The Santa Monica Mirror breaks the news of a possible smoking gun in the ficus tree battle. As previously reported, the city plans to replace some of its aging ficus with younger ginkgo trees, a move which prompted local group Treesavers to file a lawsuit against the city. (The suit will be heard in Los Angeles Superior Court on Feb 22.) But now there's this: "Treesavers has obtained a forester’s report from an independent forester, Alden Kelley. His report differs in its analysis of the trees’ health from that of the City’s forester, Walt Warriner. While Warriner’s report cites that growth of the tree roots and branches poses a hazard to the safety of the sidewalks, and that reconstructive pruning would result in “tree disfigurement or canopy imbalance,” Kelley’s report maintains that “most or all of the damaged trees are salvageable, with acceptable degrees of safeness." People, this is going to be a forester vs. forester smackdown. But who is Alden Kelley, ficus tree hero? He is a consulting arborist and the the author of kids' books "A Tree is a Home" and "It Started As A Seed." Awww.
· Treesavers Continue with Plans to Save Ficus Trees [SM Mirror]
· Santa Monica Ficus Trees' Denied Landmark Status, Tree Defenders Threaten Hunger Strikes [Curbed LA]
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