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Nonprofit

Organization
Friends of the Urban Forest U.S. Postage
Presidio of San Francisco
PA I D
www.fuf.net, 415-561-6890
Building 1007 San Francisco, CA

P.O. Box 29456 Permit No.13997

San Francisco, CA 94129-0456

Address Service Requested

The Newsletter for S an Francisco Bay Area Tree Enthusiasts

Tree Care Chronicles


Discusses storm response.
See back page.
Friends of the Urban Forest
Spring 2008

Treescapes is produced by Friends by Mary Ellen Hannibal


of the Urban Forest to provide infor-
mation and education in a broad
environmental context for the care
and growth of our urban forest. FUF,

The Green City


San Francisco’s citizen urban forestry
organization, was founded in 1981.
We offer financial, technical and
practical assistance to individuals
and neighborhood groups who wish
to plant and care for trees. Regular
memberships begin at $30. All
contributions are tax deductible.

Board of Directors
President
Mike Marshall
Chair of Board Resources
By February, the first cherry blossoms appear and
Alexander Davis
Chair of Development
Anne Hector
San Francisco commences its greenest season;
Treasurer
Cho Chan
Chair of Programs
so too, the city is off to an environmentally positive
start this year with two new appointments by
Walter Crump, Jr.

Rob Black, Catherine Elliott,


Bonnie Guttman, Sheila Fischer

Mayor Gavin Newsom.


Kiernan, Anne Hector, Anu Nigam,
Mireille Schwartz, Martin Skea,
Tim Seufert, Liz Westover

Advisory Committee
Brenda Altman, Scott Belser, Frank
Wade Crowfoot made a greening difference at City over environmental issues. “It’s the perfect storm The idea of shared responsibility in green efforts
Fredericks, Linda Liebelt, Ann K. Hall even before assuming his post as Director for environmental revolution,” says Crowfoot. is central for Astrid Haryati, who started her job
Ludwig, Regina Phelps, Michael
Sullivan, Michael Yannetta of Climate Protection Initiatives. “The Mayor liked Certainly a more productive storm than the as the Mayor’s new Director of Greening at the
Sta≈ to drink bottled water; specifically, Fiji water. ones we’ve been experiencing this winter (see beginning of February. Coming to us from Chicago,
Executive Director I let him know that that water actually comes Tree Care Chronicles). where she was Assistant to the Mayor for Landscape
Kelly Quirke
ext. 107, kelly@fuf.net from Fiji.” The water may be just about a dollar Initiatives, Haryati will complement Crowfoot’s
Crowfoot calls FUF “our most valued partner
Program Director a bottle, but the cost of getting it here in terms policy-making with direct greening experience.
Doug Wildman in environmental issues. Trees and plants play
ext. 109, doug@fuf.net of carbon emissions—think of the transportation “I’m looking to examine challenges and to identify
a key role in mitigating carbon emissions.” As
Planting Managers involved—is huge. Crowfoot had technology effective solutions in a holistic language based on
Naomi LeBeau steadfast FUF supporters know, green leaves
ext. 100, naomi@fuf.net installed at City Hall that filters hot and cold my background and experiences,” says Haryati, by
Heidi Lakics
absorb carbon from the air and sequester it in
drinking water, with no plastic involved. The training a landscape architect who has worked in
ext. 110, heidi@fuf.net woody stems and trunks. Leaves release oxygen
Data Administrator water itself is good old Hetch Hetchy, among the planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and
Brian Tsai
into the atmosphere and create the air we breathe.
ext. 105, briantsai@fuf.net
best in the nation. Crowfoot was also the point engineering/technology. “Greening not only makes
Trees and plants absorb pollutants, and divert
Chief Financial Officer person in the Mayor’s office supporting Supervisor aesthetic and environmental sense, but it also
Sunder Sujan and absorb stormwater runoff.
ext. 106, sunder@fuf.net
Mirkarimi’s legislation to ban plastic bags. makes economic sense.”
Education Coordinator It isn’t just what FUF does that interests Crowfoot,
Nancy Strahan As Director of Climate Protection Initiatives, Crowfoot Under Haryati, Chicago’s greening efforts have been
ext. 108, nancy@fuf.net
it’s how we do it. “My goal is to work dawn to
is taking a deep focus on helping San Franciscans based on public-private partnership. “No city can
Outreach Coordinator dusk coordinating goals, engaging business and
Suzanne Whelan make concrete changes to the way we live. “We mount this important effort without the two sides
ext. 101, suzanne@fuf.net the larger community.” FUF, of course, is about
are in the perfect place at the perfect time to make working hand-in-hand,” says Haryati. “I’m confident
Tree Care Coordinator planting and maintaining trees and building
Heather Ellison a difference. Over 75 percent of energy consumed that San Francisco can improve the environmental
ext. 102, heather@fuf.net community. Crowfoot sees FUF as providing a lever
in the world is consumed in cities. We have to performance and economic benefits of its public
Volunteer Services Coordinator into communities that can be galvanized to connect
Reed Milnes take meaningful action to implement environmental ways, collaboratively with buildings, infrastructures,
ext. 103, reed@fuf.net more thoroughly in climate protection. “We want
strategies.” People often feel helpless and small and open spaces. I am looking forward to learning
Development Manager to simplify the message about what people can
Ryan Teller confronted with climate change and other negative from and working with local and regional partners.”
ext. 104, ryan@fuf.net
do on behalf of climate change,” says Crowfoot.
environmental trends, and taking small actions FUF is looking forward to working with both Crowfoot
Editor “There’s a message of fierce immediacy to climate
Mary Ellen Hannibal can break us out of our passivity and jump-start and Haryati to meet our common goals of a
meh@znet.com
change, but in your day to day life, you can make
our potential effectiveness. Crowfoot is positive. greener city, with more trees in it. Together, we
Design a difference.” Crowfoot plans to launch an on-line
Ashton Abeck He points to our position as possibly the richest can fulfill the dream of a truly green city.
www.asab.com program similar to one in Seattle called Climate
city in the richest state in the richest country in
Printed with soy-based inks
Action Now (www.seattlecan.org). Citizens subscribe
on forest-free paper.
the world, to our location at the epicenter of
to the website, which provides clear guidelines
technological innovation, and to the level of
for assessing your personal carbon footprint and
awareness and concern evinced by our citizens
how to reduce it.
News
From the Executive Director

