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.

Friday, January 31, 2020

Our First Ten Years in Garber - A Fun Celebration



Saturday, January 18:
It was a special day for the Garber Park Stewards to Celebrate 10 years of restoration in Garber.  And, who better to lead us on this walk than Lech Namovich, Golden Hour Restoration, who has been leading workshops and guiding our restoration activities for the past 10 years!  And who better to discuss the successes, the failures (yes, there were a few), and where we should go from here on our next 10 year journey.   It was a fun journey for all who came to see and hear about how our restoration projects have transformed the park to a beautiful native oak   woodland park for all to enjoy!  We all agreed it was a        great day to leave our gloves at home, learn about the evolution of our restoration sites, enjoying the stories, and discussing the future.  A fun day for all.

Sunday, January 19First Workday of 2020
Energized by yesterday’s walk through the park, many of us returned for a work day, beginning our next 10 years restoration.   Today’s effort - beginning with clearing the debris at the Claremont Ave Entrance and the trail to Fern Glade.  Removing invasive weeds is at the core of our work, and Winter is “easy pulling” time.  We concentrated in removing the invasives in Fern Glade so the abundant ferns, trilliums, and other natives can thrive.  





Friday, January 24: Claremont Hotel Employees Volunteer in Garber! 
The Claremont Hotel and Resort has a long history of supporting the Garber Park Stewards restoration efforts in Garber Park.  In 2015 we received a grant from the Sustainability Committee to develop a Self-Guided Nature Trail, and since that time employees from the hotel volunteer in Garber and clean the Evergreen Lane Path Stairway leading into the park several times a year. Today they pulled enough ivy from Fern Glade and the Evergreen Lane stairs to fill a pick-up!   


THANKS TO EVERYONE!  We couldn’t do it without you.   

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Help Celebrate GPS Ten Years in Garber


             Winter Restoration Workshops in Garber Park in 2020
                                        (near the Claremont Hotel in Claremont Canyon)
The Garber Park Stewards are pleased to be partnering with the Claremont Canyon Conservancy to once again offer a Restoration Planting Series throughout the winter season to Celebrate the Stewards 10 years in Garber. Lech Naumovich, botanist and Executive Director of Golden Hour Restoration Institute, will lead the workshops, which will highlight our successes, challenges, and the future for our ongoing restoration efforts in Garber Park.  We invite you to join us.

Saturday, January 18. Celebration of the Garber Park Stewards 10 Years in Garber. Come hike and explore Garber Park, a 13-acre oak woodland in Claremont Canyon and help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Garber Park Stewards, whose on-going restoration efforts have helped transform this park at the edge of the wildland-urban interface.  Led by Lech Naumovich from Golden Hour Restoration Institute, we’ll discuss successes and challenges of this long running restoration project, delving into invasive species control, fuels management, trail improvement, and more.   

Saturday, February 15.  Invasives:  Best Management Practices for Your Worst Problems.  Join the Garber Park Stewards and Golden Hour Restoration Institute for a hands-on workshop on invasive species control.  Learn about best management practices recommended by the California Invasive Plant Council for invasive species such as cape ivy and French broom.  This workshop will be a chance for you to learn and practice invasive species removal with experts and experienced volunteers at a restored oak woodland in the Oakland Hills. 

Saturday, March 21.  Fascinating Fascines and Creek Restoration.  Learn about hillside erosion control and restoration in this hands-on workshop with the Garber Park Stewards and Golden Hour Restoration Institute.  We will cover the use of fascines and on-site vegetation to stabilize steep slopes in restoration sites.  You will have the opportunity to help install fascines alongside restoration experts and volunteers in Garber Park.

Time:  all workshops are from 9:30AM-12:30PM.  Come early, 9:15,  to enjoy coffee, snacks and meet fellow workshop participants.  All skill levels welcome.  Come to one workshop or come to all.

 Meet at the Claremont Ave. entrance to Garber Park, .4 miles up Claremont Ave from the intersection of Ashby Ave/Claremont Ave.  For a map and directions visit garberparkstewards.org.