Shady Oaks Homeowners Association

Shady Oaks Homeowners Association

Message from Jack Wagner (Web Page Coordinator)

I am a retired teacher, and I have lived in Shady Oaks since 1975.
When I received the May Acorn, I volunteered to update the SOHA web site on a regular basis.

The Neighborhood Link, where our web site resides, places several restraints on how the page is formatted. For instance, the page on the web site is narrower than on the printed version of the Acorn. I will do my best to give you legible version.

PLEASE HELP TO PROTECT OUR OAKS!

Dear Shady Oaks Neighbor, Please read the following information.

I was told by a local nursery that Hollywood Park already has Oak Wilt in their neighborhood. If you have driven through that area, you may have noticed that many of their oak trees appear to have only a few leaves. Trees infected with Oak Wilt will die!

If Shady Oaks becomes infected, it will have a devastating effect on our beautiful surroundings and property values.

OAK WILT

*FACT: Oak wilt is caused by the fungus Ceratocystisfagacearum which is initially transmitted by insects attracted to wounded tissues produced by cutting or trimming of oak trees.

*FACT: The oak wilt fungus infects the vascular system of trees and plugs these tissues so that water and nutrient movement is impaired.

FACT: Once a tree has been infected, the disease can travel underground through tree roots approximately 75 ft. (Texas Forestry Service) This means that if YOUR TREE gets oak wilt, your neighbors' trees and the green belt trees could soon have oak wilt even though there have been no wounds made to the trees outside your yard.

FACT: There is no known cure for oak wilt. (Texas Forestry Service)

*FACT: Painting the wounds inflicted from trimming or pruning within a few minutes of making the wound will help avoid insect attraction.

*FACT: Spanish Oaks infected with the oak wilt fungus often die within I to 4 weeks after infection. Live Oaks may die I month to 2 years after infection.

*FACT: The fungus prefers cooler temperatures and the disease development is most rapid in the spring and fall.

CONTROL STRATEGEES

Do necessary pruning and cutting when temperature is above 90 degrees. (Texas Forest Service)

*When it is necessary to prune at other times of the year, take special steps to insure treatment of all wounded trees.

*ALWAYS use pruning paint to treat wounded areas within a few minutes of making the wound.

If you hire someone to trim your trees, ask them if they know about oak wilt. Ask them questions based on the stated facts above. If they do not know the answers, you might want to reconsider having them trim your trees. (How much is a 100 200 year old oak tree worth to you?) If not, please let them read this information sheet and make sure they paint the wounds they make.

REMEMBER: WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR YARD MAY AFFECT YOUR NEIGHBOR, OR OUR GREEN BELTS!

*Direct quotes from "Strategies for Controlling Oak Wilt in Texas", by Johnson & Home Extension Plant Pathologists for TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Email us
jwagner1@satx.rr.com

About our association

About Shady Oaks

Shady Oaks subdivision was founded in the 1950's on land that was previously part of the Heimer Ranch. It covers several hundred acres bounded approximately by U.S. 281 N. on the West, Heimer Road on the East, Brookhollow Blvd. On the South and a line going East from a point several hundred feet North of Paso del Norte and N. 281 East to Heimer Road. It is named Shady Oaks for the many large oak trees there. Large areas on either side of drainage ways and creeks are preserved as parks and kept clean, clear and attractive by some of the residents.

Shady Oaks Homeowners Association was formed in the 1950?s as the area became populated. At that time it was 10 miles north of the city limits of San Antonio and it was a nice leisurely drive to stores and businesses down town, since the shopping malls and suburban office buildings hadn't been built yet. Utilities including electricity and telephone were available from the city and water from the Hill Country Waterworks which was sold to SAWS in the 1970?s. Some people had their own wells and all residents had septic systems until city sewer lines were available in the 1990's. The home sites are large tracts from ½ to 2 acres with homes in size from 1,500 Sq. Ft. to many thousands of Sq. Ft.

In the 1960's Shady Oaks considered joining Hill Country Village or forming its own city to avoid being annexed by the city of San Antonio, but eventually was taken into the city and is now in Council District 9.

The Homeowners Owners Association is composed of the officers, President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary; Committee Chairpersons and members for Beautification, Social, Health and Welfare, Security and Newsletter/Web page all of whom function as the Executive Committee and more than 200 residents. We meet regularly every quarter and publish a newsletter, the Acorn, quarterly with articles by the officers and Committee persons and any other resident of Shady Oaks who has something of interest to contribute. The web page has places for newsletter items, announcements, discussions and chat, personal home pages and links to many other pages of interest to members as you have seen.

The present officers are:

SHADY OAKS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION 2003-2004

PRESIDENT:
RODNEY GILLESPIE 106 PALO PINTO 496-0711
RGILLESPIE@SATX.RR.COM

VICE-PRESIDENT:
Ben Sanchez
103 Encino Grande
490-6216
BSanchez1@satx.rr.com

SECRETARY:
Catherine Gillespie

Treasurer
Marty Hixon
114 Rio Bravo
494-4410
HIXONSAURS@HOTMAIL.COM

Other Volunteers:
Kathy Sanchez
2004 Directory Editor

WEBSITE:
JACK WAGNER
15101 ENCINO VERDE
494-3016
jwagner1@satx.rr.com

Email us
jwagner1@satx.rr.com