Dear Friends & Neighbors,
The Eucalyptus Removal Pilot Program that Monterey County developed with State Senator John Laird is winding down. It was a major success. Nearly 100 applications were received and the $1 million in matching funds was spent removing invasive, dangerous and fire-prone eucalyptus near homes, roadways, power lines and at other hazardous locations.
After discussion I had with Senator Laird last year, he was able to direct $1 million to a pilot program for eucalyptus removal. The scope of the program was left for Monterey County to create. My staff and I, along with Housing and Community Development, Resource Conservation District, North County Fire and Cal Fire in Aromas, developed a pilot program for just Supervisorial District 2, which covers all North County and parts of North Salinas.
The program allowed removal of eucalyptus in defensible space around buildings, along access roads for emergency vehicles and other places deemed hazardous by the two fire agencies. The homeowner was responsible for contacting two licensed tree contractors and presenting bids to be approved. The homeowner paid half and the contractor was reimbursed later through the program for the other half. The trees were to be entirely removed from the site, chipped and spread as mulch or used as firewood. The stumps were to be destroyed or treated in some manner to prevent resprouting.
This was a pilot program, so there were many things to learn and to adjust to unexpected problems. Overall, it went very smoothly. The program was greeted with such enthusiasm than many others in Monterey County wanted to participate as well as residents in San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties. I am hopeful that with some tweaks that this program can continue and grow and meet those requests.
One major adjustment involves helping those who can’t afford even a 50/50 cost for tree removal. This is an expensive process involving thousands of dollars and, quite often, tens of thousands of dollars. The trees that are being removed can not simply be cut and let fall. Careful removal is essential to preserve buildings, roads and other infrastructure. But this was a pilot project, and successful pilots have narrow purposes. This one was clearly a success.
Before signing off for this month, I want to look back at how eucalyptus got here and why they are not desirable.
Eucalyptus, as most of us know, are not native. They were brought here from Australia in the 1800s because they grew fast and spurred hopes of being a commercial boon as lumber. At that time, wood was also a primary source of energy. The oak forests at that time were depleted (old photos show a much less wooded North County). The plan was for blue gum eucalyptus to fill this need. Unfortunately, eucalyptus wood cracks and splits as lumber. It is not useable for building houses, furniture or for anything except wood burning. As technology has advanced, we don’t heat our homes with wood as we once did. The result is thousands of acres of eucalyptus forests that have displaced our native oak forests, manzanita and meadows.
The problem with eucalyptus is many-fold. Branches often fall from these tall trees, destroying property and even killing people. The Highway 101 corridor between the Monterey County line and San Juan Bautista had a fatality last year when a eucalyptus limb killed a Gonzales man. Caltrans is now removing about 200 eucalyptus trees along the side of the highway. In addition, blue gum eucalyptuses are firebombs. Their natural oils, massive height, loose bark and dead branches can create a firestorm as happened in the Oakland Hills fire in 1991 that killed 25 people. The other problem with eucalyptus is that they create a flora and fauna desert since very few native plants and animals can thrive underneath them. The diversity of life underneath oaks and manzanitas far exceed what grows under eucalyptus.
Granted, there are people who love the sight of these tall, graceful trees in the California landscape. Rest assured, we are never going to remove all of them. This is simply an attempt to control them. Raptors like hawks and owls may nest in tall eucalyptus, but raptors have been around long before these trees came to this area. The birds once thrived in the coastal redwood stands that grew in North County, such as the one along the west side of San Miguel Canyon near Hambey Lane. A sawmill was established there over 100 years ago, and the redwood stands are no more. So if you really like the tall, willowy look of the eucalyptus, it is better to plant a redwood which native plants and animals are far more adapted to. Redwoods are naturally fire-resistant and less dangerous to human life and structures.
As always, don't hesitate to reach out to my office for assistance. You can reach us at 831-755-5022 or district2@countyofmonterey.gov.
Sincerely,
Glenn Church
District 2 Supervisor
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