University of California at Berkeley Bulldozes Trees and Other Vegetation in Peoples Park

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY BULLDOZES TREES AND OTHER VEGETATION IN PEOPLES PARK, BERKELEY

By Mary Ann Uribe

This morning at about 7:30 a.m. the University of California at Berkeley brought in bulldozers and a work crew and tore down trees and other vegetation in a portion of Peoples Park on Haste St. This was done without notice to members of the community who use the park and, according to a University of California police officer who asked to remain anonymous, was done surreptitiously in order to avoid any confrontation or issue with the community.

A young woman from the University passed out fliers that were a sort of explanation of what was going on. The flier said “In response to park users and neighbor concerns, we are doing maintenance work to address the rat infestation and safety issues of People’s Park.”

Being Chair of the Peoples Park Forever Committee and a frequent park user, I have never been approached or told by any “park user(s) and/[(or)] neighbor(s)” who expressed “concern” about “safety issues” in this portion of the park. When I asked the woman what were the “safety issues” referred to in the flier, she said she had no idea and had no knowledge of any “safety issues” in the Park.

The police officer said no trees would be bull dozed and taken out yet I saw trees downed and was fortunate to be able to take a photo of one that had been cut down. It took many years for these trees to grow and flourish only to be cut down in one felled swoop by a bulldozer.

While there have been rats in the park, what park in California does not have some rats? They deserve a place to live in and a habitat too.

Again the University does things surreptitiously in a manner to deface Peoples Park without consulting the community. As was done in the 1960’s when the University tried to destroy the park after thousands of Berkeley residents worked to build it, these heavy handed tactics only work to undermine any trust any of us may have ever had in the University given its history. Actions speak louder than words.

Wasn’t the University’s Chancellor just in Sacramento to testify regarding the beating of students on campus by its own police force? Why would anyone believe a word the University says given their propensity for violence and reputation for lying.