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Tree Sit in Berkeley
Update on Berkeley Save the Oaks treesit
Come support a tresit in Berkeley. Today at 5:00 a.m. people set up a treesit to protect ancient Oak tees in Berkeley. The University of California wants to cut the tres for space for a new gym. Alternatives exist and 200 year old trees are irreplaceable. There are metings of the UC Regents on Tuesday to attend and the treesitters can always use visits-24 hours a day. Th site http://www.saveoaks.com has lots o background information and a map to the location. Basicaly it is in front of Memorial Stadium on the west side of campus, just north of Internatioal House. The police have been by several times but no action has been taken against th sit yet. Today was a big game between Stanford and UC and the treesit wa set up to let the tens of thousands of fans know what is planned. Reactions were mixed but many people supported the trees
Please think about joining the sit, the ground grup or just stopping by to say hi.
Here is the press release from earlier in the day:
For Immediate Release
Contact: Zachary Running Wolf (cell in the tree) (469) 544-9756
Activists Take to the Trees to Defend Oak Grove
Berkeley, CA -In early morning hours of Saturday, December 2, one University of California (UC) student and at least 2 local residents, including former mayoral candidate Zachary Running Wolf, climbed and occupied trees in a grove of Oaks that UC plans to cut down. UC is planning destroy this majestic grove in order to build a parking lot and sports training facility. This unique eco-system, the last grove of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) in the Berkeley lowlands, is protected by municipal code. However, UC, the largest landowner in Berkeley, claims they do not have to obey city laws and codes.
The California Native Plant Society said “This site is of great value as a gene bank for Coast Live Oak.” Environmentally this area is important habitat for a myriad of different species that have been pushed out of their nearby oak woodland habitat by development, primarily due to UC expansion. With the ongoing devastation from Sudden Oak Death Syndrome keeping this grove intact becomes even more important.
This tree-sit action is being taken after the university ignored the concerns of residents, students, scientists, the Berkeley City Council and many others. Community members have, for years, been frustrated by the University’s apparent disdain for citizen input and local opinion. “Having old trees and open spaces is important to the health of our community and children. I just don’t see how an institution supposedly dedicated to teaching good stewardship of the earth could even suggest cutting these trees.” said local resident Danielle Chase.
The planned cutting of the precious oaks has brought hundreds of alarmed local residents and university students to speak out against this destruction and degradation of local wilderness. After exhausting many other avenues, Running Wolf decided to take direct action because UC is stonewalling community, student and even City of Berkeley efforts to find workable solutions. “I’m not coming down until these trees are protected.” said tree-sitter Running Wolf.
The tree occupation is ongoing, located between Piedmont Avenue and Memorial Stadium on the UC campus. For more information and to speak to the tree-sitters directly call (469)-544-9756.
Please think about joining the sit, the ground grup or just stopping by to say hi.
Here is the press release from earlier in the day:
For Immediate Release
Contact: Zachary Running Wolf (cell in the tree) (469) 544-9756
Activists Take to the Trees to Defend Oak Grove
Berkeley, CA -In early morning hours of Saturday, December 2, one University of California (UC) student and at least 2 local residents, including former mayoral candidate Zachary Running Wolf, climbed and occupied trees in a grove of Oaks that UC plans to cut down. UC is planning destroy this majestic grove in order to build a parking lot and sports training facility. This unique eco-system, the last grove of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) in the Berkeley lowlands, is protected by municipal code. However, UC, the largest landowner in Berkeley, claims they do not have to obey city laws and codes.
The California Native Plant Society said “This site is of great value as a gene bank for Coast Live Oak.” Environmentally this area is important habitat for a myriad of different species that have been pushed out of their nearby oak woodland habitat by development, primarily due to UC expansion. With the ongoing devastation from Sudden Oak Death Syndrome keeping this grove intact becomes even more important.
This tree-sit action is being taken after the university ignored the concerns of residents, students, scientists, the Berkeley City Council and many others. Community members have, for years, been frustrated by the University’s apparent disdain for citizen input and local opinion. “Having old trees and open spaces is important to the health of our community and children. I just don’t see how an institution supposedly dedicated to teaching good stewardship of the earth could even suggest cutting these trees.” said local resident Danielle Chase.
