protect natives, prevent wildfires
Our fierce protectiveness of the environment drives us to make a tangible difference in the East Bay. Through weekly work parties and other community events, we protect native wildlife and actively prevent wildfires.
What we do
protect native wildlife
We’ve identified countless native plants in the Hillside Natural Area and are working actively to encourage their growth. Native plants prevent soil erosion, are typically more resistant to wildfires than invasives, and encourage biodiversity. They are also beautiful! Imagine the Hillside covered in a superbloom of orange poppies and purple lupines, rather than the dry invasive vegetation of today.
prevent wildfires
Third spaces are increasingly important—our weekly work parties are a restorative third space to unplug, destress, and work with our hands. Volunteers connect not only with the earth, but also other volunteers. We are poets, students, retired professors, and tech workers from varying backgrounds.
This is a zero-cost community where you can come and go as your schedule allows. Some of us volunteer weekly, while others join only on Earth Day. We accommodate all abilities and ages.
We believe that caring for our community is intrinsically human, and caring for our public spaces should not be outsourced to the government or corporations.
build community
We tackle highly flammable plants such as french broom, creating fuel breaks, and removing other debris that could worsen wildfires. This work has been performed in close partnership with the El Cerrito Fire Department.
The 2025 wildfires of Altadena and Pacific Palisades could easily happen in El Cerrito. Decades of citizen stewardship have helped prevent that level of destruction thus far—it’s up to us to protect our homes and community.
Sign up for our newsletter
We have two newsletters:
Weekly Work Party Updates (sent 1x weekly)
A short weekly email with information about where we’re meeting, when to show up, and what to bring for upcoming volunteer events.
Monthly Impact Newsletter (sent ~1x monthly)
A monthly recap with project progress, stories from the field, fun facts about native plants, and ways to stay involved.
We look forward to connecting with you!