Help Berkeley save centuries-old oak trees

UC Berkeley plans to clear-cut a grove of coast live oaks, some centuries old, nestled just west of California Memorial Stadium, as part of construction of a massive gymnasium and a concrete pavilion - possibly as early as this November.

The East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) has lauded the grove as "ecologically important" because the trees here are well-established, and the mix of plants and animals is indicative of the local landscape prior to European settlement. There are also clear signs of "naturally re-seeded oaks", showing this to be a healthy functioning natural habitat. Such a site within a city is a precious rarity.

Most important, since many of our coastal woodlands in California are being developed and replaced with non-native trees, this site is of great value as a gene bank of Bay Area coast live oaks. This species is so threatened that it is the only tree species protected by law from destruction in the city of Berkeley! Unfortunately the university as a state entity is exempt from this local law.

The Sierra Club Northern Alameda County Group recommends this site be preserved both for its ecological significance and to help ensure the survival of the species. The site will serve as an invaluable educational resource to study the factors that allow a grove of native California trees to flourish within a matrix of urbanization and development.

WhatYouCanDo

It is not too late to save these irreplaceable trees. Contact:

Chancellor Birgeneau
University of California
200 University Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510)642-7464
chancellor@berkeley.edu

Mayor Tom Bates and City Council
2180 Milvia St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510)981-6903
clerk@ci.berkeley.ca.us

Urge them to save the grove of coast live oaks around the California Memorial Stadium.

For more information about the oaks, contact Save the Oaks at the Stadium (SOS) at (510)841-3493 or visit www.saveoaks .com

Doug Buckwald