Photo by David Ledger
The SEA field trip to the proposed Jenny Creek trail in the City of Redding Open Space in early November was enjoyed by a small group of people including several Wintu Audubon members who were able to identify the many birds we saw on this walk.
We started in the LR Woods Park on Royal Oaks Drive and walked down to near where a bridge will be built across Jenny Creek. The Parks and Recreation Department has not released full details of the trail as of yet but it was originally proposed as a 12-foot-wide paved trail. As we hiked the trail, it became evident as it neared Jenny Creek toward the east end of the open space that it would take a significant gash out of the hillside due to the steepness of the terrain.
This area is in an oak woodland between Royal Oaks Drive and Overhill Drive. There were hundreds of birds along the trail which I was unfortunately flushing out before those behind me could catch many of them but birder Tricia Ford was able to identify many of the birds on the walk despite this. This oak woodland was a very important habitat for birds and undoubtedly many small mammals during evening hours.
Following our walk in the open space, we drove down to the end of Overhill Drive to a trail that crosses Jenny Creek and connects with the Sacramento River Trail at the ½ mile mark.
A 12-foot wide trail in an important oak woodland seems unnecessary with a quiet road for walking or biking down Overhill Drive which connects up with Mary Street leading to Shasta High School, downtown Redding, and the Sacramento River Trail. Another trail on the other side of the neighborhood can be reached by walking or biking down Royal Oaks Drive to Palantine Court which has a City of Redding dirt trail that also connects to the Sacramento River Trail. Perhaps another neighborhood is in more need of a trail.
I completely agree with the writer that trail is unnecessary and destructive. There are 2 trails very close to the proposed Jenny Creek trail. (One on Overhill and another at the base of Palatine. The Buenaventura Five Bridges Trail is also close,) The topography of the area is not condusive to a trail and it is already inhabited by not only birds but deer, fox, coyotes, and even an occasional bobcat. I hope that the planners will reconsider. I find it unusual that those of us who live in the area were not informed of the proposal and invited to the discussion.
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