The 77 stone pine trees lining Anapamu Street — jeopardized in recent months by drought conditions and a beetle infestation — are faring better, thanks to 56 recently installed watering devices, according to the City of Santa Barbara’s parks and rec team.
Those devices — irricades, which let the trees sip 125 gallons of water over a 10-12-hour period — came courtesy of the Pearl Chase Society, which wrote a $14,560 check late last year to save the trees. “These trees are important to our built environment, as they are a visual testament to our city’s enduring history and beauty,” said Society board president Barbara Lowenthal.
Before the irricades were installed, the Parks and Recreation Department watered the trees by hand, which took away staff time from trying to care for other trees in the city. Four of the stone pines, killed by the drought, had to be cut down in October.