RSVP - Herpetology Walk and Spring Bird Walks | Earth Day Volunteer Event! | What's in bloom?
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New and returning Cal students pose for a photo in Garber Park's Fern Glade after a rewarding day of removing eucalyptus debris and clearing ferns from ivy | Photo by Wyllie Clayson (April 2024).
Celebrate Earth Day with theGarber Park Stewards! This will be a fun volunteer event focusing on helping Garber Park's native habitat and lowering fire fuels to make the park more fire-safe. Volunteers will work towards freeing native ferns from invasive ivy, raking the main trails to make them more accessible, and removing larger fallen tree branches off-site. The stewards will also work towards filling up a large 20-yard green waste dumpster with this debris. Meet at the Evergreen Lane entrance to the park.
All fitness levels are welcome. Tools and gloves will be provided. Wear long sleeves and pants, sun protection, and sturdy shoes. Bring a water bottle. If have any questions or your group would like to volunteer contact the stewards at gpstewards@gmail.com.
A young and curious Ensatina eschscholtzii xanthoptica was found under a log on an amphibian walk led by Isaac Krone (holding the Ensantina) | Photo by Wyllie Clayson (March 2026).
What's under the log? Sunday, April 19 from 10am-12pm
Join us for a herpetology walk in Garber Park as we learn how to look for salamanders and other amphibians living in the park. Get to know Garber Park from the perspective of our amphibian friends! The walk will be led by Isaac Krone, an educator, an evolutionary and comparative biologist and a herpetologist, currently working in Jim McGuire’s Lab at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in the department of Integrative Biology (IB) at UC Berkeley. Isaac has freely available research—please see his publications page to learn more.
We will meet at the Evergreen Lane entrance to the park, across 136 Evergreen Lane, Berkeley, CA 94705. Google Maps Link. Parking is limited, but there is residential parking and additional parking at the Claremont Avenue entrance to the park.
Please note: heavy rain cancels. There are no bathrooms in the park but there are bathrooms available for customers at the Peet's coffee (2916 Domingo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705), so consider stopping to use the restroom here before joining the group.
A Northern (Red-Shafted) Flicker spotted resting on an oak branch | Photo by Jeffery Martin (August 2025).
Save your spot! Sunday, April 26 from 7:30am-11:30am (meet at 7:15am)
If you missed our winter Woodpecker Walk, join Jeff Martin, Conservancy member, wildlife educator, naturalist, videographer, and woodpecker enthusiast, as we look for woodpeckers foraging in the Canyon. Jeff will lead us on a route through the territories of six regularly occurring woodpecker species. We will learn where to look for them, how to identify them, and observe their foraging habits. We will surely see other year-round resident birds.
This event is limited to ten participants—please contact us at info@claremontcanyon.org to sign up for this walk (or by clicking the button below). Exact location to be determined and emailed to participants several days prior to the event. Bring binoculars if you have one. Heavy rain cancels.
Calling all bird enthusiasts! Saturday, May 2nd from 7:30am-10:30am (meet at 7:15am)
Join Erica Rutherford and John Colbert, Conservancy members and long time birders, at our Spring Bird Walk. Erica and John will lead this event and help us look for birds that breed in the Canyon. We will search for year-round resident and migrant birds.
(Please RSVP) This event is limited to 15 participants—contact us at info@claremontcanyon.orgor fill out the short form to sign up for this walk. Exact location to be determined and emailed to participants several days prior to the event. Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have one. Rain cancels.
Top left: Bush Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus), bottom left: Tricolor gilia (Gilia tricolor), right: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) catkinsgrowing in Claremont Canyon | Photographed by Jeff Martin (March 2026).
Spring Blooms!
Springtime is here and native plants are in bloom. In Claremont Canyon, Coast Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) have been photographed showing off their yellow catkin clusters hanging from their branches. We are also seeing bush monkeyflowers (Diplacus aurantiacus) with their bright orange and yellow flowers, attracting pollinators like humming birds and native bees. Tricolor gilias (Gilia tricolor), one of our native annuals with soft purple hues on the edges of their petals, have also been identified swaying among the grasses while providing food for various insects.Visit our flora and fauna page to learn more about the plants and animals in the Canyon.
All levels of fitness are welcome! Wear sturdy shoes, dress in layers, and bring your favorite water bottle. Tools and gloves are provided.
Garber Park Stewards Saturday, April 18 and 22 on Earth Day 9am - 12pm Visit this 13-acre park and help restore its native wild habitat (we meet year-round). Meet at the Fireplacebelow the Evergreen Lane entrance (Map). For more informationor questionscontactWyllie.
Volunteer at Signpost 29 Saturday, April 25 10am - 12pm Join us at Signpost 29 for a day of restoration (1.5 miles up Claremont from the intersection of Ashby/Tunnel Rd.) as we work to restore and maintain pathways, remove invasive broom and collect litter. More information Here. Questions? Contact us at info@ClaremontCanyon.org.
Derby Canyon Stewardship "Take to the Hills" every Tuesday and Saturday at 9am Help restore native plants and maintain a popular trail! Weed invasive plants, plant seeds, and-if it comes to it-water native seedlings. Located in the small side canyon just north of Claremont Canyon, which is above the Clark Kerr campus. No prior experience needed. Gloves and tools are provided. ContactJim Rosenau or call at (510) 845-0106.
Hiking the Canyon
We would love to hear from our members and others who are out hiking or otherwise observing nature in the canyon. Send us your pictures at info@ClaremontCanyon.org and we will feature one each month.
Take to the Hillshas been working diligently to encourage native plant growth and their work has been quite successful. The photo above shows native Coastal Bush Lupines (Lupinus arboreus) and California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) growing abundantly in Derby Canyon | Photo by Jeff Martin (April 2026).
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Visit the Upper Canyon and enjoy a relaxing morning at the Claremont Canyon Conservancy bench by Signpost 29 | Photo by Ruby J. Soto Cardona (Late March 2025).
Trails are open
All trails are open and accessible throughout Claremont Canyon. The trails are muddy from all the rain so wear appropriate shoes and be extra careful. For maps and complete information on trails click here. You can also take a guided tour here. Please stay safe and take all items and pet waste out with you.
