Eucalyptus trees are seen over-hanging the north side of Claremont Avenue in the upper canyon prior to UC’s Evacuation Support Project.
Claremont Avenue above Alvarado Road was transformed this past winter as part of an ongoing fire management program carried out by UC’s Facilities Services. Eucalyptus and other trees that could fall across the road during an emergency or ignite close to the road were logged along with brushy understory, within 100 feet of edge of the pavement . The total project area was approximately 18 acres.
The work along Claremont Avenue was called the Claremont Canyon Evacuation Support Project (not part of the wider UC vegetative plan which has not yet begun). Claremont Avenue was closed for two months last winter. Similar vegetation removal was performed along Centennial Drive, the Jordan Trail, and Tightwad Hill.
A biologist was on-site for the entirety of the project. “This project took precautions to protect the environment, including protecting woodrat nests, avoiding riparian areas, monitoring for bird nests, and limiting heavy equipment to roadbeds to minimize impacts to soil,” said campus communications director Janet Gilmore, according to the Daily Cal.
Claremont Canyon’s eucalyptus trees were originally planted in the early 1900s for a variety of beautification and commercial projects. Many were subsequently damaged in a frost in the 1970s. They were logged but resprouted with many smaller stems, posing a greater fire threat.
Recognizing the problem, the Conservancy initiated a eucalyptus removal project in 2006 on Park District land just below UC’s current site. We are pleased that 15 years later the landscape is recovering with native plants and trees.
Yes, it takes a while, but we are happy to see native lupine, phacelia, and native ferns sprouting from an old eucalyptus stump (above) and live oaks sprouting at the base of two others (below).
