La Voz

Issue date: 9/22/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Soheil Rezaee L Quad's barren new appearance after the removal of many large trees this summer. [Click to enlarge]

Many of the trees that once stood in and around De Anza College's L Quad were cut down and replaced with smaller trees during the summer as part of a plan that included removing unhealthy trees on campus and installing a new irrigation system.

Several redwood trees were taken down over the summer as well, near the parking lots and elsewhere. These redwoods are mostly a coastal tree species that only flourish in wet environments. As a result of the dryer climate this far inland, the coastal redwoods are suffering, and several have already died.

The Director of College Services, Donna Jones-Dulin, said that the L Quad Japanese elms were removed and replaced with saplings of ash, crepe myrtle, oak, eucalyptus and others that are better suited to thrive in the local climate.

According to Jones-Dulin, these projects and others are part of a master landscaping plan headed by her and assisted by a facilities committee, an environmental advisory committee and grounds supervisor Joe Cooke, a certified arborist working at De Anza.

Jones-Dulin said the goal was to move De Anza College toward environmental sustainability by using trees that are native to the valley so as to reduce the maintenance cost and water usage associated with caring for them.

Normal methods of irrigation are insufficient to provide the water needed for the coastal redwoods' survival, as they typically take their water in from oceanic fog, absorbing more through their foliage than through their roots.

The redwoods requires a state-of-the art irrigation system that can spray a heavy mist high into the air so that they can absorb it. Such a system has been installed at De Anza so that the trees may be saved. It is linked to atmospheric sensors that detect temperature, humidity, and wind velocity to optimize efficiency.

The replacement trees, irrigation system, as well as the removal of the older trees were all projects paid for through Measures C and E. Though most of the work removing the trees was done over the summer, Jones-Dulin said work may continue throughout the year.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools