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Land Conservancy asks Pismo Preserve visitors to keep distance from lone oak tree

Posted at 4:50 PM, Feb 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-19 21:30:31-05

The newly-opened Pismo Preserve is attracting thousands of visitors and that's causing some strain on an old lone oak tree.

It's become a popular spot for people to rest and take pictures, but The Land Conservancy says it's suffering from too many people walking around the base and climbing on it.

An arborist says compacting the soil can eliminate the air space around the tree's roots and suffocate it.

"A lot of people think the roots are right around the trunk but in reality, they can go out one and a half or two times the drip line of the canopy to provide all those benefits to the tree," said Scott Loosley, Community Stewardship Coordinator.

The Land Conservancy hopes visitors will enjoy the tree from a distance and not walk near or climb on the tree.