 Shell Oil Products/Martinez Refinery volunteers intended to provide future shade from the scorching summer heat for the young sprinters and jumpers at Alhambra High’s track and field by planting indigenous plants and trees in the surrounding hills in November 2003.
Now, as the Martinez community begins to clean up and rebuild from the most devastating wildfire in 20 years, Shell volunteers returned to the charred hills to nurture the surviving plants and trees. "It's sad to see, but we're here to put it back and see it beautiful once again," said Gary Fredrickson, an inspector for Shell's pressure equipment integrity group.
The team reinstalled the 1,000 feet of drip irrigation hosing used to hydrate the young shrubs and trees, which was left a twisted mess after the June 25 fire. "We worked really hard; however, there's nothing much you can do about Mother Nature," said Janis Snarr, Shell administrator and project organizer.
Jack Battle, an inspector for Shell's pressure equipment integrity group, was working on the site to ensure that the seedlings planted last fall will prosper so his young children might one day see them as large trees.
While it is unknown how many of them will survive, as young plants are more vulnerable to fire than mature specimens, the volunteers hope the young 4-foot seedlings had enough time to establish the deep roots needed to survive.
Naturally occurring wildfires are characteristic of Martinez and the central Contra Costa County region. As a result, many plants – including drought-resistant trees - have also developed fire-resistant traits and, as Laura Hanson with Berkeley-based Watershed Nursery explains, are dependent on fire to germinate. "We're hoping they'll make a comeback, so we're making a push right now," said Igor Skaredoff, a former Shell engineer, frequent volunteer and organizer of the Friends of Alhambra Creek.
Watershed Nursery partnered with Shell to provide the plants and trees for the area, including those planted last November, and plans to replace any trees that do not survive. “Some plants need fire to break the dormancy of the seedcoat. It's called scarification," Hanson said. "Others like pinecones will stay closed until exposed to fire. As far as sagebrush, it's not the fire itself, it is the char, the burned plant material, when that's added to soil, it aids germination."
In the meantime, volunteers continue to irrigate and monitor the plants' progress.
Steve Lesher, manager of sustainable development and public affairs for the Martinez Refinery, summed up the volunteer effort well, “Thank you for taking such a strong leadership role during a critical time for the Martinez community. Your initiative exemplifies our goal of being a positive force in our local community.”
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