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1/6/14 Jack London's mighty oak won't be chopped - SFGate
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Jack London's mighty oak won't be choppedKurtis Alexander
Updated 9:13 pm, Wednesday, December 25, 2013
This 350- to 400-year-old oak tree, which provided Jack London with shade and inspiration at his
Glen Ellen cottage, has been spared its scheduled removal. Photo: Jason Henry, Special To The
Chronicle
The centuries-old Sonoma County oak tree
made famous for the shade and inspiration it
provided writer Jack London is dying of a
fungal disease. Arborists have deemed the end
near, while schoolchildren and American
Indians have bid final goodbyes.
But in what some are calling a holiday miracle,
the oak was given an improved bill of health
from a team of UC Berkeley researchers this
month, and the tree has been spared its
scheduled removal.
"We couldn't be more thrilled," said Tjiska Van Wyk, executive director of Jack London
Park Partners, which manages the Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen where
the tree is located. "In the season of joy, we consider this a great gift."
Researchers with UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Science, Policy and
Management reported that the base of the old oak is not experiencing the decay that its
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Earlier this year, three arborists advised that the tree be felled as a safety precaution after
noting dead branches and falling limbs. A storm late last year sent a 30-inch-diameter
piece of wood through a fence, raising concerns that a park visitor could be hurt.
But after reviewing the comprehensive UC Berkeley report, park managers said the tree
won't be removed anytime soon. Instead, they may simply do a little pruning and expand
the area around the tree that's closed to the public.
The tree has another two to 10 years of healthy living, said Professor Matteo Garbelotto,
who led the research team. He confirmed, though, that the presence of deadly fungi will
ultimately be more than the 350- to 400-year-old tree can handle.
"We're not out of the woods. We're in a gray area where the risk needs to be assessed,"
Garbelotto said.
The 50-foot-tall tree, which has survived Sonoma Valley's historic logging efforts and its
push for farmland, overshadows the rest of the oaks on the eastern slopes of
Sonoma Mountain.
Coastal Miwok once collected acorns in the area, and American novelist London bought the
acreage around the tree as a retreat from city living in 1905, according to E. Breck
Parkman, senior archaeologist for California State Parks.
The property helped London forge a spiritual connection with the land, which manifested
itself in his later works, Parkman said. London's cottage, where he could view the tree from
the window of his desk, still stands next to the old oak.
"I think everyone is going to be pleased that this tree has a little more time,"
Parkman said.
Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail:
[email protected] Twitter: @kurtisalexander
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10 days ago 0 Likes Like Reply Share
justaminutenow Rank 274
----
Hopefully people are planting more of them. It may have to come down, but maybe
we could plant like 12,000 of them. Then I'd be happy.
11 days ago 1 Like Like Reply Share
NewsmakerSays Rank 1246
Chronicle headline writer says, "How about 'Jack London's 400 year old Woody'?"
11 days ago 1 Like Like Reply Share
modoki Rank 886
What kind of oak?
Which fungal disease?
11 days ago 1 Like Like Reply Share
thing_fish Rank 943
Sometimes you gotta trust nature rather than jumping to conclusions
11 days ago 2 Likes Like Reply Share
Darkk Rank 345
"We're not out of the woods."
Love the cliche. lol
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11 days ago 2 Likes Like Reply Share
Chindi Rank 2
"350- to 400-year-old oak tree". Man, if someone misjudged MY age by 50 years, I'd
be pissed.
11 days ago 8 Likes Like Reply Share
ID_ZERO Rank 5
Martin Eden is my favorite Jack London novel...
it concerns a guy who wants to impress a girl through the attainment of knowledge
garnered at the Oakland Public Library, back when libraries actually had a preeminent
place in the sphere of intellectualism for the common man...Thank you, Mr. Carnegie
11 days ago 2 Likes Like Reply Share
Rat_Bastard Rank 17
What? You mean we don't have enough home grown children that could be adopted?
Damn straight we do and these kids deserve to be first up for adoption before
allowing people to import kids.
11 days ago 5 Likes Like Reply Share
Rat_Bastard Rank 17
@Rat_Bastard lol thought I had the other story open lol. To much
Christmas "cheer"
11 days ago 3 Likes Like Reply Share
avocadogreen Rank 471
@Rat_Bastard
I know you posted in the wrong place but I'm going to answer anyway. It
is usually for difficult to adopt a child here and other countries often have
relaxed rules in the hopes of finding homes for children who don't have a
family. I adopted a child here who I had helped raise from birth, I had the
permission of the birth mother (who was retaining her rights), who was
already living with me in a no contest adoption and it still took years and a
ton of money to finalize.
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