Trees

-- Barbara Diamond The fate of two endangered eucalpti in the Thurston Park neighborhood hangs on a report by a consulting arborist, hired by the city. City officials took emergency action Tuesday night to engage an expert to determine whether the two 80-foot trees had been so severely damaged during grading for a new home that they would have to be removed or could be saved. The city's consultant visited the site Thursday morning and was expected to report back the city's Community Development Department by today.

Steve Kawaratani "It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses we must plant more trees." -- George Eliot "You can always tell when a man's well informed. His views are pretty much like your own." -- Louie Morris I can always tell when it is about to rain, I can feel a subtle change and shift in the wind. Like Catharine and most of us, I have not actually seen the wind. I depend on hearing the leaves rustling in trees, watching palms sway and clouds hurrying by. And delight in watching raindrops splash horizontally into the windows from our bed. This is the time to prune your trees, particularly pine, eucalyptus and deciduous trees.

CATHARINE COOPER I read the news aloud to anyone who will listen, "She planted 30 million trees, and she won the Nobel Peace Prize." Wangari Mathaai and the organization she founded, the Green Belt Movement (GBM), planted 30 million trees in Kenya during the last 30 years. For this accomplishment, along with myriad others, including the advocacy of women's rights, broad based educational initiatives, development of the tool of reforestation as a vehicle to stave off tribal warfare, and an expansion of the foundation of democracy, Mathaai was awarded the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

I strongly disagree with your stance on views. (?Take a look at views,? April 3.) I vote for trees over ocean views: towering, glorious, mountains of green jutting into the blue sky. Here?s some advice to anyone whose life is so empty they sit around lamenting a tree-obstructed view of the ocean: Open your door, walk out and head to the ocean until you at last find an unobstructed view of the big blue. Once there start counting your blessings. Finally, send me the location.

Artist David Nelson, who has been with the Sawdust Art Festival since 1969, has never missed a Winter Fantasy. “For 17 years, we’ve work really hard to make sure it’s not the Sawdust with Christmas lights,” Nelson said. Although the lights are plentiful, the art show, which boasts 170 exhibiting artists this year, is not just a popular alternative for mall shopping. “It’s become a really wonderful, happening community event,” Nelson said.

"Nothing is so beautiful as spring..." -- Gerard Manley Hopkins "On a clear day/You can see forever." -- Alan Jay Lerner I was surprised, like many of us, by this week's drizzle teaser. But now, despite a very dry winter, we expect spring to March in. Nothing is quite as beautiful as a sunny spring day in Laguna, unless it is a sunnier and warmer spring day in the Baja town of Loreto. Have you noticed how much taller and fuller your neighbor's trees have become?

Peter Weisbrod Oh, those trees. You hate them or you love them. Is there an in between? At the July 1 City Council meeting, the subject of trees resurfaced, especially offending trees that are obscuring someone's view. One council member, in familiar fashion, asked for more studies, probably hoping that the issue will eventually go away. After all, it's been more than a decade of debates. No, it won't go away. It will get worse. Trees and other plants continue to grow, pitting neighbor against neighbor.

Suzie Harrison Lerp psyllids and eucalyptus trees shouldn't be mistaken as friends, despite the fact that they are seen in public together. The psyllid, an insect and unwelcome pest of the eucalyptus, is, in fact, damaging and killing the trees throughout Laguna Beach. The problem starts when the lerp forms a protective white shell of crystallized honeydew on the leaves of the trees; the shell or "lerp" protects the insect. These insects extract energy from the tree and block sunlight, impairing tree growth and health.

Not yet as widely known as the summer Sawdust Festival, the Winter Fantasy is nonetheless drawing larger crowds every year to a splendid holiday art event and alternative to cookie-cutter shopping for the holidays. "The show is really fun and everyone is in such a good mood," Sawdust President March Scott said. Exhibitors and VIPS celebrated Saturday at a private party, followed by the public opening day ceremonies. Guests at the party included City Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman; Festival of Arts President Anita Mangels, board member Fred Sattler, Public Relations and Marketing Director Sharbie Higuchi, her husband, Darren and their children, Sophie and Sean; artist Lu Campbell and Festival of Arts Foundation Board member John Campbell; Sawdust Festival board members Eleanor Tiner, city Arts Manager Sian Poeschl and Dennis Junka; arts commission chairman Michael Taub; and Laguna Beach Concert Band founder Carol Reynolds, who snatched a few moments while the band's Swing Set performed but didn't stay long enough to meet up with her daughter, exhibitor Patti Jo Kiraly.

