It hardly seems a welcoming environment for birds and butterflies.

But a thin strip of earth between the parking lot and the street offers some refuge. The tiny garden, planted on a formerly litter-strewn patch by staff from the Unity Council and neighborhood volunteers, is now on its way to being certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

A carpet of California native and other drought tolerant plants is thriving in the plot surrounded by a colorful wooden fence. The phrases "El agua es sagrada" and "water is sacred" are painted on the rails.

In the spring, the patch is a riot of color as California poppies and other wildflowers bloom. Pavers that read "Cesar Chavez, our hero" are embedded in the soil.

"Any time we are working out here people drive by and honk their horns, yell 'hooray' from their cars and get really excited," said Emy Mendoza of the Unity Council.

The garden was started almost two years ago with a grant from the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program, said Jennifer Miller of the Unity Council. The native plants require little water and no pesticides.

Jennifer Kassan of the council's Main Street Program said she got the idea for the plantings after hearing about a tiny garden in the median of a strip mall parking lot near Chabot College in Hayward.

"I thought if they could do it, we could too," she said.

The Fruitvale is the most densely populated area of the city, but has the least amount of open space, according to the Unity Council. Miller said the community garden is the first in the area to be certified -- though there may be some certified backyard habitats.

The National Wildlife Federation offers certification for community, schoolyard and back yard gardens that provide the basic elements for wildlife to survive: food, water, shelter and places for the creatures to raise their young. A new birdbath in the Fruitvale garden completed the requirements.

Miller said she will post the official certificate when it arrives. That will help educate the community about the garden's importance and keep litter and graffiti out, she hopes.

In the winter when the plants are dormant, the garden may be easy to miss. Carlos Plazola -- an aide to Council President Ignacio De La Fuente (San Antonio-Fruitvale), who knows the ins and outs of the neighborhood -- was surprised to be told that median strip will be an official habitat.

"What, here?" asked Plazola, who was driving by.

A man waiting for work in the parking lot, who gave his first name as Hector, said he hadn't really paid much attention to the garden.

"I didn't notice it, but it is nice to have something green," he said in Spanish.

Kragen Auto parts offers water and the land for the garden, but all the planting and upkeep is done by volunteers.

"We are happy it's here," said Kragen manager Veronica Del Rio. "It does make the place look a lot better than it used to."

To volunteer in the garden, contact the Unity Council at (510) 535-6932.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
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