Don Castro Regional Park is a beloved cornerstone of the Castro Valley Area. That’s why Castro Valley’s Earth Team Interns were thrilled to learn that they would be working on a new partnership with East Bay Parks to restore parts of the park.
Starting with an area near the shore of the reservoir, interns removed invasive weeds and re-caged some planted natives to ensure they would grow to resemble a native landscape. With some help from park rangers, they were able to transform the shore of the lake into a beautiful example of what the San Lorenzo Creek Watershed may have looked like before the introduction of invasive species.
The area was planted with native shrubs including manzanitas, coyote brush, and others several years ago, and had since grown into a lush, dense collection of various plants, native and invasive. As part of Earth Team’s Sustainable Watershed Action Team, interns determined that the watershed would be healthier and the park would be a nicer place to visit if the native plants were allowed to grow without the interference of invasive species.
With the help of interns from Arroyo High and Skyline High, Castro Valley’s Earth Team successfully restored the section of the park near the lake. They will now move to other parts of the park, including the manzanita garden, to restore them as well. Check out Don Castro’s new look the next time you are in the area.
Special thanks to East Bay Parks Staff for their support in the process!