Bird Rock Replacement Pine to Be Planted in December
The smaller 24-inch box tree replaces a Canary Island pine that toppled after repeated vandalism, at a cost of $30,000.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Botany
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Bird Rock Community Council will replace a Canary Island pine tree that was vandalized and toppled on May 9, at 5443 La Jolla Blvd. The replacement, a semi-mature 24-inch box tree, is expected to be planted in December, barring inclement weather. This is a planned replacement, not an operational or research development.
Why it matters
The incident shows how repeated cuts to a tree's base can bring down a mature specimen, and it has prompted a felony vandalism report filed with the San Diego Police Department. Replacing the tree with a smaller specimen at a cost of $30,000 reflects the practical expense of urban street-tree care in a neighborhood like Bird Rock.
The figures come from a Bird Rock Community Council cost estimate, not an audited report, with more than $20,000 attributed to the tree and as much as $10,000 to emergency cleanup, planting, irrigation, and installation. The replacement is a semi-mature 24-inch box tree that conforms to city requirements, and the report does not establish who made the cuts or whether the suspect has been identified.
The players
Bird Rock Community Council
The neighborhood council for Bird Rock that oversees local landscape maintenance and filed the felony vandalism report.
San Diego Police Department
The city's police agency that received the felony vandalism report over the toppled tree.
Urban Landcare
The contractor that maintains San Diego's urban landscape, which switched to fully electronic maintenance tools this year and whose contract was renewed.
The details
Incisions were first observed at the base of the Canary Island pine on Feb. 13 and again two days later, with additional trunk cuts found on May 6, when crews placed caution tape around the tree. Repeated cuts to the base weakened the trunk until the tree toppled around 4:30 a.m. on May 9, injuring no one and striking no vehicles. Funds for the replacement come from the Maintenance Assessment District budget, the local fund that pays for neighborhood landscape upkeep.
Timeline
Feb. 13: first incisions observed on the tree at 5443 La Jolla Blvd.
May 6: additional trunk cuts found and caution tape placed around the tree.
May 9: the tree toppled around 4:30 a.m.
Nov. 3: the community council reported the $30,000 estimated cost at a meeting.
December: the replacement tree is expected to be planted, barring inclement weather.
The Tech Race
Urban Landcare's move to fully electronic maintenance tools this year is the one technology change tied to the contract in the source, and its renewal means that shift carries forward. The extraction does not name a competing contractor, product roadmap, or prior milestone in the same field, so no wider competitive comparison can be drawn.
Residents near 5443 La Jolla Blvd. will see the toppled tree replaced with a smaller, semi-mature 24-inch box tree once it is planted, expected in December barring bad weather. Anyone seeking the community council's update can attend its holiday party at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 5518 La Jolla Blvd.
The takeaway
Watch for the replacement planting in December, which will show whether the smaller tree takes hold at the median. The community council's holiday party on Dec. 1 is the next public checkpoint for updates on the project.
What happens next
The replacement Canary Island pine is expected to be planted in December, barring inclement weather, and the Bird Rock Community Council holiday party takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 5518 La Jolla Blvd.
Further reading
For the plant science behind trees like this one, see the Botany section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Diego Union-Tribune.
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