Sweeping out the Broom, April, 2017

Smiling because after a full morning of broom searching this
is all they found!  

Can you ever say an area is "broom free?"  We think not, since French Broom seeds can remain in the soil for 40 years!  However, we have seen little broom in the past few years and have declared Garber about as Broom Free as an area can get.  But, we wanted to know just how much broom remains in the park, wanted to document it, and knew we had to keep on top of it each year or it could easily once again take over.  What to do?  Conduct a Workshop where participants would fan out across the park seeking broom, document results on a map so we could do this again next year and the next...

Searching in the Cow Parsnip Patch for broom - yea!  Little
found.  The Cow Parsnip showed its joy at the abundant
rain this year by growing 6 feet tall!

So on April 18 we began the first annual Broom Sweep.  We are happy to say we found only small patches of mostly small seedlings. It was Happiness all around - our hard work over the years has paid off - and where broom used to be - native ferns, grasses, wildflowers are now popping up.

Thanks, Lech, for a fun workshop.  And thanks everyone for your dedication to Garber's
Restoration!

Restoring an Eroded Creek Bank in Garber, March, 2017

While loving every drop of rain this year Garber saw its share of problems - one of them was the erosion of a creek bank that had slid.  But it was also an opportunity for a workshop on Erosion Control - specifically create a spiling support with living fascines to allow for additional material to be caught by the spiling instead of it ending up in the creek.  The Workshop on March 18, conducted by Lech Namovich, Golden Hour Restoration Institute, was well attended by a diverse group.  I'll let the pictures do the talking - each picture shows portions of the process, including building a living fascine with freshly harvested branches.  Native plant cuttings and rhizomes were planted on site as well as willow and elderberry cuttings.  Thanks everyone for a great day - and helping restoration in Garber!  We couldn't do it without you.

FUN, INFORMATIVE FERN WORKSHOP

Learning how to do a Line Transect - an
easy but important monitoring tool.

It was a great turn-out for Lech's Fern Workshop  on Saturday, February 4 - it was warm, the rain held off while Lech gave his well - received interactive, informative workshop.  Many new faces, but even the "old-timers" learned lots of new, fun information about ferns in general, and especially the many native ferns of Garber.  No one left even when it began to rain - everyone stayed to pull and push back the ivy to allow room for the natives to grow in Fern Glade.  It was all smiles at the end.  It was so rewarding uncovering Trilliums, Ferns, and even a California Buckeye.  

Looks like we'll have a break in the weather for our volunteer workday this Saturday, February 18. Please

join us in Garber as we continue pulling invasive weeds and planting natives.  There are many activities to choose from: light and level at selected spots along the trails where we will be pruning and pushing back the weeds, and for those who are up for some heavy lifting jobs we need some help in shoring up the trails.

Wear long sleeves and pants, shoes with good tread.  We provide water, snacks, tools, and gloves.

Meet at the Claremont Ave Entrance to Garber.  Directions:  From the intersection of Tunnel Rd and Ashby, (also AC Transit #49 stop)  go.4 miles up Claremont Ave (towards Grizzly Peak) to the parking turn-out.  Look for the new Garber Park sign.  Directions, maps and further information can be found at garberparkstewards.org or contact Shelagh garberparkstewards@gmail.com.

RAIN DATE FOR THE GARBER PARK STEWARDS FIRST WORKSHOP FOR 2017
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4!  WE HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN US.

FERN IDENTIFICATION 

AND

FERN GLADE EXPANSION

A Workshop with Lech Naumovich, Goldenhour Restoration Institute

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4  FROM 10AM- 1:00PM

MEET AT THE CLAREMONT AVE ENTRANCE TO GARBER PARK.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS:

www.garberparkstewards.org or

contact Shelagh garberparkstewards@gmail.com

Join us as we continue to expand and build upon our rich FERN GLADE RESTORATION AREA. Lech Naumovich, Golden Hour Restoration Institute, will begin with a short Restoration History of Fern Glade, Fern ID, and Biology.  Then we will pull ivy and other weeds from the area and noting any new ferns, trilliums, and other early spring flowers that should be emerging.  

Everyone Welcome.  Dress in layers for the changing weather and shoes with good tread.

We provide tools, snacks and water.

Fern Glade was begun three years ago when we cleared a patch of knee deep ivy in a flat area along Claremont Ave Trail, flagged the ivy and other natives that were there to give the natives a chance to grow.  And grow they did.  It's a joy to see.  We remove ivy each winter and by spring the ferns have multiplied.  Fern Glade has become our most popular restoration site - click on the links below to see for yourself the History and Expansion of this most beautiful spot in Garber and then join the fun on January 21st in Fern Glade.

December, 1013.  Fern Glade is Begun.  Restoration Workshop an overwhelming  success:

http://garberparkstewards.blogspot.com/2013/12/fern-glen-workshop-and-restoration-huge.html

Fern Glade 2015....Working in Fern Glade is always popular

http://garberparkstewards.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-03-18T11:53:00-07:00&max-results=7  Fern Glade 2015

Fern Glade 2016.  Expansion continues in this lovely spot.

http://garberparkstewards.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2016-03-18T11:53:00-07:00&max-results=7  

Come see Garbers new signs!

Thanks to Ricardo folks will no longer be asking "What park is this?   Come to see the new Garber Park signs at the Evergreen Lane Entrance (pictured here) and the Claremont Ave Entrance.  And, no more getting lost with the new directional signs that will guide you through the park!
                                                                                

Mid-Summer Workday a Success

A great turn-out today of new and regular volunteers enabled us to divide into two groups.

 Most of us worked in Fern Glade weeding among all the ferns and pushing back the ivy increasing Fern Glade.  Lots of bare ground waiting for the rains and new ferns and other natives to pop up in this phenomenally successful and popular restoration area on the Claremont Ave Trail.

Another group spent the morning on the other side of the park at Horsetail Meadow pulling and cutting invasive thistle and poison Hemlock.  A tough job - we're lucky to have volunteers willing to go after these invasive species.

And if you find yourself at Fireplace Plaza you should thank Mark who stayed several hours longer than the rest of us cleaning up the area for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks to all who came today.   Our next volunteer workday is Saturday, August 20 from 10am to Noon.  We hope to see you as we continue pulling fire prone invasives and maintaining the trails.

Volunteer Workday, Saturday, May 21, 10am-Noon

Our Third Saturday Workday on May 21 will have one major focus - TRAIL WORK - from easy weeding along the trails to the more heavy lifting work of shoring up the trails from winter erosion, fixing/adding new steps in the more steep sections of the trail.  Meet at the Claremont Ave Entrance.
Click on Volunteer Opportunities above for more information. EVERYONE WELCOME!