JANUARY  |  FEBRUARY 2014   

  


In This Issue (Links)
New Board Member
Board of Directors 2014
Gratitude
Kudos Korner
Report Creek Problems
Events of Others


donate

MEMBER MEETING
 State of the Creek

Wed., Jan. 15

7-9 p.m.

Dimond Library

 

 

WALK

King Tides Walk

Thurs., Jan. 30

10 a.m.-noon

Fruitvale Bridge Park 

  

 

RESTORATION WORKDAYS

 

Beaconsfield Canyon

Sat., Jan. 25, Feb. 22

9 a.m.-noon

  

Bridgeview Trail Ivy Removal 

Sun., Jan.12, Feb. 9

10 a.m.-noon

 

Bridgeview Trailhead Native Bee Garden

Sun., Jan. 19, Feb. 16

10 a.m.-noon

 

 Dimond Park

Sat., Jan. 18, Feb. 8

9 a.m.-noon

 

Marj Saunders Park

Mon., Feb 3 

11 a.m.-1 p.m.

   

Montclair Railroad Trail

Sat., Jan.18, Feb. 15

9 a.m.-noon

    

Shepherd Canyon Park

Mon., Jan. 20

9 a.m.-noon

 

Wood Park

Sat., Jan 18, Feb. 15

9 a.m.-noon

 

 

 NURSERY WORKDAYS

 

Wed., Jan. 8

 Thurs., Jan. 23, Feb. 6

12:30-3:30 p.m.

 

Sat., Jan. 11 & 25, Feb. 8 & 22

1:30-4:30 p.m.

   

 

SEED COLLECTION HIKES

 

Wed., Jan. 8

Thurs., Jan. 23, Feb. 6

10 a.m.-noon

 

 

 MONITORING

   

Aquatic Insect Monitoring

Sun., Feb. 2  

9 a.m.-noon

Bird Monitoring
Sat., Jan. 25
8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. 
 

 

 

LITTER CLEANUP

In the Creek

Sun., Feb. 23

10 a.m.-noon

Meet at El Centro Trailhead

 

   

 

BOARD MEETING
Wed., Feb. 12
7-9 p.m.
Park Blvd. Presbyterian Church


  

 

 

 

    

 

For more information:

 FOSC Calendar 

 

Michelle Krieg 

Restoration & Nursery Manager

510-325-9006

 

Jaclyn Lim 

Intern

510-326-7132 

 

 Kimra McAfee 

Executive Director

510-501-3672

 

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Photo Credits:

Megan Hess

Michelle Krieg

Robyn Krieger 

Kimra McAfee

 

 

Layout:

Jaclyn Lim

 

 

 Editors:
Richard Kauffman

Kimra McAfee

 

 

 

 

 

 

  



donate

Donate $50 and get a FOSC T-shirt. Don't forget to include your T-shirt size!
 
FOSC logo

A Watershed Investment Always Pays Off
 

A few months ago, there were some posts from "below-580" FOSC listserv members asking for talks and events of special interest to them. We are excited to have two such events in January. Read on for details on the erosion control training workshop at our January 15 State of the Creek meeting at the Dimond Library, and don't miss the January 30 King Tides walk--you will likely see the estuary as you've never seen it before. Later this year, we plan to have an indoor talk on the history of the lower watershed and an outdoor workshop on erosion control.

Thank you to all who responded to our end-of-year appeal for donations. We are fortunate to have the tremendous support of the watershed community and beyond, and we look forward to reporting continued progress and improvements in 2014.

State of the Creek 2014: 

Reducing Erosion and Working with the City

Wednesday, January 15, 7-9 p.m.

Dimond Library, 3565 Fruitvale Ave. 

This workshop will help property owners and restoration volunteers learn about simple erosion control techniques for enhancing creekside properties. See the flyer for a list of speakers and topics.

King Tides Walk along the Waterfront

Thursday, January 30, 10 a.m.-Noon

Fruitvale Bridge Park

(Fruitvale Ave. & Alameda Ave.)

Join local historian Dennis Evanosky for this walking tour and learn the history of the waterway along the shoreline where Sausal Creek now flows into the estuary via a culvert. This event takes places during one of the king tides of 2013, and participants are encouraged to bring their cameras and help document what our daily tides may look like in the future as a result of sea level rise. See http://www.californiakingtides.org/ for more information on the California King Tides Initiative. Rain will not cancel the walk--it could make the observations even more interesting! Dogs on leash welcome. For more information, contact Kimra at [email protected] or (510) 501-3672.  

 

In the Creek Litter Clean Up

Sunday, February 23, 10 a.m.-Noon

El Centro Trailhead (View map)

Our final clean up of 2013 had the best turnout yet: One dozen volunteers hauled out 207 pounds of garbage--64 pounds of it in golf balls. Join the gratifying fun on February 23. Wear your grubbies and bring your own boots if you have them. Note that this event is not suitable for small children--12 and older only, please. Please RSVP to[email protected] so we can provide enough boots.

