Urgent: Protect the Gibbons Drive Trees – Action Needed!

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Our community faces a critical decision that may permanently alter the landscape, environment, history and character of our community. 

The City of Alameda Public Works Department has drafted a Gibbons Drive Sidewalks and Trees Plan that could eliminate up to 45 healthy, mature Liquidambar trees along Gibbons Drive over the next six years, wiping out 40% of the iconic canopy. Even more alarming, the current draft leaves open the possibility that the entire population of over 112 historic trees could be completely gone within 15 to 20 years.

While we fully support safe and accessible sidewalks, removing these historic trees should be a last resort. Viable, tree-friendly alternatives exist, such as repairing and upgrading existing sidewalks (most are 35-60 years old), introducing meandering sidewalks and curb bulb-outs. Our survey results of 108 respondents show that most Gibbons homeowners would prefer the sidewalk to meander onto their property, and most are open to sacrificing parking if it will preserve the trees. The city's current plan to replace a century-old canopy of 70–100-foot trees (the largest and most iconic canopy of trees in Alameda) with 8–10-foot saplings will create an environmental deficit that will take 30 to 50+ years to recover:

• Carbon and Air Quality Loss: A single mature tree (70-100 feet in height) absorbs roughly 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. Removing these trees eliminates thousands of pounds of annual carbon absorption and strips away a natural filtration system that currently removes air pollution, such as car exhaust.
• Increased Localized Heat: Shaded asphalt remains 20°F to 45°F cooler than unshaded surfaces. Without a canopy of trees, temperatures will rise dramatically, impacting the natural airflow and cooling in the summer.
• Flooding and Erosion Risks: a mature canopy absorbs 15% to 27% of annual rainfall. Stripping these trees will instantly divert tens of thousands of gallons of rainwater directly into Alameda's storm drains during winter storms, heightening flooding and erosion risks.
• Ecological Damage: The loss of the canopy will negatively impact local biodiversity, and nesting corridors for migratory birds and raptors.  

We need your voice to show city officials that our community demands a solution that improves accessibility and preserves our vital urban forest. Please take immediate action in two ways:

1. Write to City Leadership Today. Urge them to reject the current Plan as written and adopt a more preservation-focused approach while exploring alternative sidewalk and curb repair methods that keep our mature trees intact as long as possible. Request more community input. Email the following groups:

a) City Council members at citycouncil-list@alamedaca.gov;

b) Alameda Planning Board at jwarner@alamedaca.gov (Jennifer Warner can distribute your emails to the Planning Board);

c)  Commission on Persons with Disabilities at ada@alamedaca.gov. 

2. Attend upcoming meetings held in the Alameda Council Chambers on the 3rd Floor of City Hall, located at 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501. Join in person or via Zoom to voice your concerns (the Zoom link is posted three days prior to each meeting here, click on the applicable meeting agenda and see "Zoom registration”): 

a) Planning Board: Monday, October 12th at 7:00 PM.

b) Commission on Persons with Disabilities: Wednesday, October 14th at 6:30pm

We agree that the sidewalks and curbs need to be repaired. We don’t agree with the City’s aggressive plan to default to removing these majestic trees to make the repairs. We must act now before these historic and iconic trees are lost forever. 

For more information visit www.SaveGibbonsTrees.org or contact the Alamedans for Gibbons Trees group at GibbonsTrees@gmail.com.