The Palisades’ Perfect Tree

Palisadian Greg Willis Explains His Mission to Plant a Shady New Addition in The Village

By GREG WILLIS | Special to the Palisadian-Post

Our community was outraged last year when it became public knowledge that many trees would fall victim to construction on Rick Caruso’s Palisades Village project.

Residents protest loudly every time a tree is removed from our streets. In the case of the Caruso project, the sheer number of trees to be felled brought that outrage to a fever pitch.

Amid all the consternation, I wondered why no organization had planted a tree in one of the most visible and desirable locations in Pacific Palisades: in front of Chase Bank on Sunset.

I realized that it was because of the large, rotting ficus stump that’s long occupied the spot. Anyone considering planting a tree there was probably waiting for the city to remove it—but good luck with that!

I figured if I wanted to see a tree there, I would have to do it myself.

First, I’d have to deal with all the paperwork—and find a way to pay for it.

I launched my nonprofit, Palisades Together, to collect donations and got certified through the state.

Then I researched the dizzying process required to plant a tree on LA streets.

When I applied to Urban Forestry for the permit, they told me it might take years before the city removed the stump.

I asked if I could remove it myself—the representative sounded a little incredulous that I would offer to do so.

But they issued me a permit to demo the stump, and I went to work.

It turned out that the wood was so rotten that removing it was fairly easily.

As my friend Monte and I lifted the stump, Palisadian-Post Staff Photographer Rich Schmitt snapped pictures. A small article ran the next week with information about the project.

I was a little disappointed that no one reached out to me after that, but I wasn’t discouraged. There was still plenty of work to go.

Before I could excavate the hole further, I worked with an organization called Dig Alert to make sure it was safe. With that process cleared, I started digging.

And digging.

The dirt was full of roots and hard as a rock, and heavy rain and two procedures on my spine held me back even further.

A lack of funds made the work much harder. I ended up removing the half-ton or so of soil I dug out by filling up grocery bags and loading up my car with them.

But eventually I managed to dig a hole large enough that Urban Forestry approved it for the largest tree that could be planted: a 36-inch box.

I was growing devastated that still no one had contacted me to offer to help with funding or to offer encouragement.

But I had to let that go. Seeing the tree every time I came to The Village was my only motivation.

And now the digging was done.

In my job as a driver for the film industry, I have been to South Coast Botanic Garden many times, so I reached out to them for help in identifying the best tree to plant.

(Tanya Finney, the superintendent there, was a great help to me.)

First I considered the Chinese flame tree, but the tendency for its branches to sag concerned me, as it would be located so close to the street.

And the fact that its leaves fall pretty much convinced me to look at other options. (I’m from Michigan; bare trees give me the shivers.)

I also looked into desert-willows, which are extremely drought-resistant and bloom pink flowers in the summer.

But I was put off by its large seedpods, which can make a mess, and the fact that it is a multi-trunked tree, which would cause issues in close proximity to the street.

I kept searching, until one day in Santa Monica, I found a number of trees that seemed just right. I sent pictures back to Tanya, and she informed me that they were Podocarpus gracilior, also known as African fern pines.

She was very enthusiastic about this species: It’s drought and pest resistant, it grows in just about any soil and it won’t destroy the sidewalk.

When she added that it was an evergreen that provided dense shade, I was sold.

Darryl Williams, an Urban Forestry field agent, was also enthusiastic. His department surveyed the area and determined that, indeed, it would be a great tree for the Palisades.

Next I had to find the tree itself: A healthy fern pine with a straight trunk and the perfect shape.

I went to the land of soaring temperatures that is the San Fernando Valley, to Moon Valley Nursery, where they helped me find our perfect tree.

They even knocked the price down considerably because I was going to transport and plant the tree myself.

Actually, not completely by myself.

My 15-year-old nephew Chandler came to visit California for his first time just a couple days before planting day, and that was no accident!

We rented a large stake truck to pick up the tree, which weighed all of 800 pounds.

When we got to the Palisades, we got it standing at the site, but it would hardly budge.

Thankfully, I collared a couple likely looking victims who were passing by, and with their help we managed to get the tree down into the ground.

On Friday, June 23, Arnie Wishnick of the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce, to whom the tree is dedicated, Chandler and I all assembled at the site for the official planting.

I had absolutely no idea how we were going to get the tree in the hole.

Thankfully some friendly passersby were once again willing to jump in and help, and with a dolly that the guys at Designer’s Rug Resource kindly lent us, we maneuvered the tree so that the base was over the hole. With one mighty push the tree teetered over the edge and landed perfectly, right on the money!

After all that time, the project was done.

I couldn’t have done it on my own. My longtime friend and neighbor, Frank Langen, of In the Canyon Realty, was the first person to pledge his support.

Former Post Editor-in-Chief Frances Sharpe and her husband Will, who I’ve known for years, also generously contributed. Corinne Karr, a Palisadian and one of my closest friends, made a significant contribution too.

I even received one unsolicited contribution from Janie and Allan Orenstein. They made their contribution in the name of Bill and Cindy Simon.

If they only knew how much I appreciated their kind donation—it made all the difference to me.

I also couldn’t have finished the project without the trust and support of the Chamber of Commerce.

For all who helped me out, from the donors to the people who simply stopped as they walked by, my wish is that you have a sense of pride and propriety every time you see that tree.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Willis’ next project will be to plant a yellow magnolia in front of Toppings Yogurt on Via De La Paz. To aid in that effort, contact him at palisadestogether@yahoo.com.