As documented in the photos from the private collection of Bruce B. Roeding above, Roeding Park was planted starting in 1904 as an Arboretum to showcase tree species gathered from around the world. The Park has always been all about these trees, most of which are still standing today! The men in the photos, including Park designer/botanist Johannes Reimers, possessed great foresight when laying out the Park and its roads more than a century ago and it is the present day citizens of Fresno that reap the benefit of their vision and hard work.
During a recent visit to RoedingPark, members of the Northern California Palm Society were very impressed with the collection of old, rare and extremely valuable palms on site. One species, Brahea endulis, the Guadalupe Island Fan Palm, is on the IUCN Red List and is considered endangered (EN C1). Below is the start of a complete tree list, but we feel there are even more trees than what are listed here (any add-ons are welcomed!). There is also at least one tree to be nominated as a State Champ within the current zoo boundaries.
A collection of this magnitude all in one place is unheard of in our region. All of the trees and palms in Roeding Park should be protected as Historical and Landmark Trees in the City of Fresno's General Plan as has been done in other cities such as Fremont, California. In 2008, the Historic American Landscapes Survey of Northern California designated Roeding Park as a "threatened" historic designed landscape due to its significance to our Nation's past and Fresno Chaffee Zoo's impending take-over.
Roeding Park must be considered an Arboretum of National Significance and so designated by the City of Fresno. It is unique because it serves as a living demonstration of how the represented species fare in the U.S. and in San Joaquin Valley over many decades and even centuries. See if you can find the groves of these stately mature trees on your next visit to Roeding Park.
When local nurserymen talk about the old trees and plants around Fresno, they usually refer to these as being from the "Roeding Era," many of which were first introduced, cultivated or planted in the United States by the Roeding family and their predecessor, John Rock, of the California Nursery Company.
More links about the history of RoedingPark and the California Nursery Company follow the tree species list...
