*500 pieces, 16” x 20” *Random-cut *Matte finish *Box size: 10” x 9” x 2” A perfect gift for Oakland fans, East Bay locals, and map lovers. The Lake Merritt Watershed image is a collaboration of artists and educators. Lake Merritt in Oakland, California is part of the Oakland Estuary of the San Francisco Bay, and was the first officially declared wildlife refuge in the United States (March 18, 1870). Estuaries are zones with salt and fresh water sources, sediments, and ocean creatures, all under the chaotic influence of tidal and storm forces. This dynamic allows and supports diverse ecological systems and species. For thousands of years, the tidal inlet we call Lake Merritt has been connected to the larger part of the San Francisco Bay Estuary through a narrow neck.