Relocating Old Oak May Be a Remedy or a Killing

Re “Antonovich Backs Moving Old Oak,” Nov. 19: Huzzah to tree sitter John Quigley! L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich saw the handwriting on the wall, counted the votes and has agreed to move the oak tree to a safe location. Quigley sent a message as to the power of the “plain folks” and the little guy to the big-time developers and politicians. The bottom-liners may just get the message: You can’t do whatever you want, you can’t lay waste to things that are irreplaceable.

Tom Reinberger

Glendora

*

The developer will win this one. What appears to be a fair compromise, attempting to relocate the magnificent oak tree in Santa Clarita, will surely fail. A 400-year-old oak cannot be successfully transplanted because the root ball is equal in size to the tree’s canopy. So much root volume would be lost during the transplant that the tree would die. Spare the tree. Move the road.

Carol and Diana Caley

La Canada

*

After reading your Nov. 18 story, I decided to see the 400-year-old oak tree. There is plenty of right-of-way to construct two lanes of the county road to the north of the tree, and the same for two lanes to the south. This magnificent tree is much older than our nation. It may cost a few more dollars to accomplish, but the developer would have a historical tree as his gateway to the housing tract. Ironically, the names of streets in the John Laing Homes subdivision are Whispering Oaks, Royal Oaks, Southern Oaks and Arbor Lane. You’d think that saving one of the oldest trees in the area would be in the developer’s interest.

Jack McGrath

Valley Village

*

Quigley’s refusal to give up his fight to prevent the destruction or relocation of the tree can only be called principled -- even courageous. Unfortunately, authorities do have to do something about the increasing traffic problems in the area. The congestion is getting worse every year. I have to believe the tree will understand.

David Bortman

Beverly Hills