Unkept Trees Pose Serious Threat

Unkept Trees Pose Serious Threat 

By Carlos C. Franco

Oceanside, California

07/16/07 

Oceanside,
has had some good press in recent years for it's efforts in trying to
reduce crime, bring in new business (possible new Chargers stadium,
waterfront resorts, revamped boardwalk) and just overall exorcise its
run down salty image. But a in a visit today to one of its community
gardens, it became apparent that someone has been sleeping on the job.

The
community garden off of Mission Ave, is a great place to plant your own
organic crops, trade gardening tips with fellow patrons, or just spend
your lunch hour marveling at all the differnt types of flowers that
this climate can bring to bear. However, today at the garden, was only
good for thanking your lucky stars that you didn't get a tree branch to
the back of the head while gardening. Having a plot at the garden (the
one directly under the fallen tree branch) and spending about 8 hours a
week there (tending to weeds and teaching my group of developmentally
delayed adults vocational landscaping skills) I have come to notice
some possible things for improvement, mainly the trees. My group is one
of about 4 that share the garden plot for educational and recreational
endevors, and it has come to my attention (in the form of a leafy,
potentially deadly way) that The City of Oceanside might do well for
it's citizens and image, by investing some needed funding and attention
to keeping it's recreational lands in safe operating order.