Sudden Oak Expense

So the full mineral wash treatment for our oak tree was quoted at $1,100. Good grief. Do we love the tree that much? No. We can do the treatment ourselves and save a lot of money. The first step is to power wash the moss and lichen from the trunks, and excavate the soil around the base of the tree to expose more trunk. Then we'll treat the trunk with the limewash mixtures that we can purchase from Dr. Lee Klinger for $65 a bucket. Next, we'll spread the Azomite soil sweetener around the base of the tree. (Thanks to Paola at S.P.A.W.N., we already have 3 bags available) We'll re-treat according to Dr. Klinger's recommendations. We're saving quite a bit of money by doing it ourselves, but it's a lot of work! Here are pictures of Mitch enjoying the power wash step: It took over four hours to spray off moss and lichen from the first 6 feet of the trunk.

We could have done more, but the powerwasher was rented and needed to go back. Stay tuned for photos of the next steps!

Sudden Oak Life

(Originally blogged 8/27/07)

Monday we had a visit from Dr. Lee Klinger, PhD, who is a tree specialist from Big Sur. He came to take a look at our tree that is stricken with Sudden Oak Death (SOD) and develop a treatment plan. His treatment plan is different from what more conventional tree service companies use to combat SOD (Agri-Fos & Pentra-bark).

Lee’s theory (that can be read on his website www.SuddenOakLife.org) states that our forest land no longer has the benefit of the periodic forest fire that used to clear the area. The fires replenished the soil of the minerals which the trees need. The fires also cleared millions of young trees and underbrush, allowing the larger, surviving trees to take advantage of the existing minerals.

Our tree has a thick layer of moss and lichen on the entire trunk and most branches. This thick layer has degraded the bark, compromising the tree’s defense against beetles and disease. This moss and lichen also produce acid, further acidifying the soil.

Lee’s suggested treatment plan for our sick tree is to first remove the heavy moss and lichen cover by pressure washing the trunks, up to a height of 10 or more feet. Brush cover and surrounding small trees should be removed, and the root collar is cleared of dirt and debris. He then suggests amending the soil around the tree with soil mineral fertilizers and painting the trunk of the tree with a lime wash. The lime wash and soil mineral fertilizers are alkaline-rich minerals that help the tree fight off the diseases and pests that are attacking them.

This approach is controversial and as of yet ‘unproven’ according to many specialists who study and work with SOD.

Interesting footnote: Lee approximated the age of our tree at about 350-400 years old, and described it as an oak that was cultivated by Native Americans for acorns. The 4 main trunks are evidence of the Native American cultivation.

Environmentally friendly way to wash your car

(Originally blogged 7/6/07)

Washing your car at a professional car wash, and not into the street and stormdrains, is the environmentally friendly thing to do. Carwash facilities in Marin County are designed to process and treat toxic grime (metals etc that accumulate on our cars) and cleaning fluids, helping us keep our creeks and bays free of these pollutants. Additionally, over 85 percent of California's car washes recycle their water, helping conserve precious water resources too.

Pasted below is the link to a good article on the topic published in "CA Wild" the magazine of the CA Academy of Sciences. The article can be read online at: http://www.calacademy.org/calwild/2004spring/stories/habitats.htmlEvery little bit we do to keep our creeks and bays clean makes a difference!

What is g oing on in our Backyard?

S.P.A.W.N (Salmon Protection and Watershed Network) is a local conservationist organization that works to improve the conditions for the coho salmon that spawn in our local creeks.
Since their listing as endangered in 1997, wild coho salmon have begun a slow but steady comeback to their native Central California streams. The largest remaining run of Central California coho is found in the Bay Area, in Marin County's Lagunitas watershed. Here, stream habitats critical to the well-being of this endangered fish species are being restored by local environmental groups with the enthusiastic support of the surrounding communities.

Back to the original question-what is going on in our backyard- SPAWN volunteers cultivate native plants that they then use to restore creek banks.

This is where it all starts: seedlings, sprouts and shoots. SPAWN volunteers nurture hundreds of native plants to be planted along the creeks in the watershed. Inside the shade house-dogwood, redwood, valley oak, scrub oaks, and native grasses. The greenhouse protects the more vulnerable seedlings.

Read more about what the SPAWN volunteers have done and how their work has benefited coho salmon, visit http://www.spawnusa.org/index.html .

Don't Need a lot of Green to go Green

(Originally blogged 7/13/07)

How often do we hear, “becoming green is so expensive-I just can’t afford it!” Yes, the manufacturers and retailers of the new, ‘green’ products would have us think that buying their particular green item is the only way to save this green earth for future generations. Without their low VOC paint or hemp shirts we are certainly contributing to the melting of the polar icecaps and those poor polar bears’ loss of habitat. Rubbish! There are so many ways to go 'green' without spending a lot of money. Put down your Nature Conservancy VISA card and let’s talk a minute about what non-consumerist ways there are to go green.

You have heard these things over and over in the past couple of years; as the eco/green movement has hit the mainstream media with the force of a million cow farts. Let’s reiterate them for the people who have been napping: reduce the number and length your own car trips; reduce the number/amount of products (in general) that you buy; look for products that use less packaging; re-use the packaging if you can; recycle packaging at mailing centers; turn your thermostat down; wash in cold water; only run the dishwasher when it's full; make sure your irrigation system isn't wasting water; replace high maintenance lawns with more natural or native plants; eliminate the use of pesticides in your home and garden; etc.How about these less comfortable or appealing approaches?

1. Shun plastic bags altogether. For that matter, forego the paper, also. Bring your own. Or carry a big purse and stuff the little things in there and have the kids carry the bulkier items. Who needs bags at all? Sure people stare at me when I walk out of Longs with an armload and purse-full of un-bagged merchandise. I walk with my head high knowing that I am saving the world by shunning that extra layer of packaging.

