July 11-- New Life Millworks Tour/Bay Trail Walk in Richmond

When: Wednesday, July 11, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Where: Directions: From the Richmond Parkway, turn west on Parr Blvd and take an immediate right on Garden Tract Rd. which will jog left, then turn right when you see Cypress Pallet sign on fence. go to end of road and someone will direct you to parking. For infomation contact Marilyn Siegel of Berkeley Path Wanderers at 708-6505 or Paul Maheu 510 233-7785

What: Tour Richmond's New Life Millworks, an environmentally conscious Richmond business that diverts wood from landfills into the hands of almost anyone who works with wood and then explore Wildcat Creek Marsh via the West County Landfill Bay Trail.. New LIfe Millworks customers range from a ukulele builder to custom millwork for restoration of the historic ship C.A. Thayer for the San Francisco Maritime Museum. Discover where the wooden steps used on Berkeley's paths are milled, followed by a walk on the nearby Bay Trail. From East Bay, take 580 west to Canal St. exit. Go right at end of ramp onto Canal St., which becomes Richmond Pkwy. Go approx. 3 mi. Turn left on Parr, take an immediate right on Garden Track Rd, which will jog left, then turn right when you see Cypress Pallet sign on fence. Go to end of road and someone will direct you to parking.

From OUR NEIGHBORS: CHRIS TREADWAY:

The hidden beauty at Bay TrailContra Costa Times

Contra Costa TimesArticle Launched: The Berkeley Path Wanderers will meander into Richmond on Wednesday for a tour of an eco-friendly business and a jaunt along the West County Landfill portion of the Bay Trail.

The outing starts at 10 a.m. at New Life Millworks, a three-year-old startup off the Richmond Parkway that mills custom lumber from "urban" trees -- 2,000 tons annually -- that otherwise would go into the landfill.

The firm is currently supplying wood for a ukulele builder and custom millwork being used in the San Francisco Maritime Museum's restoration of the ship C.A. Thayer.

Paul Maheu, founder of the mill, is also a member of the Berkeley Path Wanderers board and a Scoutmaster with Troop 19 in Berkeley. Not surprisingly, the troop has been very involved in restoring Berkeley paths, and New Life Millworks has supplied the wooden steps that are used.

After the tour of the mill, hikers will reconvene nearby for their 1.5-mile walk along the Bay Trail. Whitney Dotson, an environmental activist and longtime resident of nearby Parchester Village, will give a talk on the history of the trail.

"It looks for all the world like you're going into a garbage dump, but right there is one of the best birding parts of the trail around," said Marilyn Siegel of Berkeley Path Wanderers.

The walk is free and open to anyone interested. Meet at 10 a.m. at New Life Millworks, 2550 Garden Tract Road, off Parr Boulevard in Richmond.

For details or more detailed directions, call 510-708-6505 or visit http://www.berkeleypaths.org.