OUR VISION

The East Bay Hills were once rich with biodiversity. Towering oak forests and colorful native grasslands abundant with vibrant wildflowers carpeted the hills, harboring life ranging from powerful carnivors to microscopic soil bacteria. However, several centuries of overgrazing, urbanization and large scale deforestation, has stripped the hills of this beauty, as riparian habitats, native forests, and endemic grasslands have slowly dissappeared.

Our vision is to restore some of this lost biodiversity. We are working to bring back our beautiful varieties of oaks along with other native trees, such as the Fremont Cottonwood, Red Bud, Western Sycamore, and more, while also working to restore native grasses and shrubs. We hope that our efforts aid endangered species, such as the golden raptors, mountain lions, Tule Elk, and many others, in finding our hills habitable once again.

Our project takes place in the 267 acres of hills owned by the Masonic Retirement Home and our aim is to fully reforest this area with the help of our many dedicated volunteers. A large part of this effort is extensive composting, which ingeniously utilizes the 2 tons of food-waste produced by the Masonic Retirement Home residents per week using a large onsite in-vessel composter.

Carefuly restoring these woodlands will return essential nutrients to the soil, increase habitats for native wildlife, and reduce our carbon footprint, while simultaneuosly educating the public and young students about the wonders of our environment.