Growing up in Houston, the greatest connection I had to a relatively natural space was my backyard.

Historically, Redwood Grove had no naturally occurring redwoods. The redwoods we see there today were planted almost a century ago by Emma Halsey with saplings she dug up from the Santa Cruz mountains. She planted them along Adobe Creek, in a place once dominated by willows and oaks. Now the redwoods tower more than 75 feet tall, and are the defining feature of this beloved six-acre city park.

Before Grassroots Ecology, I was a newly educated AP Environmental Science student who wanted to help the earth, but one who didn’t know where to start. I found out about the organization through a Cupertino newsletter advertising about Grove Guardians, a summer stewardship program for teenagers. After my first summer morning at Redwood Grove, I knew this is what I was looking for: an interactive experience with nature that furthered my education.