Our Canary Date Palms – the gargantuan giants that march down Plymouth and Windsor Blvds and many other streets in the Hancock Park and Park La Brea areas – are under attack.
Many were hit hard by the violent windstorms a few weeks ago that knocked some of these big fellas down like matchsticks. It’s heartbreaking to see the humongous trees be-headed as if by guillotine – their prickly frond-heavy heads smashed on the streets. One tree on my street lost its entire head – blown to the middle of the street and fortunately not damaging life or property.
But it gets worse – we’ve now learned that Canary Date Palms are also being dug up along the 10 freeway in the Mid-City area (among other LA locales),  and carted away  to be sold for a profit. NBC4 reports on this latest outrage in State Sues Alleged Palm Rustlers, or you can view the story on video below. It appears that a Caltrans employee may have been in cahoots with a non-profit front called Global Trees to dig up the trees in the dark of night and sell them off.
View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.