Earth Team is THRILLED to announce that we are now hosting small group, physically distanced, in-person events throughout the East Bay. As countywide restrictions in Alameda and Contra Costa have lifted, Earth Team has had the exciting opportunity to reintroduce Covid-conscious field work. So far, we have hosted events at the Pinole Native Plant Garden, the Three Creeks Restoration Project, Castro Valley Library, and Dimond Park. Other events are in the works at the Hayward Shoreline and the Upper Sand Creek Basin .
Here are some highlights from in-person meetings thus far.
Antioch interns welcomed Spring this year by participating in a tree planting event along Marsh Creek. Earth Team interns worked alongside members from American Rivers, Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed, Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, and Brentwood community volunteers to plant 22 trees in one afternoon! Tree species planted included California Buckeye (Aesculus californica) and California Black Walnut (Juglans californica).
Planting 15-gallon trees is hard work, but interns felt rewarded knowing these trees will restore the natural ecosystem of Marsh Creek for years to come.
A small team of interns who are vaccinated or otherwise more comfortable meeting in person has begun meeting to test soil samples. They are following Earth Team’s COVID-19 protocols and maintaining a safe work environment. This process has been nice for the team as they are able to finally meet in person and utilize their science based skills to further their research. Many of the team members have never met in person, so it has made for a fun an interesting experience!
Next month, the team will be wrapping up their research and preparing for their presentation at the virtual GLOBE Student Research symposium. Stay tuned for more information and the results of the research!
