Preserving the Past, Honoring the Oak: Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Commitment to LA’s History.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger is again showing her appreciation for Los Angeles’s history by naming “Old Glory”—a 400-year-old Oak tree—a historical county landmark.
In Barger’s latest motion, if passed, the county’s director of regional planning will be directed to begin the nomination process for the Oak tree to be an official landmark.
“Old Glory means a lot to the community and is deserving of the protection that being a Los Angeles County Historic Landmark brings,” Barger said in a statement. “This oak symbolizes strength and perseverance. I want to make sure we take all the actions possible to preserve community assets like Old Glory. We must be good environmental stewards and I take the responsibility seriously.”
At Pico Canyon Park currently stands Old Glory, which reaches an impressive height of 70 feet. This remarkable tree has witnessed more than four centuries, standing as a testament to nature’s resilience.
Back in 2003, the world was captivated by a passionate advocate for conservation, John Quigley, when he made headlines for ascending the towering branches of the tree and remained there for an astounding duration of 72 days in support of preserving it. His act aimed to raise awareness and rally support for the preservation of the tree.
“In the years following the relocation of Old Glory, there has been a heightened focus on the importance of preserving natural resources and promoting stewardship and environmental preservation,” Barger’s motion reads.
In March, Quigley and other environmental advocates returned to Pico Canyon Park to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Quigley’s protest.
“We are a part of nature and we come from nature,” Quigley told the Los Angeles Daily News in March. “That moment with Old Glory was just a moment where it feels like there was a higher power at work brought all the right people together to save that tree.”
