Bob Walker (photographer) - Activism

Activism

When a For Sale sign appeared on a property including his favorite landscape, Walker became an activist. After trying to get the attention of local officials, Walker took matters into his own hands. He began leading hikes into the area, presenting slide shows of the landscape, and having participants write postcards to government leaders asking for their support. He also brought his photos and slides to the Park District headquarters, interesting the staff and allying himself with local officials who would later hire him for a variety of projects. Eventually, the area was preserved as the first addition to Morgan Territory Regional Preserve in more than a decade.

Walker also became involved with activist groups including Save Mount Diablo, Greenbelt Alliance, Preserve Area Ridgelands Committee (PARC), the East Bay Area Trails Council, the Save San Francisco Bay Association, and the Sierra Club. He helped lead dozens of activist campaigns and helped create the San Francisco Bay Area Ridge Trail.

Walker was one of the key activists in the creation of the Eastshore State Park, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Preserve, Round Valley Regional Preserve, and the connection of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve to Mt. Diablo State Park. He helped stop the proposed C&H, Marsh Canyon, Garaventa and Round Valley landfills, and the proposed Buckhorn Reservoir.

One of Walker's proudest accomplishments was the passage of the Regional Park District' $225 million open space funding Measure AA in November 1988, enabling a vast expansion of the Regional Park District's land holdings from approximately 60,000 to 96,000 acres (240 to 390 km²) and 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of trail in 2006.