Development, Transplants Are Killing Off Valley Oaks : Endangered species: The majestic trees that gave Thousand Oaks its name are slowly disappearing from the Ventura County landscape.

The great valley oak trees, which inspired the name of Thousand Oaks and for centuries dotted the countryside from Ojai to Simi Valley, are slowly becoming a rarity in Ventura County.

For the past 80 years, many of the trees in the county, like those in other parts of the state, have not been regenerating. Some of the valley oaks, unprotected in many areas of the county, have been chopped down to make way for development and clear ranchland. And still others, dug up and transplanted so housing tracts could be built, are dying.

Sadly, scientists say, the majestic tree with its broad head, gnarled branches and lobed leaves, could be gone within the next century. The valley oaks, one of 15 oak species in the state, already is on the California Native Plant Society’s “watch list.”

Although there are no official statistics available, officials estimate that hundreds of the oaks are being lost or destroyed each year in Ventura County. As a result, researchers say, it is again time for government officials to take a serious look at the problem, which county planners are in the process of doing. The live oak--a smaller, evergreen tree whose leaves are more pointed--outnumbers the disappearing valley oak 3-to-1 in the county.

Ventura County officials are designing a measure to protect all types of oak trees. The proposal is expected to come before the Board of Supervisors in July. Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Ojai and Moorpark already have ordinances protecting the oaks.

“The fact that people might stop to think that these trees are becoming extinct is a red flag,” said Tim Scott, an oak tree specialist with the University of California, Riverside’s Cooperative Extension Program. “Now more than ever we have to make decisions on how we are going to protect the oaks. If we wait much longer, it will become a moot point and the oaks will be gone.”

Several years ago, a state task force was formed to find out why the valley oaks had stopped regenerating. But the answers remained elusive.

So little is known about the oaks and their problems that there still is not a clear consensus as to why the acorns that drop from the wild valley oaks--as well as the blue oak found in the central and northern portions of the state and the mesa oak found in western San Diego County--are failing to grow into trees.

The drought, cattle and other animals eating the tree sprouts and rapid development on wild oak savannas may be part of the problem, said William Tietje, an oak tree expert with the UC Cooperative Extension program in San Luis Obispo. But, he said, researchers still are searching for more answers.

There is no plague, no Dutch elm disease, no other sickness on which to blame the decline.

Although a myriad of questions remain, experts say one thing is certain: Communities must find ways to preserve the remaining trees, which is not always easy.

Battle lines often have been drawn between landowners and preservationists.

When the idea of adopting an oak tree ordinance first surfaced in Ventura County nine years ago, ranchers argued that they have the right to do as they pleased with the trees on their land. As a result, the proposal was scaled back to include only the areas around the county’s lakes, said Marsha Campiglio, a Ventura County planner.

This time county planners, hoping to avoid opposition before the issue comes before the Board of Supervisors this summer, decided to exclude ranch and farmland from their proposed ordinance, Campiglio said.

Although some ranchers preserve their oaks, partially because the beautiful old trees could someday increase the value of the land for a subdivision, the oaks reduce the productivity of rangeland by depleating grazing areas.

According to Ed Elmendorf, the urban forester for the city of Thousand Oaks, the city goes to great lengths to protect its trees. But sometimes compromises must be made.

Recently, the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission approved a project that will allow a developer to build an apartment complex near about 20 oak trees in the last remaining oak area in the central part of the city.

The action sparked outrage from residents in the surrounding area, who felt the land should have been turned into a park.

Although it would have been nice to leave the area open, Elmendorf said, “people have the right to develop their land.”

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors was faced with a similar dilemma two years ago when developer David H. Murdock requested permission to build luxury houses on an area with scores of live and valley oaks at Lake Sherwood.

The supervisors approved the development but asked Murdock to transplant the oak trees.

Since then, more and more cities in the county are looking at asking developers to move the oaks--which costs about $15,000 per tree--if they are in the way.

As a result, the oak experts statewide are watching the Lake Sherwood development very carefully.

So far, about 1,000 trees--almost all live oaks--have been transplanted, said John Mote, an arborist with Valley Crest Tree Co., which was hired to move the trees at Lake Sherwood. So far, about eight of the live oaks have died. And of the 10 valley oaks transplanted, five have died, he said.

“Anytime you are dealing with Mother Nature, there are certain risks involved,” Mote said.