CleanupJoin us for a trash cleanup on Marquez Ave June 7th! Stump Removal & Replanting
What we want to do
Scores of palm trees on Swarthmore were cut down after the fire; many stumps remain. It is still too early to replant in front of burned houses, we don’t know if driveways will get moved and construction work could damage the plants. However, there are 5 stumps on the CVS block and 4 in front of Frontier, and these buildings are still standing. This project is to plant 10 new trees, one in an empty spot where there was no tree before. This helps to restore an area of the Palisades that already has open business (American Legion, Garden Cafe) and is frequently visited by the community.
Estimated Costs
- Stump removal: $575 per stump. Estimate provided by Johnson Tree Co
- New 15 gal tree: $170 (delivery included)
- Tree stakes: $20 per tree (2 stakes)
- Watering bag: $15 per tree
- Mulch & soil: $5 per tree
- Shovels: $15 each We’ll plant during a community volunteering event. 10-20 people needed, 1-2 per tree. The plants can be delivered to the American Legion directly, from there they can be moved by hand up and down the street.
- Planting cost: ~$225/tree (excludes stump removal)
- Watering schedule: 10 gal every other day for 1 month, then twice weekly for 2 months, then weekly for 1 month (~35 visits @ $50–$100/visit = $1,750–$3,500)
Species
The LA city recommended street trees can be found here. We will need trees compatible with a small 4 ft parkway, which unfortunately leaves out many natives.- Ginkgo biloba: These trees are known to have fire resistant sap, have survived large blazes in the past and have even survived atomic blasts. The downside to these is their height can reach 50+ ft which would interfere with overhead power lines. However, they are slow growers and can be pruned to stay clear of the lines.
- Cassia leptophylla: These street trees are already used in the Palisades and will not be too large for this site, they have yellow flowers.
- Juglans californica: This black walnut is native to the Santa Monica Mountains and an endangered species that is important to native animals. This is not on the recommended species list, but may still be considered for their wildlife value.
We plan to use a mix of Ginkgo and two black walnut. This gives the area some biodiversity and helps prevent spread of disease between trees that are the same species.