City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/26931
It’s Never Just About the Trees! by Delia Juncal, Certified Urban Forester, Oceanside, California Photos by Jeremiah Juncal O n October 23, 2010 the California nonprofit United Voices for Healthier Communities 2 (UVHC2) cel- ebrated “Make a Difference Day” in San Diego County. I participated by organizing a tree planting event in Oceanside’s MarLado Highlands Park. As the event coordinator, I realized that receiving and planting the trees was only a part of the overall experience. MarLado Highlands Park is a 13.84-acre (5.6 ha) neighborhood park initially beautified with California sycamore (Platanus racemosa) and white alder (Alnus rhombifolia) trees. The alder trees have been dying off over the past five years. After several attempts by arboricultural specialists and pathologists to diagnose the cause of their mortality as well as that of hundreds of other alders in San Diego County, there has been no final determination. However, we’ve speculated that the trees may have contracted a disease as seedlings in the nursery that only manifested twenty years later. Years of soil compaction, continual irrigation to keep the turf below the trees green, mechanical damage at the base of the trees, and vandalism have also contributed to the mortality spiral decline. In analyzing the problem and anticipating replacement of the trees, we considered soil type, microclimate, the greater surrounding environment, water usage, and intended function. This eventually led us to replace the trees with Western redbuds (Cercis occidentalis) and Mexican sycamores (Platanus mexicana ‘Alamo’). They are more suitable for the site, will require less irrigation, and the Mexican sycamores are more resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew than the native sycamore trees in Southern California. Due to a large budget reduction in operations and main- tenance of our parks, the City of Oceanside did not have tree replacement funds. To make matters worse, there was a lingering adversarial relationship between the neighborhood homeowners association and the City. Having affiliation with the San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council (SDRUFC) and knowing that the UVHC2 grant would be available, I was able to explain to upper management that the City could benefit from partnering with the association in applying for the grant. If the park was going to be returned to its former glory, it would have to be a community effort. Above: A local yoga group leads workers and volunteers in pre-planting yoga poses in Oceanside, California. Left: Team leader Aaron Schauer gives planting instruction in Oceanside’s MarLado Highlands Park. www.urban-forestry.com 19