A burrowing owl seen in Berkeley; photo by Larry Wight

Our burrowing owls usually occupy the northeast corner of Cesar Chavez Park (north of the Berkeley Marina) from October through March. There are new fences and artistic adobe walls to protect the owl habitat from humans and dogs. Come on down and look for owls.

Docents

Docents are available seven days a week at various times.

Projects in the 2008 grant range from path construction and a solar light for the Santa Fe Right of Way, projects of Berkeley Path Wanderers, to tools and gloves for the city’s 14 public-school gardens, through Friends of School Gardens. The community-built Schoolhouse Creek Common will install chess tables and a bench. Nearby, Friends of Westbrae Commons will continue transforming the Ohlone Greenway south of Gilman with native coastal-prairie plants. Friends of Shorebird Park Nature Center will spread fresh sand and build new racks at Adventure Playground, while Aquatic Park EGRET will get upgraded nataive plants and upgraded wheelbarrows. Friends of Five Creeks will be able to install signs on local natural history and plant drought-tolerant natives in a variety of sites, from the Santa Fe Right of Way to Mortar Rock Park.

Aquatic Park EGRET also will partner with Earth Team Environmental Network, Berkeley Community Media, College of Natural Resources, and Berkeley Community Garden to involve local teens in habitat restoration days that teens also will film for showing on local cable TV. This project received a $5000 Chancellors Community Partnership grant.

Join us to carry out these projects! Contact BPFP or the affiliate group you are interested in — click on “Affiliated Groups” at right.

A Fundraising Cruise on beautiful San Francisco Bay
to provide science equipment for Shorebird Park Nature Center classrooms

What: Glorious afternoon fund-raiser cruise on the San Francisco Bay that includes lavish hors d’oeuvres, fine wines, great views, the best of the Nature Center hands-on activities, and an opportunity to honor environmental heroes, past, present and future.

When: Sunday, April 27th, 2008. 2–3 pm dockside and 3–6 pm on the Bay.

Why: To raise awareness about the 30-year-old environmental education program teaching children and adults about San Francisco Bay; to raise $35,000 in funds for new “green” classroom equipment, replacing three 28-year-old aquariums, buying new microscopes, and updating videos and the library.

Information: Call 510-981-6723 or:

• Information flyer (PDF, 500kb)
• Invitation flyer (PDF, 111 kb)

Donation: $65 per adult; $75 for one adult & one child; $100 per couple.
Come join us on San Francisco Bay for a fun time with a cause! Help these environmental education programs grow and flourish. Hope to see you there!

On Friday afternoon, November 9, the tide tubes that connect Berkeley’s Aquatic Park with the SF Bay were closed to minimize intrusion of oil into Aquatic Park. City officials are also concerned with pollution reaching the Marina and other Berkeley aquatic facilities.

More details on the “Cosco Busan” oil spill can be found on the California Department of Fish and Game’s website.

See also SFBaykeeper.org for other volunteer opportunities and updates.

For more information conact: Gene Herman, (510) 548-9840

Remember to weat comfortable shoes. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat, and a friend!
Relan, enjoy, and stretch your legs on a one-hour walk with potential to see many local and wayfaring birds and fantastic views of San Francisco Bay. Three routes along scenic Berkeley shoreline. Do Tai Chi exercise with Gene after the walk, “On demand.”
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: #9 bus stops directly across University Avenue from Seabreese market; it runs every half-hour and can be picked up at Shattuck and Center Street (A transfer location in downtown Berkeley.
In partnership with USOAC (United Seniors of Oakland and Alameda County) and Walkable Neighborhoods for Seniors
www.USOAC.org

Clean-up ends at 12:00- At this point, you turn in your tally cards at the main staging area and show us your most unusual items for judging. Each person will get a ticket to be part of our raffle. It usually starts by 12:30. Great Items are donated by local merchants.- If you would like to donate please let us know.

SPECIAL AGAIN THIS YEAR!
There will be a FREE drop off for volunteers of Electronic and Computer parts at the main site at University and Frontage Rd in the Dirt area behind Seabreeze Market- last year over 100 people came and donated 12 tons of e-waste!

The focus of the clean-ups are where the runoff from East Bay streets and creeks flows into the Bay covering the shorelines with litter. Most of the litter we pick up comes from inland, not the ocean. The new Bay trail runs along Frontage Rd. from Ashby Ave-to University, the site of the Berkeley Beach, connects the East Shore State Park. Some of the areas are part of the Eastshore State Park, which extends along the shoreline between Emeryville and Richmond. The clean-up provides a wonderful excuse to connect the cities, to make a difference and to explore the unique shoreline areas. We encouraged neighbors to do community service to clean up the Aquatic Park.

Plenty of fun stuff for adults, too! No need to cook – lots of international food booths.
Live entertainment from noon until 9PM includes Emeryville Taiko, Troupe Tangiers belly dancers, Guru Garage jazz band, Adrianne Serna folk band, The Back Pages 60s rock & roll, Lee Waterman & Jazz Caliente – Latin jazz, Dana Smith & his performing dog Lacy, Jeremy Shafer fire juggler, Tribal Drums, and Andean music by Kollasuyo.

There�s art & craft booths, massages, free sailboat & dragonboat rides from 1-4pm, and much more including the grand fireworks off the end of the Berkeley Pier at 9:30pm.

And don’t forget that University Avenue is closed west of 6^th Street, starting at 5:00 pm.

City of Berkeley 4th of July page