March 2025 Watershed News | | |
In the 1850s and 60s, Oakland's towering redwood giants were logged to fuel a booming region, disappearing within a decade. Today, fairy rings of second and third generation trees rise from their roots in Joaquin Miller Park. Intense recreation near the Big Trees Trail has left the understory bare, but where split rail fencing protects the forest floor, sword fern, redwood sorrel, and snowberry, among other species, are flourishing again.
Photo by Chris Hughes
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Friends of Sausal Creek is a volunteer-based, community organization. We appreciate your support of our education, monitoring, and restoration programs in the
Sausal Creek Watershed.
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Upcoming Events
Skyline High School - Student Poster Session on Protecting the Bay
Tuesday, April 8, 10:20 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Skyline High School
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The 10th grade Sustainability classes at Skyline High School are developing projects to reduce the impact of their campus and the city of Oakland on the bay. Student teams will present their ideas in a poster session on April 8 during their class periods. Community members are invited to engage with students about their projects!
Period 3: 10:20 - 11:12 a.m.
Period 4: 11:18 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
Period 7: 2:40 - 3:30 p.m.
To RSVP, please email terri.vanhare@ousd.org
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East Bay Creek Restoration: How it started - Panel Conversation
Tuesday, April 8, 7 - 9 p.m. | UC Berkeley
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Join Wholly H2O for a panel discussion about the history of the creek and ecosystem restoration movement in the East Bay in the 1980-90s.
Kathy Kramer and Michael Thilgen, who both have deep roots with FOSC, will be part of this discussion, along with several other inspiring watershed champions.
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Bay Nature Bioblitz: Sausal Creek 2.0
Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Dimond Park
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Join Bay Nature, El Tímpano, and Friends of Sausal Creek for a bioblitz at Dimond Park!
A bioblitz is a community event where participants document as many species as possible in a designated area. Using the iNaturalist app, you'll help identify and record local plants, wildlife, fungi, and more, contributing valuable data to scientists.
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Earth Day
Multiple Dates and Watershed Sites
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Volunteer with Friends of Sausal Creek and partners for an Earth Day restoration weekend to ensure the health and vitality of Sausal Creek and Oakland parks for future generations.
We have a variety of service opportunities for all skill levels that span locations across the watershed:
- Dimond Park/Canyon - Saturday, April 19, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Wood Park - Saturday, April 19, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Beaconsfield Canyon- Saturday, April 19, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Bridgeview Trailhead- Sunday, April 20, 9 - 11 a.m.
- Monterey Redwoods - Sunday, April 20, 2 - 5 p.m.
- Fern Ravine - Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
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Earth Day After Party Fundraiser
Saturday, April 19, 2 - 8 p.m. | Degrees Plato
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Join us for a family-friendly After Party Fundraiser to celebrate Earth Day!
After a restoration workday at Dimond Park (or other watershed sites - see above!) in the morning, come together to support FOSC and Friends of Dimond Park with a fun afternoon of live music from talented local artists.
Here’s who’s playing:
- MissFitz Vinyl (DJ) - 2 p.m.
- Palm Fire - 3:45 p.m.
- Deer in the Headlights - 4:45 p.m.
- Hit Eject - 6 p.m.
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The event is free, but you can support us by donating here or texting DONATE2DIMOND to 44321.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Spring Stream Team 2025
Calling Oakland High Schoolers!
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Spring Stream Team 2025 is starting soon — this is the last chance for Oakland high school students to sign up for this paid environmental internship we are offering in partnership with The Youth Employment Partnership (YEP)!
Participants will gain hands-on experience in ecological restoration, water quality monitoring, and environmental education while developing valuable job skills and exploring leadership opportunities. Eligible students (ages 15-18, Oakland residents) can earn up to $3,160 while making a meaningful impact.
If you know a student who would be a great fit, please share this opportunity with them.
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Friend of the Month
Jeremy Merckling
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Meet Jeremy, an environmental scientist at Applied Technology & Science (A-T-S), who leads colleagues in corporate volunteering to support FOSC’s restoration efforts while advancing A-T-S’s mission of environmental and community health.
FOSC: How does your professional experience connect with your volunteer work?
Jeremy: “My work at A-T-S involves habitat restoration and invasive plant management, which directly aligns with what we do at FOSC. Our staff also enjoy sharing their knowledge, providing additional learning opportunities for the other volunteers. Getting out in the field with my colleagues is a great team-building and bonding activity—it allows us to catch up, collaborate, and contribute to improving the local habitat. We always leave the events energized and proud of the progress we’ve made.”
By combining expertise with hands-on stewardship, Jeremy and his team are not only restoring healthy ecosystems but also strengthening their connection to the environment and each other.
| | A Living Project: The Continuous Effort to Restore Sausal Creek | | |
If you’ve volunteered at a Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) restoration site, you’ve experienced firsthand the immense challenge of restoring urban greenspaces. Since FOSC’s grassroots beginnings in 1996, when efforts first focused on the section of Sausal Creek in Dimond Canyon, the vision has broadened to encompass watershed-wide stewardship. While guided by this wider perspective, restoration efforts must strategically target specific sites, requiring ongoing assessment of where to allocate time and resources.
Dimond Canyon and Park have remained a focus for FOSC’s work, and as the site of two major restoration projects over the years, serve as a valuable case study in both long-term challenges and evolving strategies of this ecological restoration.
While these large-scale projects have brought significant benefits, restoration is never a one-time effort. As FOSC Board President and ecologist Dr. Robert Leidy explains, “The real work begins after major restoration projects are completed—or even in their absence—through ongoing care and adaptation.”
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FOSC Book Shelf
Community Recommendations
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Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan — Dive into the wonders of urban wildlife and discover the birds right outside your door.
Light Eaters by Zoe Schlanger — Reflect on the intricate relationship between ecology and human health.
An Immense World by Ed Yong — Explore the fascinating ways animals perceive the world around them.
Here are just a few reads recommended by FOSC board members, Kristy Brady and Russell Huddleston. We'd love to hear your book recs too! Please email info@sausalcreek.org if you have suggestions to include in future newsletters.
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We need volunteers in the watershed now more than ever!
Join us for one of our many workdays.
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Friends of Sausal Creek is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our mission is to restore, maintain, and protect the Sausal Creek Watershed.
We educate future generations, involve the community in local environmental stewardship, and collaborate with agencies and other nonprofits to have a positive impact on the local ecosystem.
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Photo credits:
Chris Hughes, Mark Rauzon, Elena Stenger, Eliana Thompson, Kate Berlin, Jeremy Merckling, Bay Nature, Wholly H2O
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