Honoring the Muwekma-Ohlone Through Sustainable Landscaping

Professor of Ethnic Studies Enrique Salmón and the student Walkway Team will give a presentation on the Muwekma Ohlone Walkway by the CORE Building for Earth Week. Join Salmón for the presentation on April 20 at 12:15 p.m. in CORE 159.

Acknowledging the Land We Learn, Live and Work On

Cal State East Bay’s Hayward campus occupies land that was and continues to be of great importance and significance for the Muwekma Ohlone Tribal people. As part of honoring the history of the Muwekma Ohlone and being good stewards of the land, this sustainability spotlight will offer a preview of the walkway and explain its great significance. 

“Students will learn just some of the many plants that are culturally important to the Muwekma Ohlone as well as be given a preview into the ethnobotanical landscaping that will be planted along the walkway that fronts the CORE Building,” said Salmón. Students can also hear about the new Indigenous Peoples Club at the presentation.  

The Muwekma Ohlone Walkway will have native flowers and plants to honor the history of Indigenous peoples in the Bay Area. Cal State East Bay has received a grant from the California State Library for sustainability, which will help with the walkway’s creation. 

According to Salmón, “These plants are native to the Bay Area and represent a way to landscape the area that requires little precious water and also attracts essential pollinators.” An irrigation system will be installed soon and Facilities Management will help care for the plants. 

Concord Campus Ecocultural Garden

Native plants are also being planted at the Concord Campus Wolwonja ecocultural garden. Cafe Ohlone, an Indigenous restaurant located in Berkeley, will use food grown in the garden for its traditional Ohlone cuisine. 

Kathy Cutting, campus support coordinator for the Concord Campus, said, “The garden is coming into bloom beautifully thanks to all that nourishing rain. Our partners at Cafe Ohlone are excited about what they see here and look forward to harvesting resources as the plants mature.” 

Cutting added that some academic departments, “plan to integrate this space into their curriculum to help their students address health and wellness and learn how to steward the planet.” 

“The most important part of all of these projects is not only to honor the original inhabitants and stewards of the land where CSUEB currently resides, but to also recognize the complexity and sophistication of Muwekma Ohlone plant knowledge,” said Salmón. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to get involved in the projects. Those interested in the garden in Concord, especially anyone who would like to help with maintaining the space during the summer, can send an email to kathryn.cutting@csueastbay.edu.

Current plant life

The following plants have already been planted and seeded in the Muwekma Ohlone Walkway:

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californium)

Blue Elderberry (Sambucus nigra caerulea)

Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hookeri, A. virgata, A. densiflora, A. glandulosa)

Golden Chia (Salvia columbariae)

California Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)

Chalk Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium)

Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana, R. aldersonnii, R. californica)

Red & Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium & V. ovatum)

Purple Needlegrass (Nassella pulchra)

California Melic Grass (Melica californica)

Blue Wildrye (Elymus glaucous)

Indian Ricegrass (Stipa hymenoides)

The following plants can be found in the Concord Campus Wolwonja ecocultural garden:

Dogbane (Indian hemp) (Apocynum cannabinum) 

Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)

Douglas’ Sagewort (Mugwort) (Artemisia douglasiana)

California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica)

Milkweed (Asclepias)

California brome (Bromus carinatus)   

Basket sedge (Carex barbarae)

Blueblossm (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus)

California redbud (Cercis occidentalis)

Soaproot (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)

Jimson weed (Datura wrightii)

California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)

Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

Silver lupine (Lupinus albifrons)

Yampah (Perideridia kelloggii)

Gray pine (Pinus sabiniana)

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

California rose (Rosa californica)

Black sage (Salvia mellifera)

Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea)

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea)

California wild grape (Vitis californica)