Strawberry Hill Restoration Project

    What is the Strawberry Hill Restoration Project?

The recent public concern about the herbicide spraying of the hillside below the Gunn football field has resulted in two positive outcomes:

•  The school district has convened a subcommittee to draft an Integrated Pest Management Plan to reduce the use and toxicity of chemicals used for pest control, and
   
• The school district is participating in a joint effort with the Barron Park neighborhood association and Acterra, to plan and implement habitat restoration on Strawberry Hill.
  

    Community members, the Palo Alto school district, and the non-profit Acterra are working to plan the restoration project.  We hope not only to restore habitat for butterflies, birds and other wildlife, but also to create a demonstration garden, where Gunn students and the local community can learn about the benefits of gardening with native plants: reduced water use, increased habitat value for pollinators and other wildlife, and eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Strawberry Hill before stinkwort removal

 Strawberry Hill after stinkwork removal

More about Strawberry Hill

Strawberry Hill is open space between Bol Park and Gunn High School.  It is owned by Stanford and leased for use by the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD).  The district managed the land over the years to prevent fire, by mowing the weeds periodically.  In the winter of 2006, the district used herbicides to control the weeds.  Community members, and the non-profit Acterra, have developed this plan to help PAUSD manage the land through environmentally sound means and to involve teachers and students and community members in restoring the area to open space that will support wildlife such as birds and butterflies.  We hope to not only restore habitat, but also to create a demonstration garden, where Gunn students and the local community can learn about the benefits of gardening with native plants: reduced water use, increased habitat value for pollinators and other wildlife, and eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  Our vision also includes ensuring the land is safe, has minimal fire risk, and is economical to maintain.

Vision for the land:

1.    Land that is safe for students, neighbors, children, pets, wildlife.
2.    Fire resistant land, with minimal fuel such as dry grasses.
3.    Low cost maintenance.
4.    Improved aesthetics, fewer weedy plants and more attractive plants and defined pathways, possibly amenities such as benches, and interpretive signage.
5.    Native plants that provide the base of the food chain for wildlife, and provide habitat.
6.    Educational value for Gunn students and the larger community.

Steps to achieve this vision:

1.    Convene a Strawberry Hill Council to oversee effort.

Representatives from stakeholder groups (see f. below) will be members of a Strawberry Hill Council to review plans, budgets, raise funds, assist in recruiting and coordinating volunteers, and oversee implementation.  Members would seek replacements if necessary to assure sustainability of the project.  Members could include representatives from:
    a.       PAUSD
    b.    Gunn: administration (Tom Jacoubowsky) teachers, students
    c     Barron Park Neighborhood Association
d.    Acterra, coordinator and plant expert (others, such as PR, and grant writing, as needed)
e.    Parents and community volunteers
f.    California Native Plant Society
g.    City of Palo Alto, including park and rec and open space staff and fire department
h.    Santa Clara Valley Water District (by invitation to select meetings)
i.    Stanford faculty, students (to work with Gunn and possibly Terman students on ecological restoration research)

2.    Plan of physical layout, see map (currently in development) and see section 8 below.  

The general plan would be to start planting along the pathways, and over time work in to the middle, to reduce the area needing mowing.  The plants will be chosen for reduced flammability, and spaced such that they do not create hiding spaces and have gaps in any taller vegetation to stop potential fires from spreading.

3.    Plan for teacher/student/community involvement including educational component.  

For example, work with Gunn and possibly Terman teachers and other organizations to get youth involved, and to integrate the project into their curriculum.

4.    Coordinate with all potential stakeholders 

(e.g., Palo Alto Unified School District, neighbors, City of PA, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Hetch Hetchy, Stanford, Acterra, Gunn High School, Gunn Green Team, Environmental Club and Garden Club, teachers, Bol Park legacy, Youth Community Service)

5.    Costs and Savings (see attached budget). 

a.    Cost for coordination (through Acterra’s stewardship program)
b.    Cost for removing rubble (PAUSD)
c.    Cost for plants (funds raised by Strawberry Hill Council, or PAUSD)
d.    Cost for planting plants (none-done by volunteers)
e.    Cost for weeding (some by volunteers, mowing or flayling central area, to diminish over time, paid for by PAUSD.)
f.    Cost for water (PAUSD)
g.    Cost for outreach, e.g., printing costs, signage, etc.
h.    Cost for bench materials (possibly covered by Eagle scouts)
i.    Savings from not spraying
j.    Savings through use of volunteer work force.

6.    Raise funds for project:

a.    funds from PAUSD
b.    funds from community donations (District can set up fund through PIE for this purpose)
c.    grants from local businesses, foundations, other sources
d.    funds raised by Acterra to support coordinator’s salary, water tank truck, etc. (supplemented by a-c above)

7.    Outreach/publicity:  Strawberry Hill council will help to publicize efforts and successes:

a.    Work with science and art classes to develop interpretive signage and materials for students and the community.
b.    Write press releases/news items about project
c.    Students could make a documentary about the process to enter into the Green Light film festival next year.  Support may come from SCVWD, CPA, or Media Center.
d.    Make presentations to PAUSD board property committee and full board (as part of Sustainability Committee report)
e.    Hold open meeting for Gunn community and Barron Park neighbors to explain the challenge and invite their help (funds and volunteer labor and respect for new plantings)

8.    Coordinate physical effort:

a.    Remove par course and rubble (PAUSD)
b.    Install hose bib and locate place to store hoses (PAUSD)
c.    Weed and mulch (Acterra to coordinate volunteers)(PAUSD to do flayling one or more times in central area)
d.    Plant seeds and plants (Acterra to coordinate volunteers).  Start this fall after the first rains.  Begin with the perimeter (along bike paths) and move in over time. This will make the area needing mowing in one area, and will shrink over time.  See suggested plant list and costs attached.
e.    Install signage (Strawberry Hill Council will work with Gunn students on producing signage)
f.    Install benches
g.    Water (Acterra to coordinate volunteers) in long dry spells between storm events if necessary and occasionally through first two or three summers to increase the survival rate of new plants.
h.    Maintain site (Acterra to coordinate volunteers)

Take action

If you are interested in helping with this project, please email organizer Claire Elliott at clairee@acterra.org.