Losing Santa Barbara’s “Welcome” Tree

This is about the beautiful “Sentinel” tree. Everyone seems to know and love this tree.

Meanwhile, Caltrans marches closer and closer, and I worry.

The Caltrans PR people say, also sadly, the tree is not planned for and will be removed.

I am truly devastated. I believe they could have worked around it.

I see this very old tree as sacred to Santa Barbara. It guards that south “Entry to the City” and welcomes us home.