There's a growing awareness locally that there is more to be done about our environment than worry about the rain forest in Brazil or participate in an occasional Sierra Club outing to plant saplings in a local park. There's the matter of our existing local trees.

Our trees are surrounded by perils and projects. The recent passage of a Ventura County Oak Tree Preservation ordinance, and, of course, the continuing saga of the Hope and Ahmanson ranch lands, keep bringing to public attention one big peril to Ventura County's precious resource of trees--development.

The California Assembly, for its part, this fall passed AB 54, designed to protect urban trees statewide. The measure, now in the state Senate, has been covered extensively in the local press. But one aspect of tree preservation that hasn't gotten much coverage is the threat posed by you and me.

What, you ask, are we conspiring to do that hurts our majestic local palms and oaks? Well, the truth is that some of us have, rather casually, been cutting them down right in our own yards--to improve the view, to get rid of the mess they sometimes cause, or to make room for home improvement.

Today, I'm suggesting that we pledge to "call before we cut." That is, make an effort to have the tree removed--at no expense to us--so it can find a new home in the area and go on cleaning the air, preventing erosion and beautifying the environs of public places such as the Ventura County Government Center. (Did you know that those trees were pre-owned?)

The idea is that no-cost removal may be available for your tree--if it is healthy, accessible to removal equipment, safely clear of power lines and represents a species for which there is a resale market. Currently, that market includes palms under 40 feet high and broadleaf evergreens such as jacarandas, magnolias, ficus and coral trees.

I have to point out here that not every call you make will get you a free removal deal. Only about one in 10 does. But it's worth the effort for the environment. Save one adult tree, and you've absorbed as much carbon dioxide as a typical car creates in 25,000 miles of driving. Keep in mind that for every four city trees that die or are removed, only one is replaced.

The list below includes some firms in Ventura County and nearby that are interested in acquiring certain specimens for resale.