Last year, Hobbs cut through Willow Glen Way to reach her Alberta Avenue home when she discovered a California sycamore in front of 660 Willow Glen Way. The tree is 6 feet in diameter and dwarfs the homes around it.

"It took my breath away," Hobbs says.

Through her web and graphic work with nonprofit Our City Forest, Hobbs found the tree on San Jose's Heritage Tree list. Trees earn heritage tree designation based on their history, girth, height, species, and uniqueness or significance to the community.

Heritage trees are protected by the city and fines up to $5,000 can be levied if they are damaged. The fine for tampering with unprotected trees larger than 56 inches in diameter is only $500.

The heritage tree list includes 115 protected trees in San Jose, plus a separate entry of 356 palm trees that line the Palm Haven neighborhood in Willow Glen. Then there is the oldest fig tree in the county at the Roberto Adobe home, 770 Lincoln Ave.

Hobbs decided that the heritage tree list was the perfect way to seek out every protected tree in San Jose. And that's exactly what she did.

In February, Hobbs began a heritage tree treasure hunt, visiting and photographing several trees each week. She hopes to post the complete list with accompanying photographs on Our City Forest's website.

In addition to her work with Our City Forest, Hobbs teaches photography at Brooks College in Sunnyvale and runs nonprofit Catalyst for Youth in San Jose. Hobbs picks up her treasure hunt on Sundays, her only free day.

"I just look up an address for two or three trees and just take off," Hobbs says.

While Hobbs sometimes brings a friend on her adventures, she often finds company when she arrives. People who live near the tree are often curious about her activity and share stories about the tree. Other times she is the first to tell homeowners they have heritage trees on or near the property, as many heritage trees do not have plaques.

When Hobbs went to visit the 44-inch silver maple at 1201 Malone Road, she had difficulty locating the tree. Hobbs knocked on the Willow Glen resident's door and inquired, "I'm looking for a really big tree."

The tree, the homeowner told her, had been cut down a decade ago. "She was so glad to talk about it," Hobbs says. "It was wonderful."

Hobbs inherited her love of trees from her father, who grew nearly 200 varieties at her childhood home in Michigan. Hobbs says he could identify a tree by its silhouette or bark. His influence has instilled in Hobbs a great respect for tree canopies.

"It was really the trees that drew me to the Willow Glen area," says Hobbs, who's lived in Willow Glen since 1991. "The redwoods were phenomenal."

Hobbs says she is attracted to the heritage trees because of their age and size. She will look at the arboreal wonder and imagine the world that has developed around the trees throughout the generations.

City arborist Ralph Mize says the size of San Jose's trees indicates that the trees' roots are being nourished with ground water.

"We're very lucky here in San Jose to be able to have a climate to grow a variety of trees," he says.

Mize says those interested in protecting a tree by placing it on a heritage tree list can contact the city. A city arborist will inspect the tree and, if it meets the heritage tree criteria, the arborist will recommend that the city council approve its addition to the heritage tree list.

Although Hobbs plans to complete her treasure hunt by visiting each tree on the list, she imagines she will make new discoveries along the way.

"Maybe it won't be finished because I'm going to keep finding these trees," she says.

Below is a sampling of some of the heritage trees that can be found in Willow Glen:

--The largest silk tree in San Jose, 2449 Lansford Ave.

--Two large Southern magnolias, 1615 Dry Creek Road

--Nepal camphora tree, an unusual species, 1885 Georgetta Drive

--Large atlas, lebanon and deodor cedars, 800 Malone Road

--The largest red flowering gum tree in San Jose, 997 Ramona Ct.

--California bay tree, 1237 Brace St.

How to add a tree to the list:

--To add a street tree to the heritage tree list, contact the city arborist at 408.277.2762.

--To add a tree on private property to the list, contact the San Jose Planning Department at 408.277.4576.

--To download the heritage tree list, visit www.ourcityforest.org/doc/HeritageTrees2004.doc.