We are so excited that our Redwood Circle in the Bernal Heights Living Library Nature Walk at the south side of St. Mary’s Park circling Alemany Farm near the currently hidden Islais Creek, is very healthy and growing ! 

John Miller from SF Recreation & Park Department (RPD), and I, found, purchased, and planted four gorgeous boulders on July 18, to help define the entrance to the Redwood Circle planted with California Native Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens).  Funds from our grant with California Strategic Growth Council were used.

This Living Library Nature Walk is a prototype, narrative, ecological landscape transformation, that could be occurring throughout the whole Islais Creek Watershed, the largest watershed in San Francisco, that interconnects eleven neighborhoods.  In Bernal Heights, this Nature Walk is connecting multiple schools, parks, public housing, streets, and other open spaces calling attention to the Watershed, the Islais Creek, and diverse native species of plants and wildlife. Two days later, on July 20th, we hosted two volunteer groups to plant the entrance area, and add native riparian understory plants in our Redwood Circle plant community, as well as some large Dogwood trees (Cornus nuttallii) and native shrubs on the nearby hillside.  Our plant palette included a few varieties of Dogwood, California Rose, Sword Ferns, Wild Ginger, Redwood Sorrel, Woodland Strawberries, Huckleberry, and other species. It is beautiful !

Young Adults from Jewish Community Federation began the morning planting, and the NYC  YMCA Global Teens High School Students representing every NYC Borough, participated in the PM Volunteer Group, along with Bonnie Ora Sherk, Founder & Director of A.L.L., Craig Heckman of the Alemany Farm’s Native Area Group, Jasmine Woo, our Summer Nature Walk Intern, Brian from RPD, and Yiwen Gong who came from Yale University to participate ! 

Everyone had a fantastic time, and hundreds of native plants were planted.  Our Redwood Landscape is growing and becoming a more lush environment!  Have a look !

And, then the PM Group, the NYC High School Students came to the site, and finished all the planting !  A great day and a beautiful transformation !  The Redwood Circle is so beautiful and a wonderful place for respite !!!  It is our natural cathedral in the Bernal Heights Living Library Nature Walk in St. Mary’s Park ! 

Thank you all, for your generous help and contribution to growing the Living Library Nature Walk  !!!