Albany Hill
Albany Hill is located on the west end of the City of Albany near the shoreline of the San Francisco Bay. Albany Hill is the most prominent landmark within the City, with current undeveloped acreage totaling approximately 39 acres. Of that space, 28 acres is dedicated to open space (see below).
Currently, Albany Hill maintenance responsibilities are shared between City Public Works and Fire Departments, and the City's nonprofit partner, Urban Tilth. Projects focus on keeping the Hill accessible to residents while also investing in ecosystem health and fire safety. Read more about current and past efforts to maintain, preserve, and enhance this precious natural resource in Albany below.
About Albany Hill
Albany Hill is a unique geological and ecological feature in the East Bay, formed by ancient tectonic activity and composed primarily of Franciscan chert. Despite its small size, the hill supports a rich diversity of native plants, wildlife, and even a seasonal monarch butterfly population, making it a vital natural refuge in an urban setting.
Albany Hill Maintenance
The City’s Public Works and Fire Departments work together to maintain safety and accessibility on Albany Hill through fire prevention efforts, vegetation management, and routine maintenance. Urban Tilth, a nonprofit partner, supports these efforts by providing habitat restoration and stewardship services under a City contract, extended in 2024 with grant funding from the State Coastal Conservancy.
Learn more.
Habitat Restoration Internship Program
The City sponsors a great opportunity for students, especially high school seniors and community college students, to learn about nature and help others understand and appreciate the natural world through the Habitat Restoration Internship program on Albany Hill.
The objective of the City of Albany's internship program is to provide a meaningful training ground for individuals to gain work experience and to increase their ability to compete in the workforce in entry-level positions.
Under supervision, Habitat Restoration Interns assist, participate in and perform functions related to studying and stewarding flora and fauna on Albany Hill as well as educating the public about nature on the hill. Interns have the option to pursue projects, under supervision of the Natural Areas Coordinator, related to their interests or specialty.
Open Space Acreage
- City-owned park & open space: 15 acres
- Privately-owned dedicated open space: 11 acres
- City easement on private dedicated open space: 2 acres
- Privately-owned undeveloped open space (zoned as Residential Hillside Development): 11 acres
- Total open space acreage: 39 acres
Wildfire Resilience Program
The California State Coastal Conservancy's Wildfire Resilience Program supports local partners in development and implementation of projects that improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic fire in areas where people are living near wildlands.
Albany has been awarded a three year grant to establish the Habitat Restoration Intern Program to increase our understanding of plant and animal communities on Albany Hill. The data collected will help in our development of more fire resilient and healthy ecosystems. This program is administered through the City's Public Works Department.