Tam Valley Tree Removal Causes Stir

Tamalpais Valley residents have put the brakes on government efforts to rid the area of fire-prone eucalyptus trees. When word spread months ago of a plan to wipe out hundreds of the towering non-native trees – familiar to motorists traveling along a stretch of Highway 1 – some residents of the Mount Tamalpais hillside launched a campaign to halt plans by the National Park Service and Marin County Fire Department.Neighbors feared lack of funds for restoration and an Oregon logging firm’s offer to clear the area would have left them with a moonscape. The Tamalpais Valley encompasses about 2,500 households.

Twenty-two to 27 acres of federal land were targeted by fire officials in 2006 because the trees pose a high fire risk in an area adjacent to houses. An Oregon contractor had offered to clear the land for free in exchange for the wood, but that logging plans have been put on hold after the community outcry.

Eucalyptus Globulus

Eucalyptus globulus, or Tasmanian blue gum, was introduced to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1853 from Australia as an ornamental tree. The trees grow fast and tall, but the invasive species poses a severe fire hazard because of its oil content and accumulation of dead, dry leaves, and constantly shedding bark.

Plant replacement is part of agency tree removal projects for fire reasons, but budget shortfalls have put such funding in limbo. 

Actor Peter Coyote, whose Tamalpais Valley home borders the area, said he was pleased to be rid of the eucalyptus before he learned that nothing was ready to replace them.

“Anybody can say let’s cut the trees down,” said Coyote, who narrated the DVD “Marin on Fire,” a wildfire preparedness film created by FireSafe Marin. “They want to cut it down without really any provision for what will be left. If there are no options, there will be no restoration.”

Fire and park officials have stepped up efforts to combat the invasive eucalyptus. The Australian import, brought to the region in 1853, has thrived on the California coast. Oily leaves and dry ground litter have made the tree a potent fuel source for wildfires.

“Eucalyptus is one of the more volatile trees around due to its oil content and amount of debris that comes off on an annual basis,” said county Fire Chief Ken Massucco. “It is very susceptible to major conflagrations.” Massucco said his department has partnered with the National Park Service to clear agency land of the trees.

The National Park Service has targeted removal of eucalyptus trees as part of a long-term fire management plan. Rich Weideman, a spokesman for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said critics have complained about slow restoration programs and use of the herbicide Roundup to prevent stumps from sending up new shoots.

*This article was derived the Marin IJ.