For the first time in human history, the majority of people on the planet
live in cities. That’s over 3 billion of us congregated in urban centers.
How many of our fellow urban dwellers understand the And because of these activities, municipal governments are
meaning of “urban forest”? From my own personal and not only finding the resources and the will to take green
anecdotal experience, I’d say far from the majority, at least action, they are making pledges and setting goals and
here in the USA. While all of you supporters of FUF and hiring staff in order to enhance the health of the urban
subscribers to Treescapes could immediately define “urban environment. Because with every passing day, more and Out Like a Lamb…In Like a Lion
forest,” I have seen in the reactions of most people that more of us are living in cities, at the same time that open FUF would like to thank everyone who helped make
look in their eyes that says they’re not quite sure, at least space and wilderness are being lost to development and 2007 such a success. With 855 trees planted in neigh-
until they think about it for a moment or more. sprawl. This means that our experience of nature—and the borhoods throughout San Francisco, your contributions,
health and well-being that comes with that—is evermore time and energy made a dramatic impact in greening
But I also believe this lack of recognition is changing. There
coming from our urban environment. And that means that your community. Helping to maintain those trees, our
are literally dozens and dozens of groups like FUF all over
soon everybody will know the meaning of urban forest. dedicated Tree Care Volunteers and Youth Tree Care Team
the country, and they all practice “urban and community
forestry.” Their work, like ours, is not only bringing the provided critical early stage care to 4006 trees, helping
benefits of the urban forest to their communities, they are ensure that FUF trees mature into a healthy contributing
educating their townsfolk and leaders about the value of urban forest. All told, FUF volunteers contributed over
the urban forest. Slowly but surely, city inhabitants are 4000 hours, making our work possible.
advocating for and participating in urban greening. Kelly Quirke
Beginning 2008 with a ferocious storm, again it was
dedicated FUF volunteers who prevented much of our
hard work from going down the drain with the deluge.
High winds and rain created conditions that led to the
Tree Care Chronicles Warrior Queen of Storm Response: Pam Lovell
damage or loss of over 500 trees city-wide. FUF received
nearly 300 calls reporting troubled trees and dispatched
January 4th is a day Pam Lovell will not soon forget. “My cell phone started our dedicated team of emergency tree care volunteers
to ring at 7:30 a.m.,” says Lovell, “and at 7:30 p.m., I turned it off.” into the gale force winds to try to mitigate the damage.
Even in the downpour, FUF volunteers staked, braced
In those 12 hours, Lovell fielded call after call from distressed Lovell comments that while January’s storms were in the and tied trees. Those we couldn’t save are now being
property owners whose trees were being tossed and broken “act of God” category, taking down healthy, vibrant trees, replaced by our dedicated planting managers and tree
like pretzel sticks by hurricane-force winds. “It’s being called much damage was potentially avoidable. “If people would planting volunteers. For more information on how you
the storm of the decade,” says Lovell. Between the 4th and only do gradual maintenance,” she says, “they could really can help FUF in 2008, please contact Reed Milnes at
the 12th, Lovel fielded 180 calls. protect their trees.” Adequate watering in the tree’s first (415) 561-6890 x.103.
five years of life helps develop healthy roots. Regular
“As the storm increased in intensity, I watched my own tree
pruning creates space between branches and leaves in the
fall down in my front yard,” Lovell says. “People were really
canopy, allowing wind to move through the tree, instead Kudos to FUF
upset. ‘When is someone going to come out here? What
of picking it up. Top-heavy canopies with underdeveloped
should I do?’” Lovell comments that the larger part of her Friends of the Urban Forest received national recognition
root structures are easily sheared off by high winds, one
job that day was calming callers. in November 2007 from the Alliance for Community
reason FUF plants 15-gallon street trees rather than the
Trees (ACT), at their Annual Meeting and NeighborWoods
Charged with “storm response,” a FUF position funded with a larger 24-inch box trees favored by city agencies.
Academy. Maryland-based ACT serves as the umbrella
grant from California ReLeaf, Lovell first ascertains the street
Lovell started volunteering for FUF about six and a half organization uniting all FUF-like groups around the coun-
address of an injured or downed tree. Then she consults
years ago, and during that time she trained and took classes, try. FUF received the group’s “NeighborWoods Academy
FUF’s database to determine whether FUF, DPW, or another
and became a certified arborist. Now she runs her own Scholarship,” donated by The Home Depot Foundation,
agency or entity has jurisdiction over it. She also checks to
small business. “It’s sad when a tree goes down,” Lovell which is the leading national supporter of organizations
see when it was planted. “We don’t minister to trees planted
says. “For me personally, it was devastating to tell people building better communities through urban forestry.
over five years ago,” she says. “And species is important.”
their tree would not survive. I had to tell people in a very
Some species tend to have shallow roots and heavy canopies,
kind way, to suggest doing something generative in response
and FUF believes it is better to replace them with a more
to the loss, like replanting.” One citizen was so pleased
adaptable tree.
with Lovell’s help, she brought a donation over to FUF right
“Everyone got a call back within a few hours,” Lovell says.
“ ‘Call an arborist’; ‘call DPW’; ‘your tree can’t be saved.’ ”
People were amazed at how quick FUF’s response was to
their situations. Many came to Lovell’s house in the Sunset
away, saying “you guys rock.” January 4th may have been a
singular storm, but it was met by a singular effort, and we
are all grateful to Pam Lovell for her good work.
Remember
to renew your membership, and
and borrowed stake pounders, cross braces, and other tools consider including FUF in your will.
to rescue their trees themselves.

