Creeks - Volunteer Opportunities
VOLUNTEER TO IMPROVE Oakland's creeks! Following are ways to actively enhance the natural beauty, habitat and recreation value, and cleanliness of our waterways. And, of course, to have fun! Opportunities with the City of Oakland, as well as those with community creek groups, are listed below.
Opportunities With the City of Oakland
Adopt-a-Creek participants adopt an area of creek and make a commitment to regularly clean and beautify a public creek area. Storm Drain Stenciling
Many mistakenly think that storms drains lead to a sewage treatment facility. Help educate neighbors that storm drains collect pollutants and dump them untreated straight to our creeks, Lake Merritt, and the Bay by stenciling curbs near storm drains with the message "No Dumping, Drains to Bay." The City provides volunteers with a kit that includes stencils, blue and white spray paint, a scrub brush, rubber gloves, and a tracking form. Anyone can volunteer to stencil storm drains, from individuals, to school groups, to neighborhood organizations.
To obtain a kit, or for more information, call 238-6600. Maintain-a-Drain
Help prevent water pollution and flooding by adopting a storm drain near you. The City provides "Maintain-a-Drain" volunteers with a rake and rain gear, and arranges to collect the debris.
For more information, call 434-5131. Citywide Cleanup Events
On the Saturday closest to the "official" Earth Day on April 22nd, Oakland celebrates with a day of neighborhood cleanups and greening projects.
In September, the City hosts "Creek-to-Bay Day" in conjunction with the California Coastal Commission's Coastal Cleanup Day. Focusing on the health and beauty of Oakland's creeks and waterways, Creek-to-Bay Day projects include non-native plant removal, planting native plants, and litter removal..
For more information, check the City of Oakland Environmental Services Event Hotline at 238-7611 or click here about two months before the event.
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Opportunities With Oakland Creek Groups
If your Oakland creek organization has volunteer opportunities you would like to post here, please contact watershed program staff. Friends of Temescal Creek
Temescal Creek flows from the Hiller Highlands, through the Temescal neighborhood (around 51st Street and Telegraph Ave.), and out to the Bay in Emeryville. The Friends of Temescal Creek (FOTC) need volunteers to provide administrative help, monitor water quality, participate in the annual bird census, write grants, table at events, monitor the watershed by bicycle, represent the FOTC at meetings, and help with vegetation management. To volunteer, or to learn more about specific volunteer opportunities, visit the FOTC website at www.aoinstitute.org/temescal, or email FOTC President Bruce Douglas or call (510) 655-0341.
Friends of Sausal Creek
Sausal Creek, featuring the longest open stretches of all Oakland's 15 major creeks, runs from the hills above Joaquin Miller Park, through the Dimond and Fruitvale neighborhoods, and out to the Oakland Estuary at the Fruitvale Bridge. The Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) offer a variety of opportunities for volunteers. They have: weekly planting and brush clearing parties; a native plant nursery where volunteers collect plants and seeds and learn how to grow them; teams monitoring birds, insects, oysters, and water quality; and they are starting a new mapping project. FOSC volunteer opportunities are listed at www.sausalcreek.org/volunteer/volunteer.html. Or, email FOSC or call (510) 501-FOSC (3672).