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On the banks of Lafayette Creek, just a hop over the fence from Brook Street Park, 21 volunteers stood listening to John Zentner, chairman of the board for the Restoration Trust in Oakland, as he demonstrated how to plant small native plants to restore a local creek after the previous removal of an invasive species. Having finished his demonstration the three middle school leaders, Esther, El, and Celia stood up to talk about the safety guidelines everyone was going to follow before setting off to replant the creek bank.
Workers planted a total of 850 plants. These included young Mexican rushes, California fescue, and Santa Barbara sedge, all native to California. Girls from local Girl Scout troops 33137, 33126, and 32928 all attended the event. The bank was on the steeper side, so there were numerous ropes in place to help workers stay safe. The group finished earlier than expected, so they picked up trash in the surrounding area.
Forty hours of work had already gone into restoring the small area of the bank by the park. Esther, El, and Celia had worked on planning this creek day since the previous summer for their Girl Scout Silver Award. At the same location on Nov. 16, the leaders led the effort to remove the invasive species Arundo donax, the top invader and enemy of many local creeks. By the end of the day, the group had filled 20 bags of Arundo and ivy. Now the bank is full of small, green plants that will encourage native species growth and create a healthier creek. |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA