There are currently between 20 and 25 acres of eucalyptus groves in the Park that were planted by Jack London to be used and sold as lumber. There are additional rows and stands of eucalyptus trees that were planted before Jack London bought the property by the Kohler and Frohling Winery as wind rows. These groves are culturally important, as they help to tell the story of the land and of Jack London himself.
Over time the eucalyptus groves have become overgrown and crowded. This condition has weakened the health of the historic trees, made it more difficult to interpret their cultural and historic importance, and has created a hazardous fire condition for the groves themselves and the surrounding areas.
An ongoing restoration and management plan has been developed in order to address the current state of the groves. This plan will allow the groves to be better interpreted and improve the overall health of the stands, while greatly reducing the risk and intensity of wildfire in the area.
The Eucalyptus Grove Management plan was developed with help from experts from the Department of Parks and Recreation including scientists, archaeologists, historians, foresters and fire ecologists. All work done in the grove will follow this plan and its expert recommendations, which will ensure the protection of the cultural and natural resources in the area.
The work will include clearing under-story fuels, removing trees to reestablish the original planting grid, thinning multiple sprout eucalyptus trees to single trunks, re-planting gaps within the grid and ongoing mowing and fuel removal.
Different areas of the existing eucalyptus lots will get varying treatment depending on their current condition and desired outcome. Some areas will undergo a full cultural restoration, after which visitors will be able to walk through and experience the groves as Jack London imagined them. In other areas that have already become more naturalized, the work will focus on wildfire mitigation and safety.
For more information on the Historic Eucalyptus Grove Management Plan please email the parks Director of Operations, Eric Metz at [email protected].