Introducing New Board Member Dee Rosario

 

We are thrilled to welcome Glenview neighbor Dee Rosario to the FOSC board of directors. Dee worked his entire career for the East Bay Regional Park District, starting as a college student at Cal State Hayward and continuing for 37 years until his retirement earlier this year. He spent the last 17 years as the park supervisor for Redwood Regional Park, where he supervised four park rangers, developed a network of over 100 park volunteers to help maintain 38 miles of trails, removed invasive plants, offered interpretive programs, protected a native trout population in Redwood Creek, and provided security to the park and its visitors. Dee concurrently was a firefighter and lieutenant with the park district for 18 years. He is an avid bicyclist, teaches Tai Chi, and loves the outdoors. He'll bring energy, commitment, an ability to get along with a wide range of people, a lifelong love of nature, and invaluable experience with the East Bay Regional Parks to his role as a FOSC board member. Dee is also a commissioner on the Alameda County Parks, Recreation, and Historic Commission, appointed by Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan in July of 2013. Join us in welcoming Dee! 
Board of Directors 2014 

 

FOSC is very fortunate that all of our 2013 board members will remain on the board in 2014. A huge thank you to Carl Kohnert for his five years of service as an officer--from vice president to three terms as president and then back to VP. We are grateful to Carl for lending his exemplary leadership skills to our organization's efforts. Thank you to Steve Ritchie for stepping into the VP role this new year and to the other three officers who have volunteered to stay in their posts: President Helen McKinley, Secretary Richelle Jacobs, and Treasurer Rob Leidy.

All but two of the other board members have been serving since I started with FOSC in March 2009, and words are inadequate to express my appreciation to each of them for their longstanding support of the organization. A round of applause please for Eleanor Dunn, Paul Frank, Barbara Goldenberg, Richard Kauffman, Mark Rauzon, Bob Roat, Harry Schrauth, and Sean Welch. 
 
--Kimra McAfee 
 Gratitude

 

The social interaction of giving and receiving--the reciprocity of gratitude--is at the heart of volunteerism and is what makes an organization like FOSC tick. I am humbled by the thousands of volunteers who work in the watershed each year, by the hundreds of supporters who donate financially to FOSC, and by the entities who have given FOSC grants or awarded contracts to FOSC so that we can keep doing our good work.

Our organization's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, but the terms of funding sources don't always follow that cycle. As our board and staff prepare for our annual retreat in late January, focusing on prioritizing projects for 2014, I'd like to tell you about some of the projects we worked on in 2013 and the funders who made these efforts possible.

Read more ... 
Kudos Korner
 
Thank you to La Farine-Dimond for supporting all of our member meetings in 2013 with goodies. The trend of better attendance at these meetings on the third Wednesday of odd-numbered months continues ... undoubtedly these scrumptious treats are part of the draw! FOSC appreciates all that La Farine Manager Stan Dodson does for the community, including leading trail walks, spearheading trail maintenance issues, and serving on the Friends of Joaquin Miller Park board of directors.

Thank you to Noah's Bagels on Lakeshore for providing bagels for our December 7 Dimond Canyon planting day volunteers. Despite the preceding evening's rain, 32 volunteers showed up and planted 93 plants in record time. Special thanks to Laney College students of Professor (and FOSC Board Member) Mark Rauzon for their help.
Who Ya Gonna Call?
 
Report sewer leaks immediately. If you smell strong odors or see discolored water in the creek, contact the City of Oakland Public Works Call Center via phone at (510) 615-5566, email at [email protected], online, or by SeeClickFix (mobile app).

Report water main or fire hydrant breaks immediately to (866) 40-EBMUD (866-403-2683). Tap water from EBMUD is toxic to fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects because it contains chloramine as a disinfectant.

Report dumping in progress immediately to 911.

For removal of debris, graffiti, or fallen trees, contact the City of Oakland Public Works Call Center via phone at (510) 615-5566, email at [email protected], online, or by SeeClickFix (mobile app). If possible, specify the trail name and some landmark or intersection (e.g., Sunset Trail near the stone bridge; Dimond Trail halfway between the Monterey Boulevard trailhead and the Bridgeview trailhead).

To contact Oakland's Watershed Improvement Program, call (510) 238-6600.

Please also email or call FOSC at (510) 501-3672 to inform us about anything that you report so that we can track the problem and follow up as necessary.

Thank you for helping keep our creek healthy! 
Events of Others
 
Learn about Bay Area nature and environmental issues at the Bay Currents monthly talks series hosted by Friends of Five Creeks.

Attend a workshop on woodland slope restoration led by Lech Naumovich while helping the Friends of Garber Park (Saturdays, January 18 and February 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.).

To subscribe to this e-newsletter, email
or call (510) 501-3672.
Donation
Please help us maintain and expand our efforts in the Sausal Creek Watershed by making a donation today!

Donate online or mail this form with your check made payable to:
Friends of Sausal Creek, P.O. Box 2737, Oakland, CA 94602
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