Article: Eucalyptus Trees, Friend or Foe (or Both)?

Since the eucalyptus tree arrived in California from Australia in the 1850s, it has been planted in practically all regions of California, mostly in plantations. This was due to the demand for a fast-growing tree for firewood and other purposes after the Gold Rush, when California was massively developing. But now, this tree has been seen as more of a nuisance than a resource. Some people point to it's bark-shedding tendencies as a higher fire risk in an already-dry state. Others point out that the tree has no natural competitors or predators in California, and so it takes resources from struggling native plants and animals. On top of that, eucalyptus branches have a habit of falling and causing damages without warning.

The issue is that these trees are expensive to remove, so they likely won't be going anywhere soon. The best we can do is limit their spread to protect native species.

Articles: www.kqed.org/news/11644927/eucalyptus-how-californias-most-hated-tree-took-root-2

www.lctrees.com/eucalyptus-tree-in-california/