Golf Course Expansion

Since 1982 the Bidwell Park Golf Course has been considered unsafe because of its small size. Golfers have continually complained about being hit or nearly hit by a stray ball. In response, the Bidwell Park Golf Club lobbied the City to expand the course. The expansion called for the removal of 27 trees, including a 60-foot blue oak tree thought to be hundreds of years old. BEC and local environmental groups opposed removal of the tree because it served as a granary for acorn woodpeckers. They were able to postpone the expansion for a decade until 1992, when a 5-2 City Council vote approved the expansion.

BEC and other environmental groups had actively opposed the expansion. Once it was approved, they worked to ensure responsible expansion planning. Important mitigation, including those sought by Park Commissioner Suzanne Gibbs, were implemented, including planting three trees for every one removed, revegetation of areas affected by expansion, and establishing buffer zones around remaining native oaks.

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