Aug 21, 2008 6:01 pm US/Pacific
Trees Cut Back At Contentious Cal Oak Grove
BERKELEY (CBS 5 / BCN) ―
University of California, Berkeley arborists were cutting branches from a grove of oak trees on campus Thursday in an attempt to confine four tree-sitters who have been living in the trees as an act of protest, a university spokesman said.
The university ultimately wants to cut down most of the grove of trees to build a new sports training center next to its football stadium.
Protesters took to the trees after the UC Board of Regents committee approved building the center in December 2006.
Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom said that cutting the branches could "make it very difficult for those who are illegally occupying university property to move back into the trees they had formerly occupied.''
The protesters had previously occupied multiple trees but have recently been living in just one tree.
A man who goes by the name "Ayr" and says he is a spokesperson for the tree-sitters, said the protesters feel threatened, especially since the university agreed to warn them before they were "attacked.''
Ayr said cutting the trees violates a court injunction that prevents construction from starting at the site.
"Once again we are disgusted that the university is flagrantly violating a court order, a personal agreement they made, and putting tree sitters' lives at risk,'' Ayr said.
UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university is not starting construction; rather, the actions are intended to maintain "safety and security prior to the start of the fall semester.''
Three plaintiff groups sued the university after the 2006 decision in an attempt to save the oak grove.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller issued a preliminary injunction in January 2007 that temporarily halted the project.
But on July 22 she ruled that the university could begin work because it has modified the project to address her concerns. The injunction remains in place, however, and Miller is expected to hold a hearing on the issue next week.
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