The Bay Institute Aquarium Foundation Becomes the New Steward of the EcoCenter!

The Bay Institute Aquarium Foundation officially became the new tenant of the EcoCenter! We have much to look forward to under their stewardship in collaboration with City College of San Francisco and the A. Phillip Randolph Institute. Stay turned for new programs and events to take place in the year ahead.

Chinatown Community Development Center Seniors Tour the EcoCenter in Cantonese

Today we gave our first tour in Cantonese! The EcoCenter's Wendy Kwong together with Volunteer Electrician Tong Woo led a tour for about 30 seniors from the Chinatown Community Development Center. The seniors had just toured the Southeast Wastewater Treatment plant and stopped at the EcoCenter to have lunch and to learn about our onsite-wastewater treatment system with constructed wetland. A few photos from the day follow.

Second Greenagers Graduation Held at the EcoCenter

Today the second cohort of Greenagers held their graduation ceremony at the EcoCenter.  It was a beautiful day so the ceremony followed by lunch was held outdoors on the back patio. The Greenagers program was launched by SF Rec and Park in the spring of 2012 and consists of 12 freshman and sophmores who either live or go to a high school in the Southeast side of the city.  Greenagers met three Saturdays a month over the past nine months and engaged in habitat restoration activities including second Saturdays at Heron's Head Park.  Students also researched social and natural problems in several neighborhood parks.  They presented workshops to their peers about the issues they discovered and shared their ideas for potential solutions. Congratulations to tomorrow's Green Leaders.  See a photo of a eight of the graduates below.

CCSF's Sustainability 91 Applied Research in Sustainability returns to the EcoCenter for the 4th time!

Now in its fourth semester, City College of San Francisco students with coursework completed in environmental science, ecology, native landscaping, alternative energy, environmental monitoring and/or other environmental and sustainability related curriculum enrolled in the work experience course to assist with stewardship of the EcoCenter, its landscape and Heron's Head Park. There are 17 students thus far who will volunteer their time an average of 8 hours per week over the 17 week semester. Over 65 students have participated in the course since its inception in January 2012, many of which have returned in subsequent semesters. Work completed is based on the needs of the EcoCenter combined with the expertise and interests of the students. Below is a photo of those students attending the orientation on Friday.

Heron's Head Park and the EcoCenter in 7X7SF

Heron's Head Park and the EcoCenter are described in the most recent issue of 7X7SF. Read the "Scenes of the City: Heron's Head Park" article by Joseph Schell by following this link - http://www.7x7.com/fitness-outdoors/scenes-city-herons-head-park#/18. Happy New Year from the EcoCenter.

SF STEM Academy students from International Studies Academy visit the EcoCenter

SF STEM Academy instructor Alyssa Rowatt and 10 students enrolled in the program from the International Studies Academy (ISA) High School on Potrero Hill participated in several programs at the EcoCenter in one very event filled Saturday.  The SF STEM Academy is an education and workforce development program geared towards increasing awareness and interest in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Led by former LEJ EcoCenter program manager Tracy Zhu together with EcoCenter staff and CCSF students, ISA youth were introduced to the history of Heron's Head Park and the environmental justice issues plaguing the Bayview Hunters Point community.  Study of wetland ecology was coupled with sampling plankton so the organisms could be further studied under the microscope and compared to those found in the EcoCenter's constructed wetland.  The students had a tour of the EcoCenter with opportunities to explore how the wastewater treatment and energy systems work by engaging in hands on activities that included a settling tank demonstration, using a solar panel to power a water fountain, and observing plankton from the bay and the constructed wetland under microscopes.  After a lunch break, students participated in a ethnobotany exercise to learn about the utility of many of our California native plants.

We look forward to these students returning and exploring in greater depth all that the sustainable systems at the EcoCenter have to offer related to STEM related fields and careers. We loved having them!

The EcoCenter is part of the Cities Alive Conference

The EcoCenter's living roof was part of the Cities Alive Conference today. The conference is put on by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. About 30 participants from all over the world toured some of the City's most beautiful living rooftops and walls and the EcoCenter's roof was one of the first stops. Awie Smit who was one of the principal builders of the living roof at the EcoCenter lead the tour/discussion of the rooftop and Peggy and CCSF student interns gave a tour of the facility.