Clear Ice-Damaged Limbs from Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park

The ice storm of Feb. 1–3 brought down many limbs and even whole trees in Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park. City staff are overwhelmed. Let's do as much as volunteers can do to reduce their workload.

I will provide work gloves and tools—pole saws, pole pruners, bow saws, pruning saws, and loppers. We will:

• Remove any hanging limbs we can safely reach.
• Mark hanging limbs we cannot reach, to keep people from walking under them.
• Clean small branches from large logs.
• Consolidate piles of brush to be removed.
• Collect cleaned timber (at least the size of fenceposts) for use in later projects.
• We cannot use power tools—not even battery-operated saws.
• We must work only from the ground—no climbing trees!
• Participants must be at least 12 years old.

When we are done with an area, city staff will find only the work that requires chainsaws, bucket trucks, or other specialized equipment.

Dress for working in and with brush. In other words:

• Long pants.
• Sturdy, closed-toe shoes.
• Long-sleeved shirts. (My arms wish I has worn tougher shirts last weekend.)
• Work gloves. (Leather or tougher highly recommended.)
• Safety glasses highly recommended.
• Helmets highly recommended.

Finally, if you want to participate can’t start right at the beginning of the day’s event, sign up and come when you can. One hour’s work is better than none! You could message me to let me know you’ll be late.