400 Santa Barbara Trees Could Die in the Drought

Four Italian Stone Pine trees, each more than 100 years old, will be cut down this week in Santa Barbara. They could not survive the drought and an attack by bark beetles.

It’s not a surprise to the Santa Barbara Urban Forest Superintendent, Tim Downey. “We are seeing more than normal trees die. And it’s mostly a result of the drought. We planned for that. We knew this was going to happen,” said Downey.

The city waited until there was no other choice but to get the chain saws.

The trees were planted between 1908 and 1921. Anapamu street was a dirt road back then.

A survey of the city’s trees shows many are struggling due to the lack of rainfall. About 400 are expected to die.

But they aren’t cut down until it’s clear there is no chance a tree will come back. “Because sometimes trees will look like they are dead and they aren’t dead yet. We will look at a tree and make sure that it is dead before we schedule a removal but then the only resolution is to remove the tree,” said Downey.

He says new watering techniques, such as the “irricades” will be installed soon at the base of some trees. They hold 125 gallons of water in a small plastic “barricade” type structures and it allows for a slow release in a drip line around the outside of the tree where the roots have extended.

25 will go in next to the pine trees on Anapamu street.

Downey advises residents who are watering their trees to use a drip line and in most cases do not just water heavily around the trunk.