Grassroots Ecology

DESCRIPTION:THE REDWOOD CITY URBAN CREEK REGREENING PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE ECOLOGICAL AND COMMUNITY VALUE OF THREE DEGRADED URBAN CREEK SITES IN REDWOOD CITY BY REMOVING INVASIVE TREES AND PLANTS AND INSTALLING NATIVE PLANTS THAT PROVIDE ECOLOGICAL AND WATER QUALITY BENEFITS AS WELL AS INCREASES FLOOD MITIGATION AND BIODIVERSITY. RESTORATION ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSERVED STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES OF REDWOOD CITY AND NORTH FAIR OAKS. THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $770,823. PRE-AWARD COSTS ARE APPROVED BACK TO 3/1/2024. SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. ACTIVITIES:TO IMPLEMENT THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN (CCMP), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NUESTRA CASA, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO PROVIDE HANDS-ON AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND EARLY CAREER INDIVIDUALS TO ENGAGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. ENGAGEMENT WITH SCHOOLS WILL INCLUDE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, AND OUTREACH (WITH NUESTRA CASA LEADING OUTREACH TO UNDERSERVED AREAS OF REDWOOD CITY AND NORTH FAIR OAKS); THIS PROJECT ALSO AIMS TO EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE RAMAYTUSH OHLONE TO COLLABORATE ON PROJECT PLANNING AND INTERPRETIVE ELEMENTS. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE WORKFORCE TRAINING THROUGH SKILL-BUILDING AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNS AND CALCORPS MEMBERS AND HIRE SAN JOSE CONSERVATION CORPS CREWS TO RESTORATION WORK EXPERIENCE. THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDES HABITAT RESTORATION ACTIVITIES ON CORDILLERAS CREEK AT THE REDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AND ALONG REDWOOD CREEK PATH. THE WORK INCLUDES REMOVAL OF HERBACEOUS INVASIVE TREES, PLANTS AND WEEDS, INSTALLATION OF NATIVE PLANTS, AND ENGAGING RESIDENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS IN HABITAT RESTORATION, CREEK CLEANUPS, SITE MAINTENANCE, AND MONITORING. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARD WILL ENABLE PROJECT PARTNER TO ENGAGE LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL INCLUDE OUTREACH TO UNDERSERVED AREAS OF REDWOOD CITY AND NORTH FAIR OAKS. OUTCOMES:INTENDED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE THE RECRUITMENT OF 16 INTERNS AND THE TRAINING OF APPROXIMATELY 50 CONSERVATION CORPS MEMBERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP; THE ACQUISITION AND MONITORING OF SUBAWARD TO PROJECT PARTNER NUESTRA CASA; THE CREATE OF EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH MATERIALS, INCLUDING A PROJECT WEBPAGE; THE RESTORATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1,400 LINEAR FEET OF CREEK HABITAT THAT WILL INCLUDE REMOVAL OF INVASIVE FLORA AND THE PLANTING OF ROUGHLY 750 NATIVE PLANTS AND 40 TREES. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES INCLUDE IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS ON SEGMENTS OF CORDILLERAS CREEK, REDWOOD CREEK, AND A TRIBUTARY OF REDWOOD CREEK BY REMOVING INVASIVE TREES AND PLANTS, AND INSTALLING NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND UNDERSTORY PLANTS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND EARLY CAREER INDIVIDUALS TO ENGAGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THE CORDILLERAS REDWOOD CREEK TRAIL, NAMELY NORTH FAIR OAKS, AND STUDENTS AT REDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.