Pasadena Unified District (Photo – Colorado Boulevard)
Pasadena Unified plans to remove several mature, protected trees from Longfellow Magnet School’s front lawn so crews can excavate soil contaminated after the Eaton Fire, a decision the district says is necessary for the campus to reopen without long-term environmental restrictions.
By News Desk
Tree removal is expected to begin early next week, followed by excavation and soil disposal. PUSD said the work is necessary to complete the cleanup and return the campus to unrestricted educational use.
The district evaluated alternatives intended to preserve the trees but concluded that none could meet state cleanup requirements and return students safely to campus within a reasonable timeframe.
An arborist’s review found that the trees’ critical structural roots overlap with contaminated soil. Removing that soil through conventional excavation or air excavation could compromise the trees’ stability. The arborist also noted that several trees lean toward East Washington Boulevard and recommended removing them rather than conducting additional excavation around their roots.
After community members raised questions about an earlier preliminary report, PUSD requested additional documentation based on field work, measurements, photographs, and observations from an August air-knifing assessment.
Air-knifing uses compressed air and vacuum excavation to expose roots while limiting damage. PUSD said the assessment confirmed that the trees’ critical roots are intermingled with the contaminated soil, making further excavation incompatible with preserving them.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control also reviewed the district’s front-lawn excavation analysis. In an Aug. 31, 2026, letter, DTSC stated that contaminated soil within the trees’ critical root zones—as well as infrastructure and vegetation obstructing its removal—should be removed and replaced for the site to receive a “No Further Action” determination and qualify for state matching funds connected to the Longfellow modernization project.
PUSD also considered leaving the contaminated soil in place beneath an impermeable cover. The district said that option would likely require converting the affected green space to a permanent hard surface and restricting future use and construction in the area.
Under that option, the campus could have been subject to a recorded land-use covenant or similar institutional controls requiring environmental reviews, soil-management procedures, inspections, reporting, and continued state oversight whenever the soil is disturbed for construction, utility repairs, or landscaping. The district said those requirements would involve ongoing costs while leaving the contamination on school property.
PUSD determined that removing the soil now was preferable to leaving the contamination beneath a modernized campus for future students and staff to address.
Blair High School
The district is taking a different approach at Blair High School, where the Board of Education recently approved an agreement with the Center for Applied Ecological Remediation to treat a contaminated soil area containing two city-protected trees. The bioremediation work is expected to take about eight months and will be completed at no cost to the district.
The board also approved exploring funding for bioremediation at another Blair site containing a third city-protected mature tree.
PUSD said bioremediation can be effective when contamination levels and site conditions allow for gradual treatment. However, the district said it is not considered reliable or feasible at Longfellow because of the lead concentrations, the location of the contamination, and state cleanup requirements. The process can also require areas to remain closed for years while contaminant levels decline.
PUSD plans to plant at least one replacement tree for every tree removed at Longfellow. Planting will follow the district’s 2026 Landscape and Exterior Space Guidelines, which emphasize native, drought-tolerant, locally adapted, and fire-resilient species selected to provide long-term shade.
The plans are part of a broader commitment adopted by the Board of Education on Aug. 27, 2026, to preserve and expand tree canopy across PUSD campuses. The commitment includes a goal of achieving at least 30% mature tree canopy coverage in outdoor areas used for student learning, play, and circulation by 2035. It also calls for annual updates to the district’s tree inventory and public reporting on progress.
PUSD said it is collecting seedlings and other viable plant material from the Longfellow trees when possible so they can be propagated elsewhere. The district is also contacting community organizations and lumber companies about repurposing usable wood.
The district acknowledged that some community members may disagree with the decision and that removing the trees will affect the character of the Longfellow campus. PUSD said student and staff safety, along with the requirements for fully addressing the contamination, guided its decision.
After remediation is completed, the district plans to restore the affected area and replant trees.
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