Monterey County gets funding to help remove eucalyptus trees
In a move to reduce fire hazards, Monterey County will launch a pilot program to remove eucalyptus trees near residential structures in the northern end of the county.
State Sen. John Laird and County Supervisor Glenn Church secured $1 million in state funding to help property owners pay for the cost of removing eucalyptus trees in the area. The program could begin as early as this winter.
“Over 90% of people really feel that the eucalyptus has gotten out of control and they are a danger to the native environment and plants and animals,” said Church, whose district covers the north end of the county. “This is not just a fire protection issue, but it's actually an environmental issue.”
Eucalyptus, or gum trees, are highly flammable, hardy and expensive to remove. The native Australian tree first arrived in California in the 1850s as seeds in envelopes carried on boats. Initially introduced to beautify the cities, the trees later gained a reputation as one of the state's top fire hazards.
“Those trees, they burn hot and they burn fast,” North County Fire District Chief Joel Mendoza said. “Once a eucalyptus grove catches fire, it is really hard to manage it.”
North County Fire District,
which includes Pajaro, Las Lomas, Royal Oaks, Moss Landing, Prunedale, and Castroville, has thousands of acres of eucalyptus.
Eucalyptus have the perfect anatomy for adding to wildfires: their oily leaves easily ignite and their shedding bark flies where the wind blows it, carrying and spreading the flames.
In August, eucalyptus trees on the border of Santa Cruz and Monterey counties caught fire, forcing many residents to evacuate.
The Vega Fire burned about 7 acres.
Most of the eucalyptus trees that grow in California belong to the eucalyptus globulus species or the Tasmanian blue gum. Those who initially planted them intended to use the trunks to meet timber demands for houses, railways and fences. But, they quickly found them unsuitable because of how they twist while drying.
The trees flourished in California, spreading very quickly. In the 1980s, some
residents began to worry that the trees' widespread growth and invasive nature would harm Californian native species.
Today, the California gum trees are an important habitat for the thousands of monarch butterflies that migrate to the coastal cities each year. These overwintering monarchs roost on both non-native gum trees as well as the native Monterey pines and cypresses.
From an environmental conservation standpoint, removing eucalyptus
trees in areas where the monarch's roost could impact the population. In 2020, the number of western monarchs plummeted to only 2,000 butterflies. The number has increased since then, with more than 116,000 counted by the Xerces Society this year.
“Monarchs want tall trees that are evergreen,” said Charis van der Heide, monarch butterfly specialist and senior biologist at Althouse and Meade Inc., which produces biological resource reports on the
Central Coast. “But we don't really know if they actually prefer or select eucalyptus over native (trees).”
According to van der Heide, the monarchs tend to return to the same trees each year, but new roosting sites seem to always appear. Every now and then, these monarchs turn up in resident's backyards.
“There were a couple of areas that have been identified in the North County that raised initial concerns about the monarchs,” Church said, “but these areas are not close to homes.”
According to Church, the county is targeting trees that are within 200 feet of defensible spaces — that is, the area between the property and its surrounding — and driveways.
Conversations with the California Coastal Commission representatives will further clarify the working boundaries.
Residents likely will receive matching funds for the tree removals,
“It will not be 100% reimbursement,” Church said. “It will take a contribution from the property owner, but there will be substantial cash included.
“The pilot program is really just making a small dent into the issue. Nevertheless, I'm enthusiastic about it.”
The program is expected to take place as early as this winter, with details to be released in the next month or two, according to Church.