Must UC Berkeley cut down the ancient oaks at its stadium?

Thousands of concerned citizens have signed petitions and written letters in support of the Memorial Oak Grove, the largest surviving lowland grove of coast live oaks in Berkeley. Julia Butterfly Hill, Wavy Gravy, Country Joe McDonald, and a coalition of over 500 UC Berkeley students have spoken out to save the native woodland. Nevertheless, on Dec. 5 the University Regents' Committee on Grounds and Buildings gave final approval to plans to cut 38 mature oaks to build a gymnasium next to Memorial Stadium.

On Dec. 2 four activists climbed into trees in the grove, beginning a tree-sitting campaign to support preservation of the grove. "We are going to stay in these trees until the University of California comes to their senses," says Native American activist and tree-sitter Zachary Running Wolf, "I feel a personal obligation to protect these trees for future generations."

The tree-sitters are being supported by a small team of volunteers on the ground, who are working to ensure safe conditions for the campaign. The Sierra Club supports saving the oaks, but the Club's bylaws do not allow it to approve or advocate any violations of the law.

On the ground, organizers continue to pressure the university to choose a less destructive plan, "It's important to remember that there are good alternative sites for the gym," says Doug Buckwald, a Save the Oaks organizer. "UC could build the facility 100 yards away and not disturb the grove. But we are also hearing a lot of misinformation coming from UC about the trees," continues Buckwald, "For instance, UC claims that by planting three little saplings for each mature oak they are not doing damage to the environment, but this is a complex established ecosystem. If they cut down the mature trees they will decimate the ecology of the grove. Here is an example: a large mature oak might have over 30,000 leaves in its canopy habitat. But the small replacement trees are only going to have 50 to 100 leaves each; so the replacement trees simply do not replace the loss of biomass for the ecosystem."

WhatYouCanDo

To help with protecting the oaks, contact or call (510) 848-0800, ext. 304

Find out more about the issue and sign up for alert e-mails on the latest developments at www.saveoaks.com

Urge UC Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau to preserve the oaks. Contact him at:

200 California Hall, #1500
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
chancellor@berkeley.edu