The centuries-old Sonoma County oak tree made famous for the shade and inspiration it provided writer Jack London is dying of a fungal disease. Arborists have deemed the end near, while schoolchildren and American Indians have bid final goodbyes.

But in what some are calling a holiday miracle, the oak was given an improved bill of health from a team of UC Berkeley researchers this month, and the tree has been spared its scheduled removal.

"We couldn't be more thrilled," said Tjiska Van Wyk, executive director of Jack London Park Partners, which manages the Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen where the tree is located. "In the season of joy, we consider this a great gift."

Researchers with UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management reported that the base of the old oak is not experiencing the decay that its upper reaches are seeing.

Earlier this year, three arborists advised that the tree be felled as a safety precaution after noting dead branches and falling limbs. A storm late last year sent a 30-inch-diameter piece of wood through a fence, raising concerns that a park visitor could be hurt.

But after reviewing the comprehensive UC Berkeley report, park managers said the tree won't be removed anytime soon. Instead, they may simply do a little pruning and expand the area around the tree that's closed to the public.

The tree has another two to 10 years of healthy living, said Professor Matteo Garbelotto, who led the research team. He confirmed, though, that the presence of deadly fungi will ultimately be more than the 350- to 400-year-old tree can handle.

"We're not out of the woods. We're in a gray area where the risk needs to be assessed," Garbelotto said.

The 50-foot-tall tree, which has survived Sonoma Valley's historic logging efforts and its push for farmland, overshadows the rest of the oaks on the eastern slopes of Sonoma Mountain.

Coastal Miwok once collected acorns in the area, and American novelist London bought the acreage around the tree as a retreat from city living in 1905, according to E. Breck Parkman, senior archaeologist for California State Parks.

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Jack London's mighty oak won't be chopped

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The Christmas tree at the Cabatuan public plaza that was removed due to opposition from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Nereo Lujan)

A Christmas tree built atop a monument of Andres Bonifacio in a town in Iloilo province has been removed following a protest made by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

The 30-foot-tall Christmas tree at the public plaza of Cabatuan, 24 kilometers northwest of Iloilo City, was removed by the municipal government on Saturday after NHCP chair Maria Serena Diokno wrote a letter to Cabatuan Mayor Ronilo Caspe expressing disapproval of the project.

We firmly oppose the construction of a Christmas tree on the Andres Bonifacio monument at the public plaza of Cabatuan, Iloilo. The construction over the monument desecrates Andres Bonifacio, whose 150th birth anniversary we celebrated on November 30, Diokno said in her letter dated December 11.

We urge you to put up the Christmas tree elsewhere. In future projects or activities, we hope that the [local government unit] would be more responsible in protecting and preserving historic sites and structures, Diokno said.

Nereo Lujan, provincial information and community affairs officer and a native of Cabatuan, had called the attention of the NHCP on the putting up of the Christmas tree at the 81-year-old monument.

Caspe said he ordered the removal of the Christmas tree in compliance with Dioknos letter.

We had hoped that by putting up the Christmas tree we would highlight the monument, Caspe told the Inquirer. We will stress the importance of unity and hope as symbolized by Andres Bonifacio, the mayor said.

The mayor said he had ordered the repainting of the monument a week before November 30 in commemoration of the heros birth anniversary.

He said the municipal government put up the Christmas tree at the monument because it was the most strategic location at the center of the public plaza facing the main entrance.

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Christmas tree over Bonifacio monument axed

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Posted: Tuesday, December 24, 2013 12:00 am

Tree removal forces closure in Galt By News-Sentinel Staff Lodi News-Sentinel |

The Twin Cities project contractor is moving forward this week with tree removal and fence relocations required within and adjacent to the East Stockton Park and Ride Lot, south of Twin Cities Road.

To safely remove these trees, the Park and Ride will be closed Thursday through Sunday, and will reopen next Tuesday, according to city staff.

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Tree removal forces closure in Galt

CalFire has asked the developers of the Enchanted Resorts project, now known as Calistoga Hills, for more details about its tree removal plans.

In a Dec. 19 letter, Meghan Reeves of CalFire said the developers Timber Harvesting Plan needs to be resubmitted with more information about the plans environmental impacts.

She listed 52 required changes, including additional analysis of the plans use of herbicides, greenhouse gas emissions, and effects on recreational use and sensitive bird and plant species. Reeves said a botanical survey was performed at the wrong time of year, and that the plan needed to include more analysis of slope stability.

