Oaks are identified as “the” California landscape. When you approach the foothills of the Sierra, that dark green band of trees interspersed with golden grasses on the rolling hillsides says you’re moving into the mountains. Those trees are blue oaks that exist only in a specific band around the edge of the central valley. Blue oaks, especially, are extremely drought-tolerant and tough trees, but they are extremely slow growing.

https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/640933/why-california-oaks-are-important.html

Dr Nina Bassuk, Urban Horticulture Institute, School of Integrative Plant Science explores how building better oaks will help improve the future of urban environments.

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/better-oaks-urban-environment/65705/

Advocates for preserving a 13,000-year-old living treasure in hills near the Riverside-San Bernardino county line are stepping up efforts as a developer polishes plans to build about 1,300 houses nearby in Jurupa Valley.

https://www.pe.com/2019/05/25/is-jurupa-valley-oak-tree-a-13000-year-old-ice-age-relic-threatened-by-new-homes-project/