In response to a report that 17 trees in Sonoma’s Depot Park pose a safety hazard to passersby, city crews will begin trimming the stand of eucalyptus on Monday, April 11.
The targeted trees, located along the Petanque and Bocce courts, will be trimmed down to 20 to 25 feet in height, according to Public Works Director Dan Takasugi.
An arborist evaluated the trees for the city and reported that sections of the lower trunk sections are “inherently weak and prone to structural failure.” Problems in the tree canopies, due to inconsistent topping over the years, added to the chances of “large limb or trunk failure occurring into or onto the actively used park facilities and the users below them.”
The consultant recommended that most of the trees be trimmed and some should be removed based on the condition and/or the location of the tree. Currently, no tree removal has been scheduled in the area, Takasugi said.
Day use activities in the immediate area of the Eucalyptus globulus include pedestrians passing on a paved sidewalk; visitors viewing the Depot Park Museum; and visitors utilizing the picnic tables, and benches beneath the trees as well as a series of bocce and petanque courts.
Takasugi said a qualified biologist conducted a pre-construction survey for nesting birds, as well as assessed the trees for suitable potential bat habitat. No active/occupied nests for protected bird/raptor species were identified in the location of the planned tree work, nor was any potential bat habitat identified.
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