Galindo Creek Field Station offers faculty with an area suitable for scientific research. As East Bay creeks have been seriously compromised by damming, stream bed alteration, dumping, the introduction of non-native plant species, and other consequences of urban development, creek restoration and continuous stewardship presents the university with a practical problem that requires practical solutions—one that provides faculty with an opportunity to engage their students in experiential learning.

CURRENT AND PAST PROJECTS

Wildlife Corridor Camera Trap Data Collection

June 2020 - present

Partners: Galindo Creek Field Station Coordinator, Sean Burke of Save Mount Diablo

A camera trap system set up through the Galindo Creek watershed and across the Cal State East Bay Concord Center will establish an understanding of the animals which utilize this urban rural interface as a wildlife corridor between Mt. Diablo and the City of Concord.

California Urban Streams Partnership Creek Restoration Workshop

January 2020

Partners: Galindo Creek Field Station Coordinator, Dr. Ann Riley of California Urban Streams Partnership, Arianna Topbjerg  of California Waterboards

California Urban Streams Project performed a creek restoration workshop for residents of Contra Costa County. Over 30 people participated in a classroom session followed with hands on experience. They learned how to utilize bioengineering methods as a solution to erosion control issues along a creek bed.

Working Lands Innovation Center — Catalyzing Negative Carbon Emissions

June 2019 - present

Faculty: Dr. Patty Oikawa

Partners: UC Davis, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Stanford University

The project's principal aim is to catalyze carbon dioxide (CO2) removal via demonstration and deployment of the most promising soil amendment technologies, thereby creating a suite of win-wins for crop yields, soil health, rangeland forage, and environmental quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. The research will be conducted on sites throughout the State of California, one of which is the Galindo Creek Field Station at Cal State East Bay Concord Center.

Carbon Sequestration Capacity of Trees at Cal State East Bay Concord Center's Galindo Creek Field Station

June 2019 - present

Partners: Galindo Creek Field Station Coordinator, NOAA PSEP

The Field Station Coordinator applied for the NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project grant to engage the community in work at the field station. The grant encompasses collecting data regarding the carbon sequestration capacity of the trees within the field station boundaries and additional work to be performed including planting of additional trees (Fall 2020) to increase the carbon storage capacity.

UC California Naturalist Certification Course

September – November 2019

Partners: Galindo Creek Field Station Coordinator, UC California Naturalist Melissa Solera

The Cal Nat program utilized the Galindo Creek Field Station for exercises during the certification course. Through this process, the field station became part of the Cal Academy of Sciences citizen science app iNaturalist. The database, which was created by the Cal Nat students, established an understanding of the biodiversity within the site and continues to develop as people utilize the iNaturalist app when visiting the field station.