We live on a wilderness ranch in Sonoma County California, surrounded by forests and grasslands dotted with ancient oaks. The wild fire of 2017 blasted across our ranch burning hundreds of acres, making us acutely aware of how powerless we are as stewards. This led to a deep dive into the science of trees, their resiliency, and interdependence of trees upon each other and their “mother tree”. The role of a network of mycelium (fungus) in sending messages between trees warning of infestations and draughts, or sharing nutrients, moisture, and sugars for growth. Tree communities care for their own variety of species like a family, communicating through the soil and air.
The Valley Oak, Quercus lobata, is native to California and can attain an age of up to 600 years. The root system mirrors the canopy in depth and circumference. As the daylight hours increase, the moisture from the winter rains squeezes the sugars up into the branches and bursts into leaves that exhale oxygen into our atmosphere. The root system has been equally busy nursing the acorn babies, nuturing them with both nutrients, and warding off disease and pests, but also sending valuable information about how to regulate their growth and to anticipate and prepare for climate conditions.
My icon of the Valley Oak celebrates the noble life of an ancient species. The image of the Oak as a Tarot card honors the tree’s ability to foretell the future and prepare for the outcome. The corner anchors illustrate the threats of fire, draught, lightening and wind. The Valley Oak is a symbol of resilience and centurion survival.
