Update 12-4-2007
Last chance to sign up for F5C's last event of 2007: Our Guadalupe River Tour Sat., Dec. 8, in San Jose. We will carpool to San Jose to explore 3 miles of trail along restored Guadalupe River right through downtown, with gardens that use recycled water, museums, light rail, public art, some colossal flood-control structures, and some beautiful natural reaches. Started as a standard flood-control project, this work was halted for several years and redesigned - though perhaps not enough - to protect trout and salmon runs. Carpools will leave just before 9 am for the one-hour drive. Friends of Guadalupe River Park and Gardens will lead us on a two-hour tour. We'll then have lunch and continue on our own. The cost is $10 per person (plus lunch and help with gas for the carpool driver). Please reply to this email or call 510 848 9358; let me know whether you can drive or want a ride, and where you live.
Big thank-yous to Boy Scout Troop 19 and Eagle candidate Alex Muhr for the wonderful new steps on Cerrito Creek at Adams Street last weekend, to the 10 volunteers who planted black sage and golden monkeyflower on upper Glendale Path Saturday, to Rich Walkling for his wonderful presentation at our December meeting Monday, and to the Weekday Weed Warriors, who keep all our many projects going.
And a pot-pourri before the holidays:
Wed., Dec. 5 and 12, meetings on Ohlone Greenway changes: BART's seismic retrofit along the Ohlone Greenway in Albany and El Cerrito may bring both opportunities and challenges. The City of El Cerrito will host a meeting 7-8:30 pm Wed., Dec. 5 at City Council Chambers, 7007 Moeser Lane, to discuss plants and trees affected, special areas such as creeks and gardens, and an overall strategy for replanting, including desirable plant types and communities.
The City of Albany will host a similar public meeting 7 pm Wed., Dec. 12 in Council Chambers, 1000 San Pablo Ave.
Wed. Dec. 5, talk on New Deal Legacy: Gray Brechin, urban geographer and author of Imperial San Francisco and other books, speaks on "Honoring Our Peacetime Veterans: The New Deal Legacy in Berkeley's Parks and Recreational Facilities." 7:30 pm Wed., Dec. 12 at at Live Oak Park Center Theatre, 1201 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley. As Project Scholar for "The Living New Deal Project," revealing the invisible landscape of New Deal accomplishments, Gray also is seeking recollections of long-time residents about the parks so improved. Donation pf $5-$10 benefits Berkeley Partners for Parks, our fiscal sponsor.
Lagunitas Creek work day: SPAWN in Marin holds its first work day of the rainy season 9 - 12:30 Sat., Dec. 8, collecting seeds and planting natives along recently decommissioned logging roads. At 1 pm, SPAWN naturalists will lead volunteers on a special salmon creek walk. Bring gloves, snacks, and water; meet at Leo Cronin Viewing Area (parking lot on left of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. just past second green bridge west of Lagunitas). Information at http://www.spawnusa.org/, 415 663 8590.
Environmental artist Zach Pine, who has worked with us on Cerrito and Codornices Creek, has a grant to put on art-in-nature events next spring and summer on lower Codornices Creek, working with homeless children from the nearby Ursula Sherman Village in Berkeley (see www.self-sufficiency.org/). Zach is looking for a few volunteer helpers who have taken part in some of his events. Contact him at zpine@aol.com.
Zach also will hold an open studio with natural materials where you can make art Dec. 15 and 16, 11 am - 6 pm, in Suit 12A of the Sawtooth Building, 2525 Eighth St., Berkeley.
Reporting oil: Oil frim the November oil spill is still afloat and coming ashore. If you see oil on the waterfront, please call Baykeeper's oil-reporting hotline at 415 398 9617, and send accounts and photos to volunteer@baykeeper.org. Please be cautious of harming marine habitat during low tide and keep a distance from distressed birds to avoid scaring them. Please do not walk your dog along the shoreline.
Please donate to Friends of Five Creeks for 2008: If you have not already, please consider making us part of your charitable giving at year's end. We continue to take on more projects -- even more since our late November annual newsletter, which you can read at www.fivecreeks.org. Although, as an all-volunteer organization, we operate on a shoestring, we do have expenses for plants, tools, materials, copies, postage -- even outhouse rental, as when we recently hosted a work party for 50 middle schoolers. Tax-deductible donations can be made online through our website, www.fivecreeks.org, or send checks to "Friends of Five Creeks - BPFP" to Friends of Five Creeks, 1236 Oxford St., Berkeley, CA 94709.
Thanks and enjoy a restful winter break!