A few days after Bird Rock Community Council board member Barbara Dunbar shared details of a tree trunk on La Jolla Boulevard being repeatedly vandalized this year, the tree fell onto the road this past weekend.
“I am dismayed by the destructive and costly vandalism that resulted in an extremely dangerous situation in which a heavy 25-plus-foot-tall pine tree fell onto the southbound lane of La Jolla Boulevard between Midway Street and Colima Street” on May 9, Dunbar told the La Jolla Light.
“Fortunately, to our knowledge, no one was hit or hurt. It is difficult to comprehend what would motivate someone to commit such a major act of vandalism on public property.”
Dunbar said the case was reported to the San Diego Police Department and the city Parks & Recreation Department. A suspect had not been identified as of May 11.
According to Dunbar’s quarterly Maintenance Assessment District report at the Community Council’s May 5 meeting, cuts were made in the Canary Island pine tree in the median adjacent to 5443 La Jolla Blvd. on Feb. 13 and again two days later.
On May 6, the day after the meeting, Dunbar told the Light that she saw more cuts in the tree at about 7:40 a.m.
A vandalized tree in Bird Rock is pictured May 6. (Provided by Barbara Dunbar)
Caution tape was wrapped around the tree after that, but it toppled around 4:30 a.m. May 9, Dunbar said.
She said there were indications of further cuts between the time the tape went up and when the tree was discovered toppled over.
Bird Rock MAD consulting manager Matt Mangano and crew members from the MAD’s landscape service provider, Urban Landcare, handled traffic flow, removal of the fallen tree and cleanup, according to Dunbar.
She previously estimated that replacing the tree could cost more than $30,000.
This isn’t the first time a tree has been vandalized in Bird Rock. In June 2019, another Canary Island pine about six feet from this one was irreparably damaged and later removed. A police report was filed, but a suspect was not identified.
Dunbar said several people have provided tips about the latest case and that some have speculated someone was vandalizing the tree to try to get a better ocean view.
Mangano, Dunbar and the Community Council are asking residents with any information about the vandalism to email Mangano at admin@manganoconsulting.com. ♦