Short Summary

Garber Park is a 13-acre wildland park owned by the City of Oakland located behind the Claremont Hotel in Claremont Canyon. Garber Park is home to significant stands of big-leaf maple, California buckeyes and regenerating coast live oak woodland and forest. The Garber Park Stewards vision is to safeguard the native wildland resources of Garber Park while reducing the risk of wildfire and improving the trail system.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

The Day of the Buckeyes

John, Tim, and Mary clearing the Restoration Site
for native planting of the understory on Feb. 19.
A good time was had by all on our regular 1st Tuesday of the month morning workday (Feb1) as we raked and shoved the last of the eucalyptus duff down the hillside and into Fireplace Plaza.   We had to be careful, though, because we wanted to also expose and nurture any natives that might be surviving under the duff.  To our surprise, we found at least seven small Buckeyes scattered across the hillside.  The champion of finding the these new Buckeyes, which we quickly flagged and photographed, was John.
Native California Buckeye Bud ready to burst
into bloom.

Looking up the hillside from Fireplace Plaza, with the sun shining through the oaks and maples, we saw a hill free of eucalyptus debris, a slope with bee plants, native blackberry, and many “baby” buckeyes emerging.  We were tired, but felt a great satisfaction, and we are definitely looking forward to our Restoration Planting Day.  We hope you can join us.
February Volunteer Events in Garber Park
Friday, February 18, 1-3pm.  Join us, even for a short time, as we do final preparations for planting day on Saturday.  Activities range from challenging (crawling up the hillside) to helping catalogue the plants.
Saturday, February 19, 9am-12:30pm.  Restoration planting. Activities range from digging on the hillside, planting, to secretarial/photographic activities.  Followed by a light lunch.
Meet at the Evergreen Lane entrance to Garber Park. For directions and further information visit our blog www.garberparkstewards.blogspot.com, or contact Shelagh:  garberparkstewards@gmail.com
As always dress in layers and wear shoes or boots with good traction.
View from Fireplace Plaza
Tim Wallace, soon to be President of Claremont
Canyon Conservancy told us he "had a ball!"
John Kenny on his first visit to Garber Park
said his specialty was "raking downhill."