About the
Mill Valley StreamKeepers
Our organization seeks to protect the ecological health, and the well-being of Mill Valley’s wildlife inhabitants while working to keep our watersheds and streams healthy and as natural as possible for the enjoyment of current and future residents.
Jan 2026 News:
MVSK plans on applying for a grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to pay for an assessment of the fish passage barrier near the bridge in Old Mill Park and a full plan to remove the bridge or barriers and to build new ones.
Below are studies of fish numbers, barriers and partial plans to replace the bridge and culvert.
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Bridge and Culvert in Old Mill Park
Native Riparian Plants for the Corte Madera Creek Watershed and Mill Valley Creeks
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The following plants are native to eastern Marin, and when planted in appropriate locations, should thrive without any maintenance after the first couple of years of periodic watering and weed control. In addition to salinity and shade considerations, some plants require moister soil than others, so should be located lower on the creek bank. Heavy soil can be fatal to some plants. Native plants have their own beauty, help to stabilize creek banks, and will attract birds and butterflies to your area. When ordering plants from a nursery, be sure to use the scientific names in addition to the common names. It may be hard to find suppliers for some of these plants.
In each group below, the list begins with larger species and progresses to smaller ones.
TIDAL WATERWAYS:
At high water level: Atriplex lentiformis, gumplant (Grindelia stricta), Marsh rosemary (Limonium californicum), alkali heath (Frankenia salina), perennial pickleweed (Salicornia virginica), fat hen (Atriplex triangularis), Jaumea (Jaumea carnosa), saltgrass (Distichlis spicata).
On levee slope: coast live-oak (Quercus agrifolia), valley oak (Quercus lobata), arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), coyote-brush, (Baccharis pilularis, upright form), California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), western goldenrod (Euthamia occidentalis), saltmarsh mulefat (Baccharis douglasii).
On adjacent filled marshland: buckeye (Aesculus californica), blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), sticky monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), in addition to those listed for levees.
FRESHWATER CREEKS:
Shade: giant chain fern (Woodwardia fimbriata), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), sword fern (Polystichum munitum), whiteroot sedge (Carex barbarae), vanilla grass (Hierochloe occidentalis), redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana), redwood violet (Viola sempervirens), wild ginger (Asarum caudatum), and wake-robin (Trillium ovatum).
Note: coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and California bay (Umbellularia californica) are relatively fast-growing trees native to this area, and may be planted in the shade. When mature, they can create deep shade which tends to limit understory plantings to those listed in this group.
Semi-shade: valley oak (Quercus lobata), coast live-oak (Quercus agrifolia), Oregon oak (Quercus garryana), white alder (Alnus rhombifolia), black oak (Quercus kelloggii), Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), box elder (Acer negundo californica), buckeye (Aesculus californica), blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis), rose-bay (Rhododendron macrophyllum), western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale), coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), hazel (Corylus cornuta californica), creek dogwood (Cornus sericea occidentalis), twinberry (Lonicera involucrata), ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus), flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), California gooseberry ( Ribes californica), oregon grape (Mahonia nervosa), snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), wood rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), and California pipevine (Aristolochia californica), reed grass (Calamagrostis nutkaensis), rush (Juncus patens, Juncus effusus), in addition to those listed for shade. Spice bush (Calycanthus occidentalis) is an attractive additional shrub, native to Napa, but not to Marin.
Relatively open areas: yellow willow (Salix lucida lasiandra), red willow (Salix laevigata), gray willow (Salix exigua), arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), creambush (Holodiscus discolor), California rose (Rosa californica), and honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula), California fescue (Festuca californica), in addition to those listed for semi-shade.
Nurseries selling native plants (retail and wholesale):
CNL Native Plant Nursery, 254 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley, CA 94941, 415-888-8471
California Flora Nursery, Fulton (707) 528-8813 CNPS, Marin Chapter, plant sales (415) 332-4117 Circuit Rider Productions, Windsor (707) 838-6641 Fairfax Lumber, Fairfax (415) 578-4430
Mostly Natives, Tomales (707) 878-2009
North Coast Native Nursery, Petaluma (707) 769-1213
O'Donnell's, Fairfax 453-0372
San Francisco Botanical Garden plant sales (415) 662-1316 Sunnyside Nursery, San Anselmo (415) 453-2701
The Watershed Nursery, Richmond (510) 234-2222
Yerba Buena Nursery, Woodside (650) 851-1668
FRIENDS OF CORTE MADERA CREEK WATERSHED