Grassroots Ecology became an independent organization in 2016 after many years as the Land Stewardship Program of Acterra. Our story is bound up with other prominent environmental organizations in our area, including the Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation and Bay Area Action. It’s a rich history—dating all the way back to 1970—of people coming together to collaborate on urgent environmental issues of the time, then transforming in response to shifting needs.

Back when we were the Land Stewardship Program, we started off small—focusing on one nature preserve and one watershed. Over the next two decades, we evolved into a multi-faceted constellation of programs engaging over 10,000 people a year across the entire Silicon Valley region.

MILESTONES

2018 — Grassroots Ecology approved as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity.

2018 — Launch of our Redwood Creek restoration project in downtown Redwood City.

2017 — Edgewood Park and Nature Preserve becomes one of our restoration sites.

2016 — The Land Stewardship Program of Acterra becomes Grassroots Ecology.

2016 — Addition of our Hendrys Creek restoration site in Los Gatos.

2016 — First year of our California Naturalist Certification Program in partnership with the UC Cooperative Extension. We train and graduate our first class of 26 California Naturalists.

2016 — Start of our Greening Urban Watersheds Program to improve stormwater infrastructure in Palo Alto.

2015 — First year of our water pollution prevention school outreach program in partnership with the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant.

2015 — Addition of new restoration sites at Russian Ridge and Hawthorns in partnership with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

2014 — Adoption of new restoration sites in Los Altos Hills Open Space Preserves. First year of offering our Stulsaft Stewards after-school program at Stulsaft Park.

2013 — Start of our East Palo Alto baylands restoration project and our Foothills Park restoration project in Palo Alto.

2013 — Expansion of our creek monitoring program in San Francisquito, Matadero, Barron, and Adobe Creeks.

2013 — First convening of our Peninsula/South Bay Watershed Forum.

2012 — Integration of the Stevens and Permanente Creek Watershed Council and start of our Community Science water quality monitoring program.

2012 — Launch of habitat restoration projects at Permanente Creek on Google Campus, and at Stevens Creek at McClellan Ranch in Cupertino.

2009 — Launch of our Redwood Grove restoration project.

2007 — Launch of our Stulsaft Park restoration project in Redwood City, and integration of the San Francisquito Watershed Project.

2005 — The Arastradero Stewardship Project expands to become the Acterra Stewardship Program. Adoption of our Native Plant Nursery, first started by the San Francisquito Watershed Project.

2000 — The Peninsula Conservation Center merges with Bay Area Action to become Acterra. One of Acterra’s flagship projects is the Arastradero Stewardship Program.

1997 — Bay Area Action partners with the City of Palo Alto to launch the Arastradero Stewardship Program at the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto.

1993 — The Peninsula Conservation Center launches the San Francisquito Watershed Project to protect and restore the watershed.

1990 — Founding of Bay Area Action, an environmental education and action nonprofit.

1970 — Founding of the Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation, dedicated to conserving bayland and foothill ecosystems.