“Timber!” Over 10,000 Hazardous Trees Down And Counting

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San Andreas, CA – More than10,000 hazardous trees have come down for free in Calaveras County.

The county’s tree mortality program has been underway for the past four years removing dead and dying timber that threaten roads, infrastructure, and the traveling public explained county officials. They added, “The program is funded through the California Disaster Assistance Act, and “results in relatively limited cost to the County.”

There is no cost to residents and to date, 37 projects have removed over 10,000 trees, which could not have happened without property owners’ cooperation. County officials added, “This service has been offered free to property owners if they grant permission to the County to do the work. In many instances, the removal of these trees on private property also eliminates hazards to landowner assets.”

Six projects remain with more than 1,100 hazard trees needed to be chopped down. County officials anticipated that all of them will be underway within the next month. Those projects are in Big Trees Village, the Arnold area, the Highway 4 corridor between Avery and Angels Camp, on county roads west of Highway 49, West Point to Mokelumne Hill, and the central county outside the perimeter of the Butte Fire.

In order to take advantage of the program, private landowners must sign a right of entry form to allow crews on their property to identify and mark trees for removal and then remove them. County officials advised, “Landowners should be aware that the county’s contractors are responsible for removing trees and debris caused by operations and repairing any damage caused by the operation. To date, there have been very few instances of minor damage and no instances of injury to workers.”

Noting that this may be the last round of tree mortality projects, county officials emphasized that there is still time to be included in those project areas if the form is returned while the work is underway. Need a form, contact Dr. Richard Harris, the program manager, at (707) 685-5508 or rrharrisconsulting@gmail.com or click here.

Regarding requirements to get the free service, county officials stress that the program only covers the removal of dead or clearly dying trees that could hit a county road if they fall. It does not cover the removal of trees that are hazardous to PG&E power lines or trees that are in the interior of parcels and cannot reach a road.