April 23,2001

Dear Strawberry Channel Homeowners:

I am enclosing a notice that was received by four channel homeowners who own tide lots that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is interested in purchasing as part of the establishment of Strawberry Channel as a National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.

I feel that this notice should be given to everyone interested in boating and continued maintenance dredging of our channel.

I urge you to attend one or both of the meetings on May 1 and 2 and to write a letter to the contacts listed in the enclosure expressing your concern.

Some of the points to make in your letters and at the meetings:

• Greatly increased wildlife activity in the area from the increased water flow resulting from the last dredging

• Community involvement resulted in saving the island adjacent to the Strawberry channel as a wildlife refuge

• Community involvement resulted in the formation of a salt water marsh area by the Strawberry School using the material from one of the maintenance dredgings.

• We miss the seals that used to haul out on the island originally created by the dredged material, but realize that they may never return when they have no deep water outlet due to the silting in of the Salt Works Canal. This was part of the risk assumed when our county planners choose to discontinue the dredging of the Salt Works Canal. The seals can now be found by the gas docks in Sausalito where they have a deep water escape route.

Many government agencies already have jurisdiction over our channel. Do we really need another? Please call me if you have any questions.

Cathy Dunlap

309 E. Strawberry Dr.

388-2068