Transforming neglected natural areas, one step at a time.

Recent volunteering:

Above: Restoration is never done! On Cerrito Creek, weed warriors hunted for hidden spots where evergreen thornless blackberry, which once lined the creek banks, was trying to make a comeback.

Below: Celebrating success recording the colorful marine life that edges the Albany Bulb, visible only at deep minus tides. We want a record of change -- and to let people know about these wonders and their roles in the environment.

Celebrating success after minus-tide observations on Albany Bulb

Pulling broom in Hillside Natural Area woods

Above and below: In July, we focused heavily on keeping fire-prone French broom from setting seed to make a comeback in the El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area. In woods or with broad views, always beautiful and enjoyable.

Removing broom in the Hillside Natural Area, with great view

Helping Nature in the East Bay – Hands On

All-volunteer Friends of Five Creeks has worked hands-on for 27 years for clean water, healthy watersheds, and natural areas that welcome both wildlife and people. We work from Berkeley to Richmond on the urbanized east side of San Francisco Bay.

Learn more about our work: Subscribe to our e-news, to keep up with what our volunteers are doing, Bay Area environmental news, and a "feature of the month.". (We don't share your information with anybody.) See maps, history, and slide shows of some of our projects.
Check out our list of events with others -- online here and now being updated through the month.

Fight flammable French broom in the El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area 10 AM - 12:30 PM Sat., Aug. 17

We need your help to keep French broom from making a comeback in El Cerrito's stunning Hillside Natural Area! This year's late rains and cool spring brought an unexpected flush of seedlings. We need to get them out before they shed another crop of seeds!

At 10 AM Sat., Aug. 17, meet at the King Court entrance for a foray into the meadows and oak groves at the heart of this 100-acre gem, with spectacular views and tidbits about natural history along the way. We supply tools, gloves, light snacks, and good company.

Directions, what to wear and bring: Meet at the west, downhill end of short King Court -- by Internet maps, 1198 King Court will get you there. Bring water and sun protection. Wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed-toed shoes with good traction. Avoid fuzzy clothing that catches seeds. Ages 10 and up welcome. Info at f5creeks@gmail.com. Groups of more than five please RSVP. Otherwise, just show up. Questions? Please email f5creeks@gmail.com.

Have your say on El Cerrito's draft plan for managing the El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area

The City of El Cerrito's draft plan for the Hillside Natural Area, focused on reducing risk of wildfire, is open for comment through August 25. The draft plan and instructions on how to comment are here. A public workshop on the plan is scheduled 10-11:30 AM Sat., Aug. 3, at Hana Gardens Senior Center, 10870 San Pablo Ave. (next to City Hall).

Friends of Five Creeks agrees that reducing the risk of wildfire is paramount. However, weO feel that provisions for maintenance are weak, that the plan will not protect biodiversity or provide meaningful adaptive management, and that the city will miss out on what volunteers could do. Our comments are here.

Weed warriors and other opportunities:

Orange crowned warbler near Cerrito Creek Join our informal, friendly group maintaining varied natural areas: Our "Weekday Weed Warriors" gather Tuesday mornings 10 AM - noon. Email f5creeks@gmail.com for more information or to get weekly email notification of locations.

F5C would love to find creative, tech-savvy volunteers to help in several ways. Email f5creeks@gmail.com if you are interested.

F5C recent and current-interest handouts, slide shows, and reports

New: Intern Paulina Lara's guide to how native plants and animals "get along" on Codornices Creek (helpful for other local creeks as well) -- her senior honors project at CSU East Bay. Click here for English or Spanish versions. (These are large files. Please be patient.) It's on display now on the Codornices Creek trail, at the creekside meadow across from the Little League ballfields, between 10th and 8th Streets, on the Berkeley-Albany border.
See our flyer on how to de-clutter the environmental way and Saving Water -- Rain or Shine.
New! See our native-plant signs, linking species to their roles in history and the environment. Free to all to download, modify, and use!
Click here to see our slide show: Codornices Creek, Chapters in an Unfinished History
Do-it-yourself Nature Treasure Hunt for families with young children. Print out these two sheets back-to-back for fun aimed to engage young children in nature -- along with queries designed to intrigue and challenge adults. This hunt focuses on Codornices Creek, but is easily adapted to other places. You can even use it on a cell phone!

F5C letters to agencies

F5C is alarmed that a two-year process to write a new plan for Berkeley storm-drain system, much needed given 100-year-old infrastructure and coming climate change, is being written with no public information or opportunity for input, and based on narrow and outdated information on the likely effects of sea-level rise and larger storms. Our June 17 letter is here. Our July 2023 letter supporting the contract to carry out this plan, including the need to deal with a changing climate, is here.
F5C's detailed comments on El Cerrito's draft plan for the Hillside Natural Area are here. See above on how to comment by August. 25. (For earlier comments: Friends of Five Creeks' January input on what this plan should include is here. A short slide show is here. An earlier handout is here.
Need for toileting and RV sewage pumpout for unhoused in Berkeley: Read F5C's June 2023 letter on the need for portable toilets and sewage pumpout for the unhoused, for human dignity, public health, and pollution prevention.
Considering likely effects of climate change in Berkeley's plans for development in its Marina area: Read F5C's May 2023 letter on the draft Waterfront Specific Plan.
Protecting Codornices Creek as part of re-paving the Hopkins-Gilman corridor in Berkeley: Read F5C's February 2023 letters on the importance of including green amenities, pollution reduction, and protection for Codornices Creek in a "complete streets" project for Hopkins Avenue, which follows the creek a half block away.