Davis
Ottorino RespighiÕs orchestral tone poem ÒThe Pines of RomeÓ wonderfully evokes the beautiful ancient stone pines that line roads leading to the eternal city, but those of us in Davis can experience the real thing without traveling across the Atlantic.
What is likely the largest and most magnificent grouping of old stone pines (Pinus pinea) in Yolo County can be found along Lake Boulevard in western Davis. Now we learn that the City of Davis is planning to destroy these trees to spend federal stimulus money.
Documents regarding this planned destruction even display appalling ignorance about these magnificent specimen trees by calling them Japanese black pines (Pinus thunbergii), a completely different kind of pine utterly lacking the stone pineÕs unique umbrella-like shape.
How ironic that our city, in its mad rush to use funds intended to improve the quality of life while stimulating the economy, could even consider an act of legalized vandalism that would destroy the beauty our beloved stone pines bring to us each day they live. They are an integral part of an urban forest, providing an oasis of habit for the native raptors and songbirds that can be seen in the stone pine just outside our window as this is written.
All threats to nature donÕt come from faceless corporations in faraway countries. Some are right here and come from our own city.
Glen Holstein
Davis