HomeMy WebLinkAbout19- Council Office CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO — REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
From: Susan Lien,Councilwoman 2"d Ward Subject Resolution of the City of San Bernardino
designating and commemorating the historical
Dept: Council Office significance of the River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree
located at 1850 Waterman Avenue.
Date: January 4, 2000
Ci 3 I M t I ,f n L Council Meeting Date:January 7,2000
Synopsis of Previous Council Action GIN AL 7
None
Recommended Motion:
Adopt Resolutionr�
Susan Lien
Contact person: Susan Lien,Councilwoman Phone: 5222
Supporting data attached: Staff report/Resolution Ward: Second Ward
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
Amount: $500.00
Source: 001-404-5111
Materials and Supplies
Finance
Council Notes:
Agenda Item No.�_
t
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO — REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
STAFF REPORT
SUBJECT
Resolution of the City of San Bernardino designating and commemorating the historical significance
of the River Red Gum eucalyptus tree located at 1850 Waterman Avenue.
BACKGROUND
The River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree located at 1850 Waterman Avenue has been a part of the visual
landscape within the City for over one-hundred years, and as such, contributed to the historical setting
within this neighborhood. This tree had a height of 80 feet and a diameter at the base of 82 inches,
making the a significant example of the species. Over the last year,the Public Services Department's
Arborist has been monitoring the deteriorating condition of the tree. The tree experienced an
infestation of Red Gum Lerp Psyllid,a parasite that significantly weakened the tree's health and
resulted in a significant decline in the tree's ability to sustain itself. Repeated efforts to eliminate the
parasite were unsuccessful;the Lerp Pysllid is an imported pest from Australia with no known natural
enemies in this area.
On November 11, 1999,the tree was inspected and assessed by Michael T.Mahoney, a registerd
Consulting Arborist specializing in Arborculture and Urban Forestry. According to Mr. Mahoney's
report dated November 19, 1999 (attached) the tree was quite advanced in it's decline and was not
expected to live. Because of the close proximity to both Waterman Avenue and a convalescent
hospital and the potential for adverse impact on the public safety,the Director of Public Services
directed that the tree be removed;this was accomplished the week of December 13, 1999.
Due to the tree's historical significance,dominating presence and contribution to the setting within
the neighborhood,there is a strong desire within the community to commemorate and designate the
tree's existence. As such, I am requesting that the site of the River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree be
designated as historically significant; and that an appropriate commemorative plaque shall be prepared
and placed at this location. It is further recommended that the Development Services Department
prepare appropriate drawings and develop costs to establish an appropriate commemorative site and
to submit these to the Mayor and Council for review and approval; and that the Public Services
Department is directed to acquire a suitable replacement River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree at a cost not
to exceed$500.00 to be planted in the same location. The new tree will be called the "Milenium
Tree" linking the past to the future.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
It is suggested that a separate Trust Fund be established, and that donations be solicited from the
community to cover the cost of establishing a commemorative public area. A Millenium Tree
Committee will be established by Councilwoman Lien to raise additional funds from the business,
civic, and private community to pay for the materials and construction of the commemorative site.
The City will waive the permitting costs. Funds for the replacement tree are available within the
Public Service Departments Street Tree Division in the amount of$500,. If financial assistance from
the City is required in excess of the above, a request will be placed before the Ways and Means
Committee to consider possible resources.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt attached resolution.
a-
Michael T. Mahoney
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT- SPECIALIST IN ARBORICULTURE AND URBAN FORESTRY
425 30Th STREET,SUITE 28•NEWPORT BEACH,CALIFORNIA 92663•949.673.5199•FAX 949.6715197
NOVEMBER 19, 1999
Dennis Garrahan, Arborist
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO
300 North D Street
San Bernardino, California 92418
RE: River Red Gum at 1850 Waterman Avenue
Dear Mr. Garrahan,
I am writing to report to you the results of my inspection and assessment of the very
large River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) situated at 1850 Waterman Avenue in
the public right of way. The tree has recently lost its leaves in conjunction with the
severe Red Gum Lerp Psyllid infestation and concern has been expressed for the
health of the tree and for public safety. This letter represents my complete report as of
this date.
I visited the location on November 11, 1999. A crew from West Coast Arborists, the
City's tree care contractor, met me there and supplied an aerial lift to assist with the
inspection. I proceeded to inspect the canopy, the branching architecture, the trunk and
the surrounding environmental array. For reference purposes I prepared a sketch of the
site and took photographs for documentation. The sketch and several of the images are
included in this report.
I measured the diameter of the tree trunk at a height 41/2 feet up from the natural grade
and found it to be 82 inches; this is a very large tree. The sidewalk is 14 feet wide along
this section of Waterman Avenue. It is an especially wide sidewalk but with the tree
growing from an elliptical opening that is 11 feet in width. The paving shrinks down to 4
feet on the property side and only 2 feet on the street side. The ellipse is 22 feet long. A
plan-view site sketch of the tree and ellipse also contains some annotations.
