One of the problems facing the Redwood Grove is the "loss of understory brush and plants." Because people have been allowed to walk, ride horses, bicycle, and jog freely throughout the grove the area has become widely defoliated over a period of many, many years. Use of this area needs to be confined to clearly delineated trails. This series of photos show the Upper Redwood Grove just south of Redwood Glen.

Here we see an example of one of the many stick structures that are build in the mist of the fairy rings and closely spaced trees. This particular dwelling is not adjacent to any named trail but borders the well defined illegal trail that runs parallel to Big Trees and connects up with Sequoia Bayview. The small house even contains a fire pit situated within the stump of the old growth redwood. It is clearly not a bicycle-related problem, however. Rather, it is performed by boy & girl scouts, summer day hikers, and other well-meaning people who perhaps don't realize the impact they are having on the resource.

Here a teepee is constructed over a stump. Once again this structure is situated several hundred feet from the nearest legal trail. One can only assume that the most significant impact to the forest in this area has to be the trampling of hikers as they collect material and build these structures. Due to poor signage and trail design, bikers and hikers all roam haphazardly throughout this area. There's trash on the ground, illegal fire pits, trampled undergrowth and literally dozens of structures like this.

Some environmentalists have suggested the City of Oakland should develop a conservation plan more in line with Muir Woods National Monument where bicycles are not allowed. But much of the damage to be found has not been caused by bicyclists. The Cities own study "An Assessment of Trails, Watercourses, Soils and Redwood Forest Health in Joaquin Miller Park" stated that "The vegetation trampling results from all type of off-trail traffic (pedestrian, equestrian and bicycle) with no distinct difference in degree of impact between the types of off-trail traffic.