🚀 go-pugleaf

Subject: Re: Oak Reforestation Record
References: <APC&1'0'4f727175'cb5@igc.apc.org>

Quoting from a rosey P.R. piece forwarded by Tom Gray:
TG>    CALABASAS, Calif., Dec. 5,  -/E-Wire/-- An unprecedented event
TG>is under way at Ahmanson Ranch, where approximately 2,000 young
TG>oak trees are being planted as part of the planned community's
TG>tree reforestation program.

A reforestation program, eh?  That implies deforestation.  Lots of it:

TG>    "This is possibly the largest on-site, acorn-to-oak-tree
TG>planting program in Ventura County's history," said Stan Roberts
TG>of Ag Land Services, the agricultural company responsible for
TG>installing the irrigation system, planting and ongoing maintenance
TG>of the young oak trees.

Reading between the lines: The Ahmanson Ranch developer seems to have
accepted responsibility for massive deforestation in the arid, rolling
hills of Southern California that is associated with the Ahmanson
Ranch development project.  The ecology of the area seems to be so
screwed up that Ahmanson Land Company, which owns the property, has
agreed to irrigate and "maintain" the trees because, unlike the old
trees that are the subject of the implicit deforestation, it is
unlikely that the 6,000 (6,000!) young trees will survive on their
own.  And this is something to be proud of?

TG>areas.  Roberts said that the success of the reforestation program
TG>is bolstered by the fact that the young oaks were actually grown
TG>from acorns taken from existing mature oaks on the Ahmanson Ranch.
TG>"The acorns are obviously adapted to the local environment and
TG>genetically stronger," said Roberts.

Then why do they require an artificial irrigation system and "ongoing
maintenance"?  The mature oaks lived longer than irrigation and
"maintenance" people ever will without any artificial support.  What
changed to make it impossible for younger oaks to survive where mature
oaks once thrived?  And what caused the deforestation that gave rised
to the massive reforestation program in the first place?

TG>Company.  Nielsen related, "We learned how to deal with protecting
TG>the young tree roots from predatory rodents, and the importance of
TG>keeping the soil moist."

I guess that implies that the predators that once kept rodent
populations in check have been driven out of the area and won't be
returning, huh?  Bravo.

TG>    Roberts, Ag Land's vice president of land management, called
TG>the Ahmanson reforestation program "elaborate."  He said the
TG>current several-week effort even involves nourishing the plants
TG>with liquid nutrients via the irrigation system.  This stage's

Yup.  Things are so screwed up that artificial fertilizers must be
applied, in addition to artificial irrigation and "maintenance."
Basically, the developer seems to be replacing an oak woodland that
has been driven to its knees and/or cut down with a massive luxery
development and an artificial tree park, and a P.R. firm is trying to
spin this into a plus for the ecology of the area.  I don't buy it.

TG>planting process began Monday, Nov. 21.  The pre-planting includes
TG>random selection of each oak tree site, staking out, de-weeding in
TG>a five-foot area surrounding each new tree, installing the
TG>irrigating system, digging holes and installing gopher-proof wire
TG>mesh around each tree.  Fertilizer is fed to each tree and the
TG>area mulched.

Yup, sounds like a tree park all right.

TG>    An elaborate tagging system will identify each oak from
TG>planting to maturity.  A recorded history of the trees' health and
TG>growth is evaluated through annual checkups.

Hah!  Do you really need to call in the doc for an annual check up
when the patient is obviously on artificial life support?  Until the
artificial life support can be removed, it should be pretty obvious
that the trees remain in critical condition--at best.

What the P.R. writer seems to be describing here is a mandatory
restoration monitoring project that the developer was forced to accept
by the permitting agency.  It is not a voluntary or altruistic effort,
it is a mandated action that is intended to determine whether or not
the restoration project utterly fails within a few years.  If they can
keep the trees alive long enough with artificial support, the
monitoring will eventually end and the trees may or may not survive
(from what I can tell, the odds are not with them) when the permitting
agencies forget about the project.

TG>    The ranch reforesting program ensures against some of the
TG>natural causes of poor oak tree regeneration such as grazing, and
TG>proliferation of gophers, ground squirrels and non-native grasses

What the hell?!  Since when are (cattle) grazing, an over-abundence of
rodents (due to the depletion of natural predators) and non-native
grasses (many of them established with help from the imported cattle)
a NATURAL cause of anything in a California oak woodland?  These are
all conditions that have been brought about by human interference with
what was once a NATURAL eco-system.

Notwithstanding this obvious double-talk, how is planting and
artificially maintaining a few thousand young oak trees going to
provide any meaningful protection against ground squirrels, non-native
grasses, or cattle grazing?  The reason the young trees need to be
artificially sustained is because they are unable to protect
themselves from these UNNATURAL influences.  Sheesh!

TG>The trees fit into the important, life-giving cycle
TG>of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and preservation of the wildlife
TG>corridors.

Oh, give me a break.  The trees fit in between the large tracts that
the developer built on what was once an expanse of undeveloped (though
not necessarily unabused) land.  The point of the project is not
manipulate atmospheric gasses nor preserve wildlife corridors (as
ooposed to preserving wildlife?), it is to do what is necessary to buy
off the regulatory agencies that were at somewhat of a disadvantage
given the pro-development policies and governance of Ventura County.

TG>    Ahmanson Ranch is the site of a proposed self-contained,
TG>planned community which balances development with sound
TG>environmental and restoration planning.  In the open space areas,
TG>as well as in areas adjacent to the ranch golf course, the

Another damn golf course in the parched hills of Southern California.
Now there's an environmentally sound plan for ya!

TG>reforestation will enhance the existing oak woodlands and oak
TG>savannahs, as well as wildlife habitats.

Yeah, right.  And how will a massive development support any of that?

TG>The development proposal for Ahmanson envisions a compact, self-
TG>contained, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use community that will bring
TG>nearly 10,000 acres of open space to public parkland.

Yup, that's what it is all right: parkland.  It ain't natural, it
ain't self-sustaining, it ain't even healthy.  It's just an artificial
park mocking what was once the natural ecology of the area.
Congratulations.  And how many acres are to be completely destroyed,
er, developed as part of this vision of ecological grace and giving?
---
 � SLMR 2.1a � "It's all about simulation, synecdoche, & stupefication"