Protect and Restore Oakland’s Creeks and Shorelines for International Coastal Cleanup Day

Join your fellow WEN members and Oakland neighbors to clean and green Oakland’s creeks and shoreline! Oakland Creek to Bay Day is part of California and International Coastal Cleanup Day, it’s the largest volunteer day in California and the world. On this day, thousands of volunteers of all ages and abilities are invited to join watershed cleanup and restoration projects at creeks, parks, and neighborhood sites throughout Oakland to contribute to the removal of litter from waterways and shorelines across California, the nation, and in about 100 participating countries. Cleaning and greening projects in Oakland keep litter from going downstream through Oakland’s creeks to San Francisco Bay and the oceans and beaches beyond.

Volunteering for this event will provide you with networking opportunities, a chance to learn about sheet mulching, invasive plant species removal, native plant species restoration and will give you a fun, feel good excuse to get some exercise outside and help make your community a healthier place for everyone.

The Women’s Environmental Network group will be joining the Oakland Museum Team at the Channel Park site. Our primary focus at Channel Park will be removal of invasive grasses, blackberry, and iceplant along the Lake Merritt’s tidal estuary in order to make room for the native ecosystem to reestablish itself. We will also be removing litter and other debris from the watershed that pose a toxic hazard to wildlife.

Bringing family and friends is welcome and encouraged! Tools, work gloves, and other supplies will be provided, but we strongly recommend bringing a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day. Sturdy shoes and sun protection are also a good idea. (Children under the age of 10 will require parental supervision)
Channel Park is an easy walk from the Lake Merritt BART station–head South on 10th St until you see a pathway just past Building B at Laney College. Walk right down the pathway, bearing left at the pool. You should see our check-in table, right behind the Art Center.

DATE AND TIME

Sat, September 16, 2017
8:15 AM – 1:00 PM PDT

LOCATION

Channel Park
Laney College – Art Center
26 7th St. or 5 10th St.
Oakland, CA

SCHEDULE:

8:15 – 8:30am: Tool distribution
8:30 – 9:15am: Orientation while eating some snacks and drinking coffee (*feel free to bring extra snacks and definitely bring a refillable water bottle)
9:15am – 1:00pm: Litter removal, invasive vegetation removal, sheet mulching, native vegetation planting
1:00 – 1:15pm: Tool return and wrap-up

Register for this Free Event here.