Cops...

My guerrilla garden happens to be in one of the most highly policed areas of Santa Barbara.

The cops come down to the tracks every few weeks or so to run the houseless folks off. Usually they'll write a trespassing ticket and if the hapless individual happens to fit their profile, the coppers will search them for drugs.

The city and railroad company (Union Pacific) happen to cooperate in attacking the little community of folks who live and hang out around the tracks. The company, knowing that the area provides nice shelter under the oaks, palms, and other shrubs, came through last month and chopped down many of the older trees and all of the underbrush. They almost went far enough up the line to destroy my garden, but luckily it was saved!

What's really got me down about their chainsaw/chipper/shredder treatment of my tracks is that they reduced several beautiful stands of Islay trees to mulch. Islay trees are native shrubs that produce berries (commonly called Holly Leaf Cherries) which can be eaten after leaching out the tannins. The Chumash used to harvest them.

This year I sprouted several Islay saplings from seed. Perhaps I'll put them down in my garden this fall, for rebirth and renewal.