2. Instead of buying new, stroll the aisles at Salvation Army, Goodwill and Good Stuff Resale Shop. Furniture, household goods, books, toys-why not? You may need to adjust your mindset a little-but for those who love a good deal-you’ll get goosebumps when you see these price tags. The Dominican Sisters in San Rafael have a new, completely green-built residence hall. Completed in 2005, it incorporates solar, FSC-rated lumber, high fly-ash concrete….all the buzzwords. The look is modern, airy, gorgeous. The furniture? Well, let’s call it retro-grannie. These nuns didn’t go for the bamboo/recyclable/reclaimed furniture that is all the rage right now. They frequented Salvation Army and Craigslist. The ultimate green furniture: zero packaging, minimal transportation costs, zero manufacturing waste, zero slick magazine advertising. These retro-grannie nuns are my idols.

3. Support your locally owned bookshop, but even better, check it out at the library. The ultimate eco/community/free resource: right under our noses! Ride your bike there for extra points!

4. Instead of buying new, don’t buy anything at all. Huh? What did she say? That’s right, I said take a break from shopping, just to see what it feels like. It might even be a relief not to have to run to Target to see what’s new. Less clutter, less to sneak in when the spouse isn’t looking, fewer charges on that credit card! Really-try it for a week. Buy only what you need to feed the family. Not including that George Foreman Grill! See just how refreshing it is. And with all that extra time you have that you would normally spend looking for that perfect parking spot at the mall, plant an organic garden!

One last note:
The new, brightly colored re-usable grocery bags at Trader Joe’s are gorgeous, awesome and cheap! Run, don’t walk to get yours today! They’re so bright you won’t forget them at home and so beautiful you’ll be the envy of all your friends. No excuses-when they ask “plastic or paper?” your answers is “I brought my own!”

So let’s hear it for reducing your impact (or footprint) on the earth without spending a lot of green!

Free Energy Savings, brought to you by Bay Area Youth!

(Originally Blogged 7/25/07)



FREE ENERGY SAVINGS!

Help Yourself, Youth and the Environment
This summer, Bay Area youth are lighting the way to a more sustainable future one bulb at a time through a non-profit program called California Youth Energy Services, or CYES. These enthusiastic Energy Specialists, age 15-22, aim to install energy, water and money-saving products in 1600 Marin homes this summer – at no cost to residents. Every home counts!

CYES' FREE services include: - replacing incandescent light bulbs with free compact fluorescent light bulbs (no limit)- installing, if needed, free, efficient flow kitchen and bathroom sink aerators, and showerheads, if needed - replacing any energy hogging, fire-causing halogen lamps for brand new modern fluorescent torchieres- installing a rust-proof, retractable clothes line for homes with a dryer- providing residents with easy, inexpensive energy saving tips

All services and products are free and the visit only takes about one to two hours. CYES is conducting audits on Mondays-Thursdays now through August 15. Most of the funding for the program comes from the California Public Utilities Commission from a small tax on PG&E bills.

CYES is a popular and rapidly-growing program of the Berkeley-based non-profit organization Rising Sun Energy Center. This year 9 teams are serving residents in Marin, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Rising Sun Energy Center strives to create a community where people use energy and water responsibly and equitably through education, conservation and training.

It's easy to make an appointment! General information about the program and an on-line sign up form are at www.risingsunenergy.org/cyes.htm.

One Week Later

(Originally blogged 6/16/07)

It has been only 8 days since I wrote the first blog entry about our oak tree. This morning we discovered sawdust on and around the trunk of the tree. Sawdust means the beetles has started boring their holes in the trunk. The Sudden Oak Death fungus isn't what kills the tree-it's the beetles. So now we have to make a decision about what to do next-spray pesticides? I pride myself on avoiding pesticides completely. It has been a gradual change. With my first garden, I bought the bottles with the promises of a healthy garden. As I started my garden in West Marin and learned more about sustainable gardening, I turned from bottled products to compost, worm castings and choosing hardier plants. My garden is still a work in progress, so I cannot claim to have won the battle.

But now our 125 year-old oak is dying. What to do? Here are some pictures so you can get a visual of what S.O.D. looks like.

Diary of a Dying Coast Live Oak

(Originally blogged 6/16/07)



We have a 125-year old coast live oak tree that nicely shades our parking area. It has Sudden Oak Death, an affliction that has killed many trees in Marin and Sonoma and other coastal counties in California. Our oak had not been treated or checked out in the last 10 or so years, but we were fairly certain that it was healthy, from our casual monitoring. Just to be sure, though, we invited a tree specialist to come out and take a look early this spring. He gave us the bad news: it is in the early stages of sudden oak death.

The treatment consists of a spray that kills the fungus that is attacking the bark. It is applied every 3-6 months for a year or two, with results uncertain until the end of the treatment period. We have applied the treatment, and now we wait.

I’m watching the tree very closely, hoping for a smooth recovery. It is a huge tree with a fantastic spread that protects the front of the house from the hot afternoon sun. It also gives the cats a place to escape the dogs and hide from us. We don’t climb it or swing from it, as that just wouldn’t seem respectful.

We have several other oaks on our property, one of which recently succumbed to sudden oak death. It was a small tree-about 4’ in diameter. I understand now why they call it Sudden oak death: it died very suddenly. The leaves went brown and the tree tumbled over seemingly overnight. I don’t worry as much about the smaller trees dying-I guess because they are easier to replace. The younger trees are the next generation – I guess I’ll keep an eye on them, too.
Stay tuned for oak health updates.