Our educators Bill and Jenny, led the research and writing of the interpretive messages, bringing their expertise in wildlife education and habitat stewardship to the project. Our education director, Alex Hamilton, led the design and development of the message themes and stewarded the project from beginning to end.

Bill and Jenny, our two educators at the JMZ, smiling beside the new Baylands signage.

Our two educators, Bill and Jenny, standing in front of signage at the Friendship Trail.

How the JMZ Collaborated with Other Organizations

The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo collaborated with a number of community organizations to develop a signage plan (which topics should be covered; signage placement; long-term signage maintenance issues) and to review signage text and images once drafted.

We want to give a huge thank you to the Environmental Volunteers (an environmental group in the Baylands) for being a close partner in the project. 

Other collaborators: 

  • California State Parks 
  • City of East Palo Alto
  • Friends of the palo Alto Parks 
  • Don Edwards SFB National Wildlife Refuge
  • Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission 
  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
  • Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District
  • San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority 
  • Santa Clara Valley Water District 
  • Save the Bay 
  • ACTERA
  • Grassroots Ecology
  • Silicon Valley Audubon Society 
  • The Bay Trail Foundation

Why These Signs Matter

The signage installed has many reasons for why it was placed there.

This exhibit is a multi-sensorial, interactive, and bilingual exhibit and interpretive panels that will be designed to help visitors:

1. Gain a better understanding of the flora, fauna, and ecology of the marsh, the history and city infrastructure that influence the marsh, and the challenges we face to protect this valuable habitat. 

2. Develop an appreciation for the value of this natural place to the local and regional community. 

3. Develop a sense of empathy for the environment and a desire to protect and preserve it for future generations to enjoy. 

We hope that the installation of this educational signage encourages visitors to develop a deep sense of appreciation for the unique environment of the Baylands. We encourage visitors from all around to enjoy this special ecosystem!

Map with different trails at the Baylands.

Map with different trails at the Baylands.

(JPG, 2MB)
Signage showing salt marshes around the San Francisco Bay Estuary

Signage showing salt marshes around the San Francisco Bay Estuary

(JPG, 2MB)
Different plants in the marsh.

Different plants in the marsh.

(JPG, 2MB)

Location: 

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