Tuesday, February 5, 2013
First Planting Event Spring Semester 2013
Friday, December 9, 2011
Post by Zoe!!!
Strawberry Creek Decal- Restoring The North Fork
Zoe Rudow
Before enrolling in the Strawberry Creek Decal, I was under the general impression that if it was green, it was good. I didn’t (ok, actually I couldn’t) distinguish between the deep green of the ever-expansive ivy and the green leaves of the Buckeye. But in this semester I was able to get out of the classroom and into the creek to learn about a piece of campus that I see and hear almost every day. The decal taught me about the history of the creek, the biodiversity that exists within and around it, and ways that Berkeley has used environmental planning to reverse some of the destruction that urbanization has done to the wildlife and vitality of the creek. As part of our class requirements, we had to do six hours of creek restoration. I am lucky enough to live on the north fork of Strawberry Creek, so my restoration hours were done in the backyard of my coop, Kingman Hall.
Our coop, led by our “Creek Keeper” Sara Rosa Tannenbaum, organized a neighborhood creek clean up, so that the community living around the North Fork of Strawberry Creek could get together and work to restore the creek. We worked removing ivy from the banks of the creek, making sure to get it down to the roots. It was an opportunity to meet our neighbors, take a break from the studying, and get a little dirty and sweaty down by the creek. Throughout the semester, Sara Rose held other restoration events where we had to tackle the brambly blackberry bushes and free a buckeye from strangling ivy. Although the restoration requirements for the decal are minimal, it allowed me a much-needed escape during hectic the semester. But unlike other romps in the outdoors, after the decal I knew the difference between the eucalyptus and the oak, the sticky monkey and the ivy. The creek, and the plants and biodiversity around it has become familiar. Strawberry Creek Decal- Restoring The North Fork
Zoe Rudow
Before enrolling in the Strawberry Creek Decal, I was under the general impression that if it was green, it was good. I didn’t (ok, actually I couldn’t) distinguish between the deep green of the ever-expansive ivy and the green leaves of the Buckeye. But in this semester I was able to get out of the classroom and into the creek to learn about a piece of campus that I see and hear almost every day. The decal taught me about the history of the creek, the biodiversity that exists within and around it, and ways that Berkeley has used environmental planning to reverse some of the destruction that urbanization has done to the wildlife and vitality of the creek. As part of our class requirements, we had to do six hours of creek restoration. I am lucky enough to live on the north fork of Strawberry Creek, so my restoration hours were done in the backyard of my coop, Kingman Hall.
Our coop, led by our “Creek Keeper” Sara Rosa Tannenbaum, organized a neighborhood creek clean up, so that the community living around the North Fork of Strawberry Creek could get together and work to restore the creek. We worked removing ivy from the banks of the creek, making sure to get it down to the roots. It was an opportunity to meet our neighbors, take a break from the studying, and get a little dirty and sweaty down by the creek. Throughout the semester, Sara Rose held other restoration events where we had to tackle the brambly blackberry bushes and free a buckeye from strangling ivy. Although the restoration requirements for the decal are minimal, it allowed me a much-needed escape during hectic the semester. But unlike other romps in the outdoors, after the decal I knew the difference between the eucalyptus and the oak, the sticky monkey and the ivy. The creek, and the plants and biodiversity around it has become familiar. Strawberry Creek Decal- Restoring The North Fork
Zoe Rudow
Before enrolling in the Strawberry Creek Decal, I was under the general impression that if it was green, it was good. I didn’t (ok, actually I couldn’t) distinguish between the deep green of the ever-expansive ivy and the green leaves of the Buckeye. But in this semester I was able to get out of the classroom and into the creek to learn about a piece of campus that I see and hear almost every day. The decal taught me about the history of the creek, the biodiversity that exists within and around it, and ways that Berkeley has used environmental planning to reverse some of the destruction that urbanization has done to the wildlife and vitality of the creek. As part of our class requirements, we had to do six hours of creek restoration. I am lucky enough to live on the north fork of Strawberry Creek, so my restoration hours were done in the backyard of my coop, Kingman Hall.
Our coop, led by our “Creek Keeper” Sara Rosa Tannenbaum, organized a neighborhood creek clean up, so that the community living around the North Fork of Strawberry Creek could get together and work to restore the creek. We worked removing ivy from the banks of the creek, making sure to get it down to the roots. It was an opportunity to meet our neighbors, take a break from the studying, and get a little dirty and sweaty down by the creek. Throughout the semester, Sara Rose held other restoration events where we had to tackle the brambly blackberry bushes and free a buckeye from strangling ivy. Although the restoration requirements for the decal are minimal, it allowed me a much-needed escape during hectic the semester. But unlike other romps in the outdoors, after the decal I knew the difference between the eucalyptus and the oak, the sticky monkey and the ivy. The creek, and the plants and biodiversity around it has become familiar.
