Nearly 1K Trees To Be Removed At Nut Tree Airport

SOLANO COUNTY, CA – Nearly 1,000 trees will be removed to improve pilot safety at the Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville, according to an agreement approved Tuesday by the Solano County Board of Supervisors.

The trees are located on properties owned by the city of Vacaville, Solano County, Solano County Community College and the Jimmy Doolittle Center, county officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires the tree removal because they pose a safety risk to pilots arriving and departing from the public use, county-owned airport near the interchange between Interstate
Highways 80 and 505.

Removing the trees also will bring the airport into compliance with state standards and county airspace protection policies, county officials said.

Most of the trees slated for removal are non-native eucalyptus trees. Others include 46 fruit ornamental trees and a dozen oak trees.

The Board of Supervisors last month also approved planting 1.5 trees for every tree removed. Nearly 1,500 native trees will be planted.

The cost to remove and mitigate the 999 trees is $324,089, including $230,289 for tree removal.

The Solano County General Services' Airport Fund will pay $164,545 of the total cost and other agencies are splitting the remaining $159,544.

The tree removal will begin this month.

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--Bay City News/Image via Mead & Hunt, Inc. tree removal study