Tree-huggers will take heart from L.A. Observed's highlighting a page from the Web site of the city's shadowy Urban Forestry Division. (Hmm, could that be a three-word definition of “budget cut”?) The page lists trees in L.A. that have been designated historic-cultural monuments. The great thing about these is that they are “street trees” that we pass every day, and not necessarily ones found in some distant canyon. Some are on traffic islands, others line roadways. And some aren't even with us any more. (I'm thinking of Monument No. 24.0, “Coast Live Oak in median island on Louise Avenue 210 feet south of Ventura Boulevard.”) Such trees carry another designation: Deceased.

According to the Urban Forestry site, “Except in the interest of public safety after inspection by a Division Certified Arborist, no Historic-Cultural Monument tree shall be removed without public posting, notification of intent provided to the Historic-Cultural Monument Commission, and a public hearing held before the Board of Public Works . . . . No pruning permits shall be issued for Historic-Cultural Monument street trees.”

The site doesn't say anything about not being able to carve your name into them.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.