OAK TREE STANDING TALL 2 YEARS AFTER REPLANTING.Byline: EUGENE TONG Staff Writer STEVENSON RANCH Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. - John Quigley John B. Quigley is a professor of law at the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, where he is the Presidents' Club Professor of Law. In 1995 he was recipient of The Ohio State University Distinguished Scholar Award. returned Friday to visit an old friend who gave him shelter, notoriety and transcendence. ``This tree is like a friend of the community,'' said Quigley, the tree-sitter who camped in the branches of a massive oak dubbed ``Old Glory'' for 10 weeks in 2002-03 to protest plans to cut it down in order to widen Pico Canyon Road. Quigley's action drew national attention as environmental activists and local residents rallied around saving the centuries-old oak. He finally came down after a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. judge issued a court order, and developer John Laing For John Laing, the 15th century bishop of Glasgow, see John Laing (bishop) John Laing plc is a British developer and operator of privately financed, public sector infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, hospitals and schools through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Homes agreed to move the tree. It's been two years since the oak was replanted on an 18-acre parcel Los Angeles County designated Pico Canyon Park, and Quigley has made annual visits to check on his friend's progress. ``It's looking good,'' Quigley said. ``We're cautiously optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op . But it'll be at least three years before we know if it's rooted in there.'' On Friday, a spring sun nourished nour·ish tr.v. nour·ished, nour·ish·ing, nour·ish·es 1. To provide with food or other substances necessary for life and growth; feed. 2. fresh leaves covering the oak's once-bare branches as Quigley shared tales of life on the perch with 4th and 5th graders from Santa Monica's New Roads School. He said he constructed from an old bunk bed the platform where for 71 days he received mail, weathered storms and granted interviews. It fitted sight-unseen on a crook between the oak's sprawling branches. ``When that happened, I knew something magical had happened,'' Quigley said. Rabbi Mark Blazer of Temple Beth Ami in Newhall offered a tree blessing. ``May it sprout forth for this people,'' he said. ``And may all of our trees have a fruitful and healthy season.'' Quigley said he was still marveled by the tree's ``arc of time.'' ``You're talking about a being that's been living for hundreds of years,'' he said. ``It's that sense of it's not about this moment - it's about the long haul Long distance. Long haul implies traversing a state or a country. Contrast with short haul. .'' eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5253 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) A class of fourth- and fifth-graders from New Roads School in Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. take an Earth Day field trip on Friday to Pico Canyon Park in Stevenson Ranch, where Old Glory, a centuries-old oak tree saved from being chopped down, now resides. (2 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) John Quigley, who spent two months in Old Glory's branches to save it from being cut down by housing developers, speaks to students about the oak tree. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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