The Foundation relies on volunteer labor and member contributions to accomplish its goals. We are proud of what we've been able to achieve and so is the community. We have received recognition for some of our efforts over the years and been awarded several grants to help us achieve even better results.

Awards

Five of the six coalition partners present to receive the 2012 Poppy Award: Eliot Hudson (Acalanes Ridge Committee), Lesley Hunt (WCOSF), Linus Eukel (Muir Heritage Land Trust), Mayor Bob Simmons (Walnut Creek), and Mayor Carol Federighi (Lafayette). Not pictured: East Bay Regional Park District.

Walnut Creek Action for Beauty Council - Peg Kovar Poppy Award

October 16, 2012 - The Foundation received the Poppy Award from the Action for Beauty Council for our work on the acquisition of Acalanes Ridge. The Poppy Award is given only occasionally and only for environmental work. This project was a collaboration between WCOSF, the Acalanes Ridge Committee, Muir Heritage Land Trust, the City of Walnut Creek, the City of Lafayette, and the East Bay Regional Park District.

October 17, 2011 - The Foundation received the first-ever Peg Kovar Poppy Award for the Oak Habitat Restoration Project.

Walnut Creek Action for Beauty Council - Special Recognition

Lesley Hunt accepting the 2012 Special Recognition on behalf of the Foundation for our efforts at Bayberry Pond in Lime Ridge.

October 16, 2012 - The Foundation received a Special Recognition Award for our work at the Bayberry Pond Restoration Site in Lime Ridge. This is an ongoing habitat restoration site that the Foundation has been working on since 2008. For more information about our work and current progress visit our Bayberry Restoration Project page.

November 2003 - The Foundation received a Special Recognition Award for our Oak Habitat Restoration Project. This project was started over 20 years ago and has planted more than 2500 oaks in our Open Spaces to date. The project now focuses on tree maintenance. For more information about our work and current progress visit our Oak Habitat Restoration Project page.

California Park and Recreation Society - Outstanding Non-Profit Organization Partner

April 5, 2006 - The California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS), District III, recognized the Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation as an Outstanding Non-Profit Organization Partner for its work in our Open Space and in Heather Farm Park. CPRS is a professional society for city and other public agency workers in the parks and recreation field.

Walnut Creek Park Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Commission

July, 2008 – The Commission honored Bill and Lesley Hunt for their many years of leadership of various Open Space projects and other volunteer service to the City.

April, 2008 – The PROS Commission honored Ralph Kraetsch and Dick Daniel for their many years leading the Oak Habitat Restoration Project.

Walnut Creek City Council

October 3, 2006 - The Council recognized Ralph Kraetsch as a Champion Citizen for his work on the Oak Habitat Restoration Project.

Fall, 2006 – The City Council named the original quail habitat area the Bob Wisecarver Quail Habitat Restoration Area to honor Bob for his work in creating it.

California Park and Recreation Society - Outstanding Non-Profit Organization Partner

California Park and Recreation Society - Outstanding Volunteer: Bill Hunt

April 5, 2006 - Foundation board member Bill Hunt was also recognized as an Outstanding Volunteer in a separate award for his work in restoring the Heather Farm Park Nature Area.

Threads of Hope Award - Volunteer Nominees: Bill Hunt and Ralph Kraetsch

One of the Foundation's volunteers and Board Members, Bill Hunt, was a finalist for the Diablo Magazine Threads of Hope Award for his work on various Open Space projects. The previous year, Ralph Kraetsch was a finalist for his leadership of the Oak Habitat Restoration Project.

Fifth Symposium on Oak Woodlands - Volunteer Speaker: Ralph Kraetsch

October 2001 - One of the Foundation's volunteers and Board Members, Ralph Kraetsch, was invited to speak on the Oak Habitat Restoration Project at the Fifth Symposium on Oak Woodlands: Oaks in California's Changing Landscape. For more information about our work and current progress visit our Oak Habitat Restoration Project page.

International Society of Arborists - Gold Leaf Award: Ralph Kraetsch

May 1, 2000 - Foundation Board Member Ralph Kraetsch was recognized for his efforts on the Oak Habitat Restoration Project by the International Society of Arborists in Maui, Hawaii.

Grants

Native Plant Nursery

In May, 2009 we received a grant from the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee to build a Native Plant Nursery.

Oak Habitat Restoration

The Oak Habitat Restoration Project has received various grants from Chevron and in 2004 the project received a grant from the Rose Foundation.

Heather Farm Nature Area Restoration

The Heather Farm Nature Area Restoration Project received grants from the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee in 2003 and 2005. This project also received a Civic Pride Grant from the City of Walnut Creek in 2003.

Shell Ridge Open Space bench addition

July 1, 2003 - The Foundation received grant funding from the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority to cover the purchase of ten recycled-content benches that were installed by the City of Walnut Creek along various trails in Shell Ridge Open Space.