Endeavor was transported through the streets of Westchester (pictured), Inglewood and South Los Angeles, October 12-13, 2013. The sheer size of Endeavor"?u122 ft. long, 57 ft. tall (tip of tail), 78-ft. wingspan"?uweighing in at 170,000 lbs., required removing some 400 street trees along the route.
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

The California Science Center Foundation (CSCF) has funded about $2 million to replace the street trees that were lost to transporting Endeavor through the streets. Over the past two years, ValleyCrest Landscape Development has worked in close collaboration with CSCF to choose the tree replacement species that will thrive in southern California's urban environment. CSCF, in collaboration with Valley Crest, has also hired and trained youth from the community to assist with ongoing maintenance of the new trees. This tree is a Koelreuteria bipinnata, aka the Chinese flame tree.
Photo: ValleyCrest Landscape Development

Eadeavor's new home is the California Science Center
in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

The California Science Center Foundation (CSCF) has made good on its promise to replace the 400 trees removed to make room for the transport of the Space Shuttle Endeavour to its new home at the California Science Center in Exposition Park, Los Angeles. Endeavor made the road trip back on October 12-13, 2012, on surface streets through the communities of Westchester, Inglewood and South Los Angeles.

CSCF, a state agency and museum, has invested more than $2 million to replace the trees, and make green improvements in the communities affected by the transport of Endeavor. More than 1,000 trees are being planted by CSCF, which means a net gain of about 600 trees. To date, 960 trees have been planted along the route. Additionally, more than 1,200 trees have been trimmed to ensure their health, and buckled sidewalks
have been repaired.

The Science Center Foundation has 70 more trees to plant in Westchester, but is awaiting final approval from the city to plant those.

The replacement trees and additional trees are between 10 and 14 feet in height, about the same size as most of the trees that were removed. A minimum of two years of free maintenance will also be provided.

"ValleyCrest is so pleased to report that all the trees we promised to plant at the time of Endeavour's move through South Los Angeles are indeed now in the ground and growing beautifully," reports Bill Ropp, director of preconstruction services for ValleyCrest Landscape Development. "It's been extremely rewarding to partner with youth from these communities to jointly care for the trees," he added.

The species of the new trees:

• Arcontophoenix cunninghamiana
• Callistemon viminalis
• Cassia leptophylla
• Cinnamomum camphora
• Eucalyptus citriodora
• Gingko biloba
• Jacaranda mimosifolia
• Koelreuteria bipinnata
• Lagerstroemia indica
• Laurus nobilis
• Liriodendron tulipifera
• Lophostemon confertus
• Magnolia grandiflora
• Magnolia grandiflora "St. Mary'
• Metrosideros excels
• Pinus canariensis
• Pistacia chinensis
• Platanus racemosa
• Platanus x acerifolia
• Podocarpus gracilior
• Podocarpus macrophyllus
• Pyrus kawakamii
• Tabebuia impetiginosa
• Tipuana tipu
• Tristaniopsis laurina "Elegant'
• Ulmus parvifolia
• Ulmus parvifolia "Drake'