Family Roots
Growing up in Chicago, 212 Eucalyptus owner Drew Boyles spent many summers with his mom visiting her family in Rancho Santa Fe, California, just outside of San Diego. The smell of eucalyptus and the sculptural vibe of the seeds that the trees produce rooted themselves into his memory early on, and Drew knew that one day he would call California his home. Fast forward to today, Drew is an active member of the place he calls home, here in beautiful El Segundo. Since settling here as an adult, Drew has launched many businesses and served his community as a city council member and as the mayor of this city, an office he still currently holds. His dreams continue to grow and evolve as do his roots here.
Recently when he was chatting with his mother, Valerie Smith, Drew learned that Rancho Santa Fe has a very unique relationship with the eucalyptus tree. During the California gold rush of the 1850s, eucalyptus trees were introduced to California by the Australians. Noting the rapid growth of the trees, in 1906, with the encouragement of the California government, the Santa Fe Railroad purchased over 3,000 acres of land near the San Dieguito River, with the intent of producing rail ties. After some studying of old growth trees in Australia, they planted 3.5 million eucalyptus trees from seed. It didn’t work out quite the way they planned. Despite the rapid growth of the trees, they discovered that younger eucalyptus, though large, lacked the structural integrity to fully perform the task. But eucalyptus trees are now a vibrant part of the California landscape.
Drew Boyles and his mom, Valerie Smith chatting at 212 Eucalyptus
