POLLIWOG PARK TREE PROJECT

17 trees have been selected for removal throughout Polliwog Park due to the following issues. 7 Eucalyptus trees species are infested with the Eucalyptus Longhorned Beetle, 7 Pine tree species are infected with Pine Pitch Canker, 2 trees for selective thinning, and 1 tree for structural issues. The project involves the essential removal of these trees to maintain a healthy park canopy. Concurrently, the city is introducing 78 new trees from 8 diverse Genus/species. Explore our new tree palette further below, which increases the tree canopy and biodiversity of the park.  

MEET THE INVADERS

Longhorned Borer Beetle (Eucalyptus Tree Invader)

The introduction of the Eucalyptus Longhorned Borer (Phoracantha semipunctata) to California in the 1980s marked a significant challenge for eucalyptus trees in the region. These large beetles, attracted to freshly cut wood, dying limbs, and stressed trees, lay their eggs under bark. When the larvae hatch, they bore into the cambial layer beneath the bark, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. This extensive feeding damage, known as "ring barking," can lead to the death of infested trees.

Pine Pitch Canker (Fusarium circinatum)

Pine Pitch Canker (Fusarium circinatum) was first observed in California in Santa Cruz County in 1986. Since then the disease has spread rapidly and now occurs in 18 coastal counties. Pitch canker also occurs in the southeastern United States and Mexico, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and South Africa. Evidence indicates the pathogen may have originated in Mexico, and its introduction into California came by way of the southeastern United States.

8 NEW TREE GENUS/SPECIES 

• 10 White Alder; Native, fast-growing, typically 50-70 feet tall. Seeds and insects provide food resources for birds. Native from Washington to southern California.
• 20 Tipu Tree; Non-native, adaptable, drought-tolerant species thrive in well-drained soil and full sun. Very fast-growing shade tree, up to 50 feet tall with an even wider canopy. Flowers provide habitat for butterflies; insects provide habitat for many types of birds. Native to South America.
• 9 Coast Live Oak; Native, grows slowly 25-35 feet. Insects provide food resources for birds. Canyons from northern California south into Baja California. Present in Polliwog Park.
• 13 Big Leaf Maple; Native, fast-growing, typically 50-65 feet. Seeds and insects provide food resources for birds. Native to canyons from southern Alaska to southern California.
• 3 Weeping Boer-Bean; Non-native, drought-tolerant species in well-drained soil and full sun. Grows to 25 feet tall. Copious flowers provide nectar attractive to many types of birds. Native to southern Africa.
• 7 Fremont Cottonwood; Native, fast-growing, up to 100 feet tall. Seeds and insects provide food resources for birds. Native to the western United States and northern Mexico. Present in Polliwog Park.
• 10 California Sycamore; Native, Fast-growing, typically 50-65 feet. Seeds and insects provide food resources for birds. Riparian settings from northern Central Valley to Baja California. Present in Polliwog Park.
• 6 Silky Oak; Non-native, drought-tolerant, and pest-resistant species in well-drained soil and full sun. Evergreen and fast-growing up to 75 feet tall. Copious flowers provide nectar attractive to many types of birds. Native to Australia.

For more information surrounding the Polliwog Park Tree Project, have questions or feedback, please visit:

www.manhattanbeach.gov/UrbanForestry