Bay Area Headlines

From soil to sea, touring the East Bay with Bioneers

KALW | By shaylyn martos

Published March 27, 2026 at 9:18 AM PDT

A group of about 30 people standing outside in the sun in front of the water at Berkeley Aquatic Park. Most people's backs are to the camera, but a few are facing the camera, some people are sitting in the dirt. Their heads are cocked and you can tell that they are listening to Wholly H2O tour guide Chris James, who is standing on a bench so people can hear him more clearly. James has a full head of white hair and is wearing a white and blue button down shirt, and blue jeans. He is holding several pieces of paper in his left hand. Many people are wearing hats, and sunglasses. In the background, you can see a bridge, small oak trees, willow, and sage bushes. — Wholly H20 tour guide Chris James shares the history of Berkeley Aquatic Park for Bay Area Green Tours before the 37th annual Bioneers conference

This weekend, environmentalists and Indigenous leaders from across the world are gathering in Berkeley for the 37th annual Bioneers conference. To kickstart the weekend, Bay Area Green Tours hosted a tour of the East Bay.

"Humbly, we walk here. Humbly, we sing here. Humbly, we bless this ground."

It’s early, but the energy is high. Folks are excited to learn more about Oakland urban foodscapes and Berkeley watersheds.

Our first stop is West Oakland Farm Park.

"We would love to have you as CSA customers, volunteers, donators, anything and all of the above," a volunteer tells us. "Or just come by and enjoy the scenery."

We’re soon joined by Kanyon Sayers-Roods, the Chairwoman of Indian Canyon Nation.

Sayer's Roods poses for a portrait in front of a wrought iron gate, holding a clapper stick, a percussion instrument. She is wearing an olive green, sleeveless dress, many beaded necklaces, including a small figurine of a Native warrior, and a few silver rings. Her nail polish is dark, she says it was inspired by abalone shells. Her hair is purple, and she has chin tattoos in straight, vertical lines, commonly called 111 tattoos. — Kanyon Sayers-Roods, Chairwoman of the Indian Canyon Nation, sang "Kanyon's Grandmother Song" for the Bay Area Green Tours group at the West Oakland Farm Park

"As a California native who hasn't always been included in the conversation in some of these spaces, I'm so happy to see California Indigenous representation and inclusion," Kanyon Sayers-Roods says.

We grabbed lunch at the Prescott Market, then we bussed to Berkeley to visit the Malcolm X School Garden.

"What is that plant that you're picking?" A tour attendee asks second-grader Asa Moss.
"Sour sorrel," Moss answers.
"Oh, yeah, that's delicious."

Moss showed us how to make a weedo.

"What does it stand for?" Another attendee asks.
"I don't know," Moss declares.

A weedo burrito, a little layered snack made from the plants they grow. Asa’s mom, Julia Moss, used to be a teacher here.

"Asa comes home having eaten so many greens from the garden all day long," says Julia. "So it makes me very happy."

Next stop, the Berkeley Aquatic Park. There, Wholly H20 guide Chris James schooled us on the history of the watershed.

"All of Berkeley was really a flood plain," James explains. "All the East Bay is really a flood plain. That's why it was such great agricultural land."

It’s been a long, but beautiful day. I take a moment to reflect with Bay Area Green Tours founder Marissa LaMagna.

"I'd been going to Bioneers for many, many years," LaMagna says. "When they asked me to do the tours, I was thrilled. Because that's the way to learn — give people things to do that they can take out into the world for the rest of their lives."

The Bioneers conference ends on Saturday in Berkeley.

For information about the packed schedule, and how to register, check out their conference website.

This story was produced in partnership with News from Native California from Heyday. See more of their coverage on their blog.