by John Roberts
Our beloved Joaquin Miller Park (JMP) is being terrorized by horrible weeds. Although they are known as Acacias, they are not appropriate to the trail and trees in the park system. These bushes can grow very thick and out of control in very little time. Their root network grows underground and out competes more traditional trees like Redwoods and Cedars. Above ground, these plants are known to encroach on the trail and require a lot of recurring work. Acacias are not part of the original plant structure at JMP.
On June 5, 2021, volunteers, including many on bicycles, showed up to remove Acacia debris. It was all along lower Sanborn Drive, between Lookout Point and the JMP Abbey. The effort is part of creating a fire break now that the summer is upon us. The volunteers filled two large industrial bins. The Acacia leaves are being used to feed giraffes at the Oakland zoo.
There is also a broader plan working in conjunction with the Friends of Joaquin Miller Park. Look out for future acacia removal work opportunities in the future.
A place where this is happening full tilt is on Bishops walk Trail. If you don’t believe me, next time you ride there, I suggest you look up. Many of the dead Redwood and Cedar trees planted there were part of arborist days from many decades ago. By some accounts these trees were planted as far back as 1927.
