Research was based on the number of oak trees planted and restored in Santa Barbara County during the 1980's and 1990's. The data includes the number of acorns planted, seedlings planted, and oak survivals. Data was collected from different organizations ranging from grassroots to organized companies. This indicator is somewhat difficult to quantify because of the incomplete records of the various oak planting projects. The projects range from private mitigation requirements to local restoration efforts.

The number of oaks planted can help measure the health if the natural environment. Oak woodlands are the predominant form of forests on the south coast and groves are diminishing due to the widespread development. An increase in the number of oaks planted can suggest a trend towards better health in the natural environment. However, this can also indicate the percent of natural habitat destruction occurring to compensate for the growth in the community.

It is impossible to accurately monitor the total number of oaks planted throughout the entire county to date. The provided data reveals obvious gaps and does not follow the past and current trends of development. The ambiguity and inconsistency of records involving oak planting, fails to provide solid data that would help measure the health of the community. While the actual number of oaks planted cannot be determined, several current projects including, Kendall Jackson Vineyards, Sedwick Ranch, and various individual developers, have implemented oak planting efforts into their plans.