Moving bush costs city $175,000

[Liberal_in_LA]

Moving manzanita bush costs S.F. a small fortune
Phillip Matier,Andrew Ross

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Not just any bush - this was the Franciscan manzanita, a city native that was thought for 60 years to be extinct until the bush was spotted late last year.

With the final bills in, the cost of moving the bush in January came to $175,000 - $140,000 to dig up and move the shrub, and $35,000 for "support" services from geological, botanical and climate experts in preparation for its new home in the Presidio less than a mile away.

The discovery of the 8-inch-tall, 20-foot-wide bush was greeted with cries of joy by nature enthusiasts but quiet shock by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, which suddenly found a leafy version of the spotted owl right in the path of a billion-dollar roadway.

"We took this very seriously," said San Francisco County Transportation Authority head José Luis Moscovich.

No kidding.

Not only did the authority spend a small fortune preserving the manzanita, it moved the plant to its new secret home under cover of darkness out of fear that plant buffs might stalk it for cuttings.

It now sits in a gulch under a canopy, where the care continues.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/02/BA9D1DO8C7.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0pivSokVY

[BrklynLiberal]

1. At least it was used to PRESERVE something, rather than DESTROY something.

Usually these kinds of costs are associated with destruction....

EDIT: When I first saw the subject line, I thought it was about ex-pres shit-for-brains.

[DFW]

2. Now if they would only move another kind of Bush out of Dallas......

Probably be more expensive, but some of us Dallas residents would be willing to contribute.......

[BrklynLiberal]

3. The problem, of course would be..WHO WOULD TAKE HIM????

[DFW]

4. Dunno. Malawi, maybe? n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

6. hmmm I would like to him and all his minions in some place a lot less friendlier than that..

[DFW]

13. Yes, you have a point

OK, South Waziristan

[BrklynLiberal]

14. Moving in the right direction :D

[Angry Dragon]

15. I first thought that was what the article was going to be about

[tinymontgomery]

5. I first thought the headline was about

* and how once again he was fleecing the people.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Me too. See first post, above.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. yikes. Poorly written headline. I see it now.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. Not the worst ever. Don't sweat it.

:thumbsup: :hi:

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. Hee!

[tinymontgomery]

16. Your name for him was much better then mine.

[joeybee12]

8. If it cost $175,000 to move George W Bush out of town, I'd say

that was money well-spent.

[unhappycamper]

10. A story about a good bush.

:clap: :clap: