Los Angeles Officials Chop Down 400 Trees To Make Way For Space Shuttle Endeavour

Los Angeles residents were ecstatic when news broke that the California Science Center would become the final resting place for the retired space shuttle Endeavour.  Now though, some of those same people who were praising the opportunity are crying foul as up to 400 trees are chopped down to make room for it.

In order to get Endeavour through the streets of Los Angeles to the science center, workers will need to remove the trees along the route that are in the way of the path.

In all, nearly 400 trees will be cut down in Inglewood and South Los Angeles in the 12-mile route between Los Angeles International Airport and the shuttle's permanent home in Exposition Park.

Officials from the California Science Center have promised to replace the trees and then some.

To garner residents' support, the center sweetened the deal at the last minute and agreed to replant four times as many trees, repair additional sidewalks, and offer scholarships and job training.

In addition to the extra trees, the agreement calls for larger trees to be planted, $400,000 toward tree trimming, and up to five years of tree maintenance.

The California Science Center also agreed to provide at least 10 scholarships to area students, pay $100,000 to an education fund and train local teachers in science. Local youths will be hired to perform at least half of the tree maintenance.

The timeline for the tree removal would have the project start at some point next week - with a final target to get Endeavour in place by the middle of October 2012.

Center gets final OK to cut trees in space shuttle's path - latimes.com.