Hostility was in the air Tuesday when owners, neighbors and city officials voiced various opinions about a construction project on Victory Walk. At a special public hearing, City Council members considered whether to initiate revocation proceedings of the Design Review approval for the project, which has had a stop work order on it. Council members decided to lift the order while the property owners agreed to replace three injured Eucalyptus trees.

The City Council on Tuesday approved a Southern California Edison proposal that will save five eucalyptus trees in Bluebird Canyon that had been headed for the chopping block. Not everyone embraced the reprieve proposed by Edison representative Steve Nelson. They cited safety as their major concern. "We saw in 1993 how catastrophic these trees are," said Peter Grohmann. "They explode in a fire, and the Fire Department has recommended their removal. " Fire Department officials said it's not just about the fire hazard, but also the fragility of the trees.

I am saddened by the decision made by the Laguna Beach City Council to remove the giant eucalyptus trees in upper Bluebird Canyon. And I am profoundly sorry, but I believe we've not yet done our due diligence. Nobody on the council ever addressed the option of trimming the trees. I am rather new at local politics, but I must confess that I am surprised that only one of them thought that this was a middle ground where everyone can agree. I guess I'm equally surprised at the lack of concern when 75-year-old historic trees were held up against the whims of one angry neighbor.

Southern California Edison has delayed the removal of five of the estimated 100 eucalyptus trees in Bluebird Canyon. The removal, which was scheduled for Thursday, was opposed by environmentalists and irate canyon residents, some of whom appealed to the City Council at Tuesday's meeting to intervene. Although the council took no action, and in fact has no veto power over Edison projects, public opposition resonated with the utility. "Our arborist, David Faasua, is not proceeding until he gets clarification on candidate trees for the historical list and looks into the California Environmental Act form given to Edison," said SCE's regional manager, Steve Nelson.

Safety trumped the environment Tuesday when the City Council supported Southern California Edison's recommendation to chop down five eucalyptus trees at the top of Bluebird Canyon. The utility is empowered without city approval to remove trees that pose a threat to high-voltage power lines that could cause fires. Fire Chief Kris Head and Director of Public Works Steve May supported Edison's recommendation, while opponents protested the action as desecration of raptor habitat, to be undertaken only with expert guidance.

Editor's Note: This letter was addressed to Michelle Boyd of Twisted Stitchers and printed with permission from the author. * I read with bemusement about the unraveling of your tree cozies by fellow artists and the politics of art at the Sawdust Art Festival ("'Yarn bombs' stolen from Sawdust Festival," Aug. 12). Though not new, it is always shocking. Take heart, there are those out here who see between the stitches and offer our sharpened needles for you to use. While the festivals continue to serve repackaged fries, freshness hasn't been available for decades.

The Sawdust Festival became the first Laguna Beach site to be "yarn bombed. " Yarn bombs — colorful knitted or crocheted designs displayed on public and private property, sometimes without permission — adorn more than 20 trees on the festival grounds. The international craze, also called knit graffiti, is believed to have begun in Texas in 2005. "A friend directed me to the yarn bombing website and I got very excited, and I thought all other art mediums are out in public — what a great idea for yarn," said needlework artist Michelle Boyd.

"Sometimes I lie awake at night and wonder, Where the years have gone. " — Jackson Browne I turn 60 this month. Looking back at an entire life of living and loving in Laguna, it still seems just a short memory ago that I was learning to tie my shoelaces (then, as now, I was all thumbs), casting off the training wheels of my bike, and discovering that one plus one doesn't always equal two. I have understood the sense of community that makes Laguna unique since an early age — how we hold together in good times and bad. Sure, we sometimes agree to disagree, but we respect differing opinions … well, mainly so. I think it is wonderful that we choose not to live planned lives elsewhere.

Free parking is available downtown The city of Laguna Beach is offering free parking throughout the downtown area through Sunday to promote holiday shopping, City Manager John Pietig announced. "To encourage visitors to come to the City, parking in the downtown area will be free through Jan. 2," he said. Visitors can travel to Laguna Beach via Coast Highway or by taking El Toro Road to Laguna Canyon Road. A small portion of Laguna Canyon Road from the 73 to El Toro will remain closed to inbound traffic through Monday, but vehicles can get around this by utilizing El Toro Road, he said.