THOUSAND OAKS : Restaurant Chain to Donate Trees

McDonald’s Restaurant Corp. will donate 3,000 valley oak trees and seedlings to Thousand Oaks residents, schools and parks to publicize the need to preserve the disappearing tree species, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

Greg Hogan, a regional marketing manager for the company, said the company decided to donate the trees after learning during Earth Day that the valley oak could soon be gone. The valley oak, a large, deciduous tree, is on the state “watch list” for plants that are threatened.

Because Thousand Oaks was named after the valley oak, McDonald’s decided to focus their awareness campaign there.

“We’re calling it a thousand oaks for Thousand Oaks,” Hogan said. “The big oak tress are so beautiful, it would be a shame to lose them.”

According to state oak tree experts, for the past 80 years many of the trees have not been regenerating. Some of the valley oaks have been chopped down to make way for development and to clear ranchland.

The smaller live oak outnumbers the valley oak 3 to 1.

Hogan said the corporation will begin distributing the trees in the fall, during the planting season. About five trees will be planted in each of the city’s schools and parks. The remainder will be given to customers at McDonald’s three locations in Thousand Oaks, along with a booklet on how to care for an oak tree, Hogan said.

Hogan estimated that the campaign will cost the company about $10,000.