The planned cutting of the precious oaks has brought hundreds of alarmed local residents and university students to speak out against this destruction and degradation of local wilderness. After exhausting many other avenues, Running Wolf decided to take direct action because UC is stonewalling community, student and even City of Berkeley efforts to find workable solutions. “I’m not coming down until these trees are protected.” said tree-sitter Running Wolf.
The tree occupation is ongoing, located between Piedmont Avenue and Memorial Stadium on the UC campus. For more information and to speak to the tree-sitters directly call (469)-544-9756.
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The tree protestors are nothing but tools of the wealthy homeowners trying to block seismic repairs to the stadium.
Regents Vote:
The UC Regents will vote of the plan to cut the oaks Tuesday, Dec 5th, 4:30pm at UC San Francisco - Mission Bay Campus. Please ATTEND or Call a Regent.
The Following Regents sit on the Grounds and Building Committee:
Stephen Schreiner 619-231-0303
Joanne Kozberg 310-843-9600
Maria Ledesma 310-206-4416
Odessa Johnson 209-521-0887
Fred Ruiz 800-477-6474
The UC Mission Bay Campus is in the area of the intersection of 3rd and 16th Street in San Francisco.
The UC Regents will vote of the plan to cut the oaks Tuesday, Dec 5th, 4:30pm at UC San Francisco - Mission Bay Campus. Please ATTEND or Call a Regent.
The Following Regents sit on the Grounds and Building Committee:
Stephen Schreiner 619-231-0303
Joanne Kozberg 310-843-9600
Maria Ledesma 310-206-4416
Odessa Johnson 209-521-0887
Fred Ruiz 800-477-6474
The UC Mission Bay Campus is in the area of the intersection of 3rd and 16th Street in San Francisco.
For more information:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Alternatives....
Maxwell Field
Maxwell Field is a prime alternative site for the proposed athletic training facility. The University is currently proposing to build a 5 level deep, 900 space parking lot underneath Maxwell Field. Instead of building the parking lot here, UC could easily put the athletic training facility under Maxwell Field. Meanwhile the University has identified other sites to build parking closer to downtown Berkeley. This alternative has an added advantage because the City of Berkeley prefers to have new parking built near the downtown where it will get more use and can be better integrated into the functions of the city as a whole. It’s a win-win solution.
Maxwell Field is a prime alternative site for the proposed athletic training facility. The University is currently proposing to build a 5 level deep, 900 space parking lot underneath Maxwell Field. Instead of building the parking lot here, UC could easily put the athletic training facility under Maxwell Field. Meanwhile the University has identified other sites to build parking closer to downtown Berkeley. This alternative has an added advantage because the City of Berkeley prefers to have new parking built near the downtown where it will get more use and can be better integrated into the functions of the city as a whole. It’s a win-win solution.
There are over 50,000 trees in Berkeley and on the UC campus. This grove is nice, but the facilities are badly needed for the campus community, and the environmental impact of cutting three dozen oaks is nil!
This effort is just basic NIMBYism at its worst. It's too bad that bona fide environmentalists have become tools of the handful of millionaire homeowners near the stadium that are trying to obstruct the construction of the new gym and stadium facilities.
This effort is just basic NIMBYism at its worst. It's too bad that bona fide environmentalists have become tools of the handful of millionaire homeowners near the stadium that are trying to obstruct the construction of the new gym and stadium facilities.
We have to move past the philosophy that trees have no insintric value. Those trees support the creatures living in them, and are some of the oldest around. Cutting the grove would decimate that eco-system.
I know that there are a lot of activists (Earth-Firsters and the like, I love you guys, really) who can't wait to jump up in those trees. But, I feel this will be more successful if they let the already organized UCB student activists take the lead and do the sitting. Please consider this option.
These old oak trees have sustained my hidden tribelet lo these many years. We are the unseen refugees of the California Indian genocide of the late 19th century. At night in the fall when the moon is full we take our baskets and, stepping gingerly over passed out college party-goers so as not to wake them ( as if ) we gather the acorns as we have for millenia. We sahll now perish when they are gone. We will not show ourselves as we wish not to be viewed as circus odditys. Perhaps in the night you will hear our groans of hunger but you will not see us. And then we will be gone. Thanks a bunch.
