 In 2010, the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (EBCNPS) included Knowland Park in its South Oakland Botanical Priority Protection Area due to its rich native plant resources that include rare natural communities of Valley Needlegrass Grassland and Maritime Chaparral.In 2011, Oakland City Council voted to approve the expansion of the Oakland Zoo into upper Knowland Park.This move has been fiercely contested by the Friends of Knowland Park.