Couple of thoughts here.....my initial reaction was
NO, DON'T CUT DOWN THE OAKS!!! Oaks in Calif are being lost
at an alarming rate to do the Oak virus (can'/t
rememer the name, Sudden death or something?).....development
and
habitat loss, cutitng perfectly healthy trees for
yuppie firewood and overwatering by homeowners. They are very slow to
regenerate and grow, especially the larger specimen
oaks such as Valley Oaks and Black Oaks. Parking vehicles under them
(compaction of soil), and planting and watering anything under them is certain
to introduce root funguses and then people only have themselves to blame when
the trees sicken and die and fall on their houses....
There is nothing toxic about the trees or leaves,
however, some horses can colic on overeating acorns. Another thing I see
from horses pastured under oaks is a kind of skin fungus.
Black Walnut SHAVINGS or sawdust can cause
laminitus....not black Oaks.
It would be a darn shame to clear an area of native
oaks just to pasture horses, in my opinion.
I have been encouraging the oaks all along my fence
line for 14 years. I have a few Valley Oaks and a lot of Blue Oaks
and
some Live Oaks....nothing as majestic as Black
Oaks. I have been meaning for years to start some acorns from them in
the same area. If I ever think there might be an acorn drop problem, I
will just pen the horses up a couple of weeks until the deer and squirrels clear
the acorns away.
I just bought a piece of property that is covered
in black oak tress. I had a fencing company bid the fencing who is
knowledgable in horses and he says horses can die from eating the trees.
Anyone in the Georgetown.Garden Valley, Cool area know if I should
have the trees removed?
