An oak tree that was here when saber-toothed tigers roamed the land is still alive and kicking in California’s Jurupa Valley. But despite surviving the last ice age and adapting to a warming climate, the Jurupa Oak could now be in danger from development, advocates fear. This week, the Jurupa Valley Planning Commission approved a development plan around the oak, which is believed to be between 13,000 and 18,000 years old, according to reports. digital video recorder.
- the tree: As is the case Washington Post According to reports, the tree looks like “a bunch of shrubs perched on a hill in a rocky valley. But these shrubs are actually the crown of a giant, sprawling oak tree, 90 feet tall and 30 feet wide.” Most of it is underground. Los Angeles Times It is noted that it is believed to be one of the oldest living plants on Earth. You can see pictures of it in this link NBC News video.
- the plan: Richland Communities is seeking to build a 1.4-square-mile development in the city of 100,000. The project will include 1,700 homes, a business park and a public school.
- On the edge? Environmentalists warn that the measures the developers have promised to protect the tree—a 250-foot sidewalk and at least 260 feet of machinery—are not enough. They say laying asphalt and concrete on the surrounding hillsides could disrupt its vast root system and create a “heat island” effect. They also worry about construction vibrations. “It could be enough to push this plant over the edge,” says Aaron Echols, who heads the area’s conservation society. ABC 7.
- general opinion: During public comment, the planning commission received more than 100 letters opposing the development, and dozens showed up to discuss it (with more than half opposing). “We’ve discovered a treasure on the world stage right here in our humble city,” said resident Jenny Eyre. “Is one of the oldest living things on the planet going to die just because Jurupa Valley has agreed to build industrial and commercial areas next to it?”
- Oldest living organisms: The Jurupa oak is thought to be the third or fourth oldest living organism on Earth, after the holly of Tasmania (43,000 years old) and the quaking aspen of Utah (80,000 years old). Describing the tree for Eyewitness News in 2009, scientist Andrew Sanders said it was like “looking at what the world looked like in the Ice Age,” adding: “We don’t have to look at a fossil in this case; we can see living individuals.”
- What then: After the Planning Commission voted 4-1 in favor of the plan, the development plan still needs approval from the full City Council to move forward.
(The largest Stegosaurus fossil ever found sold for $44.6 million.)
