Diario de truthseqr

This area has an interesting history. It was homesteaded by a family called Hayes in the late 1800's and has been designated as an historic landmark.

In gathering data for iNaturalist.org, I noticed that the Edenvale Garden Park associated with the Hayes Mansion appears to have 1-2 each of about a hundred different species of trees. Some of the eucalyptus trees and oaks are massive, so I'm guessing they've been there a hundred years or more. The Hayes gardens extended beyond the current boundaries of the mansion and park (now only 6 acres). I've seen Coulter's pine and redwoods in the adjacent mobile home community. Also, there were giant agaves before they cut them down for the newest construction project.

I found a book at Santa Clara Central Park Library called "The Gem of Edenvale - The Historic Hayes Mansion of San Jose, California" by Nancy L. Neulin (Renasci, 1994). She wrote that the Hayes family hired Rudolph Ulrich to design the park and gardens. Scattered throughout the park were ponderosa pine, pepper, Italian cypress, and black locust. Palm, cedar, and eucalyptus lined the paths, which were wide enough to drive a wagon or car through.

"In its park of 40 acres one may find trees, shrubs and flowers indigenous to every clime." (San Jose Evening News, July 27, 1905).

Neulin confirmed my suspicions: "The natural trees, principally pines and the beautiful California live-oak, have been left as nearly in a state of nature as possible." (pp. 64-65)

The Hayes Estate originally comprised 646 acres as of 1903. Surrounding the current historical site were hundreds of acres of orchards and fields - a large working farm that produced: prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, cherries, apples, figs, dates, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, loganberries, almonds, English walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, oats, barley, wheat, alfalfa, peas, corn, beets, lima beans, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, potatoes, garlic,artichokes, lettuce, squash, and horseradish.

Neulin tells an interesting story about a construction worker finding a barn owl nest with two hatchlings and three eggs behind the soffit panels in the old mansion in 1993 during the renovation. The hatchlings and eggs were taken to the Humane Society, where the owls were raised, and eventually released back into the park where the construction worker had made nesting boxes for them.

Dates of interest:

1887- first land was purchased from John Tennant
1891 - first home was built
1959-1980, the park was sold and operated as an amusement park called Frontier Village
1975 - the mansion was registered in the National Register of Historic Landmarks
1987 - the park was purchased by the City of San Jose
1993 - reconstruction commenced

As of this date I've examined 306 eucalyptus trees for infestation by either lerp-psyllids or Australian tortoise beetles in the parks and preserves that I frequent in the South San Francisco Bay Area. Here's the breakdown:

• Baylands Park: 202 trees inspected; no bug infestation found, but there were a few leaves with a fungus infection.
• Sierra Azul: 23+ trees inspected. Infestations by both lerp-psyllids and tortoise beetles found on all blue gums. Only lerp-psyllid infestation found on river red gums.
• Edenvale Park: 20+ trees inspected. Infestations by both lerp-psyllids and tortoise beetles found on all trees.
• Almaden Lake Park: 50+ trees inspected. Infestations by both lerp-psyllids and tortoise beetles found on all trees. I also saw a tree infested with Ophelimus maskelli here.
• Rancho San Antonio Preserve: one tree inspected. Infestation by tortoise beetles found. Possible infestation by lerp-psyllids as well.
• Bay Trail (near water treatment plant): 10+ trees inspected. Infestations by lerp-psyllids found on all trees.

I was hiking the Woods Trail at Sierra Azul (2.7 miles into the preserve) when the Loma Prieta fire broke out. When I first saw the smoke cloud to the south, I thought it might be a big billowy cloud blowing in from the ocean, but the pinkish-yellow glow near the base gave it away. The wind was blowing northeast at the time, right in my direction. It was quite scary to be that close to a wildfire! It looked like it was just over the next ridge. I didn't realize until later that it was miles away. I ran back to the parking lot, and within that hour-long span of time, the fire had grown 10-fold. I'm feeling a profound sense of sadness and loss for all the trees, shrubs, and wildlife that are being consumed by the blaze.

Thank God for the hundreds of heroic firefighters who are working day and night to contain the blaze. Please keep them safe.