Reminiscing with Jacarandas
By Lucky777
Many months ago the City of Santa Barbara carried out their threatened deadly intent, and cut down to stumps the beautiful jacaranda trees at the corner of Mission and Modoc.
But as you can see they never ground out the stumps, and while they did kill a few that are now just ugly sawed off stumps the rest are making a valiant effort to grow back.
I can’t help but think of this as just another visual incidence of mismanagement of our city by Government. Who did this serve? Street trees are essential to the beauty of this city, I miss the beauty that was there before.
17 Comments
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Nov 02, 2022 09:44 AMFangorn Forest to the rescue led by Treebeard to save the Jacaranda Trees!
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Nov 02, 2022 08:31 AMI ride a bike from UCSB to my home near the DMV about 4 times a week. A good bike path (or at least wide paved shoulder) is available nearly all the way. But after making a left turn from Modoc onto Mission, I run the gauntlet till reaching Castillo. Confession: I often using the sidewalk to avoid the hazardous condition on Mission. Note: the stumps have sprouted, and pose a sight hazard to residents using adjacent driveways. The City recently trimmed one of the 4 stumps; not sure why the other 3 were left bushy.
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Nov 02, 2022 08:43 AMHomeboy, the short path being created by this removal is only from Modoc to San Pascual. It will not reach down Mission past the existing freeway underpass bike lanes. You should find an alternate route as Mission is too narrow for a dedicated bike lane without removing a auto traffic lane and these are critical needed for this heavily used transit route.
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Nov 01, 2022 06:20 PMThe removal of these trees on such an expedited basis seemed a power bid to assure that the opponents of the bicycle accommodation did not gather steam and stop this ridiculous plan. Unfortunately the city council rep in that area (Oscar) is in the thrall of the bicycle lobby and refused to intervene against this destructive action. Remember, the whole purpose of the removal of these decades old trees was to put in place a bicycle path between Modoc and San Pascual (a few yards really) so that bicycle riders will not have to dismount and walk that distance. It is abhorrent that we are spending million bucks and forcing pedestrians to risk and share the path with this selfish crowd.
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Nov 02, 2022 07:24 AMThank you.
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Nov 01, 2022 07:43 PMThomas, these trees were indeed removed in order to facilitate a bike path. It’s the intersection of Mission and Modoc. There is also controversy about trees potentially being removed much farther along Modoc, but that’s another conversation.
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Nov 01, 2022 06:28 PMRHS, the Modoc bike path is now where near Mission and Modoc where these pics are from. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Nov 01, 2022 05:52 PMWorst non-native "tree-litter" tree EVER- Sappy flowers that stink and decompose slowly, then the tiny leaves and THEN all the sticks and stems ... ALL go into our storm drains , which get clogged and creeks where they contaminate our native plant decomposition.
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Nov 01, 2022 05:46 PMFor a bike path
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Nov 01, 2022 04:37 PMLove the new view of the power lines. Classy. Why did they remove these again?
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Nov 01, 2022 04:33 PMLUCKY777 Please don't show me this swogtrottle. I've never had blood pressure or liver problems, but I feel my heart thumping with anger and the bile rise up every time I see how those gorgeous, healthy trees were murdered. I bet The City drenched the crap out of those stumps with Roundup, too.
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Nov 02, 2022 07:57 AMI don't think any Roundup was used.
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Nov 01, 2022 04:32 PMSeveral non-jacaranda trees on Micheltorena by the intersections with San Andres and Almond/Dutton were also cut, and that section had no beauty to spare. I wonder if there is a firm date when the road and sidewalk work will be done there. It seems like the trees have been gone a long time, but I see no signs of other progress. (Yes, I do know that it is advisable to remove the trees before or after nesting season, so as not to kill baby birds. Somehow I doubt this was their impetus.)
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Nov 01, 2022 09:13 PMWhen I expressed my displeasure at having to look at tree stumps for the past 6 months, the bird nesting excuse was the reason I was given. This wouldn't happen on the upper eastside or in San Roque.
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Nov 01, 2022 04:14 PM*come* April-May
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Nov 01, 2022 04:13 PM90% of the trees in the "before" photo are still standing. Don't worry, Mission Street will still be purple some April-May.
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Nov 01, 2022 03:15 PMI will say those trees have a will to live, but I'll wait to pass judgement until the project is finished, replanted and has a chance to settle in.