Ventura Gives a Fig About Tree : Drought: Officials vow to do whatever necessary to save a city landmark suffering from lack of water.

Ventura’s landmark fig tree in front of the San Buenaventura Mission is suffering because of the drought, but city arborist Jerry Rivard expressed confidence Tuesday that “with the added tender loving care we are providing,” the huge tree will survive.

News about the fig tree’s woes surfaced during Monday’s City Council meeting, and City Manager John Baker vowed to do whatever necessary to help the tree survive.

After four years of dry conditions, Ventura is facing a severe tree crisis, experts say. Last month, city officials disclosed that Ventura’s famous Two Trees landmark is also threatened by the drought. Rivard said other trees, particularly magnolias, are suffering.

“We’re doing the best we can with the limited water we have,” Rivard said.

The San Buenaventura fig tree, however, will receive special treatment. “We’ve picked up irrigation around the tree, and we’ve installed a soaker hose to make sure the soil is moist,” Rivard said. His crew has dug holes around the tree to allow more air and more irrigation.

“The fig has been losing leaves for the past two years,” Rivard said. “The soil around the fig is compacted, and all the traffic passing by doesn’t help.”

Next week, the city plans to step up rescue efforts by injecting fertilizer into the soil. “We’re going to use a balanced fertilizer, with equal parts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and top it off with an organic dressing,” Rivard said.

Mayor Richard L. Francis said the fig tree must be preserved. “If the fig dies, we’ll all have to resign,” he said. “The fig is a world-class specimen of that kind of tree, and it provides a beautiful anchor to the otherwise asphalt world of downtown Ventura.”

Rivard said Francis and the rest of the council need not worry. “The tree will survive, I can almost guarantee it,” he said.