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Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park is a park located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of
The largest and most pristine portion of the park is undeveloped, and yet is the most accessible to park users. The western highlands and northern slopes are currently a thriving hotspot for rare native plants and wildlife. Some of the natural highlights of the park include rare native plant communities, thriving but threatened wildlife, choice bird-watching locales, and a known-critical migratory corridor for mountain lions and bobcats. The park is traversed along its northern boundary by
Oakland Zoo
Save Knowland Park
Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park is a park located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the ...
. It was formerly a state park, and is now the property of the City of Oakland. The Oakland Zoo
The Oakland Zoo is a zoo located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, United States. Established on June 6, 1922, it is managed by the Conservation Society of California, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the ...
occupies the developed western lowlands of the park, just off I-580.
Creation
The park's namesake and principal founder was Joseph Knowland, who served on the California State Park Commission from 1934 to 1960 and was its chairman from 1938. Under his influence, theState of California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
purchased for $660,000 on a matching grant basis. On April 30 1948, the property became a State Park.
In December 1949, the park was leased to the City of Oakland with the proviso that Knowland Park would always remain a public park. At this time, a portion of the park became the new site of the relocated Oakland Zoo
The Oakland Zoo is a zoo located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, United States. Established on June 6, 1922, it is managed by the Conservation Society of California, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the ...
. Joseph Knowland was honored, on the 101st California State Admission Day, September 9 1951, by the City of Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...
, Alameda County
Alameda County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,682,353, making it the 7th-most populous county in the state and 21st most populous nationally. The county seat is Oakland. Alam ...
, and the State of California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
, with the renaming of the park to Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park. In 1973, the site was ceded to the City of Oakland, and in 1975, management of the park was granted to the City of Oakland.
About the park
The largest and most pristine portion of the park is undeveloped, and yet is the most accessible to park users. The western highlands and northern slopes are currently a thriving hotspot for rare native plants and wildlife. Some of the natural highlights of the park include rare native plant communities, thriving but threatened wildlife, choice bird-watching locales, and a known-critical migratory corridor for mountain lions and bobcats. The park is traversed along its northern boundary by Arroyo Viejo
Arroyo Viejo is a westward flowing creek that begins in the Oakland Hills in Alameda County, California, and joins Lion Creek just before entering San Leandro Bay, a part of eastern San Francisco Bay.
History
Arroyo Viejo means Old Creek in Sp ...
which flows to Lion Creek and then San Leandro Bay
San Leandro Bay is a body of water in the San Francisco Bay. It is connected to the Oakland Estuary today, but was originally separated by land which formerly connected Alameda with Oakland. It is located along the east of the Oakland Internat ...
.
In 2010, the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (EBCNPS) included Knowland Park in its South Oakland Botanical Priority Protection Area due to its rich native plant resources that include rare natural communities of Valley Needlegrass Grassland and Maritime Chaparral.
Controversy
In 2011, Oakland City Council voted to approve the expansion of the Oakland Zoo into upper Knowland Park. This move has been fiercely contested by the Friends of Knowland Park. On December 9, 2014, the Oakland City Council voted to block public access to dozens of acres within the heart of the park by granting a mitigation easement to offset the damage that would occur from a planned development by the Oakland Zoo onto the western highland of Knowland Park. The Save Knowland Park Coalition, which includes the Sierra Club - East Bay Chapter, California Native Plant Society, California Grasslands Association, several other environmental organizations as well as the Green Party are supporting a referendum effort to put the issue to a vote of Oakland registered voters.External links
Oakland Zoo
Save Knowland Park
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joseph Knowland State Arboretum And Park Tourist attractions in Oakland, California Geography of Oakland, California Parks in the San Francisco Bay Area