Map of Oakland Zoo Expansion footprint and proposed mitigation areas (no public access) as of April 2014.

The Oakland Zoo is continuing to pursue its expansion into Knowland Park that will greatly damage rare maritime chaparral, native grassland, and habitat for local wildlife, including the threatened Alameda Whipsnake. The Zoo must provide mitigation for the land it is destroying, and it is proposing to take even more acreage in Knowland Park, much of which is not suitable habitat, removing even more of the park from open public use. If the project were in a more suitable place, this would not be necessary.

EBCNPS has written a letter to the regulatory agencies disputing the Zoo’s proposed new mitigation areas. Our letter can be found at this link: 04_21_14 Letter to CDFW re Oakland Zoo

Click here to view a letter from the Zoo to Oakland and the regulatory agencies regarding the most recent project footprint maps as well as their proposed mitigation areas which will be closed to public access(4-21-14). The new mitigation areas have increased the footprint of the project by more than one third! Maps of the project footprint, mitigation areas, and fuels management areas can be found here: EBZS_CATrailMaps_USFWS_CNPSTransmittal.

We are doing everything we can to get the Zoo to consider a plan that would less environmentally harmful, but we need your help:

The Oakland City Council must approve this change. Please sign and send a letter to urge them to preserve the park from this development!

For a ready-to-go letter to the Oakland City Council (for residents and non-residents), go to: http://www.saveknowland.org/5-ways-you-can-help-save-knowland-park/.

Print, sign and mail! Thank you.

Also, please sign the two petitions on the website! Visit the park now – The flowers are out!