City Buzz

Tree talk in B-town

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G — A tree lined street in the hillside area of Burbank

Burbank is one of only two communities in the state designated as a Tree City USA recipient by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The other is Sacramento. It’s the 34th consecutive year Burbank has received the honor. “This national recognition acknowledges Burbank’s commitment to its community forest,” according to a news release sent out last week by City Hall.

The city has proclaimed March as Arbor Month. Last Wednesday, at the Arbor Day ceremony in Miller School park a symbolic tree was planted “.. as a living testimonial of everyone’s commitment to the beautification of the City of Burbank through the planting and maintenance of all trees throughout the City.” the release says.

A second Arbor Month ceremony was held on Thursday, March, 24 as part of the Plant-a Tree ceremony. The program reportedly has received $1,500 from donors and that money will go toward planting new trees in McCambridge Park.  This reforesting effort is necessary at the park because so many trees were lost in the recent rainstorms. This brings up a couple of issues.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G — Two aging stone pine trees on Bethany Road between Glenoaks Boulevard and Third Street in Burbank

Two giant stone pine trees remain in the center of a stretch of Bethany Road. On Sunday, March 20, in the middle of a vicious storm, a third old pine, in the same area, toppled into an apartment building.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G — Workmen survey the damage to an apartment balcony caused by a toppled tree on Bethany Road in Burbank March 22, 2011

A parked truck was damaged, along with a section of manager Ben Cantu’s balcony at the Bethany Towers Apartments. Cantu thinks at least one of the nearby giant pine trees is  on the brink of collapse. And he could be right. Officials should not wait until the older trees get knocked down in a storm to replace them. For safety and practical reasons, it makes more sense to gradually take out the old trees and replant new ones. Less change to the environment, while ensuring big shady trees will be here in Burbank for future generations to appreciate.

I’ve heard many of the city trees aren’t trimmed as often as they should be due to budget restrictions. Also, as reported in this blog  back on March 16, some of our healthy big trees  are in danger of being chopped down because of root problems in the sewer lines.

Maintenance is just as important as planting trees. Preserving the trees we have in the city should be a high priority permanent item in the budget.

Spring has finally sprung

Bees and hummingbirds are buzzing the gardens, yards, and fields of the Media City. Spring is finally here. It’s beginning to feel like springtime as well. The high today around 75.  Tomorrow, the temperature will top out in the 80s.  Thursday’s  high could reach 90 in Burbank!!!