De Anza heard the cry of “timber!” last week, as the trees inParking Lot A went to that great old-growth forest in heaven. DeAnza plans to target 180 trees for removal, said Donna Jones-Dulin,director of college services.
The trees were removed to enlarge Parking Lots A and B, which willbe consolidated into one parking lot over the summer session.Construction workers will resurface the lots, and repaint parkinglines.
Plans call for 369 new parking spots in the fall. Lot B and theeast Stelling entrance will close on July 7 for construction. DeAnza plans to have the new, larger parking lot open in time forfall classes.
Measure E funds were allocated to the project at about $20,000 perparking space, said Jones-Dulin.
Lot C, located outside the physical education complex, will closein October for the construction of a 3-story parking structure thatwill hold 1,800 cars. The new parking structure will cost $15.4million Measure E dollars.

Trees will be cut in the summer from Lot B, and in the winter fromLot C, to make room for the extra parking spaces.

Jones-Dulin said that some students had raised concerns about thetree removal last week, and that she tried as best as she could toaddress those concerns. She referred them to a large blueprint thatshe keeps in her office, and a recent tree evaluation reportwritten by Walt Fujii, a certified arborist who works for RalphOsterling Consultants.

In a phone interview, Fujii said that the trees that he looked atwere planted too close together, and were fighting for resources.40 years ago, when they were originally put in, arborists plantedthem closely for effect, rather than long-term growth.

Fujii inspected 135 native specimen trees, the majority beingdeodar cedars. According to the district’s Measure E environmentalimpact report, each native specimen tree that De Anza cuts downmust be replaced with a new, 24-inch tree of the same species innew landscaping.

The new native trees will be planted in one to two years, after theschool finishes Measure E construction, said Jones-Dulin.

The redwood trees that were cut last week were not deemed nativetrees by the City of Cupertino, because they traditionally grow onthe coast, instead of further inland. A volunteer at theEnvironmental Study Area on campus took two large redwood treesthat he plans to build into benches for the school.

The remainder of the trees went to a local logger who will turnthem into lumber.

De Anza’s environmental impact report states that the trees cutmust be recycled in a responsible manner, and kept out of the wastestream.

When economically possible, the school has traditionally chosen torelocate a tree instead of cutting it down. Last year, De Anzamoved two large coastal live oak trees to the Flint Center and theCDC for $18,000.

Jones-Dulin wanted to save a third coastal live oak last year, butsaid that it would cost the school $30,000, which was tooexpensive.