Earth Day Action to Save Redwoods on the Chopping Block

A battle over the removal of redwood trees in the downtown area heated up when activists held a demonstration near the intersection of El Camino Real and Ravenswood Avenue in Menlo Park.

The city's Environmental Quality Commission voted to uphold a decision permitting the property owner at the location to cut down seven redwood trees in order to fix a damaged waterproof barrier that is protecting a parking structure. Residents say (and the city arborist agrees) the trees did not cause the damage, but the owner's only solution to his business problem would damage the redwoods' roots. If the roots were to be damaged, the city would have to step in and remove the trees because of the danger of them falling.

The Earth Day protest was held in front of the trees the ahead of a May 7 city meeting where residents will urge the city council to step in and overturn the decision. The City Council will have the final say on the fate of the nearly 40 foot tall heritage trees.