Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Insignia oak succumbs

City workers have tried almost everything to keep it alive, but the coast live oak in front of Saratoga City Hall was cut down Dec. 22. The tree, estimated to be more than 80 years old, is said to have been used in the design of Saratoga's city insignia. "For about six or seven years, we did everything we could to save it," park maintenance lead worker David Mooney said. "It was just a matter of time before it was gone." Over the years, crews have tried cabling parts of the tree and cutting off branches in an effort to save the diseased oak. Finally, Mooney said, the tree died last fall, and steps were taken for its removal, however reluctantly. "It was the insignia oak tree, and we have a soft spot in our hearts for oak trees in Saratoga," he said. Cutting down the massive oak took about two days, according to city officials.

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