Thanks to all of those connected with (SOS) Save the Oaks at the Stadium for their spirited efforts to protect the Oak grove. I encourage everyone to spend their holiday in the Grove during this critical time from December 15 to January 15
Indeed, It is a good day to sit in a tree!
Peace
L A
Indeed, It is a good day to sit in a tree!
Peace
L A
For more information:
http://www.berkeleycitizen.org
Prom wrote: "Those trees support the creatures living in them, and are some of the oldest around. Cutting the grove would decimate that eco-system"
Look Prom, there are hundreds, if not thousands of squirrells in the area and cutting 42 out of 70 mature trees in that area will hardly make a dent. I also like those trees, but I think many of you are greatly overstating their importance. It's mostly an aesthetic issue, but in the long term it will be mitigated by the fact that more trees will be added and parking lots/space will be burried underground.
What few of you realize is that the new plan will actually ADD green space in the area below the stadium. The parking lot north of it will disapear and change into a plaza ringed by trees, as will the large lot on campus across the street. This is one of the many ironies of this protest.
If you love trees and want to keep the campus green, I urge you to support (AS I HAVE) financially and/or volunteer for an organization which has toiled in annonimity for many years: the UC Berkeley Tree Fund.
http://landscape.ced.berkeley.edu/~treefund/index.html
This non-profit organization is dedicated to planting new trees on campus and caring for existing ones (particularly against sudden oak death, which infects not only oaks but other species like laurels.)
It would be great if we can work together to force UC to fund the UC Berkeley Tree Fund (maybe as a settlement), which currently gets a measly ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS per year from the University. If UC is going to spend one hundred millions on new facilities, maybe it should also spend a little more on preserving its tree park. If this protest can somehow change this, you would have actually made a great contribution to the health and diversity of the area's flora.
This is really what pisses me off about this whole affair. The City of Berkeley and UC are going to spend hundreds of thousands in lawsuit money that will go to lawyers, while that money could actually be used in a positive manner.
One other thing I really hate about this whole "cause" is that it has been primarily instigated and supported by the Panoramic Hills homeowners, who are millionaires living in what is one of the most privileged neighborhoods in the country who hate the presence of students, alumni and activity on campus. They have forced the University to shut down concerts at the stadium, reduce the number of concerts at the Greek Theater and forced those concerts to play at lower volumes and finish earlier. They have been encroaching on the quality of life of the students and the local community and this attempt is just another effort to stifle the campus community.
Look Prom, there are hundreds, if not thousands of squirrells in the area and cutting 42 out of 70 mature trees in that area will hardly make a dent. I also like those trees, but I think many of you are greatly overstating their importance. It's mostly an aesthetic issue, but in the long term it will be mitigated by the fact that more trees will be added and parking lots/space will be burried underground.
What few of you realize is that the new plan will actually ADD green space in the area below the stadium. The parking lot north of it will disapear and change into a plaza ringed by trees, as will the large lot on campus across the street. This is one of the many ironies of this protest.
If you love trees and want to keep the campus green, I urge you to support (AS I HAVE) financially and/or volunteer for an organization which has toiled in annonimity for many years: the UC Berkeley Tree Fund.
http://landscape.ced.berkeley.edu/~treefund/index.html
This non-profit organization is dedicated to planting new trees on campus and caring for existing ones (particularly against sudden oak death, which infects not only oaks but other species like laurels.)
It would be great if we can work together to force UC to fund the UC Berkeley Tree Fund (maybe as a settlement), which currently gets a measly ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS per year from the University. If UC is going to spend one hundred millions on new facilities, maybe it should also spend a little more on preserving its tree park. If this protest can somehow change this, you would have actually made a great contribution to the health and diversity of the area's flora.
This is really what pisses me off about this whole affair. The City of Berkeley and UC are going to spend hundreds of thousands in lawsuit money that will go to lawyers, while that money could actually be used in a positive manner.
One other thing I really hate about this whole "cause" is that it has been primarily instigated and supported by the Panoramic Hills homeowners, who are millionaires living in what is one of the most privileged neighborhoods in the country who hate the presence of students, alumni and activity on campus. They have forced the University to shut down concerts at the stadium, reduce the number of concerts at the Greek Theater and forced those concerts to play at lower volumes and finish earlier. They have been encroaching on the quality of life of the students and the local community and this attempt is just another effort to stifle the campus community.
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