Culturally modified madrone tree in Big Sur, CA
In January 2018 I will be giving a talk “The cultural modification of trees and forests by California’s Native Peoples“, co-sponsored by the Sempervirens Fund and REI. Details of the talk are here. The talk is free but you will need to sign up through Eventbrite. Hope to see you there!
For those who are interested in learning about the latest science and findings regarding the use of fire mimicry techniques to address issues of oak health, you are welcome to attend one of these upcoming workshops in the Bay area:
Thursday, March 29, 2012 – 7 to 10 pm – Oakland, CA. More info here: http://www.facebook.com/events/364998010207151/
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 – 5 to 7 pm – Mountain View, CA. More info here: http://www.builditgreen.org/en/cev/463
Saturday, April 28, 2012 – 1:30 to 3 pm – Redwood City, CA. More info here: http://www.lyngsogarden.com/index.cfm?event=Event.Details.Page&EventId=71078
Please feel welcome to come learn and participate in these discussions.
Sienna Ranch, Lafayette, CA
Date: Sunday, October 23, 2011
Times: 11:30 am to 12:30 pm (free), 1 to 4 pm ($40)
Location: Sienna Ranch, 3232 Deer Hill Rd., Lafayette, CA
Contact: Lindsay Daley (707-889-3744)
Learn how to improve and restore the health of the oak ecosystem in this enlivening workshop with “Sudden Oak Life” oak tree expert and scientist, Dr. Lee Klinger.
For thousands of years the native California people tended oak forests and other food-producing ecosystems using prescribed fire and other methods of traditional land management. Now-a-days, with the suppression of fires, oaks and other trees are experiencing accelerated rates of decline in many parts of California, as witnessed by spread of epidemics such as sudden oak death.
Join Dr. Klinger as he demonstrates various “fire mimicry” methods to help the oak ecosystem flourish. Demonstrations will include a variety of practical, hands-on techniques, and we will treat several grandmother valley and live oaks on the ranch. All treatment methods are organic, and no synthetic chemicals are used. Details will be presented on how fires and fire mimicry methods act to improve the fertility of soils and the health of trees, and results will be shown of case studies involving a suite of techniques and natural products to restore oak trees.
Lee Klinger, MA PhD is an independent scientist and ecological consultant from Big Sur, CA with over 25 years of professional experience and over 50 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of biogeochemistry, forest ecology, and soil science. Dr. Klinger has worked as a staff scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, and has held scholarly appointments at the University of Colorado, the University of Oxford, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011
Time: 10 to 11:30 am
Location: Lyngso Garden Materials, 19 Seaport Blvd., Redwood City, CA
Phone: 650-364-1730
Fee: $5
Register: Sudden Oak Life workshop at Lyngso
For thousands of years the native California people tended oak forests and other food-producing ecosystems using prescribed fire and other methods of traditional land management. Now-a-days, with the suppression of fires, oaks and other trees are experiencing accelerated rates of decline in many parts of California. By revisiting the practices of the native people we are provided an effective means of intervening in the decline of trees without the use of synthetic chemicals. Details will be presented on how fires and fire mimicry methods act to improve the fertility of soils and the health of trees. Results will be shown of case studies involving a suite of techniques and natural products to restore oak trees.
Lee Klinger, MA PhD is an independent scientist and ecological consultant from Big Sur, CA with over 25 years of professional experience and over 50 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of biogeochemistry, forest ecology, and soil science. Dr. Klinger has worked as a staff scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, and has held scholarly appointments at the University of Colorado, the University of Oxford, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
I’m off to England next week to attend this meeting on the science of Gaia at the Geological Society of London. The program includes many new voices offering (hopefully) some fresh perspectives on the biological and ecological feedbacks in the earth system. Veteran Gaian scientists James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis are the featured speakers. I plan to write up the notes and post them on my blog after my return.
Thanks to all the interested homeowners and tree professionals who attended my workshop today at Marin Waldorf School. As promised, here are the links to some of the papers and books discussed in my talk. Enjoy!
Forest vegetation and soil succession
A 2009 scientific paper by L. Klinger Read On>>
A holistic approach to mitigating pathogenic effects on trees
A 2008 scientific paper by L. Klinger Read On >>
Bryophytes and soil acidification effects on trees: the case of Sudden Oak Death
A 2005 scientific paper by L. Klinger Read On >>
Examining the relationship between fire history and sudden oak death patterns
A scientific paper by M. Moritz and D. Odion Read On >>
Ecological evidence for large-scale silviculture by California Indians (Chapter 6)
by L. Klinger; in Unlearning the Language of Conquest edited by Four Arrows Read On >>
Tending the wild
An excellent book by M Kat Anderson Read On>>
Applying fire mimicry methods on a sick coast live oak. Photo by Lee Klinger.
The Marin Waldorf School is hosting a Sudden Oak Life workshop on Saturday, April 2, 2011 from 10:30 am to 2 pm. I will be presenting information on the science and practice of fire mimicry techniques (including a demonstration) in the care of oaks and other trees. Marin Waldorf School is located at 755 Idylberry Rd. in San Rafael, CA. This “hands on” event is open to the public and the cost is $30, with a sliding scale. Please RSVP with the school front office at 415-479-8190.
Thanks to all the tree and land care professionals who attended the Oak Health Workshop that I taught today at Hidden Villa. Thanks also to Lisa, Maggie, Bill, and others on the staff at Hidden Villa who helped make this workshop happen. Below are the links to some of the papers and books discussed in my talk.
Forest vegetation and soil succession
A 2009 scientific paper by L. Klinger Read On>>
A holistic approach to mitigating pathogenic effects on trees
A 2008 scientific paper by L. Klinger Read On >>
Bryophytes and soil acidification effects on trees: the case of Sudden Oak Death
A 2005 scientific paper by L. Klinger Read On >>
Examining the relationship between fire history and sudden oak death patterns
A scientific paper by M. Moritz and D. Odion Read On >>
Ecological evidence for large-scale silviculture by California Indians (Chapter 6)
by L. Klinger; in Unlearning the Language of Conquest edited by Four Arrows Read On >>
Tending the wild
An excellent book by M Kat Anderson Read On>>
The stats helpers at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.
This blog was viewed about 10,000 times in 2010. In 2010, there were 37 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 61 posts. There were 105 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 40mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week.
The busiest day of the year was January 5th with 128 views. The most popular post that day was Newsroom.
The top referring sites in 2010 were suddenoaklife.org, woodlands.co.uk, facebook.com, mail.yahoo.com, and wattsupwiththat.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for sudden oak life, acid rain 2010, lee klinger, acid rain in 2010, and acute oak decline.
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
Newsroom April 2009
Acid rain in Big Sur – Feb. 2010 update March 2010
2 comments
On the origins of fire scars in California redwoods May 2009
2 comments
About February 2009
Case Studies April 2009
In late January I will be giving two workshops on oak health at Hidden Villa, an educational wilderness preserve in Los Altos Hills, CA. The workshop on January 27 (Thursday) will be tailored for tree and land care professionals, and the workshop on January 29 (Saturday) will be for the public. Please see the flyer below for full details. Information can also be found on the Hidden Villa website calendar page. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions for me directly, or email me (see Contacts page).
Sudden Oak Life by Lee Klinger 
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