'A neighborhood piece of art': Why this couple is working to save a local tree

“It’s a neighborhood piece of art,” Karen Traina told KNX’s Nataly Tavidian Saturday as they stood near a decades-old tree at Daille and Rockview drives in Torrance, Calif. “There’s not another tree like this.”

Traina said that it is the only shade tree in the area. She also said that it’s a community landmark, that it provides material for local school children to make projects and provides a home for wildlife.

“It’s a seasonal tree,” that changes color in the fall, Karen explained. “It also is the roosting place every year for a red-tailed hawk. We have owls.”

According to the Daily Breeze , the Liquid Amber Tree took root around 50 years ago. These trees, also known as American sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ) have unique, spiny fruits that hang year-round and star-shaped leaves that can grow up to 7 inches long, per the National Audubon Society .

Karen and her partner, Nick Traina, have been living in the shade of the tree since 1971, when they bought their first home. They’ve lived there ever since. Through the years, the house has changed, and so has the tree. It’s grown so much that some now consider it a hazard, since its roots appear to be lifting the nearby sidewalk.

However, the Trainas said that things have been that way for around 20 years already and that the tree offers more positives than negatives. They have lovingly added plants at its base, decorations, a paved path near it and even said they paid $600 to have it trimmed.

“The city is listening to us and has come out here and we feel good about it,” said Nick. Karen added that an engineer said that they may be able to fix the area surrounding the tree, including the curb and sidewalk, without impacting what Karen said is a very healthy tree.

The Daily Breeze said the Trainas first received notice that the tree might be cut down in November of 2022. They received a tree removal notice from the city that referenced the Torrance School Safety and Accessibility Program I-188, said the outlet. Karen immediately wrote to the city. Then, another notice went up this week.

Stephanie Holst, engineering manager with the public works department, said that the city has to prioritize safety, per the Daily Breeze. The Trainas have hope that the tree they have grown to love can be safely spared.

Karen said she wants people to see how important it is, “what a beauty it is, what it does for people who want five minutes of just calm, [a] stress free moment from coming up either side, the north of the south side of the streets, down on our main boulevards of Pacific Coast Highway and Sepulveda for a rest.”