CSEB Environmental Studies Students Return to Garber

Still smiling at the end of a successful morning of
field work - and looking forward to a well deserved
lunch!  

Every year for the past 16 years Mike Vukman, restoration ecologist, volunteers to lead students from Professor David Larson’s environmental field course at Cal State East Bay on a "in the field" day,  with the goal to introduce the students to bio-engineering techniques.  We were delighted that Mike once again chose Garber.

The structure of the morning was similar to last year:  The class was divided into three rotating groups -   one group helped monitor the Measure DD City of Oakland funded Erosion Control Project along Harwood Creek, a second group helped remove invasive weeds from the field next to Harwood Creek, and Mike led the third group in making and planting Willow Wattles in Harwood Creek for erosion control.   The group tackled each task with enthusiasm, climbing down the steep slopes along Harwood Creek, looking for the flags and pins to measure the size of the plants and assess erosion in the creek, or planting the willow wattles at the steep head cut to control the erosion along this very steep part of the creek. 

Alex Carrozza, Anthony Caquias, Henry Alvarez, and Kawai Leung
climbing down the steep slopes of Harwood Creek helping the
Stewards monitor the success of the City of Oakland's
Measure DD project in Garber Park.

 Last year the weeding group pulled out an entire field of erhardta grass which allowed the mugwort, snowberry, and ossoberry to thrive and cover at least 1/3 of the field.  The erhardta grass and other invasive weeds, of course, are popping up between the natives.  So this years weed pull was careful weeding between the natives.  Great job – the field looks beautiful.

Thank you Mike and Professor Larson for once again choosing Garber Park for a hands-on educational experience in watershed restoration.  And special thanks to the Garber Park Stewards  for their leadership.   Your contributions helped make a great advancement in habitat restoration in Garber today.