LAKE MERRITT: URBAN MODEL FOR CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, became a model for conservation and education programs in an urban setting. The original tidal estuary was seasonal home to thousands of migratory waterfowl, leading to its designation as the first designated wildlife refuge in North America, created by the California legislature in 1870. As the burgeoning city of Oakland grew around the shores of the estuary, an earthen dam impounded waters from creeks in the surrounding watershed, as well as the tidal flow, creating a permanent lake that became the focal point of the city. When the U.S. Biological Survey office created the federal bird banding program in 1920, Lake Merritt became one of the early banding stations on the Pacific Flyway in 1926. A group of citizen-scientists, members of the American Bird Banding Association staged regular banding demonstrations for the public for over 30 years, and the city naturalist staff continued banding well into the 1970s. A special banding trap to capture diving ducks was built in the 1950s and for a number of years Lake Merritt was one of the few places where these species were banded.

Along with these model conservation programs, Lake Merritt also became the site of one of the country’s early environmental education programs. With funding from a local service club, the first city naturalist program started in 1933. Public talks initially focused on the bird life around Lake Merritt and drew large audiences every weekend. In 1947 the City of Oakland took over funding of the program, creating a full-time naturalist program, based at Lake Merritt, but conducting programs throughout the city parks. The addition of the Rotary Natural Science Center facility in 1953 provided space for indoor education programs as well as outdoor walks around the lake, and soon Lake Merritt became a very popular destination for school groups from throughout the East Bay Area.

While these conservation and education programs might be found frequently within the setting of a national park or state park system, the innovation of providing these services entirely within a large urban area was an innovative concept at the time. This model has adopted by urban park systems around the country, inspired in many cases from the model started at Lake Merritt nearly 100 years ago.