Friends of Five Creeks

Description

Friends of Five Creeks is an all-volunteer organization that restores creeks and shorelines in the East Bay area of California.

It was founded in 1996 and originally focused on five creeks in northern Alameda County and western Contra Costa, including Cerrito Creek, Codornices Creek and Schoolhouse Creek. Its work has since expanded to other creeks and shorelines across Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito, Kensington and Richmond. Volunteers weed, plant native vegetation, remove invasive species, collect litter and carry out erosion control at monthly work parties and other events.

The group also gathers citizen-science data, using tools such as iNaturalist, to track plants, animals, sea-level rise and coastal change, and to build baselines for climate research. It partners with local agencies, schools and other nonprofits, advocates on habitat and shoreline planning issues, and teaches school groups about creek and bay environments. It has worked to protect threatened steelhead trout habitat along Codornices Creek.