Current Projects

Come learn about your local watersheds!

CREEC will be hosting a series of hikes this spring. These hikes will consist of collecting native grass seeds and exploring local creeks. All hikes are from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Dates & Details
May 20th, Rodeo Creek seed collection at Fernandez Ranch. Meet at gate on Christie Road 1 km s of Rte 4.
May 27th, Pinole Creek seed collection, meet at the Adobe road lot off of Pinole Valley Road, by the Pinole Dog Park.
June 10th, Bull Valley seed collection. Meet at Eckley Pier below Bull Valley Staging Area Between Crockett and Port Costa on Scenic Dr.

For more information please contact Propagation Coordinator Karin Korda at frrcw@earthlink.net

Friends of Rodeo, Refugio, and Carquinez Watersheds Meeting
Friends of Rodeo, Refugio, and Carquinez Watersheds will host a public meeting on May 30th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Hercules Swim Center in the Pressroom, 2001 Refugio Valley Road. The meeting will include an introduction to the group and information about how to become involved in creating healthier watersheds in Northwestern Contra Costa County. Guest speaker TBA.

We have an online Event Calendar now and these dates are on it!
Check it out, register, even add your own CREEC related events (after approval of course)!

San Pablo Creek Hike with CREEC

Saturday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Hike along several of our local creeks to collect cuttings from trees and shrubs to grow in the CREEC greenhouse with botanist, Dr. Dean Kelch, from CREEC.The group will meet at 10:00 a.m. at the corner of Bear Creek Road and San Pablo Dam Road.

Refugio Creek Hike with CREEC

Saturday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m.

Hike along several of our local creeks to collect cuttings from trees and shrubs to grow in the CREEC greenhouse with Karin Korda, Propagation Coordinator from CREEC. The group will meet at 10:00 a.m. at Refugio Swim Center parking lot, 2100 Refugio Road.

Rodeo Creek Mulching with FRRCW

Saturday, March 18, 1:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

We will be laying mulch around recently planted native trees and shrubs along Rodeo Creek with Karin Korda, Watershed Coordinator from FRRCW. Please bring your own shovel and gloves. The group will meet at the Safeway parking lot at 605 Parker Ave., Rodeo, CA 94572.

For Further information, directions, or details,
Contact: Karin Korda, Watershed Coordinator at frrcw@earthlink.net / (415) 847-6035

Rodeo Creek Community Planting Day!

Join us to help plant over 200 locally grown native trees and plants along Rodeo Creek, in Rodeo.

When: February 18, 19, and 20, 9:00 AM 2:00 PM

For Further information, directions, or details,
Contact: Karin Korda, Watershed Coordinator at frrcw@earthlink.net / (415) 847-6035

Please bring your own shovel and gloves!

Sponsored by
Carquinez Regional Environmental Education Center (CREEC)
& Friends of Rodeo, Refugio, & Carquinez Watersheds & the Muir Heritage Land Trust

CREEC is pleased to announce the recent collaboration with Muir Heritage Land Trust to sponsor the addition of Karin Korda. Wearing two hats, Karin will act as Watershed Coordinator for the Rodeo, Refugio, & Carquinez Watersheds (“Friends”) and Propagation Coordinator for CREEC. The two part time positions have been funded by grants awarded the two groups through funding by Contra Costa County’s Watershed Program. Karin has a B. S. in forestry and 10+ years in natural resource management including forestry, ecology, & wildlife. She has worked on a national level with the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Forest Service, & with state/local agencies on Mt. Diablo and in Marin County. We are so pleased to make this much-needed addition to our staff.
Karin’s position as Watershed Coordinator entails the restoration of local watersheds in northwestern Contra Costa County. The goals of Friends of Rodeo, Refugio, & Carquinez Watersheds are to remove non-native vegetation, lead tours, pick up trash in riparian zones, plant native flora, & provide outreach/ education to the public regarding regional watershed issues. In addition, the watershed coordinator will be a recruiting volunteers, leading/ facilitating group discussions, & project management.As Propagation Coordinator, Karin will be working with Dr. Dean Kelch leading seed and cutting collection hikes in Crockett and neighboring watersheds and supervising the plant propagation.

Karin is organizing a kick-off meeting for the “Friends” group on January 31st at 6:30 P.M. at the Rodeo Senior Center at 189 Parker Avenue in Rodeo. We hope that everyone with an interest in our watersheds, open space, and habitat restoration will attend. Please call Karin at Cell: (415) 847-6035 or Sandra Dare at 787-2265 for further information.

Carquinez Horticulture Center
Anyone who has dined at The Nantucket during the past few months has seen CREEC’s new greenhouse structure. The building was erected in August and plumbing and electrical service are in progress at this time. CREEC secured an electrical permit on Friday, January 13 from Contra Costa County, and the electrician will be completing work for the PG & E hookup. Conoco Phillips has requested one of its contractors, Timec, to aide us in cleaning up our lot and moving our storage sheds into their permanent location. We appreciate their assistance as a forklift will be required.
A grand opening celebration is being scheduled for May 13th in conjunction with our annual Eclectic Garden Tour. Additional details will be announced in the Spring newsletter.

Eclectic Garden Tour May 13th
CREEC’s annual garden tour will be held on May 13th in conjunction with the horticultural center opening. We are currently seeking gardens to participate in the event. Past participants have enjoyed showing their hard work and chatting with fellow gardeners. A free plant will be awarded to all participants. Please call Sandra Dare at 787-2265 to volunteer.

Congressman George Miller Visits Edwards Creek
On January 4th Congressman George Miller attended John Swett High School’s Water and the Environment class. Science teacher, Meilin Duncan, has been working with CREEC staff and her students to do some restoration work on Edwards Creek behind the high school football field. Congressman Miller joined the group to help plant some Coast Live Oaks on the site. Although it was raining, a dozen trees were planted. In 1997 during the first year of the CREEC Youth Group, the participants did restoration work on the same site funded by California EPA and Coastal Conservancy grants. Since that time, the ivy has reinvaded and Meilin’s students are working to remove it to make room for native plants, which have been propagated at CREEC’s greenhouse. The good new is that many of the trees and plants from 1997 are thriving. The students also plan to plant a butterfly garden in the sunny area near the fence.

The Community Greenhouse on Crockett Blvd. is still open for business every Saturday from 10 am til 2 pm for plant sales or call 787-2265 for an appointment.

Please drop off any used one gallon and larger pots at the greenhouse gate at 1300 Crockett Blvd. We always need pots.
While CREEC Youth were participating in Coastal Cleanup, someone traveling on the road to Port Costa stole CREEC’s large wheelbarrow and 6 new pitchforks. We could use donations of any garden tools and wheelbarrows.

Rodeo Creek Tree Planting
CREEC will be planting about 300 trees and shrubs on Rodeo Creek during February and March. The tentative dates thus far are February 18, 19, and 20th during President’s weekend. We will need helping hands to make this project a success. Please check our website www.creecyouth.org for details or call Sandra Dare at 510/787-2265 if you will be able to join this event. We hope to have many locals join us to spruce up the trail. This project is funded by an Air District Supplemental Environmental Project.