Founded by Cindy Spring of Montclair and Sandra Lewis of Oakland, Close to Home offers an informative, stimulating and accessible program about the natural history of the East Bay and provides real hands-on experiences with the plants, wildlife and watershed of our incredibly rich and dynamic bioregion.

This year, Close to Home brought together a diverse group of people who shared a curiosity and love for all that is in nature, yet joined for very different reasons: some were seeking more information about nature, others were outraged at our unconscious abuse of it, needed a sense of personal renewal, wanted to share experiences with a friend, meet people or develop a greater sense of community.

"Together, we learned about interdependence with nature and the importance of being good stewards of its bounty," Spring said.

Talks are held on the second Monday evening of each month at Montclair Presbyterian Church; they set the stage for the upcoming Saturday outing. During the first year, we saw slide shows, movies, even an environmental dance -- all presented by expert naturalists, geologists and conservationists, who love their work and enjoy sharing their passion with others. We learned about the natural and political history of Mount Diablo and the Bay region, the health of our waterways, the benefits of organic farming, the geologic origins of the San Francisco Bay, and what we share with the area's historic peoples in the use and preservation of the land.

"Close to Home is based on our understanding that cherishing the unique and wondrous natural features of the East Bay is an essential part of belonging to our home place," said a Lewis.

The monthly Saturday outings have been wonderful: we transplanted seedlings of pickleweed and gumplant, sea lavender and alkali heath for the San Leandro Bay; we canoed quietly along Arrowhead Marsh to see nesting waterfowl that included godwits, terns, willets and great blue herons; we received the blessing of an Ohlone medicine man at Coyote Hills Regional Park; we walked in a light spring rain along Mitchell Canyon and were dazzled at the abundance of wild flowers, such as lupines, wind poppies and Chinese houses, and birds like the golden eagle, warblers and chaparral birds, like spotted towhees and California thrashers; we were bused to the Delta to marvel at the 15 million-year-old migration of sand hill cranes and kites, and the Northern Shoveler at sunset; we harvested vegetables, including summer squash, tomato, carrot and lettuce warmed in the noonday sun for our lunch at an organic farm in Clayton.

The natural wonders are now landmarks, no longer hidden in plain view among the concrete landmarks of daily commuting. We have been re-awakened to the awe and delight that surround us, and see more clearly how we are connected to this incredible wilderness where we are just visitors -- and it's so close to home.

The year-long program is co-sponsored by the Oakland Museum of California, BayNature magazine, Earthlight magazine and the EcoStewards of Montclair Presbyterian Church.

Contra Costa Times
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