Strong as an Oak

Strong as an Oak

Noel Laflin

10-9-15

Mature Coast Live Oak, Orange, Ca.

It was only in the last month that I learned that our country has a national tree – the oak.

But, I bet many of you already knew this.

I feel a little dumb for not knowing it sooner, as it was so designated by congress nearly eleven years ago after The National Arbor Day Foundation held a popular vote back in 2001.  The steadfast oak won hands down with over a hundred thousand votes, while the stately redwood placed second - some twenty thousand notches behind. Altogether, nearly half a million ballots were cast.

“People were invited to vote for one of 21 candidate trees,” the Arbor Day press release read back in April 2001, “based on broad tree categories (general) that included the state trees of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, or to write in any other tree selection.  The redwood, maple, pine, and dogwood rounded out the top five choices.”

It was the first time in our nation’s history where a popular vote of the people decided the outcome of a national symbol.

Finally … a vote of importance.

And I missed it.

But I probably would have voted for the redwood anyway.

Young Coast Live Oak, Orange, Ca.