Cork Oak Tree, 1939. Courtesy Washburn Collection of
the Agricultural History Project, Watsonville, CA.

threat

Benign neglect is the greatest threat to this treasure. Other trees on the property—a cedar, camphor, magnolia, and an Australian oak, all planted by Starbuck, have already been felled, with the Cork Oak the sole remaining specimen. It is located on a busy intersection in an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County and, while many people support the tree's protection, no official steps have been taken to secure its future.

Additionally, as this tree is stressed by its immediate environment, it becomes vulnerable to a variety of diseases and infestations including the Phytophthora fungus—SOD (sudden oak death) and the Australian moth -- both of which are killing other California’s trees at an alarming rate.