By Mary O’KEEFE

I am continuing my weather article from last week regarding the approved motion by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to explore a declaration of a state of emergency due to the loss of thousands of oak trees due to the goldspotted oak borer.

I wrote about scientists exploring cultural traditions to help with the growing goldspotted problem; once again we look toward indigenous people.

Supported by a grant from CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Research Program, Jolene Tamm – a master’s student at UC Riverside and Squaxin Island tribal member – partnered with the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians and investigated how indigenous cultural burning practices and traditional ecological knowledge can be used to support management of the invasive goldspotted oak borer/beetle.

“Goldspotted oak borer is so destructive and hard to kill because it spends most of its time living under the tree’s bark where larvae feed on the vascular system that moves nutrients between the roots and the leaves,” said Tamm in an interview with caclimateinvestments.ca.gov on March 3, 2023. “[Our experiment] seeks to identify a potential heat treatment process that uses lethal temperatures to kill goldspotted oak borer within firewood. If effective, this practice would make it safe to move firewood from infested areas without the risk of introducing live beetles into new areas.”

Preliminary results are promising with different heat treatments effectively reducing the number of adult beetles that emerge from infested oak firewood by 90% to 100%.  

Again, we look to the past and to those who are the guardians of nature. I know there were a lot of practices in history that were just so bad for the Earth. Many times society couldn’t see past “Hey, let’s do this” to “But should we?” I hope by looking toward those whose culture is built on partnering with nature, instead of conquering it, may move us forward in a positive way.

And I know this is random, but I think by now my wanderlust mind knows no bounds. The other day I was sitting at one of our lovely outdoor restaurants. It was a rare quiet time for me. I was thinking about this week’s article and how much I truly love writing this weather piece. I love doing the research and learning about those who are doing something to help our planet. I was thinking about the positive signs of what science, and citizen scientists, are doing to help the planet.

Then something disrupted this time of quiet thought. It was a weird rustling sound from above. I looked up and there, on one of the wonderful Montrose tree branches, was a large plastic bag. It was twisted and stuck to the branches; as the wind blew it I was certain that at least part of it would blow away.

No one walking by seemed to notice this large ugly white bag twisting around the tree branches. And I realized that plastic has become such a part of our lives we don’t even notice it. I wondered where this trash came from – did someone just let it blow away thinking someone else would take care of it? Did it blow away from a garbage dump or from a car or a backyard? How far had it traveled?

Because of my research I was certain this plastic bag would end up tearing itself free and find its way to a storm drain, out to the ocean and, if it didn’t wrap itself around sea life, it would break up into micro-plastics and be eaten by fish, which we will eat. The circle would be completed as we – and the plastic – became one.

This bag just made me feel defeated and I couldn’t let it go. Luckily for me I know Steve Pierce, who works with the Montrose Shopping Park Association. I called him and let him know about the bag. Just hearing him say, “I will go by and look at it” made me feel better. I am comforted because Mr. Pierce is among the guardians of our community.

I know if he sees it he will call the City of Glendale and something will get done. But then I think of the gas it will take for those public workers to get to Montrose and reach the tree for this torn plastic bag – and my anxiety begins to grow again.

Our area is in a “deep marine layer” that will probably continue throughout the weekend and break with some sun on Tuesday. Until then we will be waking up to some drizzle as this May Gray continues.