Life Within

Nature Journalists and Birders have noted these trees hold so much life:

• great horned owls

• wood peckers

• song birds

• bush tits

• red tail hawks

• peregrine falcons

• Anna’s Humming Bird

• great blue herron (on occasion)

Our Median Trees

Our Our community’s median trees are a cherished part of our town’s history. Planted over a century ago, they were designed as a green promenade for recreation and a privacy buffer for homes. They are separated from homes by wide streets. Beyond their beauty, they provide critical benefits—cooling the neighborhood by transpiring water vapor and creating a welcoming space for families, pets, wildlife. They are wildlife corridors hosting many varieties of birds. We appreciate that they are not considered a wildfire threat, and the risk in Quarry Park is lower than initially thought (El Granada Wildfire Resiliency Scoping Project, San Mateo Resource Conservation District, June 2022).

The medians and parks (GGNRA and Quarry Park) serve as thriving habitats where century-old trees sequester megatons of carbon. While most trees are not native, growth can be managed by removing saplings and seeds, reducing ladder fuels, removing thin saplings, and planting natives where needed. Older trees can coexist with native species, maintaining biodiversity.

At a time when we are at the 11th hour for species survival, when our National Parks are going to be logged, when state guidelines are mandating massive vegetation removal statewide: preserving healthy mature trees in our town is essential due to their massive cooling effect and habitat. Coastal prairie restoration can take place in surrounding areas, ensuring we balance conservation with protecting the trees and existing wildlife that make this landscape unique.