Marsh wetlands serve many ecological purposes and they are duly important as our first line of defense against rising sea tides. After a short hike down Cook’s Point trail, we arrived at Whittel Marsh. Here interns put their strength to the test and spent their morning removing invasive plant species while learning how to safely use weed removal tools including handsaws, loppers, and weed wrenches. Dodging budding poison oak and being careful not to disturb nesting birds, volunteers removed several square feet of invasive coyote bush plants and sprouting eucalyptus and acacia tree saplings. Thanks to the conversations between the park rangers and volunteers, Earth Team interns had the opportunity to learn more about the day to day responsibilities of regional park rangers and summer job opportunities with the East Bay Regional Park District.
This volunteer event at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline is a monthly occurrence hosted by the East Bay Regional Park District. You can learn more about volunteering at your local park here.
Stay tuned for more events hosted by Earth Team Pinole this Spring!