In our last post we talked about Oregon white oaks and fire suppression. We got an extremely helpful response from longtime supporters of the Bluff, Lenny and Gisela. We’d like to share it with you because it gets across the point of last week’s post so much better than our mere recitation of facts:
“RCB folks,
My wife, Gisela, and I have enjoyed our walks along the Bluff for a bunch of years now and deeply appreciate all the work you have done. We have some land in Klickitat County near Goldendale, WA and suffered a wildfire a few years ago. A fine grove of grand old Oregon White Oaks was lost. See the photo attached. Here’s the story: we have a spring which not only led these Oaks to grow to immense size but also produced a lush understory of native Willow and Hawthorn. We removed some dead Hawthorn from one fine Oak, but it was very tough work sawing 4″ trunks by hand. But we got some fine firewood for our wood stove, but alas there was so much Willow and Hawthorn, especially dead, that when wildfire struck, they burn with such intensity that the big Oaks were simply cooked.
Keep up the good work!
Lenny & Gisela”
Thank you Lenny and Gisela! Storytelling is such an effective way to inspire and influence. Rose City Bluff Restoration has not set out to merely clear blackberries and other invasive plant species, or to only restore native plants to our neighborhood – we have a long-term goal to build a connected, sustainable community centered around nature, wildlife, and neighborhoods. Storytelling is essential to creating this community. With the return of the Bird’s Eye Café this Sunday, we invite all our neighbors to come out to volunteer or to tell stories. If you have a story you’d like to share, please tell us.
Rose City Bluff Restoration 