Our first teacher workshop at California Nursery Historical Park, Fremont was held on Saturday, April 27, 2013.   This workshop marked the first workshop that explored the historical and scientific significance of this site and how it is connected to the Masonic Home Oak Reforestation Project in Union City.    The workshop was funded by Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK).    The presenters were David Stronck, PhD a professor science education at California State University, East Bay and Joyce Blueford, Ph.D, a geologist from the Math Science Nucleus.

The workshop began at the California Nursery in Fremont.  Dr Joyce Blueford described the California Nursery where young oak trees and other native plants are receiving care and being prepared for planting in the reforestation project in Union City.  She provided a tour of the California Nursery showing the historical buildings and their significance to California agriculture and horticulture since the 1830’s.  The Vallejo Adobe was a wheat granary and considered the oldest commercial building in Alameda County.  The Packing Shed and Experimental Orchards explored the use of the railroads in delivering products to Western United States and Central and South America. 

David Stronck led the teachers attending the workshop in doing activities related to understanding trees and planting trees, i.e., activities of Project Learning Tree.  Each participant received a copy of the Activity Guide of Project Learning Tree, and a book on Endangered Species of California.  Participants also received many other handouts, including articles, and selected another book from a collection of related books donated by David Stronck.  The free lunch and snacks were provided through the grant from PDK International.

 The workshop ended with a tour of the reforestation project on the 200 acres of undeveloped land at the Masonic Retirement Homes in Union City.  Already more than 200 trees have been planted there to begin the process of restoring the ancient forest dominated by the California Live Oak.  The participants viewed an in-vessel composter that converts 2 tons of food waste into pre-compost which in 2 months becomes useable compost to be used with the newly planted trees.