The tree rises to a height of about 80 feet. Its trunk and canopy have developed with
directional biases that influence the form and shape of the tree, possibly inciting
potential impacts upon the surrounding environment. The canopy leans to the
southwest in a direction that is roughly parallel with the sidewalk and street. Most
eucalyptus species have a rotational grain pattern in the wood. This tree spirals
markedly in a clockwise direction making it necessary to compensate for the relative
position of the canopy above and the associated conductive tissues that connect it
through the branches and trunk down to the root zone below.
River Red Gum Assessment- 1850 Waterman Avenue NOVEMBER 19, 1999
PAGE 2
A routine inspection of the canopy reveals that the tree is in trouble. Much of the foliage
is dead and only a small portion on the south side appears green and growing. Over the
past 6 months loss of foliage has been observed on this tree and others from the same
species and several other species of eucalyptus. This damage is the result of
aggressive and repeated attack by the Red Gum Lerp Psyllid — an insect pest recently
introduced to southern California from its native realm: Australia. In our region there are
no natural enemies to keep the Lerps in check. A period lasting up to 2 years may be
required while entomologists import tiny wasps that we hope are effective at preying
upon the pest. Typical methods such as chemical and biological controls have not been
found effective in abating the lerps due, in part, to certain of their defensive habits.
Meanwhile, vigorous trees are expected to survive multiple episodes of unnatural
defoliation and less vigorous trees are likely to die and thus be culled from the
landscape. (Eucalypts are evergreen plants —they do not naturally shed their entire
canopy all at once; deciduous plants lose their foliage each year and renew the entire
canopy in spring.)
New energy is manufactured in the tree's green foliage. After it is produced, energy is
stored in reserve, primarily in the root zone. As needed, energy is allocated within the
physical structure according to internal patterns and protocols determined by the tree.
Energy is used to fight attacks by pathogenic organisms as well as produce new leaves,
new cambial materials, and other chemicals and compounds.
Close inspection of the base of the tree and, with the assistance of WCA's aerial tower
close inspection of the large scaffold limbs 40 feet or so up in the canopy, it is apparent
that extensive dieback has occurred in major portions of the tree. This dieback is found
in the cambial zone — a "glove' of tissues covering the entire woody portion of the tree
just under the bark but on top of the wood —that portion of the tree's physical anatomy
where vitality is essential if the tree is to overcome injury. Damage to cambium tissues
cannot be repaired except by new cambium growing over the dead portion. This kind of
repair requires time and energy and orderly allocation within the tree's internal physical
system.
Live cambium is growing only over about 1/3 of the circumference of this tree. Judging
from the extensive dieback in the canopy less than 1/3 of the tree remains alive at this
point in time and the tree is still declining further. Furthermore, major root damage is
evident all along the street side of the planter and the opposite side is living but in soil
with high moisture.
Over the years a large gall has formed and continued to develop on the south side of
the trunk at the base of the tree. The growth is currently about 4 feet by 4 feet. While not
particularly threatening to a large healthy eucalyptus, poorly organized cells such as
these in an unhealthy specimen contribute to dysfunction. Large streaks of kino
(phenolic compounds utilized by eucalyptus in a variety of defensive strategies to
counter internal dysfunction) are observed as stains on the bark in the spiraling
conductive tissues beyond the gall.
River Red Gum Assessment- 1850 Waterman Avenue NOVEMBER 19, 1999
PAGE 3
Further up the trunk a number of large, old pruning wounds can be observed. There is
decayed heartwood visible within these wounds. One large wound over the roadway
has conks (fruiting structures of a fungal pathogen) of the sulfur fungus (Laetiporus
sulphureus). This aggressive pathogen causes deterioration of the heartwood. It is
typically active within the plant for years before it bears seasonal external conks. Sulfur
fungus conks are generally considered a "red flag" indicating a tree in potential danger
of structural weakness and biological dysfunction.
Still further up the trunk a study of the basic architecture of limbs reveals that the
canopy has deteriorated in a pattern consistent with an orderly decline of the tree.
Portions of the canopy behind the living cambium spiral have weakened and were cut
back over a period of many years. Branches within the living cambium spiral are the
tallest and most intact— reaching to the southwest and the strongest direction in an
arch of life-giving sunlight.
It is my belief that the tree is quite advanced in its decline and there is little if anything
that can now be done to rehabilitate this tree. The following bullet items are presented
here to summarize the defective character of the tree or to validate the lack of
reasonable treatments.
• The tree has numerous major defects that cannot be remedied within reason.
• The tree is exposed to severe climatic conditions that would predispose the defects
to failure.
• There are numerous threats and potentially hazardous exposures for the public:
consider the convalescent hospital in the fall line of the tree, the public sidewalk
used with frequency and regularity, and the busy roadway with lanes of travel and a
parking lane immediately adjacent to the massive tree.
• Roots that evolved over time as counter measures to the lean of the tree are
damaged —they were a major component of the structural support system.
