A Walk with an Arborist
On July 24, 2025, the creators of Happy Tree Walks SD had the privilege of walking Bankers Hill with City Arborist Thomas Zlatik. Along the walk we visited Fifth Avenue’s struggling street trees and Third Avenue’s glorious ones, ending at the local Sisters Pizza for lunch. We saw an array of trees and learned that San Diego’s urban forest is the most diverse in the country! As Thomas says, “A diverse forest is a healthy one.”
Here’s what we learned about San Diego’s urban forest, and what you need to know before engaging with street trees in your area.
Street trees are the responsibility of the Department of Transportation, who house the Urban Forestry department.
Residents who wish to prune their street trees require a permit from the City; they currently have a No Fee Street Tree Permit program that allows residents to apply for this permit for free. Here’s the link to the application.
The trees outside the towers along Fifth Avenue are owned by the city, but building owners are responsible for immediate care and maintenance of these trees. City arborists are trained to a high standard for tree pruning and maintenance, so if you see chopped branches or general poor pruning, it’s safe to assume that private contractors did that. If you have concerns about these trees, speak to the building managers first.
If you have concerns about any tree in the city, use the Get It Done App to request an urban forester site visit. The requests go directly to the arborists, who do a site assessment, file a work order, complete the work order, and then return to the site to ensure the issue’s been fixed. This entire process usually takes about a year. The app keeps track of your request status for you. Here’s a link to the online Get it Done portal.
Bioswales, which have recently been planted along Fifth Ave, are the jurisdiction of the Stormwater Department. Trees are great contributions to bioswales and are worth advocating for.
Urban Forestry is complicated. Three different departments care for the trees of San Diego: DoT (street trees), Parks & Rec (park trees - think green grass), and Open Spaces (canyons). That’s why the Get It Done App is the easiest way to advocate for your local trees: The location component helps requests go to the correct department.
Along with important resources about how to engage with street trees, we also explored the many different species of trees we passed on our walk. Strawberry trees, according to Mr. Zlatic, are a San Diego favorite for their successful growth habits and delicious edible fruits. Many trees in the Myrtle family succeed in San Diego’s mediterranean environment as well, although the Australian Myrtles like Eucalyptus do so well that they have become invasive. (You’ll notice these trees growing all over Bankers Hill’s canyons. Although beautiful, these trees make it difficult for native plants to establish because of the toxic chemicals released in their fallen leaves.) Chinese elm trees are also great shade trees because of their wide, weeping canopies and vigorous growth.Finally Thomas gave us his opinion of native trees in urban areas: their naturally large growth habit make them difficult to place, but given the space, he thinks their benefits for the environment and adaptations for the area make them great options.
Overall, our walk was elucidating and inspiring. We hope that these tips and resources inspire you to get outside and meet some trees!
