LifeGarden's eNewsletter

ONGOING ACTIVITIES / PROJECTS

More On Watershed Protection

LifeGarden received a Civic Pride Grant from the City of Walnut Creek for the development of a citizen-friendly map of the Walnut Creek Watershed. It will feature the creeks and drainages of the entire watershed. For the City of Walnut Creek the map will emphasize the connections between the creeks and the City's parks, open spaces, schools, cultural facilities, downtown areas and neighborhoods. We hope it will serve as a catalyst for renewed public interest in and stewardship of the creeks of the Walnut Creek Watershed.

Walnut Creek (creek) north of Monument Blvd.

Best Management Practices - Contra Costa County Trails

For the past two years LifeGarden has been advocating for more sustainable maintenance practices along public trails in Contra Costa County. Through a pilot project in Danville we sought to demonstrate that mulching and encouraging the growth of native plants were significantly better strategies - economically and ecologically - for weed management than the conventional ones of herbicide use and mowing for maintaining trail edges. In response to our efforts, Contra Costa County has now introduced an Adopt-a-Corridor-Section program that acknowledges the benefits of our program and provides the guidelines for large volunteer projects like the ones we initiated.

We are experiencing great interest in volunteering from high school students, Girl Scout groups, church groups, trail users, local citizens and others.

The East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society has endorsed our project. EarthTeam, a Bay-Area wide teen environmental group will be one of our partners. We have $20,000 in grant requests pending with four environmental funders to enable us to expand the program.

Caltrans has kindly agreed to lend us many of the tools and traffic cones needed for our events. We believe strongly in networking. Please contact us about being a volunteer or financial sponsor.

Our next approved site in the Corridor is in Walnut Creek north of Ygnacio in the vicinity of Walnut Creek Intermediate School. Since Walnut Creek (creek) drains into Suisun Bay, preventing pollution of streams in the large Walnut Creek Watershed (through environmentally friendly trail maintenance practices) also prevents pollution of the Bay.

Seed Donation From Renee's Garden - Attention Teachers

Again this year our advisor, seed purveyor Renee Shepherd, has donated hundreds of packets of flower and vegetable seeds to LifeGarden for use in school and community gardens or other related venues. Renee sells only untreated seeds and seeds that have not been genetically modified. Packets are free. Many seed types can be planted now. E-mail us for specifics or to arrange a pick-up.

MEMBERSHIP and VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

LifeGarden is a membership organization. Our recent membership drive generated many renewals, some new members and a number of very generous donations. These contributions are critical to enabling us to cover our operating costs and to undertake important community programs. If you have not already returned your annual dues in the pre-addressed envelope, please put it in the mail today. Consider a gift on top of membership dues as well. New and renewing members will receive a copy of the extraordinary Bay Nature supplement all about Mt. Diablo ("Speak of the Devil") while supplies last.

Volunteer Event - Iron Horse Corridor Restoration
NOVEMBER 4th from 10 AM-1 PM in DANVILLE
Our restoration event on October 7th was a great success! Volunteer slots are filling fast for November 4th. We hope you will join us for this or one of our future monthly events.

To participate: 1) phone (or email us) with your name, address, telephone numbers and email address 2) download the event flyer and two waivers (LifeGarden and Contra Costa County). Completed and signed waivers must be returned to us prior to each event. This is a great community service opportunity for youth! We are looking for strong member support as well. There will be native tree identification and habitat protection education in conjunction with the restoration work.

Help us show what reducing stream and air pollution on less than a mile of trail means when applied to the hundreds of miles of public trails near waterways in the County!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Spectacular Wildlife Hike
NOVEMBER 11th -
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
LifeGarden advisor, poet and yoga instructor extraordinaire, Jan Enderle, is again offering a hike for our members.

We will hike up Nortonville Trail to take in gorgeous views of the Kirker Creek Watershed then down past the Nortonville town site to the mouth of Coal Canyon for yoga and meditation under spectacular sandstone cliffs. We'll continue up through the canyon to the top of Black Diamond Trail for 360 degree views and lunch. Along the way there are so many things to see! Wildlife, (coyote, fox, deer and mountain lion inhabit the park) raptors, (there are a pair of nesting golden eagles) plants, (Mt. Diablo Manzanita grows here) Coulter Pine groves, sandstone cliffs, Jim's Place, (a mystery) old mine openings and mining claims, views of Mount Diablo and the Delta and lots more. This loop trail is about 5 miles total. Hope to see you there!

To register for the event, please download the event flyer (pdf file) and contact Jan Enderle by email janandtess@comcast.com or phone 925-876-9694.