June 2021
A group of people in high visibility vests lean over to pull weeds alongside a paved road
Volunteers pull stinkwort (Dittrichia graveolens) from McNabney Marsh in 2019. Photo: Friends of Alhambra Creek.
Partner Profile: Friends of Alhambra Creek

Friends of Alhambra Creek (FoAC) was established in 1991 in the City of Martinez by a group of volunteers who wanted to ensure the care of Alhambra Creek and the greater Alhambra Creek Watershed. FoAC has promoted and participated in local creek projects and habitat enhancement since its inception.

Working with the City of Martinez, the Martinez Unified School District, Mt. View Sanitary District, the National Park Service, and the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, FoAC has successfully removed patches of giant reed (Arundo donax), broadleaved pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium), stinkwort (Dittrichia graveolens), Mexican feathergrass (Stipa tenuissima), and other invasive plants from Alhambra Creek, a local housing development, and nearby marsh lands. Eradicating these species from the Watershed will be an uphill battle, but FoAC is up for the challenge. For the last three years, FoAC has been removing stinkwort from McNabney Marsh with noticeable results. This year, it was satisfyingly difficult to find stinkwort at the marsh!

One of FoAC’s notable projects is the Alhambra Native Plant Trail — a series of small California native pollinator gardens that were installed in formerly neglected, weedy areas. The first of these gardens was installed in 2010, and since then, the Trail has blossomed into 18 gardens located throughout Martinez. Every Monday, FoAC volunteers work to maintain the gardens, and weed management makes up a large part of that ongoing maintenance.

For more information, please visit FoAC’s webpage and FoAC’s Facebook Page.
Learn more invasive plants at the Cal-IPC 30-Year Anniversary Symposium, Oct. 26-29, 2021
Join us to connect, celebrate, and share knowledge. Our online platform has plenty of opportunities for interaction while keeping costs down for attendees.
 
Featuring:
·   Session talks, discussion groups, poster sessions, and opportunities to connect with sponsors and colleagues.
·   Statewide WMA Meeting
·   Herbicide Laws & Regulations
·   Early Career Panel
·   Exhibitor Gallery
 
Early Bird rates end Aug. 20. Don't wait!
Composite image of a woman in a face mask crouched to pull weeds a man in a hard hat reaching up to grab Arundo a group of people with a smiling woman in the lead hauling trash bags and a person scaling the side of a cliff
We are a diverse community of land managers. Photos (left to right): Emily Repech, American Conservation Experience, Michael Viramontes, Aaron Echols
Join Cal-IPC to support wildland volunteers across the state!
Cal-IPC is proud to bring you free wildland volunteer training sessions, resources, and connections to the weed warrior community.

Help us keep up the good work by joining as a member. Your member support makes it all possible!
A woman in a sunhat and pink shirt pulls weeds from a wire fence
Photo: Friends of Alhambra Creek
Find more Wildland Volunteer Network resources online
Looking for more ways to connect? Find resources on the Wildland Volunteer Network section of Cal-IPC's website:

  • Online map of Bay Area volunteer projects
  • Organizations to volunteer with, sorted by county*
  • Archive of email newsletters with partner profiles

*You may need to check organizational websites to confirm if volunteer programs have restarted.
A group of people in high visibility vests walk scattered a long a paved roadway to pull weeds.
Photo: Friends of Alhambra Creek.
The Wildland Volunteer Network helps strengthen volunteer connections in the Bay Area and beyond. Learn more about WVN.