Bring Me the Head of...

Jim Shivers...for incompetence, dereliction of duty, wasting tax money..why is Caltrans fixated on killing ice plant and fennel while ignoring the safety and maintenance of California's highways??
Open Letter to SBCAG, Governor Dumbass, Lois Capps, the County and City of Santa Barbara, the Cities of Carpinteria , Monterey and Santa Cruz
Dear Folks,
I have watched the recent landscape projects by Caltrans with amazement and disgust..they are ripping out trees and plants in Carpinteria and installing new irrigation systems. The thinking is to replace non natives with natives for some perceived enviromental benefit. This is nothing more than non-native species hysteria..the ice plant has been here for years without problems. The eucalyptus trees were fine and should have been left alone. I have enclosed a letter/announcement from Caltrans and my comments are in red...we are chasing our tails if we think we can keep non native species away as they always come back..it's called dispersal and it is a fact of life...STOP WASTEFUL PRACTICES!!
　
from Caltrans:
Today’s Date: Thursday, November 12, 2009
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa
Cruz Counties
Contact: Jim Shivers or Colin Jones
Phone: (805) 549-3237 or (805) 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
　　
LANDSCAPING/IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENTS IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY - A project to improve erosion control, reduce storm water pollution, create new vegetation and rehabilitate irrigation systems at various interchanges along Hwy. 101 and State Route 150 in southern Santa Barbara County and Carpinteria is now underway. Improve erosion control?? Ice plant works wonders by the beach and highways to control erosion even if the nativists claim otherwise, and Caltrans removed it. Rehabilitate irrigation systems?? The irrigation systems from Padaro to Reynolds Ave were not rehabilitated, they were new installations. The ice plant and trees that were removed because of the non-native status did not need a separate irrigation system. Now Caltrans has been watering in the day time, wasting a valuable resource that we are paying for!! I thought they said native plants needed LESS water!!
This project includes the removal of the invasive Ice Plant in selected locations. Ice plant is not invasive ..Caltrans planted it around Padaro Lane a few years ago!! Trees that are dead or decaying will be replaced to ensure the continuity of landscape along the corridor. Two healthy trees at Reynolds Ave off ramp were cut down for no reason!! After close consultation with the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioners Office, it is anticipated that only six Monterey Pine Trees will be removed, which is far less than originally planned.
Caltrans goal is to preserve as much of the landscaping as possible while working to maintain the environment by preventing erosion and pollution in the area. BULLSHIT!! what erosion and what pollution??
Work on this project is expected to take place Monday through Friday from 7 am to 4 pm.
Much of the replacement planting will be drought tolerant and adaptable to Santa Barbara County. These plants will aid in weed suppression and slope stabilization/erosion control. "Drought tolerant"..then why over fifty new irrigation control boxes!!?? Weeds are not a problem..they are a welcome addition to the roadside…fennel and ice plant support many species from birds to insects…and they always grow back due to dispersal, nature’s method of distributing species!! A once yearly preventive maintenance schedule will control them!
-more-
The contractor for this $1.6 million project is American West Landscape, Inc of Chino, CA. This project should be completed by the end of 2010 and will include a three year plant establishment period. $1.6 million dollars divided by approx 30 trees planted equals $53000 per tree!!
Caltrans reminds motorists that ‘we’re here to get you there’.
Why is Caltrans wasting tax money on superfluous projects while ignoring real safety issues like highway maintenance..the roads are in terrible shape and they are ripping out ice plant due to invasive species hysteria enabled by the County Ag Commission! Mr. Shivers should resign and be replaced with new, competent leadership ….
For traffic updates on other state highway projects in Santa Barbara County, motorists can call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-568-0858 or visit the District 5 website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/maint/road/upsb.htm

I would suggest Mr. Shivers become a native gardener at the nonprofit Botanical Gardens...