Forest Report from Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.
Written by the students of Washington School
Class or age : The Kelly family - 4th and 7th Grades
Name of Forest: Coastal Live Oak Stand
General information
Our stand of Coastal Live Oak trees (Quercus agrifolia) is located on a
parcel of land known as the Wilcox Property. This property is about to
be renamed the Douglas Family Preserve, the reason for which is an
interesting story in itself and one which we would like to share with
you after we relate the specifics of our "forest".
Our oak trees are located in Santa Barbara, California and cover
approximately 10 acres. They are a native tree, though not as prevalent
as they once were. This is probably due to development primarily. The
average rainfall is about 20' a year. We have no snow in Southern
California. Trees and plants that grow nearby include eucalyptus and
pine, as well as grasses.
Appearance
The trunks of these trees can sometimes grow in twisted and unusual
shapes but are pretty vertical for the most part. The bark has
striations and some diamond-shaped markings. Acorns are chestnut brown,
conical, and about 1' long with a bowl-like cup having thin, hairy
scales covering the lower third. The trees grow 60 to 90 feet tall and 2
to 3 feet in diameter. They have a short trunk and large branches
forming a broad, rounded, wide-spreading crown. The leaves are fairly
smooth with rough edges.
Seasonal Changes
The acorns are spread by squirrels and also grow well in the oak mulch
in to which they fall from the tree.
Our trees grow on a hillside next to the Pacific Ocean. It is easy to
walk between the trees as they give each other plenty of room to grow.
The biggest circumference that we could find in our stand was about 7'
The Coastal Live Oak is evergreen so the leaves do not fall off in
winter although leaves are always falling off as they die and there is
plenty of oak leaf-mold mulch under the trees. It does not snow here on
the coast of Southern California.
Life in this forest
There are many birds in the preserve. We have observed owls and redtail
hawks, as well as many small local birds, such as scrubjays. We have
also observed red fox, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and dogs (lots of
dogs).
Importance of this forest
The local indigenous peoples, the Chumash Indians, used these trees for
medicinal purposes and we are still looking into that for more
information.
These trees are not used commercially and people do not use this area
for finding food. No one lives in this preserve( although there is an
occasional tent). The wood from the Coastal Oak is not used for
furniture. The preserve is mostly used by people for walking, painting,
and reflecting. There is the occasional hang glider going off the cliffs
over the ocean.
Future of this forest
People sometimes plant new trees in the preserve. This will probably happen more now that the preservation status is established. The local
chapter of the Small Wilderness Area Preserve (SWAP), along with other local volunteers, care for the area. People here take great pride in this place.
Literature, Art, Music, Dance and your forest
There are poems and stories, paintings, dances, and crafts, all
inspired by the Wilcox Property.
History and Mythology
The history of this property is quite interesting. It has always been privately owned until late last year.
The property was slated for development when a concerned group of people stepped in and a true
grassroots effort was begun to save it. This effort was literally successful dollar by dollar. Everyone contributed, from school children and their bake sales to the elderly with their fixed incomes. There were
card tables set up all over town as collection points and there were also several wealthy "angels".
At the eleventh hour, the effort was still approximately 1 million dollars short. At this time, Michael
Douglas, the actor and a local resident, came up with the necessary amount. He asked that the property be named after his family and it will now be known as the Douglas Family Preserve.
It was and is inspirational to realize that people from all walks of life can come together for the common good. In this case, a most beautiful piece of
the Southern California coast and the last stand of naturally occurring Coastal Live Oaks in the area, have been saved.
Go to top of page
The contact person for this report is Kathy Kelly.
This page has been visited 
times
since 14th Jan,
1997.
Computer Co-ordinator : 
Judith
Bennett : This page was last modified 1st Mar,
1997
