• Reimagine a Thriving Lake Merritt

  • Designed By Community, For Community

  • A Place for Connection & Celebration

  • In Harmony with Nature & People

  • Together for the Lake. Together for Oakland.

Our Mission

To act as a steward of Lake Merritt and the parkland around it, and in partnership with the City of Oakland and community stakeholders, to enhance the park experience and promote equitable access for all.

Imagine With Us

This isn’t just about a park—it’s about a future where nature and community thrive—creating a ripple effect of economic vitality, environmental resilience, and community pride that uplifts all Oaklanders.

We seek to reactivate our environment so that the Lake stands as a beacon to communities everywhere, for our children, our children's children, and for many generations beyond…

Winter Studio 2025 with Cal Poly and SWA

Shaping the future starts with understanding the past…
In collaboration with SWA—one of the nation's leading landscape architecture firms—and the Cal Poly Landscape Architecture Department, we are exploring and identifying opportunities to enhance ecology, strengthen community connections, and improve education and infrastructure.

Lake Merritt has always been a reflection of its community—from its origins as a thriving tidal slough stewarded by the Ohlone to the restoration efforts of today. This timeline highlights the Lake’s ups and downs, showing how cultural vitality and e
Unifying Lake Merritt’s past and present starts with storytelling—highlighting its legacy of community, environmental stewardship, and recreation. By using materials that honor history while enhancing underutilized areas and improving pathways and ga
Community use of the Lake is shaped by its surroundings—downtown’s higher foot traffic has driven more development on the West side, making it a hub for biking, jogging, and gathering. Meanwhile, the East side, with underutilized green spaces and few
Mapping the Lake’s surroundings reveals key disparities—while the downtown and northwest areas are active hubs, the east side has fewer commercial spaces, notable buildings, and green zones. With much of the area dominated by residential zoning, the
Managing sound at Lake Merritt requires thoughtful design—strategic sound barriers and designated event spaces can help contain noise while preserving the Lake’s tranquility for both visitors and nearby residents.
Lake Merritt’s mix of creeks, bay tides, and urban runoff creates water quality challenges. Restoring natural hydrology—through buried creeks, watersheds, and wetlands—can improve ecology, support sustainability, and prevent crises like algal blooms
This map highlights the five buried creeks, watersheds, and former wetlands that once helped sustain Lake Merritt. Restoring these natural systems could reduce flood risks, improve water quality, support biodiversity, and enhance climate resilience—n
Lake Merritt’s water is both an ecological and cultural focal point—its health and clarity can inspire stewardship. By restoring water quality and highlighting thriving ecosystems, we can deepen community appreciation for the Lake’s interconnectednes
As America’s first wildlife refuge, Lake Merritt is a vital habitat for over 900 species, including 18 threatened species—12 of which are birds. These maps highlight key migratory patterns and bird observation hotspots, emphasizing the Lake’s role in
Looking to successful conservancy projects like Williamsburg’s River Ring provides valuable guidance for Lake Merritt. By combining ecological restoration with public space activation, we can address climate resilience, enhance biodiversity, and crea
The Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration turned a neglected waterway into a cultural landmark by reclaiming Seoul’s historical identity. By transforming infrastructure challenges into opportunities for urban renewal, the project secured funding through
New York's Bryant Park transformed from a neglected space into a thriving hub through strategic maintenance and programming. Enhancements like concession stands, restaurants, and daily events made it a model for how Lake Merritt can be revitalized th

About The Conservancy

We undertake this work in the spirit of camaraderie, welcoming all who have joined or will join us on this journey. We honor the Ohlone people, the original inhabitants of the area, and we are profoundly grateful for the dedication and tireless efforts of local organizations and volunteers who care for the Lake and its parkland every day.

The Lake Merritt Conservancy is partnering with educators, designers, and community leaders to establish a world-class conservancy for Lake Merritt. Inspired by models like Central Park and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancies, we’re working toward a public-private partnership with the City to ensure equitable access, shared stewardship, and high-quality care for Oakland’s iconic urban park.

Donors

Founder’s Fund

These first visionary donors contributed when the Conservancy was not much more than a bunch of sticky notes on a wall, and gave of themselves so that we could even have the chance to be the change we want to see.

