PANEL OF CONTRIBUTORS: Appeal from the Lorax PANEL OF CONTRIBUTORS: Appeal from the Lorax (June 05, 2002)

By Amy Paulsen

Growing up in Menlo Park, I remember riding home from school on my bike, crunching the bristly brown balls from liquid amber trees under my tires. As a teenager, in the fall I swerved through huge piles of elm tree leaves on Hillview Drive (my belated apologies to the residents).

As an adult, I gaze in wonder at the canopy of tall trees whose leafy branches stretch to intertwine above me on the winding roads of Woodside. I'll admit, I'm a tree lover. I even appreciate the messy, smelly eucalyptus that often commandeer our landscape. Thousands of trees grow in our neighborhoods, preserving beauty, serenity, and for better or worse, lofty home prices.

Yet a few years ago, I began witnessing what appeared to be aggressive, uncaring, "I've-got-five-minutes-before-my-lunch-break" tree trimming around power lines. I recoiled in horror when the once stately procession of eucalyptus on the Alameda were "topped" to half their original height. I winced at the misshapen ash on Middlefield Road whose spindly branches now curl around stunted trunks.

And while I am glad that Menlo Park will be populating downtown with sycamores, what about the damage done to the trees lining Santa Cruz and Middle avenues? I get the urge to dial 911 the minute an Asplundh crew's orange cone hits the pavement. I feel like Dr. Suess's Lorax, ". . . speak for the trees, which you seem to be cutting as fast as you please!" What is happening to the beautiful trees I grew up with?

Evidently I am not the only one who cares about our trees. "I don't have to leave my office to know where PG&E is cutting each day," states Menlo Park's tree supervisor David Mooney, who receives daily calls from concerned residents living near pruning sites.

After inquiries to very helpful town arborists, tree supervisors, and PG&E, I received a much better understanding of how trees near power lines are managed in our area.

First of all, we are not losing our minds. Since 1997, more aggressive tree trimming practices have been implemented.

The California Public Utilities Commission mandated an 18-inch clearance around power lines, and gave PG&E two years to ensure that 5 million trees in Northern California are in compliance. The mandate stemmed from a lawsuit that found foliage near power lines to blame in a rural fire. PG&E also is required to "use ratepayer dollars appropriately," which can create an incentive to cut more dramatically and less frequently.

However, PG&E's tree-trimming contractors, like Asplundh, are training their employees to become certified arborists. They now use cutting techniques other than "topping" that are more appealing to the eye and healthier for the trees. Directional pruning allows a tree to grow naturally away from a power line, and V-pruning attempts to preserve the look of a full tree while cutting around the power line.

PG&E also follows International Society of Arboriculture guidelines used in neighboring cities such as Palo Alto and throughout the U.S. Currently, PG&E trims trees on a 1-2 year cycle, spending $140 million annually. Inspectors check trees regularly and notify residents in advance of pruning.

And since 1997, PG&E has embarked on an education campaign, featuring the slogan: "Plant the right tree in the right place," which involves local partners such as Sunset Magazine.

Menlo Park and Atherton town staff members now meet more frequently with PG&E to collaborate on tree management. And targeted efforts make a big difference, such as the Atherton Tree Committee's replacement of the stumped eucalyptus on Alameda with tasteful fruit trees.

Broader efforts also are in the works, such as Menlo Park's "5,000 street-tree" master plan. And it goes without saying that trimming is necessary for safety. PG&E tells me that they have seen a 66 per cent reduction in outages due to foliage falling on power lines.

These facts have given me some peace of mind, but I believe still more can be done. If you are interested in our trees, don't harass PG&E or a tree supervisor. Contact your town's public works department to learn about committees you can join, such as Trees for Menlo, the Atherton Tree Committee, or the Conservation Committee of Portola Valley. Educate yourself at the PG&E Website. Or simply appreciate small, power-line-safe trees like the crape myrtle.

Amy Paulsen lives in Woodside and is a member of the Almanac's Panel of Contributors.