City evaluating what can be done to save San Jacinto Christmas tree

Can the San Jacinto Christmas tree be saved?

There are reports that construction crews may have killed it during the beautification project.

Many close to the situation believe the tree can still be saved.

But some are blaming the City and the contractor for disturbing the area around the tree, leaving its future in question.

“There has been some damage done to it,” said Jim Tolbert, local environmentalist.

Tolbert believes the tree has suffered significant damage.

“It’s not beyond where it can be saved according to my understanding,” Tolbert said. “You’re talking about a tree that might have another 30 years of life.”

Tolbert said the tree’s roots have been disturbed by construction workers who weren’t following the City’s own rules about preserving trees.

“If we’re going to keep that tree, we’re going to have to follow the City manual about you don’t drive trucks underneath it, you don’t put concrete up close to it,” Tolbert said.

And who’s to blame?

“You have a contractor but you also have City engineering people overlooking the contract, so the City engineering people failed to do anything about it and the contractor failed to do something about it,” Tolbert said.

Other El Pasoans said historic things should be saved.

“It’s like anything that’s part of history, preserve it because you aren’t gonna get it back,” Ann Yates said.

The City of El Paso’s Fred Lopez, assistant to the Chief Financial Officer, who oversees the city’s Capital Improvement Program of which this project is a part, sent ABC-7 the following statement.

“Since learning from the City Arborist and other tree experts that the large pine tree in San Jacinto Plaza was damaged, the City of El Paso has carefully weighed all of its options to save it. The city’s assessment of all options on how best to save this valuable community asset continues. At this time, no decision has been made and we will continue to update the community as information becomes available.“