Jurupa Oak to be preserved under lawsuit settlement

A 13,000-year-old oak tree in Jurupa Valley will now be protected thanks to an agreement between environmentalists and a real estate developer. Conservation groups had sued over a housing project that they say would have killed the tree.

The Jurupa Oak tree has been around since the Ice age, shared Len Nunney with the Friends of Riverside's Hills.

"And it's unique botanically because not only because of its age," said Nunney, "but because it's actually survived as climate has changed. As far as we know, it's the only remaining representative of its species that's anywhere near our area."

Conservationists have claimed that the Jurupa Oak's roots penetrate down into the hill's large rocks, hundreds of feet down to groundwater.

Environmentalists have wrangled for years with city officials over how to protect the oak. In 2024, Jurupa Valley approved a 900-acre housing project that would have been built 500 feet from the tree.

But conservation groups argued the city didn't consider the project's impacts, so they filed a lawsuit weeks after its approval. The new agreement now requires Richland Communities — the project's developer — to conserve 54 acres near the oak tree. They also can't develop land within 1,000 feet from it.

Nunney said that Friends of Riverside's Hills and the other parties to the lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity and the California Native Plant Society, are satisfied with the agreement.

"I must say that Richland really did negotiate in good faith in establishing a much larger barrier around the oak," said Nunney."

The agreement also allows environmental groups or California Native American tribes to purchase another 54 acres to conserve more open space.

Aaron Echols, who is the chair of the Inland Empire chapter of the California Native Plant Society and a member of the Friends of the Jurupa Oak, said he's confident stakeholders can come together to try to purchase the extra land.

"The buffer distance between the oak and development has been more than doubled at the shortest distance," said Echols. "If we can acquire the additional 50 acres, that will grow even larger, and will entirely protect the immediate watershed around the oak."

Jurupa Valley officials also said they're pleased with the settlement. City Manager Rod Butler told KVCR in an emailed statement that the city hoped Richland Communities and conservationists could reach a mutual agreement.

The city also created a webpage outlining its plans to work with the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians, Kizh Nation to help steward the land near the Jurupa Oak.

Andrew Salas, chairman of the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians, Kizh Nation, said back in 2024 that the tribe was committed to working with Richland to preserve not only the oak, but the surrounding land and natural habitat.

Richland did not respond to requests for comment.