Creek Stewardship Days

Creek Stewardship Days are held on second Saturdays (9 a.m. – 12 noon) of the month from October to May. Creek Stewardship Days are open to all. See the Creek Stewardship Days Guidelines below for important information.

Thousands of volunteers have participated in planting a mile of native trees and shrubs alongside the Laguna de Santa Rosa in Cotati and a section of Rohnert Park. Our current focus is on maintaining the existing project site and adding an understory of native grasses, sedges, and rushes. These plants will help stabilize banks, reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife. [See Native and Invasive Plants]

Tasks may include taking care of existing plants by weeding, mulching, and watering, planting trees and shrubs or understory plants, removing invasive plants, plant care and propagation in the nursery, or other supportive tasks such as refurbishing used tools. What we do on any given day will depend on the weather and conditions at the project site, current priorities, numbers of volunteers, and other factors. Planting does not begin until sufficient rain has fallen.

To be added to the Cotati Creek Critters email list please contact Jenny Blaker. You will receive emails approximately twice a month with announcements and reminders of all our events.

2010 Creek Stewardship Days

Unfortunately, owing to reduced funding, we will be scaling back to just one Creek Stewardship Day per month, from 9 am – 12 noon on the second Saturday of the month, as follows:

October 9: Trash pick up

November 13: Plant care

December 11: Plant care

days completed

Prep Days Fridays 1 - 4 pm	Saturdays 9 a.m. - 12 noon	Sundays 10 a.m. - 1 pm
January 29, 2010		January 31, 2010
______________	February 13, 2010
February 26, 2010		February 28, 2010 + SSU JUMP
March 12, 2010	March 13, 2010 + SSU JUMP
March 26, 2010		March 28, 2010
April 9, 2010	April 10, 2010 + SSU JUMP
April 23, 2010		April 25, 2010
May 7, 2010	May 8,2010

Special Group Planting Days

In the past, many groups from boy scouts to churches to local community groups and student groups have set up special group workdays. In fall 2010, again owing to reduced funding, we will be virtually eliminating our special groups program for the time being. The details below are for information only.

In addition to regular Creek Stewardship Days, we also arrange special planting days for specific groups: churches, boy scouts, community groups, etc. Contact Jenny Blaker to arrange a workday for your group.

Date	Group
September 17, 2010	Santa Rosa Junior College: Environmental Science classes

Completed Group Planting Days

Date	Group
Friday, April 16, 2010	SSU fraternity Alpha Psi
Friday, February 26, 2010	Sonoma County Homeschoolers
Friday, February 19, 2010	SRJC classes
Friday, February 12, 2010	The Bay Institute STRAW (Students & Teachers Restoring a Watershed)
Saturday, January 30, 2010	Frogsong Cohousing Community
Friday, December 18, 2009	Wilderness Regroup
Friday, December 11, 2009	Pathways Charter School
Saturday, November 21, 2009	SSU sorority Lambda Kappa Pi
Saturday, November 7, 2009	Freshman seminar class, SSU
Friday, October 2, 2009	Santa Rosa Junior College classes
May 6, 2009	Cotati Coop Nursery School
April 23, 2009	SSU Hutchins Class
March 28, 2009	SSU Accounting Forum
March 25, 2009	Boy Scouts
March 15, 2009	Frogsong Cohousing Community
March 7, 2009	SSU Alpha Psi
March 6, 2009	Santa Rosa Junior College
March 1, 2009	SSU Alpha Delta Psi
February 27, 2009	SSU Hutchins class
February 11, 2009	STRAW (Students & Teachers Restoring a Watershed) with Thomas Page School

Here are some simple recommendations for volunteers attending Creek Stewardship Days, which will help to ensure a positive, productive, and enjoyable experience for all.

(Guidelines and directions also availalable HERE in pdf format.)

	Dress appropriately for work and weather! Wear boots or sturdy shoes suitable for wet or muddy conditions and rough ground. For safety reasons open-toed sandals or flip-flops are not acceptable. Dress in comfortable, old clothes, with long pants, and be prepared to get dirty. Shorts are not acceptable as you could be kneeling on rough or muddy ground. Long sleeves can help to protect you from thorns, etc. Dress in layers – the day may start cool and warm up later, or you may get hot working. If rain is forecast, proper raingear is essential. Wear sunscreen and a hat, to protect you from sun and/or to keep warm in winter. We provide work gloves and tools.
	Please arrive promptly or a few minutes early.We will begin with a brief introduction and orientation, and to discuss tasks at hand and safety issues. Unless we notify you otherwise, we will meet at City of Cotati Well Lot #2 on Lakewood Avenue in Cotati (nicknamed “Ladybug Lot”). The Lot is adjacent to Ladybug Park in the City of Rohnert Park. For links to maps and directions see http://www.cotaticreekcritters.info/maps.htm
	If at all possible please stay for the entire period from 9am -12 noon. There is a significant amount of preparation and clean up for a work day, so we try to make the most of the time we have! We welcome help with clean up at the end. If you need to leave early please inform the Stewardship Coordinator at the beginning of the day so we can give you a task appropriate for the time you are available.
	dents under 18 are welcome with permission of their parents.We ask parents or guardians of unaccompanied minors to sign a parental consent form. Children 6-15 must be under the care of a responsible adult. We do not recommend bringing children under 5 for safety reasons.
	Credit for school. We are happy to sign forms verifying your hours for credit for school. Please wait until the end of the workday to request a signature from the Stewardship or Outreach Coordinator. appropriate rainwear. Long sleeves can be useful to protect you from thorns, etc.
	Safety policy. Please read our Safety Policy.
	Don’t bring valuables you can’t carry with you. We can’t guarantee to lock them up safely or keep them dry if it is raining.
	We provide refreshments, and there’s a drinking fountain at the Lot, but it’s a good idea to bring your own re-usable water bottle to take with you to the worksite. Single-use plastic water bottles are discouraged.
	We work rain or shine!If it is raining we may take cover under a canopy and work on refurbishing tools or potting up plants in our nursery, and run out to the creek if the weather clears. Bring raingear.
	Questions?: Contact Jenny Blaker, Outreach Coordinator, at jenny@creeks.cotati.info or (707) 792 4422. For last-minute questions or directions on the workday, contact Wade Belew, Stewardship Coordinator, at (707) 694 0586.

Thank you, and we look forward to working with you!

Directions

Map (please read the above guidelines before arriving at the planting day ~ thanks!)

Thanks to over 3,000 volunteers we have planted, mulched, staked, pruned, and maintained well over 2,000 native trees and shrubs along a 1-mile section of the Laguna de Santa Rosa channel, planted hundreds of native grasses and sedges, and potted up hundreds of plants for future plantings.

Thank YOU!

Read more about our achievements to date!

©2009~gaiabee design