Tree Removals in Los Angeles.

As the Downtown Nerd posts about the planned removal of mature trees along 2nd Street , I'm forced to recall that sometimes, trees are removed in this City without reason or notice. The Urban Forestry Division (UFD) [whose name recently changed and whose website doesn't reflect that yet] of the Bureau of Street Services of the Department of Public Works is trying to remedy that by posting notices on the trees (as James Rojas saw, as referenced by the post) and online. Here's the City's online site to see what trees are scheduled for removal.

Also, note that all trees scheduled for removal have a public hearing before the Board of Public Works (BPW). Sometimes, they need to hear from concerned parties that shed new information that prevent the removal of the trees. This has happened in other parts of the City where only 3 neighbors voiced concerns that stopped a sidewalk replacement project necessitating root pruning of trees would force their removal. They went to the hearing, and the BPW saved the trees. If you go to the site and click on a particular removal, you can sign up to be notified when the hearing is scheduled (if one is not yet scheduled).

Now, I don't see the hearing or the posting online for the 2nd Street trees. If I were Mr. Rojas or the Downtown Nerd, I'd contact the Bureau of Street Services, Urban Forestry Division at 213 485-5675 for more information as soon as possible.

George Gonzalez (pictured above surrounded by his employees in orange shirts from the UFD's site) is the City's Chief Forester; if the person who answers the phone can't help you, ask for him.