On May 8, Friends of the Pines learned that the City of Sanibel planned to remove 15 Australian pines from Roadside City Park, which is located just west of Donax Street on Periwinkle Way. City officials feared that the tall trees, which border Periwinkle Way, might topple during an extreme wind event such as a hurricane. Because workers are currently preparing the Island for hurricane season, City administrators targeted the pines for removal lest they fall and block the Periwinkle Way evacuation route.
City of Sanibel Ordinance No. 06-021 gives the City "the right to remove Australian pines from City parks, City right-of-ways and other City property." It also allows the City Manager to opt for trimming the tops of Australian pines to reduce wind resistance and increase stability in order to protect against the danger posed to City public infrastructure.
Friends of the Pines prevailed upon City Manager Judie Zimomra to consider having the targeted pines topped rather than removed. These historic trees are the only remaining Australian pines along Periwinkle Way, whose renowned canopy was decimated by Category 4 Hurricane Charley in August of 2004. They have withstood many catastrophic storms during their long history, including - most recently - Charley and Wilma.
Zimomra responded by immediately halting the removal of these pines until such time as the City Attorney had reviewed the applicable legislation in order to advise the City Manager and Council Members of the best course of action, within the guidelines of the Ordinance.
Meanwhile, many concerned citizens contacted City Council and staff and urged them to consider topping the pines in this particular location, rather than removing them.
At the May 20 City Council meeting, Mayor Mick Denham asked Zimomra to report the decision that had been made regarding the Australian pines at Roadside City Park. Zimomra summarized the City's initial reasons for removing the 15 pines, but said staff had reconsidered the situation and agreed that topping the trees at 40 to 50 feet in height would suffice to protect the Periwinkle Way evacuation route in case any of these pines fell. She also noted that the cost of topping was much lower than that of removal, although the trees will have to be re-topped periodically, so there will be ongoing expense.
Friends of the Pines applaud the City's decision to "top, rather than chop." This approach is in keeping with Florida Statute Title XXVIII, Chapter 369.252, which sanctions "maintenance control" as an alternative to eradication of invasive exotic plants on public lands. The pine support group urges all owners of Australian pines to manage their trees, especially those that could damage their own, neighbors' or public property if they fell.
Friends of the Pines offers a free pamphlet explaining the risks of allowing pines to grow unmanaged. For more information, send an e-mail to friendsofthepines@msn.com or visit www.australianpines.org.

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