Today my dedicated crew and I implemented phase one of the fire mimicry protocol (clearing, thinning, and pruning) on an old-growth oak grove near Watsonville, CA. Below is a time lapse video of our work this morning. Notice the moment I lost my hearing aid and had to scrabble on the ground to find it …
Time-lapse video of fire mimicry phase one – clearing, thinning, and pruning
28 07 2022Comments : Leave a Comment »
Categories : Fire mimicry, Oak health
Palo Alto oaks, pines, and redwoods thriving after fire mimicry
23 06 2022
Yesterday I checked on several coast live oaks, ponderosa pines, a coast redwood, and a southern magnolia in Palo Alto, CA that I’ve treated with fire mimicry in recent years. The work began at one site about 14 years ago and at the other site 6 years ago. The photos at the 14-year site were taken at different seasons (winter vs. summer), so they are not an optimal comparison. Also, there was considerable construction around the trees and some limb removal since the original photos were taken. Still, it appears that these trees are thriving after fire mimicry treatments. Enjoy!
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Categories : Case studies, Fire mimicry, Oak health, Peninsula, Redwoods, Repeat photography
Two years of fire mimicry on coast live oaks in Salinas, CA
31 05 2022
Today I inspected a grove of coast live oaks that have received fire mimicry treatments for the past two years. The results generally show improvement in canopy density and lushness, with the exception of one oak (photo below) that made a remarkable recovery last year, but ended up succumbing this year to stress and disease. Note the last photo set of this post showing the canopy of a nearby untreated oak for comparison.
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Categories : Case studies, Fire mimicry, Monterey/Carmel, Oak health, Repeat photography, Sudden Oak Death
Ancestor oaks show modest improvement after 2 years of fire mimicry protocol
23 05 2022
For the past two years I have been applying fire mimicry treatments to a grove of Ancestor oaks, ancient (300+ yr old) trees that have been pollarded and otherwise tended in the past by the Ohlone People for acorn production and other uses. Today, I inspected these oaks and see that most have made a modest, but noticeable improvement in canopy density, despite the current drought conditions. Please note the final photo set, which shows a neighboring oak that was not treated.
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Categories : Case studies, Fire mimicry, Native people, Oak health, Peninsula, Repeat photography
Images from the Spring 2022 Fire Mimicry and TEK workshop at Indian Canyon
16 05 2022
This past weekend Sudden Oak Life, EcoCamp Coyote, and Indian Canyon Nation joined efforts to choreograph the second FIre Mimicry and TEK workshop. This hands on 3-day event was attended by over 30 enthusiastic participants who took a deep dive into the ecology of fire and the practice of fire mimicry in the context of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Our host and teacher of Indigenous knowledge was Kanyon Sayers-Roods (Mutsun Ohlone). Here are various images from the workshop. If you missed this event, please come to our Fall 2022 FIre Mimicry and TEK workshop at Indian Canyon in November.
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Categories : Fire ecology, Fire mimicry, Native people, Oak health
Happy Earth Day 2022 from Big Sur, CA
22 04 2022
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Categories : Big Sur, Case studies, Fire mimicry, Oak health, Repeat photography
Five years of surgical wound recovery in a coast live oak
13 04 2022
As I’ve shown in several recent posts (here and here), results are starting to accumulate regarding the efficacy of surgeries to remove stem canker infections (including Sudden Oak Death disease) in oaks. Five years ago I performed fire mimicry treatments and a stem canker surgery on a coast live oak in Los Altos, CA. I have returned every year since to track the progress of the wound recovery, and whether any infection remained. The set of photos presented here indicate that after only 5 years the surgical wound has healed closed with no sign of further infection. I’m calling this one a win!
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Categories : Fire mimicry, Oak health, Repeat photography, Sudden Oak Death, Surgery
Minor stem canker surgery on an ancient coast live oak in Atherton, CA
6 04 2022
Yesterday I did fire mimicry treatments and a minor stem canker surgery on an ancient coast live oak in Atherton, CA. The surgery went well and the prognosis for this oak is very good. Here are photos showing the various steps and tools used for the surgical procedure …
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Categories : Case studies, Fire mimicry, Oak health, Peninsula, Sudden Oak Death, Surgery
Fire mimicry treatment and surgery on a coast live oak in Kentfield, CA
5 04 2022
In 2018 I began fire mimicry treatments on a grove of coast live oaks in Kentfield, CA. One of the oaks started showing signs of a stem canker infection (probably Sudden Oak Death disease) in 2019. So I performed a surgical procedure to remove the canker, and have continued to treat this oak with compost tea, mineral-rich soil fertilizers, and limewash. Here are photos of the surgery and recovery of the wound and canopy. Be sure to look at the last picture of this series …
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Categories : Case studies, Fire mimicry, North Bay, Oak health, Repeat photography, Sudden Oak Death, Surgery
A stem canker surgery and recovery in Big Sur, CA
4 04 2022
Several years ago I started fire mimicry treatments on a coast live oak in Big Sur, CA. The treatment included stem canker surgery, as well as soil fertilization and limewash application. Here is a set of photos showing both the surgical procedure and progress of recovery of the wound and the canopy health of the oak. Be sure to look at the final photo of this sequence!
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Categories : Big Sur, Fire mimicry, Oak health, Repeat photography, Sudden Oak Death, Surgery
Sudden Oak Life by Lee Klinger 
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