Per Leon Boroditsky, RAP Forestry Division
“There were 56 tree-related emergencies from January through April of this year in the Park;
43 trees were down or removed; 10 were limbs down, and 3 were hanging limbs.
There’s an active hawk’s nest in Mineral Wells, and RAP is waiting until the hatchlings fledge and our wildlife biologist gives the green light before maintenance can go back in and work. RAP will attempt to save the downed live oak.
Additionally, golf courses were extensively damaged : there were 61 storm-related emergencies on Griffith Park golf courses: with 40 trees removed or down, but still alive, two hanging limbs and 19 down limbs. We were able to save a few of the down oak trees.
There were also down trees along trails and while some were removed, some were pushed over the edge to become homes for wildlife.”

The past winter saw an unprecedented level of destruction from downed trees to water and debris not seen in decades flowing down canyons and overflowing catch basins. And while L.A. Park Maintenance was quickly dispatched to address problems presented by unrooted trees and collapsing branches, they were dealing with massive numbers thanks to Mother Nature, and were hard-pressed to keep up with the level of damage.

According to information obtained from Leon Boroditsky with LA RAP’s Forestry Division, 2023 saw a number of situations in the Park, from broken tree limbs to down trees (see sidebar). Many of these trees are ending up as mulch for future Park projects and the facility on Griffith Park is being kept busy these days.

~Kathryn Louyse, FoGP board member

photos: top left: a sycamore had fallen just missing the pedestrian bridge in lower Fern Dell. This past July, the roots are still evident although the tree is gone.
center, left: Behind one of the Ranger buildings, several trees collapsed across one of the hiking trails.
center/right: A huge Live oak fell near the Griffith Park Pony Ride.
lower left: Many of the down trees were hauled off to the mulching area in Griffith Park.
lower right: Mineral Wells saw many downed trees.