More Native Trees
(Burrowing Owl Update Below)
The Native Pollinator Habitat project moved into its final tree planting phase today, with members of Civicorps digging holes and preparing the site for additional native evergreens furnished by the City of Berkeley for the site. Torrey Pines and Monterey Cypress in five-gallon planters went into the ground in the Native Plant Area. Bob Huttar, a certified arborist and a director of the Chavez Park Conservancy, supervised the work. Grants from the County of Alameda Fish and Game Commission and from East Bay Community Energy are financing the project.
Meanwhile, Park maintenance foreman Kevin Kierce, with help from Marina Landscape Superintendent Jacob Several, installed a new hose faucet on the water fountain fixture near the picnic area just northeast of the Native Plant Area. This fixture is the only source of water currently available for irrigating the newly set plants. The historic irrigation system, pieces of which can be seen at various spots in the area, broke down long ago. With the new faucet, supplying our watering hoses will be much more steady and reliable. The spring-loaded faucet for the dog water dish remains in place. The new faucet has a removable handle to prevent unauthorized users from keeping the valve open. Watering the new plant babies, every two weeks or so, until they are established, is essential to ensure their survival. Look for signup sheets for watering responsibilities soon.
The drinking fountain fixture showing the new faucet with removable handle.
Burrowing Owl Update
The Burrowing Owl could not be seen this morning. Both its usual perches, Perch A next to the California Poppy bush, and Perch B, near the big Fennel bush, were vacant, and scanning other likely owl settlement spots proved in vain. The owl has taken “days off” previously, so there is at this point no cause for alarm. Watch this space tomorrow for further updates.
