Saving the Oak: Restoring Native Grasses to Protect California's Forests 🌳🔥

Embark on a transformative journey with "Saving the Oak," a project aimed at raising awareness and restoring the natural balance in California's breathtaking landscapes. Join us as we come together to mitigate wildfires and safeguard the majestic oaks by revitalizing native grasses.
In this compelling video, witness the awe-inspiring beauty of purple needle grass and blue rye as they weave their intricate roots deep into the earth, far surpassing their European counterparts. These resilient native grasses hold the key to preserving moisture, offering a cooling embrace to combat the ravages of wildfires. Through their enduring presence, they fortify the ecosystem, nurturing the land and offering hope for a harmonious coexistence.
Each passing year, these perennial guardians reemerge, symbolizing the timeless cycle of rebirth and resilience. With roots anchored firmly in the soil, they stand as a testament to nature's enduring spirit, gracing the landscape for hundreds of years.
By supporting "Saving the Oak," you contribute to the restoration of native grasses in California, providing a lifeline to the oaks and countless other trees. Together, we can create a sanctuary where nature thrives, wildfires find resistance, and the legacy of these ancient oaks is preserved.
Join us in this remarkable endeavor to restore balance to the land. Watch the video, share it with others, and become part of the movement to protect our cherished natural heritage.
#SaveTheOak #RestoringBalance #NativeGrasses #PreserveOurLegacy

[@sfstucco]

Hi Thaddeus. I have a question about your idea of what to do with the area around that large Valley Oak. You say you should bulldoze away the "stuff" you don't want, to give the tree an expanded perimeter free from hot-burning vegetation (and replace with native grasses). So is this "clearing away" idea based on any standard practice in forestry and restoration disciplines? Or is it your ad-hoc way of obtaining the effect of, say, a controlled burn? I just wonder if there will be an unhealthy amount of disturbance to the soil and balance of things going on there. Probably not, if you replace it quickly enough with the native graces. I also hope you can start planting some acorns in the badly burned areas. We don't have enough young oaks in California, due to a number of factors, but hot fires are one of them. These areas need new oaks growing. If for nothing else, erosion control. You'll have earth slides sooner or later. I look forward to any future videos on this. I love seeing how people are trying to tackle these issues on their land. I see restoration/conservation is not the main purpose (farming is) of this channel & your work, but it's great you're getting to know your land and learning from it & passing it on.

[@erinwessel2195]

Wonderful video on conservation! I would love to hear more on your efforts ❤

[@joejoeclark5140]

The relationship between flora and the indigenous people of California truly is outstanding with the knowledge and care for the their trees, grasses and even understory shrubs.

[@devdeuce93]

Amazing work. Hoping this video gets more views

[@katelipkis2436]

We love being part of Farm Fresh and learning more about your work to sustain a healthy farm is the cherry on top. I had no idea native grasses played such an important role in the oak ecosystem. Thanks for asking who had watched. You stopped my scrolling!

[@ThaddeusBarsotti-dm1uu]

Thank you so much Kate! We love working with the land and the people to create a regenerative relationship. It really is wild how much magic is right underneath our noses. We look forward to stopping your scrolling more often!

[@alison9769]

So well done. Thank you for being a good steward of the earth, for informing me (and others), and for growing my family’s food. ❤

[@jgurtz]

I had often wondered why there were so many dead oaks while hiking around herein Northern California. Now I know (at least one reason!). Thanks for spreading the word!

[@ThaddeusBarsotti-dm1uu]

yes! it does create a volatile and vicious circle because the more dead trees there are, the more fodder there is for the next fire. Spreading words, not fires! ;)

[@native_landscapes]

We focus on young oak regeneration in Ohio. Lack of disturbances mainly fire has led to increased shade levels in our oak forest which are too heavy for the mature oaks to reproduce themselves. We have big oaks but very very few replacements. We also deal with non-native grasses and we remove and replace them as well.

[@sfstucco]

That is the case here in California too --- all the oaks you see are old. Almost no new ones.

[@EJCooper115]

what time of year was this filmed?

[@sfstucco]

Mr. Barsotti's answer is the best, but I am assuming he filmed it shortly before it was posted (June 10, 2023). The European-origin grasses are dead in the oak hills of California by April or mid-April to May.