MARCH APRIL
saturday saturday saturday saturday saturday saturday saturday

1
NOPA/USF TREE PLANTING
8
ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION
15
SOMA TREE PLANTING
22
MISSION TREE CARE
29
MIRALOMA TREE
5
MISSION TREE CARE
19
MISSION TREE CARE
9am – noon 9am – 12:30pm 9am – noon WORKDAY PLANTING WORKDAY WORKDAY
Meeting location: TBA Meeting Location: Willie Meeting location: TBA 9am – 12:30pm 9am – noon 9am – 12:30pm 9am – 12:30pm
Heidi Lakics, x.110 Brown Jr. Academy Naomi LeBeau, x.100 Meeting location: TBA Meeting location: TBA Meeting location: TBA Meeting location: TBA
Reed Milnes, x.103 Heather Ellison, x.102 Heidi Lakics, x.110 Heather Ellison, x.102 Heather Ellison, x.102

MAY
saturday sunday saturday saturday saturday saturday

26
EARTH WEEK TREE
27
FUF AND GREENS of community, environment,
3
BERNAL HEIGHTS TREE
10
TREE PLANTING
17
WESTERN ADDITION TREE
17
TREE PLANTING
PLANTING RESTAURANT PRESENT and sustainability. CARE WORKDAY 9am – noon CARE WORKDAY 9am – noon
9am – noon GROWN IN SAN FRANCISCO, 9am – 12:30pm Meeting location: TBA 9am – 12:30pm Meeting location: TBA
For more info. contact:
Meeting location: TBA an evening to benefit FUF, Meeting location: TBA Naomi Le Beau, x.100 Meeting location: TBA Heidi Lakics, x.110
Ryan Teller, x.104
Heidi Lakics, x.110 bringing together foodies Heather Ellison, x.102 Heather Ellison, x.102
ryan@fuf.net
and tree huggers to cele-
brate our common visions

Information may change without notice. Please call 415-561-6890 and listen to appropriate voicemail options.

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