Topanga Tree-Trimming Project on Tap

A Los Angeles county project to trim about 5,000 trees in Topanga will soon be underway, said a spokesman with Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky’s office.

Officials are accepting contracting bids for the tree maintenance project, which is scheduled every five years to keep streets and private property clear of growth. The project, expected to cost between $145,000 and $180,000, should not affect traffic, said Joel Bellman, spokesman for Yaroslavsky.

Work in various parts of Topanga is expected to begin in January and end in March--in time for birds’ nesting season, Bellman said.

“[Yaroslavsky] paid special attention to the timing,” Bellman said. “He put a lot of effort into this project.”

County public works crews will mark all the affected trees: 4,973 will be trimmed and 103 dying trees will be removed. The trimmed material will be available for firewood some time next year at a location not yet determined, Bellman said.

“The supervisor’s always been very sensitive to the unique woodland character of the Topanga mountain area,” he said. “It’s not an urban area, and the trees are an intrinsic part of it.”