Activists to Rally Round Doomed Oaks

Many Thousand Oaks residents were angered to learn last year that more than 60 ancient oak trees in the affluent North Ranch neighborhood would have to be uprooted and destroyed to make way for a concrete dam and flood basin.

Now, some local activists have decided that in this most tree-conscious of towns, they are not going to let those majestic oaks die without a show of support. They are hosting a special Arbor Day celebration Sunday at the site of the ill-fated trees, a lush canyon near Westlake Boulevard and Avenida de los Arboles.

Construction of the flood-control project, expected to begin later this year, was deemed necessary by state and county officials because developer Lang Ranch Co. is building more than 2,200 dwellings in the area. The housing will strip hillsides of natural vegetation and increase the chance of flooding, the officials contend.

After the City Council approved the developer’s plans with the condition that it alter the flood-control project to save many of the oaks, Lang Ranch Co. sued Thousand Oaks. A federal court judge ruled last year that the developer had to save as many oaks as possible, but the city had to help shoulder the cost.

Initially, the $4-million dam and flood basin would have destroyed 140 oak trees in the canyon, home to bobcats, coyotes, cats and owls. Under the modified plan, the project would destroy fewer than half that many oaks.

Nevertheless, some tree lovers say killing even one of the city’s sacrosanct namesakes is too many.

They plan to pay tribute to the the condemned oaks from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Oakbrook Park next to the groves.

Among the topics to be discussed are the importance of oaks in Chumash culture, oak tree health and maintenance, open space in Thousand Oaks, the city’s tree-preservation ordinance, trail etiquette, and the endangered plants of the Conejo Valley.