As I suppose everyone in Montara has noticed, we’ve had some wing-ding-dilly windstorms recently. Predictably, branches have fallen and debris has blown around, and crews have been busy with clean up efforts. To me, that seems to go with the territory when living in a coastal area with mature growth. You deal with it, or move to one of those lovely subdivisions where they have tiny saplings planted in front of the strip malls…

So imagine my surprise when, after the last storm, the county issued an emergency permit to have a beautiful old evergreen removed because a branch fell on a car. The emergency process means the property owners don’t need to post the permit or notify neighbors or go through the waiting period or any of those pesky formalities. It’s a quickie deal.

Let’s review: Someone left their car parked outside. Under a tree. In a windstorm… And it’s the TREE that needs to go????

Before you lecture me about property damage, let me disclose that my husband and I have a home in coastal Florida. Believe me, we know from windstorms. And you know what? When we leave our car outside in the middle of a gale, we can expect to be on the phone to our insurance company in the morning. Same as if the branch came down on our roof, or on our fence. The one thing we wouldn’t expect to do is call the county and demand emergency permits to have the place denuded. “Damn those trees! We’ll show ‘em!” But perhaps I’m using Florida logic, not Montara logic…

So I’m left wondering… why on earth would people choose to live in an area like this if they can’t handle a little wind with their trees? And how long before we’re left with nothing but a bunch of sad little strip mall saplings?

I have three thoughts about your posting.

1. As trees get older they develop more character and beauty. It sounds like this tree was a comforting part of your visual world. Could you plant some saplings of a similar species nearby and dedicate them as a growing memorial to the tree that was cut down?

2. You can tell the new saplings: Today you look like a scrawny strip mall planting. You see that majestic sky: it is yours to fill with leaves. Feel that deep coastal soil, it is yours to fill with roots.

3. As far as I can tell, the most diffucult plants and trees to garden are the native species. Those breathtakingly beautiful coastal junipers are really fragile. If you find some person with skill to start those plants, Please tell us.

Near my home in El Granada I have been looking at three Eucalyptus trees about 140 feet tall. The trees are on a riverbank, and they lean towards a house (not mine), For me, over the last 2 years, the trees have grown to block my winter sunlight.

Whether it is planned, permitted or by adverse emergency.permit, these trees have to go. I have been wondering, what would be the most appropriate and available relatively native tree that we might start as seedlings now to replace these outsized Australian giants?

Most of our coastside did not have any large trees at all prior to the takeover of the landscape by European cultures. Therefore, there are no known natives—so no native tree species that might be restored at this time. Indians of the Bay Area were known to manage some of the landscape to some degree—especially the prairies—but I haven’t heard of any studies of the coastside that would provide evidence the indians were responsible for the pre-European treeless situation.

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it looks like tree species from elsewhere in California—even from nearby places—were not native to the immediate coastside, at least not since humans have been around. Our local Monterey cypress, Monterey pine, and redwood was all initially brought here by some human agent. Consequently, nature does not help with guidance on landscaping choices. By the way, larger bushes and other plants native to our area are very easy to grow. In fact, if one wants a low-maintenance landscape that does not have to be watered, natives are the answer.

Carl May