Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), along with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and community volunteers of Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed (FOMCW) are working to restore 3 acres of shoreline along Marsh Creek in one of the fastest urbanizing watersheds in California.

The effort will help create the only shaded habitat for wildlife along a four-mile stretch of land. Shade provided by the restored riparian vegetation will help cool water temperatures and improve spawning and rearing habitat for juvenile salmon.

PG&E’s Nature Restoration Trust provided $25,000 to support the effort. The Trust is a partnership between PG&E and the NFWF to bring together public and private resources to conserve and enhance the natural habitats of fish and wildlife. Since 2001, PG&E has committed more than $1 million to this unique, public-private partnership to support habitat and wildlife restoration projects throughout Northern and Central California.

“Funding for projects such as these allows us to involve the community in restoring Marsh Creek and protecting water quality,” said FOMCW Executive Director Diane Burgis. “We have found that those who volunteer with us bring home a new view of their creek and a better appreciation for the things they can do personally to help protect their environment.

“We appreciate the support of PG&E and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Nature Restoration Trust. Their grant allows us to expand our habitat restoration projects while fostering stewardship through education, outreach and community-service activities.”

Last year FOMCW removed seven tons of trash from waterways, trails and neighborhoods in the area. A new restoration garden helped divert trash from blowing into or being thrown into Marsh Creek.

“PG&E is proud to be part of this project to help protect, conserve and restore Marsh Creek,” said Diane Ross-Leech, director of Environmental Policy at PG&E. “Our support is part of the company’s broader commitment to partner with the communities we serve to protect natural resources and educate others about how they can make a difference.”

Long-term goals of the project include recruiting more than 800 volunteers to re-establish a wildlife corridor between the creek’s protected headwaters on Mt. Diablo and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The ongoing project is integrated into a work-study program for 15 at-risk youth and provides hands-on training to implement and monitor various restoration activities.

“The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is extremely proud to collaborate with PG&E and a diverse range of community partners through PG&E’s Nature Restoration Trust,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Restoring the health of California’s streams, wetlands and coastal habitats is a vital task that will benefit both our wildlife and our citizens.”

PG&E has a long history of making charitable grants tailored to the wide variety of needs of the communities it serves. The company’s broader program of support to communities includes cash grants, in-kind contributions and volunteers for community-based nonprofit organizations, and for schools and other governmental programs throughout Northern and Central California. All charitable contributions are entirely funded by shareholders, and the level of charitable giving does not affect gas and electric rates. For more information on PG&E’s Nature Restoration Trust and the utility’s environmental commitment, visit www.pge.com/about/environment.

FOMCW’s mission is to protect, conserve and restore Marsh Creek and its tributaries, and to inspire appreciation and conservation of the Marsh Creek Watershed through partnership building, planning and coordinating watershed enhancement projects. For more information, visit www.fomcw.org.