What to do About Our Struggling Red Oak

In November last year, we identified that the Red Oak (Quercus rubra) at the Pembroke Road entrance to Bickleigh Vale Rd outside Hurst, was looking very unwell and we've sought advice as what to do to help it survive.

Advice from Paul of the Shire of Yarra Ranges tree management team was that it’s poor condition is a combination of drought stress and almost certainly possum damage.
(The Oak opposite is completely intact and healthy as is the Poplar so the location should be fine.)
There is not much the Shire can do but it would help to have someone deep water the tree once a week.

There is a lot of growth from other plants around it for possums the gain access. so we thought that, perhaps we could clear surrounding plants to stop the possums flight path to the tree.  There is no power line access to the Oak tree for possums which is one positive.

Our community has rallied around and are implementing the following plan:

• Peter has dug a trench around the sick Oak  and Claire from Hurst has put the hose into the trench and happy to deep water it weekly for the rest of this dry period.
  
• There is an abelia and a cotoneaster surrounding the Oak which Claire will also prune back gradually when the weather breaks and the plants are under less stress. If she needs help Claire will organise Peter to help with the height etc. 
  
• When the arborist used by a few of our residents is  here to work on Sonningfield our trees, Coral will organise a possum collar for the oak tree. 

 Let's see how it goes over the next year or so.