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A skipper butterfly perches on mugwort inflorescence at the Bridgeview pollinator garden .
Photo by May Chen
FOSC is a volunteer-based, community organization. Especially during these uncertain times, we need donors like you to support FOSC education, monitoring, and restoration programs in the Sausal Creek Watershed. 
Support Friends of Sausal Creek
FOSC Mid-Year Appeal
During this time of sheltering in place, the FOSC team has been busy working around the watershed and and behind the scenes continuing our mission of restoring, maintaining, and protecting the Sausal Creek Watershed.  We recognize that many of us are facing economic uncertainty and that there is no end to worthy organizations seeking your support.  In truth, we cannot do the important monitoring, restoration, and environmental education work without caring people like you.
We ask that you continue to be a friend of Sausal Creek by donating, if you are able. Your support will help ensure that this critical work continues.
Explore the Watershed
Wild Rainbow Trout Conservation and Management Plan
Sausal Creek is one of the few urban creeks in California to support a genetically "wild" population of rainbow trout. True Oakland natives!

Drawing on the expertise of our staff, board members, and volunteers, Friends of Sausal Creek prepared a plan that describes the status and trends of the fish population, details the threats and stressors affecting the health of the fish, and recommends actions necessary for decreasing and reversing the harmful effects of human activities, past and present, that continue to imperil the very existence of rainbow trout in Sausal Creek. The Conservation and Management Plan for Sausal Creek Wild Rainbow Trout was released on June 30, 2020 and is now available for your review .

The plan was prepared by FOSC board members Robert A. Leidy, PhD and Tim Vendlinski, and FOSC staff members Jay Cassianni, Jackie Van Der Hout, and Becca Sanchez. 


Community Event
Save the Date - EBMUD Tap Water Quality Workshop
FOSC began assessing Fruitvale community needs related to watershed issues beginning in the spring of 2018 as part of our grant through the Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Program (BAIRWMP). Through community focus groups, interviews, and surveys, FOSC determined that one of issues of concern was tap water quality. Residents reported that their water smelled, looked, or tasted contaminated. To help address concerns with tap water quality in Fruitvale, FOSC is hosting a workshop with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) focused on drinking and tap water quality. If you are concerned about your water quality or want to know more about your water supply, make sure to tune in! 


Saturday, August 1, 2020
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (Spanish workshop)
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (English workshop)

Workshops will take place online. Please let us know of your interest by emailing fosceducation@sausalcreek.org

Board Updates
Morgan Capilla and Barry Stegner Join FOSC Board
A warm welcome to two new members of the FOSC Board of Directors!
Morgan Capilla works in EPA Region 9’s Environmental Review Branch, where she reviews and comments on environmental impact statements prepared by other federal agencies pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 2012-2014 where she collaborated with a women’s association on grassroots initiatives. Through this work, she developed a profound appreciation for the ways in which grassroots movements can assist marginalized communities in overcoming environmental and public health disparities. Morgan holds a master of public policy with a specialization in Environmental Policy from Duke University and a B.A. in English with a minor in environmental studies from UCLA. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, traveling, going to concerts, and tutoring at an international school in Oakland.
Barry Stegner is retired from a career that has spanned many interests and institutions. He has pastored a parish as a Franciscan priest; earned a Ph.D. in and taught social ethics at the graduate level; directed a small foundation; and was the director of development and executive director of St. Anthony Foundation, a large nonprofit serving the hungry and the homeless in San Francisco. Born and raised in the Fruitvale district where he again lives, Barry has had a long interest in and love for Sausal Creek, from exploring the creek and its tunnels as a child to now joining his daughters in creek clean-up efforts. He hopes to help FOSC extend its fundraising efforts to involve more of the community.
FOSC Friend of the Month
Richard Kauffman
​Richard is a retired copywriter and editor with a background in journalism and corporate communications. He became involved with FOSC after he started a volunteer effort in Beaconsfield Canyon, adjacent to his home. The dangerous buildup of flash fuels in the canyon compelled him to get involved.

Richard joined the FOSC board of directors in 2008 and has served as president and as chair of the fundraising committee. While he stepped down from the board last year, Richard continues to play an integral role.
From keeping abreast of the city's vegetation management plans to working in Beaconsfield to editing the newsletter and grants, Richard's steadfast and continued engagement has been a huge asset to Friends of Sausal Creek.

Thank you, Richard, for all you have done and continue to do for the watershed and for our community!
If you would like to nominate a Friend of the Month, contact education@sausalcreek.org.
Event Calendar
Online Events of Interest from Other Organizations:

Presented by CNPS Yerba Buena Chapter
July 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Online Event

Presented by Pepperwood Preserve
July 16 at 10:00 a.m.
Online Event

Presented by the Open Space Authority
Daily from July 27 - 21
Online Series

 All FOSC public events and workdays continue to be postponed, in accordance with the county shelter-in-place order.

Please continue to practice safety by maintaining social distance, taking care of yourself, and staying healthy.


We will continue to update our event calendar as we monitor guidance for COVID-19.
Get Involved
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. 
FOSC needs your support --  
 
Amazon Smile purchases donate 0.5% to FOSC --
 
Connect with us:
Contact:

Jay Cassianni
Restoration and Nursery Manager
510-325-9006
 
Anna Marie Schmidt
Executive Director
510-501-3672 

Jackie Van Der Hout
Education and Outreach

Nicki Alexander
Special Projects
Photo Credits : May Chen, Jeana Posseti, Jay Cassianni, Jackie Van Der Hout