Eucalyptus from Hades !!!

[Ernie Koontz]

Some questions for any interested arborists?
We live in El Granda Ca., about 20 miles south of San Francisco along the Pacific ocean. No one is quite sure why Eucalyptus trees were planted here, but it is very clear they are out of hand and no one wants to pay to care properly for them. They have grown in so thick and huge around our home that we are constantly in danger from them, both the branches and the toppling of the giants themselves. In wet years they fall over, in dry years they catch fire.
This is an unincorporated area and so the care of the trees falls on our County road crew, who has only one truck for the entire county. A storm here recently brought three of the giants down on my street alone in this heavily residential area. The trees here are in an area of heavy wind and usually very wet soft soils. When the county is approached about thinning the trees, they say the homowner must get an arborist report that says which specific trees are an immediate threat to fall, and then they say they will consider removing the tree in question. Problem is, the trees continue to fall will every major storm, and yet the trees appear to be healthy. What can we do to get our county to own up to their responsibility to maintain and manage this Eucalyptus jungle we live in?
Some of the tree are hollow. Some have several dead branches, but these trees never seem to say die, except the native vegatation underneath them. It seems the county is hiding behind the arborists and discouraging the homeowner from having any avenue of redress.
Any comment are greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ernie Koontz

 

[Treeman14]

Sounds like you need to form a community activist group. Get together with like-minded neighbors and start putting the pressure on county commissioners, council members, city hall, or anyone else you can think of. There is strength in numbers, so its important to organize as many people as possible.

 

[sonny]

Just my oppinion as always. I always heard Euc. trees were brounht hear to the U.S. to be used as lumber for under r.r. tracks.

 

[geofore]

next

While I don't consider them trees the next problem will be all the bamboo that has been passed off as good luck plants. When you plant it you need ten times the space you thought you needed and it grows fast. Euc's are not a problem here but the tree of heaven and bamboo will be in a few years. We are not so regulated but it is just a matter of time, some muni's here have removed so many trees in the name of progress that they are writing reg's for the land owners that have trees left to follow. It is crazy to see them take out 8 sq. miles of trees and burn them so not to upset the local hardwood market then write a reg that has anyone cutting a tree bigger than 5" come get a permit because they don't want big trees cut bacause they are running out of trees.

 

[Ernie Koontz]

I guess my main question to the Arborists is as follows:
How and where can I get an Arborist to write a report that says the trees should be thinned out, and also that the large heavy limbs than overhang our homes should be pruned ? In order to play the game with the County, I have to have a report that says the obvious, namely that the trees (there are hundreds of them on my street alone) and/or their branches pose an immenent threat of falling and causing serious injuries to our families and damage to our homes. I don't think I can afford to get a diagnosis on each and every tree, but maybe the neighborhood can pitch in to get some money together to get some sound arborist information about these trees to support our case.
Thanks again,
Ernie Koontz

 

[TREETX]

Look for a consulting arborist who can make an accurate risk assessment. Check the ASCA website. American Society of Consulting Arborists. You will have to pay for an opinion and report. But it should go a long way to help accomplish your goals.

Especially is the report establishes risks and who is liable for damages.

 

[Stumper]

Ernie K, Are we to understand that the trees are all on county property? Is the county giving you grief about cutting things which overhang your property? On your own property? The 'rules' change some from place to place but generally speaking you can cut any and everything to the property line (doing so almost certainly would not constitute good tree care and might be counterproductive to your safety issues). The bottom line is ownership and responsibility. If the trees belong to the county and are falling and causing damage the county probably doesn't want the expense of multiple lawsuits-it will prove cheaper for them to remove trees. If the trees are on residential properties and the county prunes or removes them as a public service then the situation is considerably different-If things go wrong before they get around to do the work the tree's owner is not absolved of negligence(Assuming a demonstrable hazard risk existed.)

 

[Ernie Koontz]

To clarify the situation, yes the trees are on County property and yes they ovehang the home-owners properties. The problem from the county's perspective is the vast number of trees in this condition. I am sure there are literally tens to hundreds of thousands of trees in this county alone that need to be pruned. They don't have the money or the resources, so they wait until the tree falls and deal with the damage and the law suits at that time. Seems crazy but they must have figured out it is simply cheaper to do it this way.
The eucalyptus groves seem to take over everything in their path. The grow and spread much faster that this county can prune and thin the trees. I will see what is involved with getting an Arborist to right a report that might help us get some proper tree maintnance on our street. Sounds like that is all I can do.
Thanks for the comments,
Ernie Koontz

 

[Stumper]

Ernie, Are you permitted to cut the trees that pose a risk to your property at your own expense?

 

[Ernie Koontz]

That is a good question. I will definitely endeavor to find out. I will also try to find out how other neighborhoods have dealt with the problem here in San Mateo county. The problem is getting worse. I have followed the advise above and an Arborist has looked at the problem. He said the tree definitely pose a danger. Problem is they are huge and there are so many of them.
Night before last, the branches, leaves and seeds were coming down so hard most of the neighbors either left or moved to the backs of their houses away from the trees. The sound of all the stuff coming down on our roof was unbelievable. The house next door lost their front picture window to a 7' branch.
This is just a little bit worse this year as we are having a series of wet windy storms here that, while not that atypical of our usual weather for this time of year, are a little bit stronger than normal.
Thanks again for all the comments. Any more ?
Ernie Koontz