Timber Harvesting Plans are reviewed by CalFire and other state agencies. Tree removals cant start until CalFire approves the plan.

Developer Aaron Harkin said back-and-forth over the plan is a pretty standard procedure.

We just have to check all the boxes, he said.

Trees are slated to be removed on 38 acres of the 88-acre property, according to Eric Sutera, the registered professional forester who filed the plan on behalf of the developers. Not all of the trees on the 38 acres will be removed.

Harkin said the permit is needed because the affected land is being converted to residential and commercial use. He said the developers also need to apply for a separate tree removal permit from the city.

A lot of the trees are dead or drying, and have to be removed for to preserve the vitality of the forest and reduce fire risk, he said. The tree removal plans contained in the Timber Harvesting Plan were already included in the plans environmental impact report, he said.

Voters approved the project by passing Measure C in 2012. The 110-room luxury hotel will include a spa, more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center, two pools, a restaurant and lounge, 20 private homes and 13 custom estates.

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CalFire seeks details about resort's timber harvesting plan

A majestic oak that stands outside Jack London's cottage in Glen Ellen has been given a reprieve now that further lab tests reveal the tree is healthier than once thought.

In this season of joy, what a gift! Tjiska Van Wyk, executive director of Jack London Park Partners, wrote in an email.

Officials were planning to cut the tree down in November amid concerns that one of its branches could fall and damage London's cottage or possibly injure someone. Three arborists had determined that the tree, which is more than 300 years old, is infected with a pathogenic fungi and is dying.

A subsequent test confirmed that the tree has significant decay. However, park officials believe it can remain standing for awhile longer.

The iconic tree has for centuries provided sustenance for Coast Miwok Indians and later nurtured the famous author's artistic spirit.

The oak was what London saw when he looked out the window of his office. When the weather was good, he sat in the shade of the tree's massive branches, notebook in hand, and wrote.

In December 2012, a large branch that faced away from the cottage crashed down during a storm. More limbs that faced the building subsequently were trimmed off.

The park hosted several events this year as a way of saying good-bye to the tree. Those included a Native American blessing and schoolchildren harvesting acorns from the tree for re-planting in the area.

The latest analysis of the tree was conducted by Matteo Garbelotto, a UC Berkeley professor and principal investigator for the Forest Pathology and Mycology Lab. He told park officials that the tree likely will have to come down sometime in the next decade, if not sooner.

Park officials are taking further measures to reduce the risk of the tree causing injury or property damage. They include new parking restrictions near the tree, pruning and close monitoring of the tree's condition.

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Jack London oak saved from the ax

Christmas tree recycling will be available throughout Kane County after the holiday, with some municipalities offering removal programs. Also, there are opportunities for residents to drop off their trees.

One drop-off location will be at the Advance Disposal (Veolia) transfer station, 766 Hunter Drive, Batavia. All decorations and lights should be removed. The cost is $15. Trees may be dropped off from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday. For information, call 630-879-3587.

Another drop-off location will be at Midwest Compost, 1320 Spaulding Road, Elgin. All decorations and lights should be removed. The cost is $10. Trees may be dropped off from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For information, call 847-931-2900.

Among the municipalities offering services will be:

Aurora Township: The Aurora Township Highway Department will have a tree and wreath pickup service for unincorporated areas of the township only. The pickup will take place on Jan. 6. There should be no bags or plastic of any kind, and the cut end should face toward the street. Also, the township will accept trees and wreaths at its facility at 220 Butterfield Road, North Aurora. Drop-off times are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, from Jan. 2 to Jan. 10.

Batavia: Advanced Disposal will pick up trees on residents' regular collection dates. Residents will not have to use a sticker for tree removal on the designated dates, but after the dates, residents should affix a sticker to the tree and place it at the curb on the normal collection date. All other materials should be removed. Those on the south side of the city (Wilson Street to the south, between Kirk and Randall roads) will have collections on Jan. 8 and Jan. 15. Those on the north side (north of Wilson to Fabyan Parkway between Kirk and Randall roads), will have collections on Jan. 9 and Jan. 16. Those on the far west side (Randall Road west to the city limits) will have collections on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17.

