PREFACE
In June 1979, more than 200 people met on the campus of
Scripps College in Claremont to share information about our
native oaks, one of California's most important natural resources. Historical records show that the beauty and value of
the arborescent oaks were readily apparent to the early settlers,
but during the last 200 years, probably more effort has been
spent to remove and kiil oaks than to grow and manage them.
Efforts by concerned individuals and public resource organizations to manage oaks have generally been ineffective.
Because of the "poor" stem form and the relatively slow
growth of most oak trees, professional foresters have generally
concentrated their efforts on managing other trees, mainly
conifers. Recently, however, broad-scale interest in oaks has
developed. The public has become aware of the limitations of
our natural resources. The potential of the oak woodlands in
meeting energy shortages and wildlife needs, as well as the
great immediate value of these woodlands to recreation, are
now being recognized. This recognition, and the intense concern now felt about the urbanization of California's woodlands, have contributed to the success of the symposium.
The symposium was sponsored by Pacific Southwest Forest
and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Society of American Foresters.
The background for the symposium and its general tenor was
set in the opening address by Dr. Robert Z. Callaham, Director
of Pacific Southwest Station, who emphasized that the symposium was a joint effort by scientists, land managers, and
practitioners representing many different points of view.
Grateful recognition is due the members of the Coordinating
Committee, who provided technical support and encouragement:
Leland R. Brown, University of California, Riverside
Reginald Barrett, University of California, Berkeley
James R. Griffin, Hastings Natural History Reservation,
University of California, Carmel Valley
Philip M. McDonald, Pacific Southwest Station, Redding
Nonnan H. Pillsbury, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Jared Verner, Pacific Southwest Station, Fresno
Herbert Hahn, Pacific Southwest Region (R-5), Forest
Service, representing the Society of American Foresters.
The chairmen of the four sections of the meeting contributed
greatly to the success of the symposium, and their work is
sincerely appreciated:
Ecological Relationships, James R. Griffin
Silviculture and Management, Philip M. McDonald
Damage Factors, Leland R. Brown
Products, Jared Verner
We also thank the many individuals who took care of the
multitude of jobs to be done, in particular, DiAnne Broussard,
Pacific Southwest Station, Riverside, who served as symposium coordinating assistant. The Chaparral Research and
Development Program and the Chaparral Research Work
Unit, both of Pacific Southwest Station, Riverside, supported
the symposium from its inception.
Timothy R. Plumb
Forest Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture
Chairman, Coordinating Committee
Opening Remarks1
Robert Z . callaham?'
I am p a r t i c u l a r l y happy t o b e h e r e t o open
t h i s meeting b e c a u s e I know i t i s needed.
E x p r e s s i o n s of need f o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t o a k s
i n C a l i f o r n i a have been numerous and f r e q u e n t
i n r e c e n t y e a r s . Responding t o t h i s need, t h e
Forest Service, s p e c i f i c a l l y our Chaparral
Research and Development Program, h a s o r g a n i z e d
t h i s Symposium d e a l i n g w i t h o a k s i n C a l i f o r n i a .
You a r e a b o u t t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e f i r s t
meeting e v e r d e s i g n e d t o c o l l e c t a l l f a c e t s of
i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t o a k s and r e l a t e d s p e c i e s i n
C a l i f o r n i a . T h i s Symposium i s going t o make
a v a i l a b l e a g r e a t d e a l of i n f o r m a t i o n , much of
i t h e r e t o f o r e u n p u b l i s h e d . P e o p l e seem t o know
more a b o u t o a k s t h a n t h e y have e v e r b o t h e r e d t o
publish.
I n some d i s c i p l i n e s , s u c h a s taxonomy
and entomology, t h e r e is q u i t e a b i t of informat i o n ~ v e r ys p e c i f i c and t e c h n i c a l .
I n some
o t h e r d i s c i p l i n e s , such a s s i l v i c u l t u r e and
s o i l s , we l a c k i n f o r m a t i o n b u t hope t h i s
Symposium w i l l p r o v i d e t h e o c c a s i o n t o p u l l
t o g e t h e r what is known.
One primary p u r p o s e of t h i s meeting i s t o
i d e n t i f y t h e i n f o r m a t i o n gaps. Some p e o p l e
t a l k about t h e state-of-the-art,
b u t I have
come t o r e j e c t t h a t p h r a s e . I have l e a r n e d t o
d i s t i n g u i s h between t h e s t a t e - o f - s c i e n c e and
the state-of-practice.
