18 Vintage Olive Trees Tagged For City Buzzsaws On No. Michillinda Avenue

Mod: I received the following as an email blast yesterday. I thought I should post it here for a more thorough review. If this unhappy deed is being done just so the city can fix or install sidewalks, consider that it would be on a steep hillside that only a few people outside of housekeepers ever climb. The folks living there would be far kinder if they would just start picking up their tax free cleaning help at the bus stop and leave the trees alone.

URGENT: Protest removal of 18 old olive trees; tagged on N. Michillinda Avenue near schools.          

Dear Tree Defenders, Local Conservationists& “Walkability” Advocates, I just received the following message from Mitch Marich re: notices tacked to 18 mature old olive trees on N. Michillinda Avenue at the border of Sierra Madre and Pasadena. The sign in the photo reads, as far as I can decipher from enlarging the photo:

City of Sierra Madre

The Dept. of Public Works has approved the removal of this tree in the parkway on N. MichillindaAvenue. The trees will be replaced after street, curb and gutter improvements along with the installation of a sidewalk is completed.

If you wish to appeal this removal it must be submitted in writing to Chris Cimino, Director of Public Works by 5:00pm, 21 May 2018.

I am traveling and cannot investigate this matter; however, I’ve admired those old trees for years and cannot believe there is no creative means of providing pedestrian passage while also protecting these magnificent olive trees! Isn’t this situation exactly what “creative walkability design” is all about? Simply hacking these trees down to install more sun-baked concrete sidewalks and curbs is not an improvement of public space.

The capricious removal of mature old trees as the most expedient means of remodeling a mall parking lot, installing a sidewalk, implementing a new “streetscape plan,” clearing power lines that might be strengthened or rerouted instead, or whatever …needs to stop. The myriad values of old trees, from beauty to providing cooling shade… carbon sequestration to nesting habitat for small birds… production of seasonal flowers to fruit and nuts… all needs to be taken into greater consideration along with soliciting the opinions of all those who live, commute, and work in proximity to such trees. Mature trees are too often treated like expendable old signs or park benches.

They are elegant, living answers to global warming and reduce urban air pollution. Surely the City of Sierra Madre can design a better option that preserves these trees?

I hope you can contact friends and officials you know in Sierra Madre and immediately adjacent Pasadena about saving these trees. Submit your own protests opposing destruction of these venerable olive trees and request a stay of execution until innovative alternatives can be explored.

Olive trees can live to immense age and gain a gnarled and sculptural stature. None of us will live long enough to see trees of this girth again growing along this old parkway, even if tiny saplings are planted. More likely, only a few wimpy species will replace these grand old trees, such the usual crepe myrtles or scraggly ginkgo trees.

Apologies for not being able to provide the Sierra Madre address for the Director of Public Works. Call the City or check the Sierra Madre website for that information. Or drive by and see the notice on the olive trees for yourself. Please share this info. with others who may be concerned.

Large old trees are living remnant of a city’s history. Together, let’s find a way to save these olive trees!

An Additional Email

Mitch: This removal form is on 18 mature olive trees and a pepper on the east side of Michillinda at Sierra Madre. The reason is no doubt to put in a sidewalk as people have to walk in the street there. This is a reasonable goal and maybe even required by the ADA but not ideal. 

It will be decades before replacement trees are useful.  The northbound lane is quite wide here and there is room to just build a 3' sidewalk outside the current curb. That would crowd "my" bike space but be within normal spacing on many streets in Sierra Madre.

I'm not connected to the "tree hugger" community but I bet you are. It would be good if someone from Sierra Madre would register a protest and there could be reconsideration of the need and possible solutions. You have any suggestions for making sure interested parties can be alerted? 

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