A public garden with hill views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate. Their mission is to expand and sustain a well-designed outdoor environment that supports teaching and research in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design. The garden contains a large diversity of plant materials that grow in our Mediterranean type climate and contains new and historic garden design and structures designed and built by UC professors, students and garden staff. With this, Blake Garden encourages the development of understanding and appreciation of nature in the garden environment. Some of the features include: rainwater catchment, creek restoration, native plants, on-site composting, volunteer opportunities. Open to the public M-F from 8am to 4:30pm. Tours are available to groups of 10 or more -- call to make a reservation. They also offer some volunteer opportunities.

Meetings held each month on the Second Tuesday 7:30pm, at the Rotary Nature Center, at Lake Merritt. Website includes list of people who perform swarm removal and general beekeeping information. For help with bee swarms, 510-898-6696.

Carries a large variety of bare root fruit tree, berries, wine grapes & table grapes as well as a Kids' Club that gives garden classes all summer to kids from 5-12 yrs. Open daily.

Services include chemical-free heat based pest control (bed bugs, mites, rodents, cockroaches, termites), asbestos, mold and lead paint removal, demolition, air duct, dryer vent and kitchen hood cleaning, trauma clean-up.

They offer professional pruning, safe and efficient removal, and on site wood milling.

BIRC publishes journals on least- and nontoxic pest control; people can submit pest questions online to their experts. They will give some information out on the phone, but mostly refer people to the appropriate issue of their magazine. Publishes Least Toxic Pest Management Publications Catalogue; The Common Sense Pest Control Quarterly; and The IPM Practitioner. Website also lists pest control service providers who use IPM methods.

Native tree care, natural pruning for trees and shrubs. Lots of info on oaks, and related disease. Can supply large quantities (only) of wood chips for alternative fuel and ethanol production.

Factsheet on building raised beds. Provides information on the ideal materials, depth, cost and ecological impact for backyard growing.

Sells native and Mediterranean plants including perennials, shrubs, grasses and vines, a few tree species. Wholesale and retail.

CalIPC is dedicated to finding solutions to problems caused by nonnative pest plant invasions of the state's natural areas. They also provide a pest plant database available on EcoNet. Members of CalIPC include citizen volunteers, land managers, and scientists.