Druid's Environmental Club
About
Explore this page to find out what our amazing Druid Club is doing and how you can help. We are focused on educating ourselves and the community on California native plants, restoration, and how all of us can help mitigate climate change!
History
The Druid's club has a long history at San Lorenzo High School. It was formed in 1994 by math teacher Alan Fishman when he noticed many trees being removed on campus and not replaced. He formed the club with the express objective of reforesting the San Lorenzo High School campus. Another teacher dubbed the group the “Druids,” since Druids were tree-worshipers. While the club members weren’t tree worshipers, they learned much about the value of trees, and gradually began to reforest the campus with California native trees. Over the next 25 years, the work expanded to encompass the larger community. For several years, Mr. Fishman also taught an academic course Environmental Leadership, that allowed students to delve more deeply into the ideas behind the club’s activities.
Overview
The club’s founding principles included “think globally, act locally,” and their work has been one of thoughtful, dedicated, and active local stewardship of their own environment.
The cornerstone of the club’s activities is the one-acre garden planted with California native plants. The garden was established in 1996 with the planting of the first eighteen trees (15 gallons) provided by Jim Brown, Arborist, through a grant from Alameda County Public Works. The Druids planted the remainder of the garden over the years and are carrying out the maintenance activities of pruning, watering, and mulching, after school and on weekends. Adjacent to the native plant garden is a nursery, founded in 1997 where the students propagate native plants for sale and for
planting on campus, both in the garden and elsewhere around the school.
The Druids have created and maintained the only student-created high school native plant garden in the Bay Area. Because of its age, it is now more properly called a forest, since it now contains many large mature trees that are source of enjoyment and pride for the whole school. In 2018, it was named “Fishman Forest” in honor of the retiring faculty member who started the garden.
Upcoming Events
This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services. To learn more about this effort visit: https://www.parksforcalifornia.org/project/22331/
We are a student club of San Lorenzo High, located at 50 Lewelling Blvd., San Lorenzo, CA 94580
What used to be a swimming pool is now the home to a California Native Plant Forest!
Contact us to learn more about the Druid's Program and work
Alli O'Brien, Environmental Kinship Coordinator
Barbara Cebrian-Paskell, Teacher and Druid's Advisor
