Members of Grassroots Ecology, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the city of Los Altos gathered Thursday to mark the culmination of work along the Manresa Trail at Redwood Grove Nature Preserve in Los Altos.
The Palo Alto-based nonprofit Grassroots Ecology led efforts to remove invasive plants and revegetate with native species along the trail, which runs parallel to Adobe Creek. Valley Water contributed a five-year, $150,753 grant with funds from its voter-approved Safe, Clean Water, and Natural Flood Protection Program.
Junko Bryant, co-executive director of Grassroots Ecology, noted how the longer-term project contributed to its success.
“You’ll see the plants are really establishing – that extra time and care that we’ve been able to provide has been really great,” she said.
Grassroots Ecology, which has managed restoration at Redwood Grove since 2009, led staff and volunteers in ridding the area of detrimental vegetation like Algerian ivy. Used as groundcover in residential areas, the ivy thrives in woodlands, crowding out native plants and threatening the ecosystem. In its place grew a variety of natives, such as California goldenrod and achillea millefolium.
Last week’s event included a trail tour and descriptions of the work involved. Participants included Los Altos City Councilmember Lynette Lee Eng, Valley Water District 7 director Rebecca Eisenberg and Manny Hernandez, the city’s parks and recreation director. Both Lee Eng and Eisenberg praised Grassroots Ecology and its work.
The work to extract invasive species and grow 1,500 native plants along Adobe Creek involved an estimated 700 volunteers across numerous groups, including the De Anza College Women’s March Club; Dream Volunteers; Google employees; Grassroots Ecology summer interns and youth stewards; Grove Guardians; Gunn High School students; HandsOn Tomorrow; INSEAD alumni; the Rotary Club of Los Altos; Menlo School faculty; the Mountain View Los Altos High School District’s Advancement Via Individual Determination program; the National Charity League; NetApp; the San Jose Conservation Corps; Service League of Boys; St. Andrew’s School students; St. Simon School students; and Young Men’s Service League.
Redwood Grove is located at 482 University Ave.
For more information on Redwood Grove, visit tinyurl.com/35ysfw35.
For more information on Grassroots Ecology, visit grassrootsecology.org.
