Talking Trees at Green Drinks
It was a beautiful warm Thursday evening on September 3 in the garden area at Farmer and the Cook, where people began to assemble with anticipation. Ojai is where anything can happen outdoors 95% of the year, and amongst the plants, tables, chairs, earth, and sunshine at Farmer, a large screen TV was set up for this month’s Green Drinks, a monthly event organized by the Ojai Valley Green Coalition. This month featured Dr. David White, director of Once Upon a Watershed, who came to give a presentation about the oaks that call the Ojai Valley home and to talk about the exciting events happening this Oaktober. That’s right, OAKtober!
David’s passion and enthusiasm for this topic were matched by his knowledge and the interesting details he provided in his in-depth presentation. We learned how oaks are a keystone species (many other species depend on oaks for habitat food, etc), how oaks are being impacted by climate change (and how climate change is outpacing the oaks’ ability to adapt alongside it), and finally, David discussed all the efforts that he and others are making to help and support our local oaks.
(Keep reading below)
Let’s focus on the last part - what he (and others) are doing to help our oaks (and ultimately what you can do as well).
Educate. David’s commitment to education and connecting students to nature is inspiring. The Once Upon a Watershed program does outreach in over 20 schools in the county. Connecting kids to nature is one way for kids to be happier and healthier, and there’s a good chance those kids will end up being stewards of the environment.
Propagate. David discussed advances in growing oaks in pots to ultimately be planted around Ojai and the rest of the county. Specialized plastic pots are being utilized to both protect the root bulb and allow roots to grow through the plastic pot (vs.standard pots where oak’s roots twist and turn to fit inside the constricted space). This new way gives the young oaks a better chance at thriving once out of the pot and into the ground.
Celebrate. Partake in Ojai’s Oaktober events! On October 24 there is going to be a planting of 100 saplings on Help of Ojai’s West Campus (the former Honor Farm) as a collaboration between Once Upon a Watershed, Ojai Trees, and the Ojai Valley Green Coalition. For more information on Oaktober's Tree Plantings and registration, click here.
Ultimately we need to plant more oak trees. And hug more trees too!
(Photos taken by Timothy Teague)
