What has taken centuries to develop can be destroyed by man and machine in twenty minutes. This is what we see going on during new housing constructed on wooded sites. Clearing the land means killing the oaks. Once damaged, it only takes two to five years for a two hundred year old oak to die. In our area it is especially important to understand the interrelationships between forest trees and forest soils.
Oaks thrive in acid soils produced by their fallen leaves.
About two feet below the surface is a layer of clay which roots cannot penetrate. Because they are so near the surface, these fine roots are exceedingly sensitive to any changes in the surface layers of soil. When trees are destroyed, our landscape heritage is profoundly altered. Fortunately, there are places in Palos Park where large and small oaks are safe. It is possible to simulate the conditions of the forest in our yards.