Saturday, March 5: Oak-Planting Workshop at Sedgwick Reserve

Oak-Planting Workshop at Sedgwick Reserve: How to propagate, plant and identify native oaks

Comparing three species of oaks in close proximity during a workshop at Sedgwick, 2016. Photo by John Evarts.

Free workshop with John Evarts and Brenda Juarez

Saturday, March 5, 10 a.m to 12:00 p.m.
Co-hosted by UC Sedgwick Reserve
UC Sedgwick Reserve, 3566 Brinkerhoff Avenue, Santa Ynez

Participation is limited to 15. Advance registration is required for this free workshop and is now open to members and nonmembers at syvnhs@syvnature.org or 805/ 693-5683.

This hands-on workshop held in an oak regeneration site at beautiful Sedgwick Reserve will provide step-by-step guidelines for growing native oaks, from both acorns and seedlings. In addition to demonstrating planting methods and techniques for seedling protection from predators, we’ll cover some basic issues for oak seedling care. All participants will be able to take home their own seedling and/or freshly potted acorns.

Workshop in 2016. Photo by John Evarts.

After the planting, there is an optional short walk to identify the three arboreal oak species that grow on the Reserve. We’ll briefly discuss the role of oaks in California’s woodlands and look at the causes of poor oak regeneration and recruitment.

Participants should bring gloves and wear sturdy walking shoes. Tools and materials will be provided.

John Evarts is co-editor and publisher of Oaks of California, and since 1985 he has been planting and maintaining a wide variety of native oak species on his property near Ballard. Brenda Juarez is a docent at Sedgwick Reserve, a graduate of the California Naturalist certification program and a co-founder of the “Oakies,” a volunteer oak-planting group at Sedgwick involved in oak restoration at the Reserve during the last decade.