Elburn: Trees will be picked up curbside by Waste Management on Jan. 2 and Jan. 2. Decorations should be removed.

Geneva: Tree pickup will take place in the second and third weeks in January without a sticker. A waste hauler will pick them up, not city trucks.

Maple Park: Trees will be picked up on residents' service day after Wednesday. Pickup will continue through January, and trees must be free of decorations.

South Elgin Allied Waste/Republic Services will remove trees through Jan. 16 on normally scheduled refuse days. All decorations should be removed.

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Tree recycling: What to do with the tree after Christmas

TULSA, Oklahoma -

The ice storm has companies working overtime to clear fallen limbs and trees.

We won't be above freezing until Tuesday, so many more limbs are going to fall.

All across Green Country, yards are full of downed tree limbs and branches.

12/22/2013 Related Story: Crews Make Headway Restoring Power To Northeastern Oklahoma

Trees, complete with extra weight of the ice, are leaning dangerously close to power lines, homes and property.

"A lot of our old growth trees have been devastated from the ice storm in '07," certified arborist Shae Brown said. "They've already been depleted from all the nutrients they already have."

Brown said when ice accumulates on trees this time of year, there's nothing else the tree can do but break.

"In the winter, the trees are dormant so there's not as much sap flowing the wood to be able to make the tree as strong as it needs to be," she said.

Rickert Landscaping and Tree Service had crews out this weekend taking care of homeowners who were immediate danger of losing power or their homes from trees falling.

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Oklahoma Ice Storm Keeps Tree Trimmers Busy

The Thirst tree, a public art installation that went up Sept. 29 to represent the trees killed in the recent drought, was removed from Lady Bird Lake last week.

Barbry Alma: It should stay until we start actually protecting our water supply.

Jay W. Smith: Now how about the environmental cleanup of the toxic paint chips that fell off and polluted the lake. Not to mention the rust and oils off the metal posts that were rammed into the bottom to support the stupid thing. I worked a construction site a few years back and every time there was a little silt from the natural Del Rio Clay-stone under the Butler Ball Fields, people would go crazy about the lake being messed up. It was nothing more than Natural Runoff that was not toxic.

Cindy Anne Ashline Foss: I thought it was better than those stupid blue panels on Lamar near 5th that they call art.

Tony Love: I hope it gets a new home where it may be enjoyed by the public

Amanda Vernon: If I knew somebody would pay me $30,000 or however much it was to paint a dead tree white, Id claim to be an artist too. Haha.

Doug Matthews: Never did understand what that tree thingy was all about. Oh, I read the stories and saw the photos, but the explanation was simply not convincing: didnt make much sense either.

Joanie Cooksey: I loved this exhibit! Sad to see it go!

Blanca Houston: Good-bye Thirst Tree; an eco-sensitive addition in the Annals of Austins Weirdness. Yes, I will hug a tree.

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Facebook comments: 'Thirst' tree removal

Dec. 23, 2013, 4 a.m.

GREENING Bathurst chairman Ashley Bland says he is not concerned about changes to Bathursts Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan that allow residents outside the regions heritage conservation areas to fell trees because he knows people find trees beautiful and understand the important role they play.

GREENING Bathurst chairman Ashley Bland says he is not concerned about changes to Bathursts Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan that allow residents outside the regions heritage conservation areas to fell trees because he knows people find trees beautiful and understand the important role they play.

Once councils new LEP and DCP come into effect in 2014 a tree permit will no longer be required to remove, lop or prune a tree outside the identified Heritage Conservation Areas.

However, within the conservation areas three processes have been established to deal with the assessment and determination of applications for the removal, lopping and pruning of trees.

These are a prescribed Tree Permit Application; or exempt Tree Notification Form; or development consent as part of a development application.

A prescribed tree permit application must be lodged with council to ringbark, cut down, top, lop, remove, injure or wilfully destroy any prescribed tree in a heritage conservation area.

An exempt tree notification form is to be lodged with council to remove, lop, top or cut down an exempt tree that is greater than nine metres in height; or has a stem circumference of one metre or more at a height of one metre from the ground; or has a branch spread of 15 metres or more.

Mr Bland said he believes the people of Bathurst realise how wonderful it is to have trees and will not take advantage of the changes to the regulations.

We understand how important trees are for keeping us cool and providing a habitat for local wildlife, Mr Bland said.

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No worries as tree permits get chop