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Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017. The sound of chainsaws on the 2 Freeway at 6:30 AM, Sunday, awoke neighbors on Corralitas Drive. One neighbor investigated. CalTrans took down more than a dozen big trees in past month, claiming they were dead after last year's fire. (We've not yet had a chance to put together a comparison post on what was removed a few weeks ago. It is pending.) We only have a handful of big trees left on the section of the 2 Freeway just south of the 5 Freeway.
Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017. Unlike previous rounds of tree removal, there were a host of actual CalTrans vehicles and a backhoe working on the medians on both sides of the northbound 2 Freeway. Previous work was done by tree contractors.
Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017. It appears they cut down everything growing in the medians, including young trees making a comeback after last year's fire and a few rounds of CalTrans' tree removals.
Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017. They picked up the green carnage in the dump trucks. It also appears they planted new trees.
Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017. To our surprise, at least a half dozen trees were planted in the slope between north and southbound lanes. While the trees may not do much to clean the air today, at least it's a commitment to the future. Neighbors have been asking for trees for more than a year since the fire.
Two weeks ago, another Red Car Property neighbor spoke to a representative from State Senate President Kevin DeLeon's staff regarding planting trees. According to the deputy, CalTrans planted 12 Sycamore trees and 40 Toyons on the 2 Freeway. Toyon is a slow growing, drought tolerant native shrub. The conversation occurred 10 days prior to the planting. We'd still like to know where all those trees were planted.
Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, August 27, 2017. There are 2 large Eucalyptus in the median south of the overhead "End of Freeway" sign. That's pretty much all the mature trees between the north and southbound lanes now.
Related: Why We Bitch About Losing Trees
What Difference Do Trees Make? Part 1, Part 2
Weekend & Evening Traffic (2015)
Why We Need Trees (2014)
