What does it mean when oaks are “masting” and why do they do it?
If these trees produced the same amount of acorns every year, the populations of seed predators would grow to match food availability.
So every now and then these oft stingy trees go nuts in nearly perfect unison. Using energy reserves saved for just such an event, they produce as many seeds as their branches can hold.
And that is what’s happening this year. Oaks are a cornerstone of California ecology so on a local level this could be a game changer of sorts. The many creatures that consume them will also be stashing, losing and forgetting about a significant percentage. This is how acorns get around. Just imagine if human animals got in on the act…
“The man who planted trees “a story that’s been translated into 13 languages is based on a shepherd with a vision to regrow an oak woodland in the degraded European countryside.
Check out your local oak trees, maybe the book too. Planting seeds is a form of trust in the years to come. The acorns in SF should be ready in about two weeks.
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