Understanding Oaks: a Tree Walk and Talk with Alison Lancaster — October 24, 2026

Join us in the TPF gardens this Fall with Los Angeles consulting arborist Alison Lancaster for our Oak-tober Series! She’ll guide us through evaluations of some oak trees on the grounds to help us identify and understand: • Maintenance, such as drought-conscious watering • Common structural issues that could make tree or branch failures more likely • Oak tree life cycle, including fire adaptation, growth patterns, habitat value • Young tree structural pruning versus mature tree safety pruning • Non-harmful, native insects that use oaks as habitat, versus destructive, invasive pests that damage oaks • Diseases that cause health and structural problems in oaks This will be a walk-and-talk presentation with time for discussion, so feel free to bring photos and questions about your own oaks at home. A great class for anyone wanting to learn more about this important California keystone species. Resources: Oaks in the Urban Landscape by Larry Costello, Bruce Hagen, Katherine Jones – UC ANR The Nature of Oaks by Douglas Tallamy Alison Lancaster has been a consulting arborist in Southern California since 2016. She focuses her work on helping Angelenos act as thoughtful and responsible stewards of their trees. She has an AS in Wildland Resources and Forestry from Citrus College and a BA in Political Science from UC Irvine. She began her career as an intern at City of Pasadena Urban Forestry, then transitioned to training and working as a consultant for five years before opening her own business. Since then she has earned her Registered Consulting Arborist qualification, was elected to the Western Chapter ISA Board of Directors, and received the 2019 WCISA Young Professional Award. Find her at alca-llc.com 📅 Refund Policy: Refunds are available up to seven days before the event. Within seven days, refunds and credits are no longer available, as this helps us plan responsibly and support our instructors. Thank you for your understanding.