Before enrolling in the Strawberry Creek Decal, I was under the general impression that if it was green, it was good. I didn’t (ok, actually I couldn’t) distinguish between the deep green of the ever-expansive ivy and the green leaves of the Buckeye. But in this semester I was able to get out of the classroom and into the creek to learn about a piece of campus that I see and hear almost every day. The decal taught me about the history of the creek, the biodiversity that exists within and around it, and ways that Berkeley has used environmental planning to reverse some of the destruction that urbanization has done to the wildlife and vitality of the creek. As part of our class requirements, we had to do six hours of creek restoration. I am lucky enough to live on the north fork of Strawberry Creek, so my restoration hours were done in the backyard of my coop, Kingman Hall.
Our coop, led by our “Creek Keeper” Sara Rosa Tannenbaum, organized a neighborhood creek clean up, so that the community living around the North Fork of Strawberry Creek could get together and work to restore the creek. We worked removing ivy from the banks of the creek, making sure to get it down to the roots. It was an opportunity to meet our neighbors, take a break from the studying, and get a little dirty and sweaty down by the creek. Throughout the semester, Sara Rose held other restoration events where we had to tackle the brambly blackberry bushes and free a buckeye from strangling ivy. Although the restoration requirements for the decal are minimal, it allowed me a much-needed escape during hectic the semester. But unlike other romps in the outdoors, after the decal I knew the difference between the eucalyptus and the oak, the sticky monkey and the ivy. The creek, and the plants and biodiversity around it has become familiar.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Berkeley High School Student's Rap
Chillin' at Berkeley river side bed
but I bet you didn't know it could've been dead
With help from the students who let it survive
Aren't we glad that it's alive
Environment, climate, and all that jazz
You can help it if you want with a little pizazz
Saturday, December 3, 2011
KELLY NEVADA WIGGIN'S END-OF-SEMESTER POST
On Tuesday I went to the Nursery to meet up with Tyler to do some restoration hours. I was the only one who showed up that day, and even though I would have liked to be working with other people, I was enjoying working on my own. I was removing invasive grasses at the south side of VLSB, and all was going well until I suddenly got hurt. I felt something pop in my knee, and after a few moments of incredible pain, it felt like whatever moved in my knee went back in to place. After some minutes of Tyler and me trying to figure out what to do, I took a few tentative steps and it happened again. I fell to the ground and Tyler called The Loop to pick us up and take us to the Tang Center. There would be no more creek for me today.
I’m a film student, and apart from messing around in creeks when I was a little kid, catching tadpoles and things, I was never what you might call formally introduced to riparian ecosystems. I work at an art museum and a film archive. I’m an artsy-fartsy, indoors kind of gal. As such, I sometimes see things in terms of cinematic composition, how one could frame shots for maximum beauty and expression (don’t worry, I’m going somewhere with this). When the golf cart came, Tyler walked over to explain, and I was sitting on the bank of the creek. Just beyond the cart, the coast live oak trees were dropping their leaves. There were so many falling, gently but insistently, against a splendid backdrop of autumn color. Tyler was framed nearly symmetrically by trees. The serendipity and loveliness of the moment took my breath away. As filmic compositions go, it was totally harmonious and almost looked staged. It was one of the greatest tiny little moments I’ve had at Cal and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.
My perspective at that moment was unusual, low to the ground and at a slight diagonal. Had I
not been sitting so, I probably wouldn’t have noticed something so beautiful. And that, my friends, has been my experience of the Strawberry Creek Restoration DeCal in the proverbial nutshell. If I hadn’t taken this class, would I have noticed they were oak leaves falling? Hard to say. Probably not. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to use the word “riparian” in a sentence, mostly because I’d never heard it before the first class meeting. More to the point, being close to the creek, learning about it and helping it, has changed the way I see my environment. I’m more aware now of the interconnectedness of things: the roots supporting creek banks, the leaves that give food to the creatures that live in and around the water, and the water that nurtures those very plants. I’m always grateful for opportunities for a new perspective on things, and getting to know Strawberry Creek these past few months has been just that.
I’m a film student, and apart from messing around in creeks when I was a little kid, catching tadpoles and things, I was never what you might call formally introduced to riparian ecosystems. I work at an art museum and a film archive. I’m an artsy-fartsy, indoors kind of gal. As such, I sometimes see things in terms of cinematic composition, how one could frame shots for maximum beauty and expression (don’t worry, I’m going somewhere with this). When the golf cart came, Tyler walked over to explain, and I was sitting on the bank of the creek. Just beyond the cart, the coast live oak trees were dropping their leaves. There were so many falling, gently but insistently, against a splendid backdrop of autumn color. Tyler was framed nearly symmetrically by trees. The serendipity and loveliness of the moment took my breath away. As filmic compositions go, it was totally harmonious and almost looked staged. It was one of the greatest tiny little moments I’ve had at Cal and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.
