Thursday, August 20, 2015

Save the historic Eucalyptus trees, Burlingame


The Daily Journal/Austin Walsh, 8/19/15.  "Burlingame bands together over tree fight: residents, officials oppose Caltrans plan to remove trees from historic grove.

Image result for Eucalyptus trees picture
If I lived in Burlingame, I'd beg you,
"please don't take away my Eucalyptus."
Howard-Ralston Eucalyptus Tree Rows.jpg
Historic or not, aren't Eucalyptus
a dangerous invasive weed tree?
Burlingame residents joined the City Council in railing against an effort by Caltrans to remove a chunk of the city’s historic eucalyptus tree grove lining a stretch of El Camino Real. City staff and officials agreed during the council meeting Monday, Aug. 18, to draft a letter opposing the removal of the trees, and send it to the California Department of Transportation.

The root of the ongoing bout is the state agency’s desire to widen a stretch of the road near Floribunda Avenue to make space for a left-hand turn lane, which Caltrans officials claim is necessary to ensure safety for drivers on El Camino Real.

Five (5) trees, which are part of the Howard-Ralston row identified on the National Register of Historic Places, are being targeted for removal by Caltrans, which has jurisdiction over El Camino Real. Burlingame officials and residents have suggested first implementing less invasive methods of traffic controls which could improve safety at the problematic intersection, such as installing a traffic light or disallowing left-hand turns entirely, while keeping the trees in place.“We need to come up with another plan for taking care of safety on El Camino Real,” said Mayor Terry Nagel."  Read article. 

Related - Burlingame trees (in association with Burlingame Historical Society). "Over the years, these very trees have been at the center of many civic struggles between the forces of progress and preservation. As the city of Burlingame rose from the Peninsula ranchos to an elegant playground and “sunshine suburb,”  as the population swelled and brought with it all of the accoutrements of modern society, the trees bore witness to society’s changes—and at times faced the axe as a result of them." 

Note photographs.  Eucalyptus trees on El Camino Real, Burlingame from Wikipedia/Burlingame. Koala from ABC TV/Rural/AU, 6/11/14.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

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