Above: Our January broom-pull in the El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area was a partnership with the City of El Cerrito Green Teams. Below, our Weed Warriors planted more drought-tolerant yarrow along the Santa Fe Right of Way in January.

Below: In December, Acalanes High School freshmen helped out near the mouth of Schoolhouse Creek.

Click here for more on this and other projects.

Helping nature in the East Bay – Hands On

Friends of Five Creeks is an all-volunteer group working hands-on for clean water and healthy watersheds. We protect and restore natural areas that welcome both wildlife and people on the urbanized east side of San Francisco Bay. See map and slide shows of some of our restoration projects.

Please join us in:

Work parties restoring native vegetation and wildlife habitat, lessening erosion and flooding, providing trails and green corridors.
Free guided walks and talks open to all.
Tuesday morning "weekday weed warriors" in varied natural areas.
Outreach and public education including signs, publications, web applications, appearances at festivals, and more.
Advocating, participating in political processes, and partnering with agencies and other groups.

For information or to arrange a work party for your group, contact F5Creeks@aol.com or (510) 848-9358. Click here to subscribe to our e-newsletter. Click here to donate or join!

New:

Find exciting ways to increase understanding of our Bay Area environment while enjoying the outdoors on our new Citizen Science page. Projects for everybody!

A good one for photo buffs is the California King Tides Photo Initiative, documenting the year's highest tides -- levels likely to be the "new normal" as sea level rises due to global warming. Next king tides: Fri., Jan. 20 about 8:50 AM, Sat., Jan. 21 about 9:45 AM, and Sun., Jan. 22 about 10:30 AM. For background and ideas on places to photograph in the East Bay, see F5C's page on King Tides.

Our annual newsletter is now on-line! Focusing on collaborations and partnerships, it summarizes much of our great 2011 progress.

See our new, 12-minute video, The Shorebird Diner at the Mouth of Schoolhouse Creek. Then go see for yourself – fall through spring is the time to enjoy the amazing variety of migrating and winter birds along the Bay! Our projects at the mouths of Schoolhouse and Strawberry Creek are great for bird watching.

About Us

Friends of Five Creeks, founded in 1995, is a citizens group operating under the fiscal sponsorship of Berkeley Partners for Parks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Our decisions are governed by bylaws and made by a board drawn from our volunteers.

Meetings: Our meetings are open to all. Generally, we meet on first Mondays 7-9 PM at Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin; board meetings alternate with public presentations. However, check the events calendar for details.

Mission: Friends of Five Creeks believes that the health of creeks and watersheds supports the health of urban environments.

Friends of Five Creeks mobilizes volunteers of all ages to restore, maintain, and enjoy the creeks and watersheds of the East Bay from North Berkeley to Richmond. In year-round work parties, we help revitalize creeks, improve habitat and water quality, eliminate invasive plant species, and increase public access and stewardship.

We prune, weed, dig, plant, and remove trash from creek sites and their watersheds. In collaboration with like-minded civic organizations, we assist and advocate for restoration projects, and build and maintain paths. To increase public understanding of environmental processes, we publish and post information, design and install interpretive signs, and host speakers and events.