A Majestic Native

Dear Oak Trees,

You are the opposite of the audacious, invasive, criminal Purple Starthistle. You are giant, regal, steady, dependable, reliable and, best of all, NATIVE. The natives are rare these days and the ones that are left need to be protected. Many oak trees in recently developed neighborhoods have steel ID numbers on them because they are cataloged and tracked. This reminds developers that they cannot cut down these trees.

Sometimes protection can get very specific: Los Angeles Ordinance 167.494 protects any oak tree growing within half a mile of Mulholland Drive.

If given the proper conditions, like my beloved oak trees in Chesebro Canyon, you can grow into gigantic old trees.