F5C volunteers in April

Interns collect sediment samples

Interns from Albany High School's AP environmental-science class sampled sediments to test for tout DNA (above) and built a habitat pile to shelter small animals (below).

Interns buiild habitat pils

Below: F5C volunteers and interns are removing re-sprouts of fire-prone French broom from vast swaths of Tilden Regional Park and the El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area. Years of big work parties were needed to remove the original thickets. Now a handful maintain the progress.

Pulling broom in Tilden

Helping Nature in the East Bay – Hands On

All-volunteer Friends of Five Creeks works hands-on for clean water, healthy watersheds, and natural areas that welcome both wildlife and people, from Berkeley to Richmond on the urbanized east side of San Francisco Bay. Read our 2020 Annual Newsletter here. See map and slide shows of some of our projects.. Subscribe to our e-news. (We don't share your information with anybody. )

Deepen your understanding of local nature with May creekside walks for small groups

Sat., May 22, 10 AM - 12:30 PM, discover fascinating history and nature as you stroll Cerrito Creek and climb Albany Hill with three experts:

Karen Sorensen, local historian, author of the recent Albany: Stories from the Village by the Bay and Images of America: Albany;
Margot Cunningham, Albany's natural-areas manager and a longtime Albany Hill volunteer steward; and
Susan Schwartz, head of Friends of Five Creeks. Info and sign-up here.

Explaining cell phone apps on Codornices walk

Sun., May 23, 10 AM - noon, try out free nature-oriented cell-phone apps on a leisurely stroll along Codornices Creek

Discover apps that that help you you identify what you see and hear while contributing to science. Along the way, enjoy flourishing native plantings and learn about progress in revitalizing our area's only trout stream. Info and sign-up here.

On your own, enjoy "pop-up" signs on Codornices and Cerrito Creeks

Along Cerrito Creek east of Pierce Street, enjoy lovely spring photos and information on some Indigenous uses of plants you see. F5Cs Albany High School interns produced the signs. Along Codornices Creek below Eighth Street, wooden signs made by our volunteers offer nuggets of wisdom on nature. The "Codornices Creek Holiday Cards" that preceded them, with nuggets of information and ideas on quest, are online here. Do you have an idea for another series?

F5C volunteering and internship opportunities -- available as sheltering allows

We hope to resume volunteer work parties in June, probably will a more relaxed emphasis on enjoying and learning, as our successful oprojects mature.

Meanwhile, for May:

Join our small group of Tuesday morning Weekday Weed Warriors. We work 10 AM - noon at varied locations, Bay to hills. There is no obligation and no RSVP -- just show up when you can. Email f5creeks@gmail.com to be notified of locations.
You or your family can "adopt" a site, planting and maintaining native plants and keeping a part of urban nature welcoming for wildlife and people. A few people are working in very small groups to maintain and improve our varied sites, mostly on Tuesday mornings.
Internships build environmental skills and experience for high-school juniors or seniors, or students and young adults launching environmental careers. A small number of short-term, part-time, paid internships can offer a broad range of hands-on experience and resume building, including semi-independent projects. We have an excellent track record in helping people find good jobs. Candidates should enjoy hard physical work, love nature and the outdoors, and be able to work reliably and independently. Basic information here.
Use your skills to help the environment and encourage others to appreciate and care for it. If you have skills in graphic design, photography, communication, social media, computer, education, or outreach, especially if you know native plants, wildlife, and environmental issues, we have ideas you could develop -- and we'd like to hear yours!

For information contact F5Creeks@gmail.com with some information about yourself and what you are looking for.

F5C recent letters and handouts

New! Tips on saving water in our current drought!

Read our updates "Global Warming Basics for the Bay Area," summarizing the challenges we face and what you can do, from our Nov. 15 King Tides walk.

Read F5C's letter on the importance of maintenance in Berkeley's decision on how to spend Measure T1 bond funds for infrastructure.

Read F5C's letters on the importance of incorporating nature and green space in plans for dense affordable housing on San Pablo Avenue.

Read F5Cs letters on Codornices Creek, to the City of Albany Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission.

Read F5C's letter on including green infrastructure, pollution reduction, and recognition of nature and nearby Codornices Creek in making Hopkins a "complete street."