My perspective at that moment was unusual, low to the ground and at a slight diagonal. Had I
not been sitting so, I probably wouldn’t have noticed something so beautiful. And that, my friends, has been my experience of the Strawberry Creek Restoration DeCal in the proverbial nutshell. If I hadn’t taken this class, would I have noticed they were oak leaves falling? Hard to say. Probably not. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to use the word “riparian” in a sentence, mostly because I’d never heard it before the first class meeting. More to the point, being close to the creek, learning about it and helping it, has changed the way I see my environment. I’m more aware now of the interconnectedness of things: the roots supporting creek banks, the leaves that give food to the creatures that live in and around the water, and the water that nurtures those very plants. I’m always grateful for opportunities for a new perspective on things, and getting to know Strawberry Creek these past few months has been just that.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Wondrous Wanderings
Fellow environmentalists!
This past week I took a walk down the Creek and found out so much more about it that I'd like to share with you!
First and foremost, the Creek is an extremely diverse river. Even walking barely 100 feet of its length can show you just how much it is so.
First of all, some areas have rather extended cascades downwards
and many diverse plant species along their riversides, some of which were even labelled! (Perhaps they were planted by Decal students in the past? Does anyone know?)
Some locales had water so still and clear that you could see all the way down to the bottom,
while other locations seemed to have a strange transparent film over them, which perhaps indicated a spill? This is actually quite a concern for the health of the Creek.
In other places still the water stood murky and was impossible to see into. How could flora and fauna flourish in such an environment?
Walking further along I discovered that the Creek even seemed to switch the direction of its flow!
At yet other places in the stream the water flowed quite weakly while at ones farther down it was interrupted and quickened by rocks and other debris that had landed in the river.
I also got to feel a bit of nostalgia as I passed by the place where the Decal and I helped remove invasives last week.
There were also some man-made constructions in the river designed to help regulate it.
Sadly where there were more people there was more grime and trash in the river, when in fact it should be cleaner in the areas where there are more concerned citizens.
Overall however, all this goes to show is that the Creek is a gorgeous place that needs to be protected and maintained. Here's to some new restoration events this week! Until next week!
-Larisa Ilchenko
This past week I took a walk down the Creek and found out so much more about it that I'd like to share with you!
First and foremost, the Creek is an extremely diverse river. Even walking barely 100 feet of its length can show you just how much it is so.
First of all, some areas have rather extended cascades downwards
and others have small waterfalls.
Different regions have very diverse sources
Other areas of the Creek even went underground!
Walking further along I discovered that the Creek even seemed to switch the direction of its flow!
At yet other places in the stream the water flowed quite weakly while at ones farther down it was interrupted and quickened by rocks and other debris that had landed in the river.
I also got to feel a bit of nostalgia as I passed by the place where the Decal and I helped remove invasives last week.
There were also some man-made constructions in the river designed to help regulate it.
Sadly where there were more people there was more grime and trash in the river, when in fact it should be cleaner in the areas where there are more concerned citizens.
Overall however, all this goes to show is that the Creek is a gorgeous place that needs to be protected and maintained. Here's to some new restoration events this week! Until next week!
-Larisa Ilchenko
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Didactic Decal!
Fellow environmentalists!
This past Friday I got to drop in on the activities of the Decal and learn quite a bit from them about invasive species, restoration efforts and the natural flow of events in nature.
We initially spent some time removing periwinkle (genus Vinca) from the area- an invasive species whose shallow, spongy root system allows it to rapidly take over an area but does not provide soil stabilization for when the rainy season hits. This stabilization would normally be provided by other plants such as the Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) which have roots that are several times as long as those of the periwinkle. As such, all the invasive does is prevent native plants from taking root and reduces the biodiversity of the area (since acorns from trees such as the redwood cannot produce new plants due to a lack of available resources) and is overall a detriment to the development and maintenance of a healthy ecosystem. It is worthwhile to note that the invasive’s root system also makes it rather difficult to pull out but one should recall that the proper and easiest way to pull out invasive species is to squat and then stand up so as to reduce strain on the body.
After a bit of removal we discovered a tiny Coast Live Oak- Quercus agrifolia- that was being smothered by the surrounding invasives and cleared the area for it.
We then took the invasives that we pulled out and dumped them into the creek to create a natural dam. This would create two different water flows, the slow variety of which creates a pool habitat which supports fish and a fast variety which will have more oxygen. This would mimic the natural order instead of the campus norm. In natural systems when trees die they occasionally fall into the river and create these flows on their own but on campus diseased trees are taken down and fallen ones are simply removed from campus entirely. Since breaking away from the natural order creates inconsistencies and makes it that much more difficult to foster a healthy environment for flora and fauna, we decided to experiment with this system and see if it can produce any beneficial effects.
I was also taught about several of the native species that we helped out today. Toyon- Heteromeles arbutofolia- for example, whose red berries are inedible was discovered earlier
that day. The California bee plant - Scrophularia californica- was also uncovered and will be a great pollinator in the spring for a variety of species that otherwise would lack any plants to pollinate. We also found cow parsnip - Heracleum maximum. However many more species benefited from our actions today and will hopefully continue to be benefited by the actions of people like you! Take a step to get involved today and make a difference. Until next week!
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