VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Quercus agrifolia | Coast Live Oak 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Canyon live oak wood is primarily used for fuel.  Some commercial
charcoal is made from the wood.  It is unsuitable for lumber, as it
cracks easily and warps badly [67].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
This species provides critical wildlife habitat.  Coast live oak
woodlands are preferred habitat for black bear and black-tailed deer
[69].  They are also preferred by the federally endangered least Bell's
vireo [60].  Western sycamore-coast live oak communities in the South
Coast Ranges provide wintering grounds for 32 species of birds, at a
density of 251 birds per acre (620/ha) [25].  The federally endangered
least tern nests within this community [44].  Coast live oak provides
browse for black-tailed deer and various rodents and lagomorphs [77].
Roots are eaten by feral pig and pocket gopher [63].  Acorns are heavily
consumed by black bear, feral pig, black-tailed deer, rodents, and
various upland game and nongame birds [77].  Coast live oak litter
provides excellent hunting opportunities for the insectivorous vagrant
and ornate shrews [69].

Cattle eat coast live oak sprouts [64].  Most livestock do not readily
browse mature foliage, although goats will eat it year-round [31].
Livestock readily consume the acorns [77].


PALATABILITY : 
The palatability of coast live oak foliage has been rated useless for
cattle and horses, poor to useless for sheep, and fair to poor for
black-tailed deer [77].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Nutritional information on coast live oak foliage is scant.  One study
found the protein content of leaves was 4.6 percent in December.
Springtime protein levels were not determined.  However, protein content
of interior live oak, a closely related species, was 17.6 percent in May
[8].

Percent composition of coast live oak acorns is 9 percent water, 6.26
percent protein, 16.75 fat, and 54.57 percent carbohydrate [3].


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Coast live oak is favored for use in rehabilitation projects in the
Coast Ranges.  It is used for watershed improvement, restoration, and
wildlife rehabilitation projects [29,40,64].  In the Sepulveda Wildlife
Reserve of Los Angeles County, nursery seedlings were planted for slope
stabilization and wildlife habitat improvement.  Survival of these
seedlings was between 40 to 75 percent after 3 years [61].  Transplants
along the Santa Margarita River in San Diego County have also shown good
survival [72].  In eastern Ventura County, coast live oak was planted to
help restore the ecotone between saltbush (Atriplex spp.), black sage
(Salvia mellifera), and annual grassland communities [62].  Coast live
oak is also established by acorn plantings.  In the Berkeley Hills,
seedlings grown from locally collected acorns showed 75 percent survival
in their first year.  Seedlings were hand-watered twice during summer
because of drought conditions [73].  Seedling survival is enhanced by
weeding competitors, providing protection against herbivores and acorn
predators with above- and belowground wire caging, and providing
microsite shading.  Acorns are collected from local oaks in late fall.
Planting density recommendations and other cultivation methods have been
detailed [59,81].

Large oak trees slated for removal because of roadway or other
construction have been successfully transplanted onto favorable sites
using heavy equipment [20].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
North coast populations of this tree are stable, but the species is in
decline in southern California [57,80].  Threats to this oak include
urban and rural development, increased recreational use of oak
woodlands, and the cutting of trees for firewood [67,80].  Factors
hampering seedling recruitment are discussed under regeneration.

Diseases:  Trees watered during summer may be invaded by root
(Armillaria mellea) and crown (Phytophthora spp.) rots.  During drought,
the fungus Diplodia quercina can cause branch dieback.  Pit scale
insects (Asterolecanium minus) damage foliage [36].

Related categories for Species: Quercus agrifolia | Coast Live Oak