The world’s oldest oak has been spared from Southern California developers after a years-long battle to protect the land around the tree.

Conservation groups fought the city of Jurupa Valley to protect the Jurupa Oak, an ancient Palmer’s oak, from a new development just 550 feet away, warning it could cause environmental harm .

The Jurupa Oak is not known for its height, but rather its length. The shrub-looking oak covers nearly 80 feet of Jurupa Valley.

Tribal groups and environmental organizations had called on the city to create a 100-acre buffer for the tree, but their demands were denied in the approval of the development.

The development plans include around 1,700 homes, a business park and a school, according to SFGate , which first reported on the community’s battle.

The world’s oldest oak has been spared from Southern California developers after a years-long battle to protect the land around the tree (Aaron Echols)

The Center for Biological Diversity , along with other conservation groups,…