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Category Archives: “Natural” Areas Program
A tree ponders life upon waking
Someone sent us this charming, incisive, bitter-sweet graphic about a eucalyptus tree. The artist, Charlotte Hildebrand, kindly gave us permission to reproduce it here. This tree, such an important part of the ecosystem – a shelter for birds, a splendid … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program
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Pesticide Usage in 2021: SFRPD Does Better – except for NRD
As we usually do, we compiled the pesticide usage data for San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department for 2021. (We exclude Harding Park – but not the other golf courses – from this analysis because it’s externally-managed under a PGA … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program
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McLaren Park Loses More Trees
From Lance Mellon: “This nativism is a strange phenomenon. I see every day, next to my community garden at Mclaren Park, the devastation caused when they cut down those beautiful woods to install their native garden. It is an unforgivable … Continue reading
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Herbicide Time – Triclopyr in Glen Canyon
It’s January, and San Francisco is brightened by the yellow oxalis springing up on green hillsides. Less bright, though, is the usual Blights of Spring – herbicides applied in our parks where our kids and pups play. Here’s an idyllic … Continue reading
The Environmental Danger of Preferring Native Plants
This article is republished with permission and minor edits from Conservation Sense and Nonsense, an environmental blog about current ecological topics including “native plant restorations.” We are publishing it here because we think the opposition to “invasives” by nativist activists … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program, Fells Trees, Ruins Habitat, Wastes Money
Tagged non-native trees, urban forest
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Season’s Greetings!
This December marks ten years of the San Francisco Forest Alliance. We’d like to reiterate our commitment to protecting our trees and access, and opposing toxic pesticides in the coming years. The San Francisco Forest Alliance wishes all our readers … Continue reading
Posted in OTHER
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Toxic Roundup Herbicide, Fruiting Blackberry
The SFRPD’ Natural Resources Department (NRD) is spraying toxic herbicides on Golden Gate Heights park. The pesticides being used are Roundup (glyphosate) and Polaris (imazapyr). Someone recently saw this notice: On the next visit, the sign indicated that the spraying … Continue reading
We Need to Reduce Toxic Herbicide Use in San Francisco
This note is from Anastasia Glikshtern, an officer of San Francisco Forest Alliance and a long-time San Franciscan. Why We Need the San Francisco Toxic Herbicides Reduction Act Most San Francisco residents do not know that the city routinely uses … Continue reading
Why Large-Scale Native Plant “Restoration” Cannot Work
This article discusses two approaches to native plant restoration. One creates jobs and provides healthy outdoor opportunities. The other poisons plants with synthetic chemicals. Neither actually works to restore native plants. Reprinted from Conservation Sense and Nonsense with permission and … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program, Applies Pesticides, Wastes Money
Tagged environment, nativism, Pesticides
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The National Park Service has an Epiphany
This article is reprinted with permission and minor edits from Conservation Sense and Nonsense. “We were probably always wrong to think about protected places as static.” – NPS Scientist During the Trump administration federal agencies were forced to be … Continue reading
NRD Herbicide Use Shoots Up in 2020 in San Francisco
As we have been doing for many years now, we compiled the pesticide usage data for San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department for 2020. It’s getting worse year by year. Toxic herbicide use (i.e. herbicides classified as “More Hazardous” or … Continue reading
Toxic Herbicide on Mt Davidson – Triclopyr on Oxalis
In June 2020, we reported that SFRPD was using a new version of an old toxic pesticide: Vastlan, with the active ingredient Triclopyr. (The same as in Garlon, which was the single most toxic herbicide they used.) Neighbor and videographer … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program, Applies Pesticides
Tagged Mt Davidson, oxalis, Triclopyr, Vastlan
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More Destruction of Sutro Forest
We regret starting the year with sad news in this post from SutroForest.com. It is reprinted here with permission. With the new revised plan for UCSF’s Parnassus Campus having been approved by the UCSF Regents – despite San Francisco’s Board … Continue reading
Greetings of the Season, Best Wishes for 2021
It’s been a difficult year in a number of ways. The pandemic still rages, and tree-cutting continues. Nonetheless, there have been signs of hope for all of us. So here’s a candle in the dark to represent hope. Greetings for … Continue reading
Surprise Tree Removals for McLaren Park Native Plant Garden
San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department’s Natural Resources Division (NRD), in conjunction with Fran Martin’s Visitacion Valley Greenway group, have been planning to construct a native plant garden just south of the McLaren Park community garden along Visitacion Avenue. This … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program, Fells Trees
Tagged McLaren Park, non-native trees, NRD, SFRPD, trees
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Trees Targeted for Destruction In Golden Gate Park
One would think that in these times of climate change and San Francisco’s small and shrinking tree canopy, every effort would be made to save the trees we already have. San Francisco already has only a 13.7% tree canopy cover, … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program, Fells Trees
Tagged environment, Golden Gate Park, Habitat destruction, trees
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We Still Need to Say, After All These Years: Black Lives Matter
In 2014, we first published our statement of support. It’s with something between sadness and horror that it’s essential we publish it again. In the intervening years, things have not improved for the African-American community. Because of the racism inherent … Continue reading
Pesticide Use Up in San Francisco Parks, Natural Areas – 2019
In 2019, SFRPD applied herbicides 243 times, the most since 2013. Of these, 144 applications were in “Natural Areas” (this includes PUC areas managed in the same way – i.e. use of toxic herbicides against plants they dislike). Though the … Continue reading
Answering the Smithsonian – The Flawed Logic of Native Plant Activism
In its April 2020 issue, the Smithsonian Magazine published an interview with Doug Tallamy, considered one of the fathers – or at least popularizers – of nativism. They asked Art Shapiro, who represents a broader view of the ecological role … Continue reading
San Francisco Cutting Down its Ancient Trees – Sutro Forest/ Clarendon
This article is republished from SutroForest.com, with permission. Sutro Forest extended along Christopher to Clarendon Avenue. The section at Christopher and Clarendon was decimated for the rebuilding of the pump station in 2009, possibly poisoned in 2013… and in 2019, … Continue reading
Posted in "Natural" Areas Program, Fells Trees
Tagged environment, Mount Sutro Cloud Forest, trees
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