Visit the gardens created by volunteers from Friends of Alhambra Creek and the California Native Plant Society to get ideas for your very own California native garden at home!
The goal of the Alhambra Native Plant Trail is not only to educate residents about our native flora, but also to create a wildlife corridor through Martinez for birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.
The CCRCD worked closely with the Friends of Alhambra Creek and the City of Martinez to install a native wetland garden at Ferry Point, Martinez. The plants in this garden are all native, which means they evolved with our native wildlife over thousands of years and are better adapted to live in local conditions and support local wildlife than non-native plants. To learn more about this project and the plants in this garden, click the button below.
The Alhambra Watershed Council (AWC) is a stakeholder group that was established in 1997 to produce the Alhambra Creek Watershed Management Plan (2001). The group’s mission is to protect and enhance the health of the Alhambra Creek Watershed by educating the public about the watershed, providing a forum for new ideas and projects, and acting as a community resource.
By representing diverse stakeholder interests and promoting healthy natural systems, the AWC aims to support the health and vitality of the entire watershed community. Contra Costa County, Friends of Alhambra Creek, National Park Service, New Leaf Collaborative, Mt. View Sanitary District, and residents are among the active participants. Past projects include the Alhambra Creek Watershed Map and Festival and the Strentzel Lane Flood Reduction Project. The AWC receives coordinator support from the CCRCD.
Meetings are currently held on the first Tuesday of every month (excluding August) at 6:30pm, on Zoom. Interested community members are welcome to attend AWC meetings. Come and share your ideas!
AWC Meeting dates for 2023 are listed below. If you would like to join a meeting and are not yet on the AWC email list, please contact Victoria Woolfolk for the meeting access info.
January 2, February 6th, March 5th, April 2nd, May 2nd, June 6th, July 4th, August 1st, September 5th, October 3rd, November 7th, December 5th
The New Leaf Collaborative is a 501c3 non-profit corporation based out of Martinez, CA. They support learners in the following ways:
Skills: Writing, Research, Education, Outreach.
Fun Fact: Devanie loves photography, travelling, movies, going on walks, being outside and learning. She wants to take on a big challenge like biking from Alaska to Argentina or going on a long back country hike for a few weeks.
Devanie, originally from Sacramento, California, developed a strong passion for the natural environment from a young age. She spent a significant amount of her youth engrossed in shows, movies, and even games that revolved around and emphasized the importance of nature. This passion led her to pursue a degree in Biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she delved into a wide range of courses related to human health, plant physiology, and general ecology.
Upon completing her undergraduate studies, Devanie explored various professional opportunities in education and environmental administration. However, she ultimately decided to focus her efforts on the environmental sector, aiming to make a meaningful impact in any way possible. To further her goal, she pursued a master's degree in marine science and management from the University of Sydney, equipping herself with the necessary knowledge and skills to continue making a difference.
Devanie is thrilled about the prospect of working and collaborating with the CCRCD staff. She is eager to contribute to their mission of conservation and natural resource management. Additionally, she hopes to learn and grow within the organization, pushing herself to new limits and embracing new challenges along the way.
Skills: Environmental education, community engagement, research processes, insect identification, report writing.
Fun Fact: Victoria competes in triathlons and will hike or bike up any hill/mountain she can get her feet or wheels on. She summited Haleakalā in Maui, HI on bike in the summer of 2021. Her next challenge is pending. Victoria also loves to cook and create random dishes from available seasonal produce.
Victoria (she/her) is from Orange County, CA. She graduated in 2021 from University of California, Davis with a BS in Environmental Science and Management with an emphasis in Natural Resource Management and a minor in Insect Biology. She participated in a research lab at UC Davis exploring the impacts of human development on insect/plant relationships over time. Following this, she worked as an environmental consultant to identify and resolve soil and/or groundwater contamination to protect water resources throughout the Bay Area.
Victoria grew up helping her dad weed and tend to his extensive vegetable and fruit tree garden and spent many family vacations camping in various national parks. Victoria considers herself very lucky to have grown up with access and connections to the outdoors and wildlife. She understands the importance of access to healthy, natural places for individual and community wellbeing. Victoria is excited to work with CCRCD and partners to help achieve more safe, accessible, sustainable, and functional natural areas regardless of community wealth, race, or composition.