Oakland Shoreline Adaptation Fellowship
2025-2026 Cohort
Program Duration: August 2026 – February 2027
Climate Leaders Summit: March 2027
Format: Cohort-based fellowship | Two sessions per month + monthly public shoreline field trips
Location: Oakland shoreline and Port-adjacent areas
About
Resilient Roots is a community-based education and leadership fellowship that builds resident knowledge, confidence, and capacity around shoreline restoration and climate adaptation.
Grounded in Environmental Justice principles and aligned with Port of Oakland priorities, the program supports frontline community members in understanding climate risks, interpreting technical information, and communicating adaptation strategies to peers, decision-makers, and the broader public.
Using a train-the-trainer model, fellows engage in place-based learning that centers lived experience while demystifying planning, regulatory, and scientific processes shaping the Oakland shoreline. The program strengthens community leadership in climate resilience by connecting local knowledge with institutional tools and policy frameworks.
What Makes This Program Unique
Place-Based & Community-Led
Every session and field trip is grounded in Oakland's shoreline landscapes and the lived experiences of waterfront communities.
Train-the-Trainer Model
Fellows don't just learn—they become educators. The program builds capacity for fellows to teach others and engage decision-makers.
Environmental Justice at the Core
We center the communities disproportionately impacted by climate change and ensure their voices shape planning and policy.
Partnership with Port of Oakland
Direct connection to the agency managing Oakland's shoreline, with opportunities to influence real planning processes.
COORDINATION TEAM
Zoe Siegel
Senior Director of Climate Resilience
Greenbelt Alliance
Cailin Notch
East Bay Resilience Manager
Sustainable Solano
Tallulah Shepard
Marketing & Communications Manager
Greenbelt Alliance
For over 65 years, Greenbelt Alliance has stewarded the Bay Area's natural landscapes while promoting sustainable community growth—resulting in almost 3.3 million acres of protected open space across nine counties. Today, the organization leverages its expertise in land-use policy advocacy and regional collaboration to address climate change through nature-based solutions. Greenbelt Alliance educates, advocates, and collaborates on data-driven policy solutions that help communities prepare for wildfires, floods, drought, and sea level rise, with a focus on equitable climate resilience for all Bay Area residents.
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The Port of Oakland generates vital economic activity, community benefits and environmental innovation, as the Port decarbonizes its operations for a cleaner and greener future. Along with its partners, the Port supports 98,345 jobs in the region and $174 billion in annual economic activity. The Port oversees the Oakland Airport (OAK), the Oakland Seaport and nearly 20 miles of waterfront including Jack London Square and a publicly owned utility. The Port of Oakland is Everyone’s Port!