Ventura, Calif. – The Ventura County Tree Coalition – a network of community organizations, nonprofits, land trusts, agencies, and like-minded groups dedicated to preserving and enhancing Ventura County’s tree canopy – is celebrating OAKtober again this October with a number of community greening and education events throughout the county. Ventura County residents are encouraged to participate in OAKtober, also called Oak Awareness Month, by attending community events, learning about the benefits of oak and other trees, or participating in other ways.
Why are Oak Trees Important?
Oak trees are known as keystone species, meaning that they are critical to many ecosystems because they provide benefits to other plants and animals. Like other trees, oak trees cool the environment by sequestering carbon and by providing shade. Oak trees can grow up to 100 feet tall and can live to be over 1,000 years old.
OAKtober Events to Attend
The community is encouraged to attend events hosted by the Ventura County Tree Coalition. All events will have an environmental component on trees, but not all will involve oak trees. View the list of events below for more details. Click on the event you wish to learn more details about.
Note: Events are subject to change.
Kimball Community Park, bike path on the west side of park
Help clean the air by joining Ventura Tree Alliance in planting 20 oak trees to shade the path, in celebration of OAKtober. Volunteers are asked to bring shovels, rake, water, sunscreen and gloves.
More information: Ventura Tree Alliance
Taft Gardens, Ojai (Register here for the address)
Oaktober is a month long celebration of Oaks presented by Dr. David White and Once Upon a Watershed. Oaktober was launched by the Chicago Region Trees Initiative in 2015 and David brought the event to Ventura in 2020. Ventura County now recognizes October as “Oak Awareness Month”.
Join us for an Oaktober Kickoff event at the Taft Amphitheatre: Music, Libations and Oaktober Presenters. Bring your own picnic dinner.
5pm doors open with tables and wares from Oaktober Presenters. Drinks provided by Ojai Valley Brewery & Revel Kombucha.
5:30pm-8pm Music by the Van Allen Twins
Visit https://taft-gardens-and-nature-preserve.networkforgood.com/events/59937-oaktober-fest to purchase your tickets!
Taft Gardens, Ojai (Register here for the address)
Come sit under the Oaks and listen to stories of these sacred beings while creating a necklace out of natural materials. This very special OAKtober workshop will be held on Indigenous People’s Day and led by Chumash Elder, Julie Tumamait-Stenslie at Taft Gardens.
Ticket Link: https://taft-gardens-and-nature-preserve.networkforgood.com/events/61560-the-little-acorn-that-could
Taft Gardens, Ojai (Register here for the address)
Set intentions, Reset, Restore, Align, Create, Plant a Tree, Deepen connection to nature and the more-than-human world. Gather with like-minded people on this slow, relaxing, restorative walk in an oak woodland that will end with a planting of an oak tree and a ceremony of sharing tea made from native plants.
Community Roots Garden, Oxnard (1801 Joliet Place, Oxnard, CA 93030)
Join MiniNature Reserve in a workshop where attendees will be taught how to gather acorns, float test them for seed viability, protect them from animals, set them out to dry, germinate them, and choose where to plant them.
Visit Community Roots Garden’s website to learn more.
Taft Gardens, Ojai (Register here for the address)
“Walk With the Oaks” is guided by Dr. David White, Program Director of Once Upon a Watershed, with readings by Melina Watts from her book “Tree” under Taft’s Heritage Oak Trees. “Tree” is the story of 229 years in the life of a California live oak from the point of view of … the tree. The “walk” is about a mile on uneven terrain through the Oak Woodlands of Taft Gardens.
Visit https://www.taftgardens.org/events/2023/10/21/oaktober-walk-with-the-oaks-with-david-white-amp-melina-watts to purchase your tickets.
Camarillo Grove Park (6968 E Camarillo Springs Rd, Camarillo)
Come out for a fun self-guided hike, hunt for treats, and enjoy other free activities. Hosted by Pleasant Valley Recreation Parks District. Visit https://www.pvrpd.org/2023-10-21-trail-or-treat to learn more.
Museum of Ventura County (100 E Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001)
Arborist Dave Muffly joins Ventura Land Trust at the Museum of Ventura County for a special OAKtober Environmental Speaker Series presentation.
Dave is a partner in Ventura Land Trust’s coast live oak care and restoration in Harmon Canyon Preserve. For more than 30 years, he has been on the forefront of oak tree regeneration in California. With nearly 4,000 oaks established, oak regeneration at Stanford University and in the Bay area has been a resounding success, deeply founded in science. In this talk, Dave covers the details – techniques, lessons, and warnings – that have made this project a success, where so many others fail.
VLT’s free, quarterly Environmental Speaker Series is one of the many ways VLT works to educate the public about important environmental topics. Although free to the public, a $10/person donation is suggested at the door.
Lower Libbey Park Parking Lot (210 S Signal St., Ojai, CA 93023)
Ojai Trees invites volunteers to spend a morning planting oaks and other trees to add to the Ojai Valley’s community forest. No experience necessary! Please bring work clothes, a hat, your own gloves, sunscreen, a water bottle, and a mask. Email Ojai Trees to sign up to volunteer at trees@ojaitrees.org.
Growing Works Nursery (1736 South Lewis Road, Camarillo, CA 93021)
Growing Works Nursery will be having a plant sale to celebrate the organization’s 5th year anniversary.
Community Roots Garden (1801 Joliet Place, Oxnard, CA 93030)
MiniNature Reserve will be hosting a workshop on how to use acorn flour in cooking and baking.
Visit Community Roots Garden’s website to learn more.
Potrero Creek (Potrero Rd and Erinlea Avenue Newbury Park, CA 91361)
Taft Gardens, Ojai (Register here for the address)
We will explore trails through the wild parts of the property, identify and discuss native plants, and observe birds and animal tracks in the context of local ecology. This walk is part of the Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve “Oaktober” series focusing on the native oak trees on the property. Lanny will give special attention to the Coast Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) and their important role as a cornerstone species in the local ecosystem.
Ojai Meadows Preserve – Lomita Ave Entrance (398 S Lomita Ave, Ojai, CA 93023)
Ojai Valley Land Conservancy will be selling some of their favorite drought tolerant plants and a variety of wildflower seeds for you to grow at home in your garden. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to bring the beauty of the preserves to your yard! Visit https://ovlc.org/category/events/ to learn more.
Can’t Attend? How you can Celebrate OAKtober
You can celebrate OAKtober in your own way as well! A list of suggested activities could include:
- Celebrating California State Oak Day
- Hosting an oak workday to plant or care for one or more trees;
- Taking a walk or hike through an oak woodland;
- Collecting acorns and planting them in areas that will be good for them;
- Reading up on how to care for oak trees; or
- Creating art inspired by oak trees.
Still need more information – you can learn more with educational materials provided by members of the Ventura County Tree Coalition.
About the Ventura County Tree Coalition
Formed in early 2022, the Ventura County Tree Coalition is a network of community organizations, nonprofits, land trusts, municipalities, and like-minded groups dedicated to preserving and enhancing Ventura County’s tree canopy. To learn more visit the Ventura County Tree Planting Program page.
