It is with great sadness and frustration that I report the murder of one of our revered magnificent Elders, the valley oak tree that graces the cover of Treed (pictured below). This Elder was estimated to be around 350 years old. It was an entire ecosystem in and of itself, and supported many other species, from native mosses, insects, to squirrels, raccoons, woodpeckers, hawks and owls, only a partial list. Everybody lived there. The equivalent of nature’s apartment complex. Valley Oaks are endemic to California. With no notice, in the summer of 2025, it was cut down and killed by Nevada County, California and Pacific Gas and Electric–for no reason. It was not threatening any electric lines. Nevada County, CA has an ordinance protecting old-growth trees. It blatantly violated its own ordinance as it has done repeatedly over many years. This tree first grew when only the indigenous California Native People populated what became California. Later the path, now a road that passes by this tree, became the Emigrant Trail. Hundreds of new settlers passed by it, maybe resting in its shade. Just for the history represented by every growth ring, it should have been preserved. But this isn’t how Nevada County, CA operates. This has never been how Nevada County, CA operates. Old-growth trees must be preserved because they are obviously genetically superior. They have survived, firstly, humans, in addition to severe weather, drought, random damage. Their ability to survive for so long bodes well for enduring climate change impacts. Old-growth trees provide the strongest trees for the future. Killing them is not only scientifically stupid, it removes from the gene pool, the strongest trees, no less significant than what trophy hunters do. Trophy hunters target and remove the biggest and often the strongest members of a wildlife population, forever removing these genes from the gene pool. Oh that Oak and Joni could have saved it! But in this case, no one did or could, because they killed the tree in secret, quickly, before anyone could act to save it.  We grieve the loss of this Elder. It’s reward for being on this earth 350 years, serving all of us, the ecosystem, for all this time, was to be pointlessly killed. 

TREED

A consequence of getting older is current experiences inevitably get threaded to memories as Maybelline Emmons learns when she embarks on what she thinks will be a simple road trip to find an old friend that happens to be an old tree. Widowed, she doesn’t have many friends left. She gets way more than she bargained for. The easiest way out is just turn around and go back to her comfortable townhouse in Santa Barbara, sip her Pinot, and watch her hummingbirds. This was always enough before except it does seem kind of providential, and she is a nice person, and what should the check amount be? (Has she lost her mind?) Suddenly she has a 30-something ‘son’ (with a girlfriend who gets in her face about justice). Maybelline doesn’t know why they put all the ugly strip malls and box stores in the poorest part of town. She never even thought about it and why would she? What, the sheriff? Again? A man named, what? Tank? And what is Tamara and Terrence’s grandfather’s connection with the tree really about? (Based on actual American history and African Americans).

This poignant, passionate, yet hilarious story revolves around efforts to save an old-growth tree but things go off the rails in such a compelling way, it’s sure to keep you on the edge of your branch (likely laughing, so don’t fall off). Per Virginia Arthur’s two previous novels, Treed will curl the tendrils of your heart, blow your leaves off, and maybe, just maybe, motivate you to save something in your own backyard.