On Saturdays when Blackberry Gate is closed, Grizzly Gate will be open from 5:30 a.m. until Blackberry Gate reopens at approximately 6 p.m. Grizzly Gate will be available for all site access purposes, including access by staff,  visitors, Guest House guests, vendors, ride shares, and food deliveries. Anyone with an active Lab ID can park at the Lab on Saturdays. Grizzly Gate is located off Centennial Drive downhill from the Lawrence Hall of Science.  

The vegetation management work is part of a comprehensive effort to minimize the wildfire threat to the Lab and the surrounding area.  Check the site impact map and status.lbl.gov for any schedule updates. If you have any questions, contact osm@lbl.gov. 

“The recent fires in Southern California underscore the importance of preparing the Lab for a wildfire threat,” said Security and Emergency Services Director David von Damm.  “While closing Blackberry Gate is not ideal, it is important we get this work done, and done safely. Thinning high-risk trees, especially those that pose a risk to our primary ingress and egress routes, is critical to Lab safety.  Removing trees is highly hazardous work  and we must take the time to do it properly.”

To minimize the hazards associated with this work, including tree climbing, the Lab’s vendor will use remote-controlled equipment to cut and lower the tree sections. Tree sections will be hauled away to be mulched or used for electrical co-generation. A wildlife biologist team has inspected all trees to ensure that no nesting birds or bat maternity roosts are present. 

Trees slated for removal could become falling hazards and block Lab exits during a wildfire. Trees that are unhealthy or too closely grouped can spread disease to other trees, create more significant quantities of leaf litter, and make for more intense fires. Trees are critically important to the Lab’s natural environment; properly managing our trees will protect human lives and the health and durability of our groves. 

These latest activities are part of the Lab’s ongoing vegetation management efforts, which include annual goat grazing, tree maintenance, and regular groundskeeping. The Lab uses proven science to guide decision-making on vegetation management efforts by ranking potential treatment areas to maximize benefit. Learn more about the Lab’s vegetation management work.