The East Bay Regional Park District manages 98,000 acres of land in 65 parks and maintains over 1,150 miles of trails. Maintenance and rehabilitation of the parks is an ongoing process. In order to protect the parks resources, volunteers are needed to provide labor. In return, volunteers learn about land stewardship and resource conservation while giving back to the parks they enjoy. Help improve the quality of life for people and our wildlife treasures.

• Park Projects
• Type of Projects
• How to Volunteer

Park Projects

Current Projects

The East Bay Regional Park District is currently looking for volunteers for several habitat restoration projects as part of its invasive plant removal outreach program. The projects are short-term in April and May and include removing invasive plants from several parks. These are preliminary short-term projects as part of a comprehensive park-wide invasive plant program to be unrolled in the winter of 2008. Projects are listed below:

• (New Project!) 9 a.m. - noon, Wednesdays (ongoing) – Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden, Berkeley. Looking for 4 or 5 volunteers.
• (New Project!) Time TBA, Last Saturday (May to December) – Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda. Looking for 30 volunteers.
• (New Project!) 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 2nd Saturday (May to October) – Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, Oakland. Looking for 30 volunteers.
• (New Project!) 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 3rd Sunday (May, June, September to December) – Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline and Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, Richmond. Looking for 20-25 volunteers.

Call or e-mail 510-544-2590 kfusek@ebparks.org for more information or to register for any of these new projects or to be notified of future projects.

Ongoing Projects

1. French Broom Removal Project: on the first Saturday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Redwood Regional Park's Skyline Gate on Skyline Boulevard in Oakland. Call 510-482-6024 or email redwood@ebparks.org for more information or to register.
2. Riparian Restoration Volunteer Project: on the second Sunday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Redwood Regional Park, 7867 Redwood Rd., Wayside Picnic Area in Oakland. Call 510-482-6024 or email redwood@ebparks.org for more information or to register.

Background: The East Bay Regional Park District faces many challenges in managing nearly 100,000 acres of open space. One of the greatest challenges is the threat of invasive plants such as French broom, yellow starthistle, fennel, and now oblong spurge, just to name a few. Invasive plants are harmful, non-native plants that are introduced into an environment in which they did not evolve. "Invasives" often have no natural enemies allowing them to out-compete native plants. The spread of invasive plants is profound and rapid, negatively changing the landscape and environment. The district uses several methods to control invasive plants such as prescribed burns, but for obvious reasons like urbanization, this method is limited. Another way to control this spread is to pull the invasive plants before they can get established, and for this the District is indebted to its hardworking volunteers.

The Park District hosts several invasive plant removal projects at various parks throughout the winter and spring. Currently, the District is expanding these projects and designing a new volunteer program and education series specifically aimed at removing invasive plants and restoration projects in the regional parks. This is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a volunteer group, become active in the community, develop new friendships, and do something important for the environment! Back to top

Type of Projects

Parks projects include:

• Habitat Restoration: Building and placing butterfly, bat, bird, and duck boxes; planting trees and shrubs to attract wildlife; planting butterfly gardens; installing drip systems.
• Trail Repair: Repairing trail tread; brushing back vegetation; installing drainage systems and check dams.
• Resource Protection: Removal of invasive exotic plants; planting native trees and shrubs; installing barriers to protect restored areas; stabilizing shorelines, creeks and trails; installing erosion control measures; marsh restoration.
• Facility Maintenance: Fence building; rock wall construction; picnic site refurbishing; barbed wire fence removal; general park clean-up.

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How to Volunteer

Volunteers of all ages have something to offer and are welcome. Volunteer projects can be tailored for school groups, individuals, students, corporate groups, scout groups, service clubs, and Eagle scouts. Work may also be arranged for court referrals. Children under the age of 18 must have a signed permission by parent or legal guardian. Children under the age of 13 should be accompanied by an adult.

For more information contact Sharon Saffas at the Operations Volunteer office: East Bay Regional Park District, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381. Phone: 925-945-8244 or 510-812-8265. Email: opervol@ebparks.org. Back to top