Garry oaks can cause severe allergy

Re: “Oak tree would be lost forever,” letter, Sept. 9. I offer another perspective on the Great Garry Oak Debate. Oaks are some of the most allergenic trees, causing untold misery for those who are susceptible. The pollen of Garry oak in particular, also known as Oregon white oak, is a severe allergen. Perhaps, in the name of public health, this controversial specimen should be removed and replaced with something less allergenic. To ensure survival of the species, other Garry oaks could be planted in green space farther away from where people live and gather.

Oaks not only shed considerable amounts of pollen, the pollen is commonly allergenic, and may cause more severe reactions than pollen of other species.

Oaks contain both male and female flowering parts, meaning they produce pollen, and can be pollinated, either by themselves, or by other plants. Therefore, one can’t simply replace a male oak with a female oak, as one can for single-sex species.

We need to start considering trees, not just for their esthetic and historic values, but also from a human health perspective.

The pollen powder can also attach to clothes, shoes and hair, bedding and upholstery. A person allergic to oak pollen will have an immune reaction to the pollen, and an internal chemical reaction involves the release of histamines resulting in various nasal congestion symptoms or serious asthma symptoms. It isn’t just the sniffles, and it isn’t just for a few days. Robin Bayley Victoria