Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

The Mono Lake Committee gets trees

Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Trees are going up all over Lee Vining in a long-awaited, much-anticipated project to improve the atmosphere around town.


The young red maples will provide a welcoming feel along sidewalks, encouraging visitors to linger in the shade. The Mono Lake Committee’s three trees arrived this morning!

8 Comments

  1. I can’t believe the trees finally went in! That’s so great! Thanks for the photos and update, Elin.

  2. Town really looks nice with all its trees. Can’t wait until you can come back with the family to see it!

  3. I am delighted that you have trees and yes, it will be wonderful and shady in the years to come…but;-) were there not any California natives that would have been appropriate for this site?

  4. The Mono Lake Committee building looks great. The trees add a welcoming touch. Long Live Mono Lake.

  5. Why would you choose to put in non-native trees when there are so many beautiful natives available?

  6. Hi Kathleen and Dolores … We at the Mono Lake Committee didn’t get to choose the trees; since they’re in the sidewalk, Mono County and Caltrans made the final decision about the species. We did request that the trees be aspens, which are native to the Mono Basin, but the final decision was out of our hands. The maples are common street tree options, and made the cut after considerations like root spreading, water requirements, snow removal complications, and the fact that they will change color in the fall.

  7. The trees are beautiful and will add to the beauty of the town but I too can’t believe that native trees were not used. Maple seeds will be everywhere-they can be very weedy. I would like to know the reasons for this choice.

  8. Got Birds? I say, yes to trees. They look absolutely beautiful; of course, will lend shade, beauty and an invitation to slow down and linger. But the most obvious benefit is that now we can sit, with our newly purchased books and a delicious cappucino, and scope out the trees for interesting birds, at our literal fingertips! For people with mobility problems this is a definite plus and for those of us exhausted from a day of birding, a welcomed oasis. Thank you.