These a r e two import a n t and d i f f e r e n t s u b j e c t s . S c i e n t i s t s want
t o know a b o u t f r o n t i e r s of knowledge and t h e
gaps f o r f u r t h e r exploration. P r a c t i t i o n e r s
have v e r y l i t t l e i n t e r e s t i n t h e s t a t e - o f s c i e n c e ; t h e y a r e o n l y i n t e r e s t e d i n what i s
known t h a t c a n b e p u t i n t o p r a c t i c e t o d a y , a t
what c o s t s , and w i t h what b e n e f i t s . T h i s meeting s t r i v e s t o describe both t h e state-ofs c i e n c e and s t a t e - o f - p r a c t i c e r e l a t i n g t o o a k s
i n California.
1
- P r e s e n t e d a t t h e Symposium on t h e Ecology
Management and U t i l i z a t i o n of C a l i f o r n i a Oaks,
J u n e 26-28, 1979, Claremont, C a l i f o r n i a .
- ~ i r e c t o r , P a c i f i c Southwest F o r e s t and Range
Experiment S t a t i o n , F o r e s t S e r v i c e , U.S.
Department of A g r i c u l t u r e , Berkeley, C a l i f o r n i a .
Although one of C a l i f o r n i a ' s l a r g e s t
n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s , o a k s a r e a l m o s t unmanaged.
U t i l i z a t i o n i s low, n o n e x i s t e n t , and even
d e s i g n e d t o r e d u c e t h e oak r e s o u r c e s i n many
a r e a s . Most f o r e s t e r s e i t h e r i g n o r e o a k s o r
c o n s i d e r them a s weeds. For many y e a r s , o a k s
have been looked upon a s a d e t r i m e n t t o r a n g e
management. C u r r e n t l y , where u r b a n i z a t i o n i s
i n v a d i n g t h e oak-woodlands, t h e o a k s a r e mixed
b l e s s i n g s . Some p e o p l e l o o k upon them a s a
n u i s a n c e impeding p r o g r e s s ; and o t h e r s v a l u e
them v e r y h i g h l y f o r t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l b e a u t y ,
f o r t h e s h a d e t h e y c a s t , and f o r o t h e r
environmental b e n e f i t s .
Tremendous i n t e r e s t i n oak h a s developed
i n t h e p a s t few y e a r s . Some of t h i s i n t e r e s t
i s undoubtedly g e n e r a t e d by t h e r a p i d l o s s of
n a t i v e o a k s i n urban-range environments. The
r e c e n t emphasis on renewable e n e r g y r e s o u r c e s
h a s r e k i n d l e d i n t e r e s t i n t h e u s e of oak wood,
p a r t i c u l a r l y t o r e p l a c e f o s s i l f u e l s . There
i s growing r e c o g n i t i o n by more t h a n t h e wildl i f e p r o f e s s i o n a l s t h a t o a k s a r e tremendously
i m p o r t a n t t o w i l d l i f e h a b i t a t . Most of u s
have a t l e a s t a s u b c o n s c i o u s , l a t e n t a f f e c t i o n
f o r s t a t e l y o a k s and r e c o g n i z e t h e i r
environmental and s o c i a l v a l u e s .
Oaks o b v i o u s l y have more v a l u e t h a n j u s t
b e i n g n i c e t o have around. T r a d i t i o n a l u s e s of
o a k s f o r lumber o r o t h e r wood p r o d u c t s (exc l u d i n g f u e l ) have been e x t r e m e l y l i m i t e d i n
C a l i f o r n i a . T h i s l i m i t a t i o n i s due p a r t i a l l y
t o poor t r e e form, problems i s s e a s o n i n g lumb e r , and h i g h l e v e l s of d e f e c t found i n o u r
n a t i v e t r e e s . But some i n n o v a t i v e m i l l i n g
t e c h n i q u e s have overcome many of t h e s e p a s t
problems. U t i l i z a t i o n of n a t i v e o a k s f o r lumber
i s i n c r e a s i n g . Modern l a m i n a t i n g t e c h n i q u e s and
s e a s o n i n g p r o c e d u r e s have made i t p r a c t i c a l t o
u s e s m a l l and o t h e r w i s e u n u s a b l e wood r e s o u r c e s .
But o a k s have many v a l u e s o t h e r t h a n b e i n g
j u s t a s o u r c e of wood p r o d u c t s . T h e i r v a l u e
f o r watershed p r o t e c t i o n , w i l d l i f e h a b i t a t ,
r e c r e a t i o n a l enjoyment, and g e n e r a l e s t h e t i c s
f a r exceed t h e i r p o t e n t i a l v a l u e a s wood
p r o d u c t s . With t h e s e o t h e r v a l u e s i n mind,
crooked, branchy t r e e s w i t h a h i g h i n c i d e n c e of
d e f e c t may n o t b e v a l u e l e s s . But what a r e t h e i r
v a l u e s ? One accomplishment I would l i k e t o have
from t h i s meeting i s a n e x p r e s s i o n of how we
might q u a n t i f y t h e nonwood v a l u e s of oaks.
s u c c e s s . Obviously, t h e t e c h n o l o g y f o r
management i s l a c k i n g .
