Sunday, March 20, 2011

Birds Beware!


Walls have been around the El Presidio Gardens for 30 years.  Today they continue to protect our small community from the dangers of the Miramonte neighborhood.  However over time, this community has seen theft, drug trafficking, and other unsavory incidents.  While the illegal wall hopping has slowed down; the activities still occur with trash and beer bottles outside of our gates as evidence that people were there.   You have to be shot or dead before the police come to help even though I've filed several reports on the issue.  We've cleared up the Eastern Gardens area so that light sensors are not blocked. Our resident's security is important to our community and it's frustrating that nothing can get done to prevent the invasion of meth and other suspicious activity onto our property.  I've reported a city light out on our neighbor's side, but it still hasn't been fixed.   

Pigeon Spikes are rather cheap.
In other news, there has been talk about putting up pigeon wire along that same part of the wall to keep the birds from sitting on it.  It's not surprising that birds or people would cross this part of our wall as there is a grove of mesquite trees on the other side that encourage all forms of wildlife to congregate.  We are concerned about the high concentration of pigeons that hang out in that area as it is a health concern to our residents and their vehicles.  While this Presidio Wall is large, there are only smaller and remote sections that seem to be having these issues.  I'll be looking into pigeon wire as a solution for this problem.  I love birds but I also understand the resident's concerns about their vehicles and health.  The pigeon wire seems inexpensive and easy to install.

Model Kumari Fulbright...a pic taken of her in Tucson for kidnapping and torturing her ex-boyfriend.  She had been going to law school.  Meth is a devastating drug in our communities worldwide. Meth before and after. It makes you do crazy stuff!

I suppose this issue will also resolve the other issue of meth addicts jumping our property lines. One day, I was outside pruning with another homeowner and a huge argument broke out on the other side of the Wall.  The "F" bomb was dropped many times and during these times you wonder....
A.  Will there be a gun?
B.  Will there be a fist fight?
C. When are the police coming?
D.  Will they notice us on the other side?
E.  Are we in danger?

I feel sorry for the residents on that side of the property. Surrounded by two low housing income projects is not ideal.  My plants/cacti soldiers can't grow fast enough to enclose the property!! No one should have to deal with those issues.  The police are busy around town monitoring, arresting, and keeping our town safe.  It's just frustrating that no one cares about PREVENTION.  Today we deal with reactions and consequences....but what if we could prevent? 

This is my summer project before I leave for Panama. This is yet but another facet of gardening we all need to think about when designing our spaces. So Birds Beware!!

                                                 Creative solutions for impossible situations.

3 comments:

  1. I coined the term pendejismo paisajista a while ago.
    Go to search with: pendejismo paisajista and evite el pendejismo paisajista, for more info.

    Those were the days I wrote in el de Cervantes.. Good luck in your projects..Will check this post later...

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  2. Low income projects should never be close by people with income/education and so forth.

    Nothing is accomplished except creating security problems for those with the income.

    I have planted Bouganvilleas to protect our property in corners where the possibility of climbing exist.

    I would recommend vines, woody or not, preferably with thorns.
    Bouganvilleas are very hard or almost impossible to penetrate, believe me.

    The neighbors should get together and pick vegetation with aesthetics and security value. Speed of growth, pruning, leave drops, are issues to be considered.

    My only difficulty is that flower petals from this woody vine will stick to quite a few of the leaves of other plants below, being so light and sticky.

    That is another consideration when selecting vines, forget any cactus, bromeliads and so on below. They will become recipients of all these petals.

    Good luck in your projects.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've taken the natural approach as you have suggested over the couple years....bougainvillea and cacti have done a good job keeping out the riffraff....for the most part. So this project has been put on hold for now...but we'll see down the road.

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