Commemorative Oaks

Commemorative Oaks is a program for enhancing Malibu Creek State Park through oak tree and native plant restoration.

Malibu Creek State Park in southern California was once rich, pristine oak and riparian forests. Oak savannahs became sheep and cattle ranches and changed the land by over-grazing. Foraging, domestic animals prevented young seedlings from reaching maturity, changing the under story of the remaining trees and replacing the native perennial grasses with annual European grasses and mustard - which gave the state the nickname of the Golden State.

The park has outstanding geological features that distinguish it from other areas of the Santa Monica Mountains. It is the southern most range of the Valley Oak, habitat to a wide range of birds, mammals and insects.

What is Commemorative Oaks:

Businesses and individuals can commemorate a loved one's life or remember a life's milestone by sponsoring a circle or a tree.

Circles of Life will start the natural life-generating cycle in park areas once degraded by historic human use. The 60-foot in diameter circles will be planted with indigenous species, including naturally associated trees, sub-shrubs, forbs, bulbs grasses and perennials. The seeds will be collected from the park and grown by the Malibu Forestry Unit of the Los Angeles County Fire Department until they are large enough to be transplanted into the Circles by volunteers. The circles will push out into the non-native species and re-vegetate the area with native plants.

Plant-a-Tree donations from the Plant-a-Tree program will provide funding for planting projects outside the circles. To date, more than 2,000 oak trees have been planted in Malibu Creek State Park since 1993. Participate, donate...

Contact Us.....