Public Comment

In the Bay Area and beyond, Eucalyptus trees are coming under attack, with many calling for their removal based on false claims about the flammability and invasiveness of this non-native species. There are a number of misconceptions about this beautiful tree, ranging from dubious allegations that their presence has a negative impact on native plants, birds, and bees, to the popular notion that they are more prone to wildfires than other species of tree. 

The latter point has been thoroughly debunked—in fact, many species of scrub native to California’s chapparal are far more flammable than Eucalyptus, a point rarely mentioned by detractors—but this has not stopped the irony of many well-intentioned environmentalists joining the call for these trees’ destruction, citing Australia’s experience of wildfires to justify this counter-intuitive campaign. The fact that this movement was initiated by FEMA, and will be implemented with the help of noxious chemicals made by Dow and Monsanto, does not seem to be an issue for these misguided activists. 

For these trees as well as the surrounding forest life that will be negatively impacted by their mass extermination, it is important that we resist this campaign by all means available, and you can learn more about how to help by visiting HillsConservationNetwork.org, TreeSpiritProject.org, MillionTrees.me and SFForest.net.