Gophers love oak — to death

Abstract

Weed competition, insects, and small mammals all account for oak seedling loss. High populations of pocket gophers, as at Lopez Lake County Park in San Luis Obispo County, can destroy 90% of 2 to 3-month-old transplanted valley oak seedlings in the first year. Without effective protection from pocket gophers, any control of or protection from other small mammals and control of competition may be of little value