Fire, the constant threat t o a l l f o r e s t
t r e e s i n C a l i f o r n i a , may c a u s e e x t e n s i v e
damage and reduced lumber v a l u e s , b u t i t may
n o t s e r i o u s l y a f f e c t t h e nonlumber v a l u e s of
oaks. I n a l m o s t every l o c a t i o n where condit i o n s p e r m i t t r e e growth, one o r more s p e c i e s
of oak can b e found. They a r e a component of
t h e major v e g e t a t i o n t y p e s . For example, h e r e
i n Southern C a l i f o r n i a , t h e y grow i n t h e
v a l l e y s below t h e c h a p a r r a l , i n t h e c h a p a r r a l
i t s e l f , a s f i n g e r s i n t h e r i p a r i a n draws and
d r a i n a g e s t h a t d i s s e c t t h e c h a p a r r a l , and t h e n
on up i n t o t h e c o n i f e r f o r e s t above.
The C h a p a r r a l R&D Program, launched by
the Forest Service i n Southern C a l i f o r n i a i n
November 1977, s e n t o u t a q u e s t i o n n a i r e aski n g about i n t e r e s t i n oak management.
Responses evidenced a v e r y h i g h l e v e l of i n t e r e s t . E i g h t y p e r c e n t of t h e r e s p o n d e e s
i n d i c a t e d a mild t o i n t e n s e i n t e r e s t i n o a k s .
T h i s r e s p o n s e caused u s t o b r i n g t o g e t h e r 70
p e o p l e a y e a r ago t o p l a n f o r t h i s Symposium.
Consequently, t h i s meeting i s t h e r e s u l t of
a j o i n t e f f o r t by many d i f f e r e n t i n s t i t u t i o n s
and by p e o p l e having d i v e r s e i n t e r e s t s ,
o r g a n i z a t i o n a l a f f i l i a t i o n s , and p r o f e s s i o n a l
backgrounds.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , we do n o t have a n a c c u r a t e
e s t i m a t e of C a l i f o r n i a ' s oak r e s o u r c e . Oaks
a r e e s t i m a t e d t o grow on about 15 t o 20 m i l l i o n
a c r e s i n C a l i f o r n i a . That a c r e a g e forms 15 t o
20 p e r c e n t of t h e e n t i r e s t a t e . T h i s e s t i m a t e
i n c l u d e s o n l y a b o u t 5 m i l l i o n a c r e s of conunerc i a 1 f o r e s t l a n d . E s t i m a t e s of t h e volume of
oak r e s o u r c e a r e t r a d i t i o n a l l y based o n l y on
t r e e s t h a t grow on t h e s e commercial f o r e s t
l a n d s . So we r e a l l y have no i d e a of t h e curr e n t volume and v a l u e of oak i n C a l i f o r n i a .
C e r t a i n l y , t h e c u r r e n t growth of oaks g r e a t l y
exceeds t h e i r u t i l i z a t i o n f o r any p r o d u c t s o r
values.
The F o r e s t S e r v i c e , o t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s ,
and i n d i v i d u a l s have a t t e m p t e d t o manage oaks.
These e f f o r t s have met w i t h l i t t l e o r no
Here we a r e a t t h e f r u i t i o n of o u r
planning. More t h a n 50 p a p e r s p r o v i d e a c r o s s
s e c t i o n of many i n t e r e s t s and v i e w p o i n t s a b o u t
oaks. P a p e r s r a n g e from h i g h l y technical. t o
v e r y p r a c t i c a l . There should b e something of
i n t e r e s t f o r everyone i n t h e a u d i e n c e . We want
your a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n . You a r e a s m a l l
enough group t h a t your i n q u i r y and d i a l o g u e a s
a committee-of-the-whole w i l l b e meaningful and
r a t h e r easy t o manage. P l e a s e j o i n i n , a s k
q u e s t i o n s , and s e e k o u t p e o p l e having i n t e r e s t s
r e l a t e d t o yours. Whoever knows a b o u t oaks
should b e i n t h i s room. You should b e a b l e t o
f i n d t h e p e o p l e t h a t have some i n f o r m a t i o n on
almost any q u e s t i o n . I know t h a t you w i l l
b e n e f i t from t h i s meeting, and I wish you
s u c c e s s . Thank you f o r coming.