Emergency Action and Meeting to Defend Huchiun - Knowland Park!

EMERGENCY ACTION AND MEETING TO DEFEND HUCHIUN - KNOWLAND PARK!

PLEASE SHARE AND INVITE!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1621914134725011/

12:00 PM - Thursday August 6th - The Knowland Park entrance by the intersection of Malcolm an Snowdown Ave.

6:00 PM - Planning Meeting - The Knowland Park entrance by the intersection of Malcolm an Snowdown Ave.

Please join us this Thursday to stop the construction and plan a long term resistance to defend the park and neighborhood from the Zoo!

Over the weekend the Oakland Zoo began constructing a fence around the proposed development site for the Zoo expansion despite public outcry against its negative impacts on the rare habitat and working class neighborhood. The Oakland Zoo plans to cut down 50+ trees including 2 old growth Oak trees destroying the home of the threatened Alameda Whipsnake, the rare Maritime Chaparral plant community and the Mountain Lion. We see this expansion as neo-colonial, gentrifying, and devastating to this rare and beautiful land. Now that the Zoo and City of Oakland are refusing to hear the concerns of a massive community coalition the we are being forced to take direct action to protect the land.

Defend Huchiun! Defend Knowland Park!

Update for the Save Knowland Park Coalition: https://www.facebook.com/saveknowlandpark/posts/398633457002532

Please donate for supplies and legal defense here: https://rally.org/defendknowlandpark

For more information about the campaign check out : http://defendknowlandpark.org/2015/05/05/to-celebrate-plants-animals-you-would-have-to-destroy-them/

Meet at the Knowland Park entrance of Malcolm and Snowdown Ave.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Malcolm+Ave+%26+Snowdown+Ave,+Oakland,+CA+94605/@37.7510375,-122.1335236,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x808f8f039538507d:0x61ff064d01b2b01a

Shuttles/Rideshares are being organized! Click here if you need or can offer a ride! http://www.groupcarpool.com/t/o36i2k

From the Save Knowland Park Coalition: "PARK UPDATE - PERIMETER FENCE

Dear Friends, despite the fact that EBZS does NOT have the money necessary to build the California Trail project, despite the fact that the EBZS does NOT have all the permits necessary to build the structures, despite the fact that the tree removal permit is being appealed, EBZS has started construction on the perimeter fence that will block access to 53 acres of the park for the public and wildlife that use it.

How can they do this? It's not reasonable, but here's what we've learned ... on Tuesday - the same day we submitted our appeal of the tree removal permit - the Zoo started to build the project perimeter fence.

The construction workers could not produce a permit and directed us to contact the Zoo. The Zoo’s CFO, Nik Dehejia, refused to share any information about a permit with the public, and he did he not know that construction permits have to be available for review on site.

In 2011, the Zoo was granted a tree removal permit for Phase 1 of their expansion that included building the vet hospital, service road, and perimeter fence. Although the 2011 permit explicitly stated that it expired one year from the date of issuance, tree reviewer Robert Zahn said that the 2011 tree permit has not expired because the work related to the permit (construction of the vet hospital) began before the permit expiration.

The Zoo claims they have a "vested interest" in the remaining work (perimeter fence) under the 2011 tree permit. There is no definition of "vested interest" provided in the general City Code.

Effectively, this means that tree permit can remain valid for years beyond an expiration date. However, trees that were not of a protected size when the permit was issued may have grown to a protected size in four years, and these trees would not be covered by that permit.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Help us monitor the fence construction. Take photos and report ANY and ALL violations of the tree protection requirements (see below). Our monitoring and reporting now will make it clear that the public expects the Zoo to comply with the rules - we will report violations.

The tree protection requirements are straightforward ... you don't have to be an expert to see whether the construction crew is following the rules that include:

- NO disturbance or tracked equipment allowed under the tree's dripline (i.e. no wheeled vehicles, no digging, no piling dirt, etc.)

- holes must be dug only with a "portable, hand-held, gas-powered post-hole digger"

- pruning can be performed only by certified arborist - not by the construction crew.

MORE TO COME ..."