100-Foot-Tall Landmark Tree Cut Down
A landmark tree in Santa Barbara is being cut down after 115 years.
The nearly 100 foot-tall Canary Island pine was attacked by bark beetles and a fungus. The drought didn’t help either and it slowly died.
It towered over buildings for years but now it’s a safety hazard.
Branch by branch, the 115-year-old tree was brought down in pieces.
The tree sits prominently in the front yard of the Braille Institute on De La Vina Street where it is used as a landmark.
“Actually when I give directions to volunteers, I always say, ‘Look for the Canary Island pine tree.’ So to lose it it a very sad thing for us,” said Barbara Hoffmann, with the Braille Institute.
It is still standing, but the pine is dead. Arborists knew something was wrong when it started to turn brown.
“When we examined it, it had insect bore holes. That means insects have gone into it and were starting to eat the tissue that lets the water and the food transport up and down,” said Julie Broughton, with Branch Out tree care.
For the past few years, there has been an effort to stop the bark beetles from attacking the tree but those bugs along with a fungus and drought have stacked up against the towering pine.
“It’s just like everything else, trees do die. And at that point you can either let them fall apart naturally which is what they’d do in the wild but here you’re dealing with a safety issue and this tree had gotten to the point where it just was not safe to have around,” said Broughton.
The removal of the tree is not all a loss. The tree trunk will be recycled in to lumber and the branches will be turned into mulch. That mulch will help feed the new Torrey Pine that will be planted in the previous tree’s place.
“Hopefully within a few years, that will become a tradition for us as well,” said Hoffmann.
Taking down the tree is a two-day project. A crane will help take the large pieces of wood off the property Wednesday.
The new tree should go in at the end of October.
Slideshow: 100-Foot Tall Landmark Tree Cut Down
