The student interns of the Strawberry Creek Restoration Program Alessandra Lucchesi and Loulou Ziegler will be teaching a DeCal course during the Fall 2024 semester. The DeCal, titled “Restoring Strawberry Creek: The Vital Role of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Rehabilitation,” will take students through the history of Strawberry Creek and its restoration story and work with students to complete restoration activities on campus.
Every single day UC Berkeley students walk past Strawberry Creek on their way to class, yet the history and importance of Strawberry Creek are not commonly known. For example, did you know that UC Berkeley was established where it stands today because of Strawberry Creek? The University's founders saw the creek's potential as a natural resource.
Strawberry Creek was once a place for bathing, fishing, and gathering for the Lisjan Ohlone people. Colonization and urbanization have radically changed the ecosystem of the creek and Lisjan Ohlone people’s access to it, yet Strawberry Creek and its surrounding land are still vitally important to Ohlone people, and activism is ongoing. In March 2024, part of the land where there was once a sacred shellmound in West Berkeley was returned to the Sogera Te Land Trust thanks to activist efforts.
Strawberry Creek stands as a success story in urban creek restoration. Historically, sewage was discharged to Strawberry Creek. From the 1930s to 1988, there were no traces of fish swimming in the creek. Yet in the 1980s, thanks to UC Berkeley Master’s student Bob Charbonneau and the UC Berkeley Environmental Health and Safety Department, the Strawberry Creek Restoration Program was established. They found and diverted discharges from going into the creek, built natural areas of California native plants, and created other natural structures in the creek that would diminish erosion and provide habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates. In 1988, native fish were successfully reintroduced to the creek! So those little guppies you may spy on in the creek are big deals and a sign of a healthy creek ecosystem! This history and more will be delved into deeper in our upcoming DeCal.
Restoration is an ongoing effort, and it’s important to remember the necessity of maintenance work when it comes to restoration projects. Thus, the DeCal will be focused on getting outside and doing the work. Activities like picking up trash, planting native plants, and pulling invasive species will not only help keep our creek clean, but educate students on what goes into restoring ecosystems, and how to complete projects of their own.
The decal is 1 unit and meets Tuesdays 5-6:30 pm in Dwinelle 206. The course number is ESPM 27756. For all Berkeley students interested in learning more about restoration and our local creek, we invite you to join our DeCal! Here is the link to it on the DeCal website: https://decal.studentorg.berkeley.edu/courses/7585