Guided by our mission, the Siesta Valley Foundation protects and shares a unique East Bay watershed by combining ecological care with community programs and cultural access.
Siesta Valley rests within the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) watershed, a living landscape that supports both water quality and ecological health. As a recreation and conservation area, it includes trails like the De Laveaga Trail, which ascends from near Orinda’s upper neighborhoods and carries hikers along the valley’s north flank, offering dramatic views of the Siesta and Wilder Valleys and the geology beneath.
The broader system is part of the Bay Area’s regional trail network, managed by EBRPD, which maintains more than 1,330 miles of trails across 124,909 acres.
We partner with EBMUD and local conservation organizations to create educational programming along these routes—teaching visitors about watershed dynamics, native geology, and the importance of protected access to public lands.
Siesta Valley is rooted in the California chaparral and woodlands bioregion. It’s a landscape rich with oak savanna, chaparral, and diverse understory species. In this mosaic, plants like California buckeye, manzanitas, and California wild grape thrive, along with colorful wildflowers such as California poppies, baby blue-eyes, and purple owl’s clover, creating vibrant displays each spring. Pollinator species, including the native and introduced
The valley is also alive with birdlife. Turkey vultures circle high above, red-tailed hawks ride the thermals, and Steller’s jays dart through the oaks. These and many other species make the valley a vital stopover for migratory birds moving along the Pacific Flyway, underscoring the importance of habitat preservation. Each spring, the skies and meadows also host migrating butterflies, with monarchs and other species pausing here on their journey.
Our vision includes interactive walking tours, interpretive signage, and on-site displays to help people experience this natural diversity in accessible and engaging ways. Imagine discovering native plant stories, wildlife signs, and ecosystems right along the trail.
The Siesta Valley sits within a high-risk fire zone, where wildfire resilience is essential to land and community safety. To address this reality, the Foundation is committed to comprehensive wildfire safety programming:
Through resilience-focused education and applied stewardship, we aim not only to safeguard Siesta Valley—but also to empower nearby communities to thrive in a warming world.
100 California Shakespeare Theater Way Orinda, CA 94563
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