Structurally less significant roots on the down lean side or diagonal to the down lean
side are providing the only biological support for the spiraling ribbon of cambium.
• Moist soils in the vicinity of living roots do not provide substantive anchorage for the
remaining live root system.
• Reducing the canopy to encourage new shoots might have been a strategy to renew
the tree, however, the portion of the trunk diameter with living cambium is so small
that it is not possible for the tree to stabilize its internal structure and protect against
ruinous deterioration.
• The 2/3s of the canopy that has died will not recover.
• Increasing the fertility to force the tree to sprout new leaves would cause it to
deplete its final resources leaving it defenseless to protect against pathogenic attack
and diminishing beyond the already depleted stage its ability to produce new roots,
cambium, or chemical compounds.
River Red Gum Assessment- 1850 Waterman NOVEMBER 19, 1999
PAGE 4
1 hope this information meets your immediate needs. I am available to discuss this
material in greater depth if necessary. Please contact me at the telephone number and
office address indicated on this report. Thank you.
Sincerely, C
MICHAEL T. MAHONEY, -'
Registered Consulting Arborist
Enc: Site sketch (1 page)
Photo references (4 pages)
Phobo References
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The bole of the River Red Cure at 1650 Waterman Avenue Photo taken from the farm of
Waten>an convalescent hospital on the south side of the tree looking ratveasC The red arrow
Indicates the point where live carnblurn meets dead rarnhium. Uve tissue is present to the left of
tia arrow for a distance appro)dma" 1/3 the ci rcumference of the tree. The Cambium to the
right of the red arrow dp is dead and cannot be rehatilib6ed. The black arrow indicates the large
gab at the base of the tree. Smager gabs are found hlgW on the trunk In this area.
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Photo References
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A depiction of the River Red Gum tree at 1850 Waterman Avenue. Photo taken from aCr=the
street south of the location looking nort viest. Note the tree's bias bward the south. most of the
live foliage is in the middle of the image, slightly to the left of center. There are soars live
branches in the upper left of the picture but the majority of the limbs that make up the canopy
are dead.
I Resolution No.
2 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO DESIGNATING AND
3 COMMEMORATING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RIVER RED
GUM EUCALYPTUS TREE LOCATED AT 1850 WATERMAN AVENUE
4
5 WHEREAS,the River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree located at 1850 Waterman Avenue has
6 been a part of the visual landscape within the City for over one-hundred years, and as such,
7 contributed to the historical setting within this neighborhood; and,
8 WHEREAS,this tree was recently infested with Red Gum Lerp Psyllid,a parasite which
9 significantly weakened the tree's health and resulted in a significant decline in the tree's ability to
10 sustain itself; and,
11 WHEREAS,in November 1999,the City of San Bernardino retained a professional
12
specialist in arboriculture and urban forestry to assess the health and vitality of this tree; and, as a
13
14 result of this assessment, it was determined that the health of this tree had declined and that little if
15 anything could be done to rehabilitate the tree; and,
16 WHEREAS, as a matter of public health and safety,the Director of Public Services
17 determined that the tree posed a significant safety hazard to the community and directed the
18 removal of the tree in early December 1999; and,
19 WHEREAS the City of San Bernardino wishes to designate and commemorate the tree's
20 significance to the community.
21
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF
22 THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AS FOLLOWS:
23 SECTION 1. That the site of the River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree be designated as
24 historically significant;and that an appropriate commemorative plaque shall be prepared and
25
placed at this location;
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ley 4,2000 t
1 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO DESIGNATING AND
2 COMMEMORATING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RIVER RED
GUM EUCALYPTUS TREE LOCATED AT 1850 WATERMAN AVENUE
3
4 SECTION 2. That the Development Services Department is directed to prepare
5 appropriate drawings and develop costs to establish an appropriate commemorative site and to
6 submit these to the Mayor and Council for review and approval;
7 SECTION 3. That the Public Services Department is directed to acquire a suitable
8 replacement River Red Gum Eucalyptus tree at a cost not to exceed $500.00 to be planted in the
9 same location.
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Jar 4,2000 2
1 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO DESIGNATING AND
2 COMMEMORATING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RIVER RED
GUM EUCALYPTUS TREE LOCATED AT 1850 WATERMAN AVENUE
3
1 HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor and
4
5 Common Council of the City of San Bernardino at a meeting thereof, held on
6 the day of 2000, by the following vote,to wit:
7 Council Members: Ayes Nays Abstain Absent
8 ESTRADA
9 LIEN
10 McGINNIS
11 SCHNETZ — —
12 — —
SUAREZ
13
14
ANDERSON
—
15 MILLER
16
17 Rachel Clark,City Clerk
18 City of San Bernardino
19 The foregoing resolution is hereby approved this day of
20 2000.
21
Judith Valles,Mayor
22 City of San Bernardino
Approved as to form and
23 Legal content;
24 James F. Penman,City Attorney
25
BY:
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IJanuary 4,2000 3