Watch CBS News

Jefferson Award Winner Nurtures Nature To Restore Habitats

OAKLAND (KPIX 5) In the heart of the Montclair District in Oakland, a little slice of nature is being restored. It's a project that probably will never be finished, but thanks to this week's Jefferson Award winner, Beaconsfield Canyon is already coming back to life.

"It looks vastly different," Richard Kauffman said of the leafy trail cutting between trees. "It was an overgrown jungle, this hillside, basically."

Kauffman lives just up the hill from Beaconsfield Canyon, a small slice of city-owned open space in Oakland.  But it wasn't beauty that first inspired him to get involved.

"I saw a fire waiting to happen," he remembered. "There was just a huge amount of debris that had been building up in this canyon for years and years."

It became clear that the vines and debris were thicker than the city budget, so to tackle the problem, this local dad enlisted the help of his neighbors and rolled up his sleeves.

"We hauled out a lot of tires, old sinks, and things like that," he explained.

Seven years later, the monthly volunteer work days he started continue.  What was once impassable is now a golden trail lined with black cottonwood trees. Brightly colored flags mark the spots where native plants have gone in, thanks to a partnership Kauffman formed with the environmental group Friends of Sausal Creek.

"The fire prevention effort kind of morphed into a whole restoration effort of the canyon!" Kauffman said.

And a funny thing happened: life in the canyon returned.

Animals, plants.. and families are thriving in this urban oasis. Kauffman now helps with field trips for local students on trails he's help to build.

"He loves to work with them because they absolutely are the next generation they are the future," said Friends of Sausal Creek Restoration and Nursery Manager Michelle Krieg.

And while he never thought a little fire prevention would lead to years of restoring habitat, it's a passion he hopes others will unearth beginning in their own backyards.

"There are little canyons like this all over the East Bay Hills," he said. "What we are doing is trying to take care of our little corner of that world."

So for leading the effort to protect his neighborhood, and preserve its natural beauty for future generations, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Richard Kauffman.

If you'd like to take part in the restoration project, get in touch with Richard using this link.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.