UKIAH, CA., 12/6/25 – The city of Ukiah will be holding a public meeting Thursday for community members to give feedback about a potential improvement project downtown that could lead to the removal of Chinese pistache trees that turn vibrant shades of red and orange.
According to a press release sent by the city, the meeting will be to discuss the School Street Multimodal Transportation Corridor Study, which began in December 2024 and is being funded by a Caltrans grant called the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant.
The city’s statement reads, “Forum attendees will have an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities to help determine things like sidewalk width, parking, and traffic circulation. Discussion topics will include streetscape amenities like lighting, public art, furniture, and trees.”
The possibility of removing Chinese pistache trees in downtown was recently contested by Ukiah residents through a Change.org petition started by local Dennis O’Brien. It requests that the city does not interfere with the beloved trees that many believe are the heart and soul of downtown Ukiah. The petition had 2,936 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
According to the city of Ukiah, the transportation study aims to research and propose changes to the vehicular and pedestrian paths on School Street in downtown Ukiah from Clay Street to Henry Street. The goal of the study is to maintain the charm of School Street while also enhancing walkability and solving ongoing maintenance issues occurring in this section of downtown Ukiah.
There will also be a “walking audit” before the public meeting for community members to meet with engineers and ask questions about the study while walking along School Street to observe existing conditions.
The public forum will be held at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center at 200 S. School St. on Thursday, Dec. 11 from 5:30-7 p.m.
The walking audit will begin before the forum at 3:45 p.m. and will also start at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center. For more information on the study and for a link to access the forum virtually, people can visit this link.
Let’s get this Multi-Modal project going….trees can be replanted plus they will be placed in places that doesn’t rip up infrastructure.
Let’s also build for a usable downtown…
https://youtube.com/shorts/hCzXttWO_B0?si=OVC425facVrwhhHI
Chinese pistache trees are not native. Because native insects have never encountered them before, they have not had the necessary time (millennia) to evolve resistance to the defense chemicals in their leaves and cannot eat them. Insects, especially caterpillars, are essential to native food webs and especially the survival of baby birds. Yes, adult birds eat Chinese pistache berries, but they don’t get the nutrients they need in the season they need them. Let’s take the long view and replant with native trees that will support our wildlife.