Protestors are now at the Elkins Avenue Gate in Arcadia as I type this e-mail, to oppose the unnecessary destruction of the Arcadia Oak Woodland with their physical presence. Banners are up. There may be protestors sitting in the biggest oak trees, I am not sure. Sheriffs vehicles are present. I hope the news media covers this brave, last ditch effort by ordinary citizens to save the ancient oaks and other majestic trees. The County is moving forward to cut down the trees and then bulldoze plants and animals on the site, perhaps as soon as today. After that, 30 feet of sediment will be dumped where the oak woodland has existed for centuries. This is a shocking, unnecessary tragedy in progress. I am appalled.

I attended the Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday along with approx. 25 other persons, to implore Supervisor Antonovich and the other Supervisors to spare the trees and at least extend the moratorium against removal of the woodland. We waited hours to speak. We were then told that because there were so many of us — a strong indication on a work day of public support for the oaks — that our time to speak would be reduced from 3 minutes to 1 minute per person. That's 30 seconds for each century the oaks have lived.

By the time we were allowed to speak, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky had left to attend a funeral. He was present for other important business, but not for the oaks. It became painfully clear that we were being heard "pro forma" and that no one on the Board was listening. It was frustrating, disrespectful and intimidating to speak to an inattentive Board that would not even make eye contact with each speaker. No questions were asked of speakers. No discussion nor comment was made by the Board regarding our assertions. We had been given our 60 seconds and were expected to leave.

Prior to us speaking, Antonovich read a portion of a letter sent to the Board from the City of Arcadia. The City is finally understanding that it has been complicit in the destruction of its own oak woodland so that the County can dump sediment from sites outside their community on their parkland and near their own trails. There will be noise, pollution, traffic and adverse impacts on local residents even after the woodland is gone. Too little, too late.

Supervisor Antonovich invited the DPW Assistant Deputy Director, Mr. Stone, and Watershed Division staff to speak before we had our opportunity to address the Board. He asked them a few questions, then failed to challenge their inaccurate responses. It was quite orchestrated.

Antonovich then read a proposed Motion to the Board of Supervisors before hearing the public speak. That Motion states that future sediment removal processes will be "studied" and allocates money to do that and revegetate the 30 foot high mountain of dirt after the old oaks are gone and the dirt dump is full.

The Motion incorrectly states that the DPW met with "stakeholders" at a public meeting in 2007 about the current project. At that meeting in 2007 only 10 local residents were present. That's right, 10. No conservation organizations, concerned biologists, trail users, oak preservationists, City of Monrovia reps, or other regional "stakeholders" were there… just 10 neighbors. The inadequate notification and public outreach for the project does not meet CEQA requirements. I requested that the County pull the attendance records to check on its facts before going forward with the Motion, but doubt anyone will bother.

Proposing that Motion before hearing public testimony was inappropriate. It indicated that the oak woodland was doomed before any of us opened our mouths to speak. That is not how our political process is intended to work. So much for government "By the People," as inscribed on the marble walls of the Board of Supervisor's own chamber. The deafness to public concern, to the petition signed by 1,833 persons, and lack of consideration of alternatives presented in the project's EIR was astonishing and shameful, especially after the DPW itself admitted that existing sediment placement sites could handle all the sediment from Santa Anita Dam without destroying the oak woodland.

I have seldom been so utterly disappointed by a lack of fair consideration and manipulation of due process. Supervisor Antonovich could've easily ordered an extension of the moratorium so that the DPW's report, which we received just over a week ago, could be contested and options explored. Instead, the DPW has been allowed to fly under the radar, hire the contractor, order the sediment conveyor belt… in other words, spend taxpayer's money. That adds an embarrassment and perceived cost factor to stopping the destruction of the oak woodland. It means the Supervisors had allowed a bad project to go too far without proper oversight. That said, alternatives are being ignored that would use the contractor, conveyor belt and not delay sediment removal or increase project costs. Why is that?

Expediency, embarrassment, and a cover-up of past neglect have trumped a living, irreplaceable woodland and its wildlife.

The small frogs, butterflies, salamanders, chipmunks and other creatures in the lovely woodland this morning are unaware that they will soon face unimaginable Armageddon as their home trees come crashing down and their burrows and hiding places are crushed. Their habitat will be bulldozed into a barren dirt dump. The teens I overheard while walking through the woodland were right, whoever would do this should go watch Avatar a few more times. They don't get it and do not deserve the authority and power they have been given over the land.

I deeply regret conveying this bad news; however, all of you who worked to save the oak woodland deserve to know what is happening. Thank you for caring. At this point, we can only bear witness to the devastation. Later, we can remember all this when we vote for those who represent us.

If you wish to express your anger over the loss of the woodland and to request, at this last moment, that the trees be spared, contact:

… Maybe you will get your own 60 seconds speak when you call. 

Respectfully,

Lori