Bob Redman

Brook Levin

Buckley Young

Chowning Poppler

Chris Fadeff

Christian Charnaux

Christine Brigagliano

Chuck Siu

Clarence & Frances Cooper

Dan & Cheryl Marks

David L. Alexander

Diane L. Bell

Emily Davis

Eric Lai

Frank Rudolph Cooper

George Woods, MD

Gwendolynne Barr

James Erb

Jennie Gerard

Jonathan Hoffberg

Josiah Albertsen

Judy Young

Kate Steel

Kathleen Healy

Kimberly Blue

Kim Thompson &
John Bliss

Kyle Milligan

Lindsey Meyersieck

Mark Hoffberg

Myra Redman

Nancy Forbord

Peter Birkholz

Richard Bailey

Sam & Carolyn Burd

Sarah Van Roo

Steve Rochon

Susan Harmon

Susan Casentini

Sydney Ward

Thomas Waller

Tom Robertson

Troy Perry &
Tawni Alalima

Victor Flores

William Rogers

Zac Unger

Zarka Popovic

Sponsors

Page & Turnbull

Whole Foods

1200 Lakeshore

Oakland Lawn
Bowling Club

The Lark

Lake Merritt United
Methodist Church

Volunteers

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any community-driven non-profit. These are some of the volunteers that gave and/or continue to give generously of their time and of their personal and
professional expertise.

Amy Bohorquez

Ana-Marie Jones

Bob Redman

Barry Wu

Billy Wilkes

Charlese Banks

Cheryl Anderson

Cory Moore

David Wofford

Emily Davis

Fran Cooper

Clarence Cooper

Gwendolynne Barr

Jacob Olander

James Vann

Joe DeVries

Josiah Albertsen

Josh Cleveland

Kate Cummings

Kathy Williams

Langstyn Avery

Leeann Alameda

Liam O’Donoghue

Liz Redman-Cleveland

Maria Alderete

Nancy Forbord

Peter Birkholz

Rene Bihan

Richard Bailey

Sam Burd

Sarah Van Roo

Sheila Fischer

Steve Lautze

Stewart Merritt

Travis Watts

Guidance

We are grateful for the time and guidance provided by a great number of community leaders, business people, policy experts and educators, current and former civil servants and concerned residents in the service of our mission, including the following individuals:

Alton Jelks

Amy Bohorquez

Ana-Marie Jones

Ankeeta Sharma

Andrea Kates

Brian Gougherty

Brooke Levin

Bob Redman

Carina Wong

Carroll Fife

Channing Nesbitt

Charlese Banks

Chris Fadeff

Christine Brigagliano

Chuck Siu

Clarence Cooper

Court Miller

Daniel Hamilton

David Alexander

Deborah Boyer

Decoryan Jemelle

Devyn Rainwater

Dru Cowan

Eli Kersh

Elihu Harris

Emily Davis

Elisha Greenwell

Fred Kelley

Harith Aleem

Harold Duffey

Honorebel Walker

Ignacio Dayrit

Ilana Lipsett

Isaac Abid

Isaac Kos-Read

James McGrath

James Robinson

James Vann

Joe DeVries

Joel Ullmann

John Bliss

Jon Jarvis

Josiah Albertsen

Kate Steel

Karen Boyd

Kymberly Miller

Libby Schaaf

Marc Spencer

Matt Davis

Michelle Malanca Frey

Miles Dotson

Nancy Forbord

Noel Gallo

Nikhil Sheel

Paul Yee

Peter Birkholz

Peter Coughlan

Phuthi Tsatsi

Rene Bihan

Ric Notini

Richard Bailey

Rita Nordby

Robert Morris

Robert Ogilvie

Robert Rayburn

Sean Valentine

Steve Snider

Susan Hamilton

Thoey Bou

Tim Gardner

Tom Robertson

Travis Watts

Victor Flores

Warren Logan

Zac Ungar

Partners

  • Adler & Colvin

    of counsel

  • Cal Poly

    educational partner

  • Fletcher Studio

    design partner

  • Laney College

    educational partner

  • Oakland Parks & Rec Fdn

    fiscal sponsor

  • SWAgroup

    design partner

Team

  • Erin Poppler

    board member

  • Jason Young

    board secretary

  • Jennie Gerard

    treasurer

  • Jonathan Hoffberg

    president

  • Lori Smith

    director of marketing

  • Seemant Kulleen

    director of impact

Why a Conservancy?

Across the country—from Central Park in New York to the Piedmont Conservancy in Atlanta and the Riverwalk in Chicago —nonprofit conservancies have stepped in to bridge the gap between what cities can provide and what communities need from their parks. The Lake Merritt Conservancy is bringing together the resources of all of the communities of which we are a part to invest in the public space around Lake Merritt to usher in a new era of vibrance for all Oaklanders.

Let’s Stay Connected

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