Urban Foresters a Growing Breed

There’s a band of urban foresters in North County whose motto could be, “Don’t cut before you call.” It’s a diverse group. Some have never even met one another. Some are volunteers, and some are professionals. But all are united in their dedication to preserving the North County environment.

They are people as diverse as Mark Wisniewski, an architect in Encinitas who is president of San Diego People for Trees. Jim Meredith of Vista, owner of Palms-R-Us. David Clarke, a Fallbrook manufacturer turned activist. And Connie Beck, a local organizer for a group with the unforgettable name of Plant Amnesty.

Their interest in trees is an outgrowth of personal experiences as well as the general awareness that there is more to do for the environment than worry about the rain forest in Brazil or occasionally plant saplings in a local park. There’s the matter of existing local trees.

The fuss raised by the destruction of 100 old oaks at Pala Mesa near Fallbrook brought to public attention one big peril to North County trees--development. But one other aspect of tree preservation that hasn’t gotten much coverage is the threat posed by individuals.

What, you ask, are we conspiring to do that hurts our majestic local palms and oaks?

The truth is that some of us have, rather casually, been cutting them down right in our own yards--to improve the view, to get rid of the mess they sometimes cause or to make room for home improvement.

Mark Holland of Big Trees of California made a casual statement that sums up an experience many people have had. “When I planted that palm outside the window, it was a cute little thing. But it grew, until it looked like a pole out there. I wanted it cut down.” Nowadays, those kinds of misplaced trees can have another chance. Before you cut, try making a phone call to someone who may give your tree a new home.

A new home for your tree means it can go on cleaning the air and preventing erosion. Saving an adult tree can keep carbon pollution out of the air equal to exhaust produced by a car driven 25,000 miles.

Sometimes the tree can be removed at no expense to its owner. No-cost removal may be available for your tree if it is healthy, not cramped between walls that limit use of removal equipment, isn’t too big to get under a freeway overpass, and represents a species for which there is a resale market. Not every call you make will get you a free removal deal. Only about one in 10 does. But it’s worth the effort.

There are a number of tree-moving firms in North County and some firms outside the immediate area that are so interested in acquiring certain specimens for resale that they will travel to get them.

The upswing in tree-consciousness has spawned organizations and activism countywide.

* The County Supervisors are considering major regulatory projects to keep communities green. People for Trees and Dave Clarke have been compiling examples of tree protection measures from all over the state for the supervisors to study.

* The City of San Diego has designated Dec. 7 “Arbor Day”--a move calculated to dramatize the fact that in our climate, fall is the time to plant trees.

* People for Trees conducts plantings year-round in North County and elsewhere in the county.

* Another organization, just getting started, is Plant Amnesty. Their local organizer, Connie Beck, is dedicated to saving trees by educating people about healthy trimming practices.

* This fall, the State Assembly sent to the Senate a measure, AB-54, designed to protect urban trees statewide.

* On Saturday, a gathering of tree enthusiasts from around the nation will be held in Los Angeles. A number of local activists are planning to attend, and some sessions will be open to the public. Among the themes discussed at the weekend session will be tree inventories, such as the thorough and visually delightful book Don Hodel has done for Los Angeles (People for Trees is trying to boost local support for a tree inventory in San Diego County.)

TREE REMOVAL

Here are some of the firms that offer live tree removal, sometimes at no cost:

Big Trees of California: Mark Holland, Rancho Bernardo, 492-9881.

Living Tree Movers--Donna Atkins, Valley Center, 749-8830.

Palms-R-Us: Jim Meredith, Vista, 724-2544.

Sea Tree: Tree Relocation Division (800) 800-9601.

Southland Tree Movers: David Lee, Escondido, 745-0771.

Valley Crest: Specimen Division (714) 240-3321.

TREE ORGANIZATIONS

PlantAmnesty: Regional organization of tree maintenance activists. Call Connie Beck, a licensed arborist in Lakeside at 443-3282, or call XXX?? Turnbull at (206) 783-9813.

Professional Tree Care Assn. of San Diego: Promotes high standards in tree-care profession locally and provides consumer information on members, 461-3809.

San Diego People for Trees: Mark Wisniewski, Encinitas, 436-5308.

ALSO

Event: Alliance for Community Trees--Urban Forestry Perspectives, one-day seminar, Saturday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles. (213) 624-7630.

Book: Exceptional Trees (Los Angeles edition), Donald Hodel, available at $14.95 by calling California Arboretum Foundation, (818) 447-8207.