A man in his 70s was killed by a branch that fell from a eucalyptus tree in Carlsbad recently amid high winds, city spokeswoman Kristina Ray said. The man was getting out of his car at Holiday Park when he was struck by an 8-inch-diameter branch.
Although this accident did not occur at a public school, EH&A strongly urges school leaders to evaluate all trees, especially eucalyptus, for safety. A trained arborist can recognize dangerous branches and advise on the proper removal. Some consider the eucalyptus a “wonder tree” for its beauty and medicinal value, while others call it the “widow maker” because of its tendency to drop branches in the summer or simply collapse without warning.
Last year students at Miramar Ranch Elementary narrowly missed being struck by a falling Eucalyptus branch. Associates at EH&A do not recommend planting eucalyptus trees on any public property. If you do have these trees on your grounds, they should be trimmed extensively.
