SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The city of San Diego plans to start a sewer pipeline project at Tecolote Canyon on Oct. 1.
The city said the pipeline under the canyon shows signs of potential sewer spills, and to upgrade it, they will need to remove one sycamore tree along with other mature trees.
The project threatens native trees that have been preserved for decades, said Sherlie Miller, who added that the trees are essential to the birds and wildlife living nearby.
Miller, president of the nonprofit Friends of Tecolote, said the city is eyeing the removal of a sycamore tree in front of the Tecolote Nature Center, as well as several oak trees inside the grove.
Miller helped ensure the trees were planted 37 years ago by community volunteers.
"It will be a loss if they have to be bulldozed," Miller said.
Miller was joined by dozens at a rally Saturday morning where community members discussed solutions for completing the pipeline project without harming the native trees.
The rally’s supporters do not oppose the sewer pipeline upgrades but are requesting that the city issue two change orders to the current plan, using trenchless mitigation at two sites to preserve the trees.
In a statement to ABC 10News, the city said in part:
"Throughout the project, a number of trees will need to be removed or replaced, some temporarily and some permanently. Due to the canyon's layout, the total number of impacted trees cannot yet be determined. Once the contractor is able to begin removing some vegetation, an estimate of impacted trees will be calculated. The sycamore tree at the front entrance of Tecolote Canyon Park is one that has been identified for temporary replacement. The goal is to remove the tree and plant it somewhere else temporarily during the project, then return it back to its original location upon completion of the project. For any trees that are removed during construction, plans are in place to replace them with at least one tree, but up to as many as three trees, depending on the type of tree. This will leave the canyon with more trees than it currently has."
