Frequently Asked Questions

How big is Bidwell Park?

Bidwell Park contains 3670 acres, about 5.73 square miles.

How does its size compare to some other large municipal parks?

Park Name	Location	Size (acres)	2000 Population	Acres Per Capita
South Mountain Park	Phoenix, AZ	16,500	1,321,045	.013
Cullen Park	Houston, TX	10,534	1,953,631	.005
Newport News Park	Newport News, VA	8,000	180,150	.044
Mission Trails Park	San Diego, CA	5,760	1,223,400	.005
Forest Park	Portland, OR	5,000	529,121	.010
Fairmont Park	Philadelphia, PA	4,180	1,517,550	.003
Griffith Park	Los Angeles, CA	4,107	3,694,820	.001
Eagle Creek Park	Indianapolis, IN	3,930	781,870	.005
Bidwell Park	Chico, CA	3,670	59,954	.061
Mill Creek Park	Youngstown OH	2,530	82,026	.030
Swope Park	Kansas City, MO	1,769	441,545	.004
Forest Park	St. Louis, MO	1,300	348,189	.004
Golden Gate Park	San Francisco, CA	1,017	776,733	.001
Central Park	New York City, NY	843	19,157,532	.00004

For a more complete survey, see the lists at the Trust for Public Land website.

How much is Bidwell Park worth?

A City of Chico Real Property Inventory Summary Working Draft for the 06/19/03 Finance Committee meeting showed the 1999 value of the land in Bidwell Park at $141.5 million with improvements valued at $1.6 million. The total acquisition cost for the land was $2.4 million.

Goats graze in Lower Park, October 2003

When are the goats coming back?

The goats were in the walnut orchard area of Lower Park in the fall of 2003. They probably won't be back in 2004; they are expensive and the Chico park department has said that, given the current budget constraints, they need to use cheaper weed control methods. They may return in the future but there aren't any definite plans.

What's the difference between the Chico Park Department and CARD?

Butte County has 5 recreation districts that cover most of the county. Each recreation district is primarily funded by a special property tax assessment district. The Chico Area Recreation District (CARD) was formed in 1948. It serves an area of about 225 square miles, extending from the Tehama County line through the Chico urban area. CARD owns or leases many of the active (e.g., softball, basketball, swimming) recreation sites within this geographic area. Their facilities include the 20th St. Community Park, Oak Way Park, Pleasant Valley Community Center and Pool, Rotary Park and Hooker Oak Recreation Area. They will own and operate DeGarmo Park, when it is constructed. See the park inventory for a list of Chico parks, their sizes, and administration.

See our guide to the Chico Park Department for more information about Park Department responsibilities.

Are Hooker Oak Recreation Area and the CARD Community Center part of Bidwell Park?

The Hooker Oak area is included in the acreage calculation for Bidwell Park and is shown on maps as part of Bidwell Park. However, it is leased to CARD on a long- term lease and they're responsible for maintenance and improvements in this area. When the Bidwell Park Master Management Plan is updated in 2003/04, this information for this area will not be part of the update. CARD has its own Master Management Plan, which includes Hooker Oak. CARD also leases the Sycamore playing fields in Lower Park. In theory, CARD is responsible for active recreation sites in Chico and the Park Department for the rest of the open space. The CARD Community Center is not a part of Bidwell Park.

Is Bidwell Municipal Golf Course part of Bidwell Park?

As with Hooker Oak, the land is owned by the city of Chico and is considered to be part of Bidwell Park, but is leased to a company that operates the golf course. On a smaller scale, the Chico Creek Nature Center, Chico Observatory, Chico Equestrian Association and Chico Rod & Gun Club also lease parkland; building and operating their own facilities in the park.

Who is Petersen Memorial Drive named after?

Plaque at the west end of Petersen Dr. near Sycamore Pool

Petersen (sometimes called "North Park") Drive is the road that runs along the north side of the creek in Lower Park. It was named for George F.C. and Clara Petersen, early residents of Chico. Clara left property along Mangrove Avenue, now the site of the Mangrove Square shopping center, to the city with instructions that it be sold and that the proceeds should be used to benefit Bidwell Park.

Why don't they remove all the weeds, downed trees and debris in the park?

With only 8 maintenance workers for all of Bidwell Park's 3670 acres, that would be impossible. More importantly, this is a deliberate policy decision. The undergrowth provides habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. As the debris decays, it creates new soil and provides nutrients for the plants. In Upper Park, it keeps the soil from eroding on the slopes. For the same reason, when a tree falls across a trail, only the section blocking the trail is removed. Trees that fall into the creek or are swept downstream during winter storms are also left to provide shelter for fish, nutrients and to help slow the water flow, reducing erosion. On the other hand, the Park Department would like to reduce or eliminate some of the most invasive plants in the park, such as yellow star-thistle, privet, giant reed, and French and Spanish broom.

I see lots of cigarette butts in the park. How long does it take them to disintegrate?

Cigarette filters take about five years to disintegrate. Also, since the purpose of the filter is to collect the toxins in the cigarette, it creates a tiny package of toxic substances that's harmful to wildlife and fish. Winter rains leach out the toxins, which end up in the creek, poisoning the fish and other aquatic life. Here's how long other kinds of litter lasts:

Rate of Biodegradability
Product	Time it takes
Cotton Rags	1-5 months
Paper	2-5 months
Rope	3-14 months
Orange Peels	6 months
Wool Socks	1-5 years
Cigarette butts	1-12 years
Plastic coated paper cartons	5 years
Plastic bags	10-20 years
Leather shoes	25-40 years
Nylon fabric	30-40 years
Tin cans	50-100 years
Aluminum cans	80-100 years
Plastic 6-pack holder rings	450 years
Glass bottles	1 million years
Plastic bottles	Never

Table from UBC Waste Management

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by: Friends of Bidwell Park