Following the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of people have increasingly turned to public parks in San Francisco in search of a place to unwind, posing risks to the wildlife that inhabits them.
In 2020 and 2021 alone, there was a fivefold increase in the number of visitors to the 73 parks that make up the East Bay Regional Park District –EBRPD, for its acronym in English–.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, parks have become an attraction that has generated a record number of visitors.
“We have so many people that are going to the parks, they are entering the parks as their only way to get out and with all of that we are bringing all of our cultural learnings, our resources, our biases,” said Dee Rosario, a member of the EBRPD Board of Trustees representing District 2.
This was stated during a press conference held by Ethnic Media Services where experts met to discuss the risks posed by the large number of visitors to the parks and the measures that should be taken to protect wildlife there.
Rosario pointed out that the EBRPD must take into account the different cultures that enter the parks in order to create measures that protect nature.
"These are our lands, they belong to each one of us, and we have to take responsibility for them. We share these lands and we must also take responsibility for taking care of them," he stressed.
Becky Tuden, manager of Ecological Services at the EBRPD Administration Department, said that people sometimes release their pets, insects and even turtles, putting the parks' wildlife at risk.
He also warned that people sometimes irresponsibly feed wildlife in the parks, which can lead to them becoming wild, endangering even visitors. He also pointed out that poor control of invasive plants increases the risk of fires.
"There are many impacts and we want to minimize them, enjoy the parks, take care of them and protect them," he said.
He also pointed out the importance of informing communities about the need to protect parks.
At the time, Doug Bell, director of the EBRPD Wildlife Program, pointed out the importance of not feeding wildlife when visiting parks or releasing animals there, as these actions cause the appearance of invasive species and diseases that also affect the environment.
Species such as the Western Snowy Plover have been affected, as visitors ignore signs warning them to stay away from areas where they gather to rest or breed.
Joe Sullivan, director of the EBRPD Fisheries Program, said the release of fish and turtles that were kept as pets has a major impact on aquatic life.
“People release a turtle they no longer want to care for or their fish, and that has an impact on aquatic life… We find people releasing their pets or doing ceremonial releases, there are several religious communities that release fish as part of their religion,” Sullivan said, emphasizing that these actions can cause diseases in native species, causing their death.
"Give wildlife its space," Bell concluded.
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