A quarter century of oak woodland research in the Sierra foothills supports oak restoration

Abstract

During the last 25 years, a wide variety of oak woodland research has been conducted at the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center. A substantial portion of this research has focused on developing procedures for artificially regenerating native California oaks. Results indicate that oaks can be successfully established with sufficient care and protection, including thorough weed control and protection from damaging animals. Tree shelters, or grow tubes, have proven particularly useful in getting seedlings to about 6.5 feet (2.0 meters), where they are relatively resistant to cattle browsing. These findings have been disseminated through training sessions and written materials and have been widely adopted by restoration practitioners, improving the overall success rate of oak plantings in California.