At midnight of Feb 7, the petition already had 789 signatures,  and of course, many more comments. If you’re interested,  please go to the petition by clicking on the button below. And if you haven’t signed it but would like to – please do. (If you’ve signed once, no need to do so again.)

Meanwhile, here’s a selection of comments, picked up more or less randomly:

#151:  “The Mount Sutro Forest is a healthy, functioning ecosystem. The University of California, with all its talk of underfunding, would be foolish to spend money to destroy it. The forest is one of the great joys of the surrounding neighborhoods.”

#167: “I lived in Cole Valley for 19 years and loved the Sutro Forest. It was a main feature of living there: visually it softened the landscape; it was a wonderful place to walk and relieve the stress of urban life. Please leave it as it is- a touch of wildness in the midst of concrete.”

A forest in the clouds

#175: “I see no reason to alter this natural treasure. I’ve been to the rain forests of Costa Rica. These trees look very similar. No problems to fix here.”

#179: “These forests help keep the CITY in balance with nature, and add elements of beauty that no building or man made structure can approach. Once they are destroyed for nefarious and incomprehensible reasons (could it be “development and dollars” at work??? in the guise of safety???) the change will have effects we can not foresee and diminish the CITY greatly.  Stop the KILL.”

#186: “Why should a medical establishment need to cause such destruction? This habitat is valuable.”

#204: “Between what the University if California is proposing to do, and what the Natural Areas Progran that SF Parks and Rec is doing, we will become a city of cement, and smog, devoid of birds and animal life. What clown is in charge of this circus?”

#229: “The pollution of the air across our earth is well known to scientists. Trees clean the air. SF in particular needs every single tree remaining, and more trees planted. This eco boutique thinking ( native plants ) is fairy tale thinking, dogma thinking, to forget about the huge population SF has now, compared to the 1850’s when the plants here were “natives” is to forget about and deny the disaster of air pollution in our reality unraveling and poisoning everything. Trees clean air; big established old growth trees are the most effective.”

#251: “Do not be blinded by the idea that “native” must be restored to San Francisco open spaces. Destroying what is already working is not planning for the future. When you return the entire site of Golden Gate Park to its original form – sand dunes – then I would support your misguided plan to destroy the forest.”

#276: “This is one of the most beautiful places in San Francisco. There are few left.”

#286: “I gave birth at UCSF and the view out the window was of this beautiful forest. It should not be destroyed!”

#288: “All the trees are gone from my area because of hospital expansion (view also). I now have seasonal breathing problems”

#294: “I grew up with Mt. Sutro forest being basically like an extension to my backyard. I loved playing in the woods on weekends, finding the cave believed to be Ishi’s last “wild” home with my mom, and spending hours just enjoying the quiet, densely wooded solitude. The forest on Mt. Sutro is a San Francisco gem, please don’t destroy it by getting rid of so many trees.”

#306: “I am an alumna of the UC system and find it extremely disturbing that such a wonderful institution would launch an all out attack of few precious havens in the City. 30,000 trees!!!! This is just very misguided and short sighted. Please reconsider this terrible plan.”

#307: “What are you thinking? Or, are you thinking at all? Why destroy some of what few, precious trees there are in the city?”

#313: “What possible benefit would come from the destruction of 90% of the trees in Sutro Forest that would outweigh the harm to an important bird habitat and one of the treasures of the city of San Francisco for the refuge it provides from urban life? Please reconsider. Don’t do it.”

#340: “Please do not cut down the trees in Mount Sutro Forest. They are a haven and habitat for animals and birds. They remove tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. These trees are a precious resource in the city where we have few wild spaces. Save the trees!”

#360: “Aside from the environmental devastation and horrible waste of money, it is frightening that this idea would even travel as far as it has in a city that has helped set the standard in environmental policy. This city needs more healthy trees, not less. Stop this nonsense before it’s too late!”

#364: “Not smart: trees = air cleaning. The dead chipped trees will release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Trees also reduce air pollution by TRAPPING particulate matter on their leaves. The project will be extremely costly, and require the use of pesticides like Roundup and Garlon. Roundup is a systemic pesticide and is being banned in Europe due to its ties with pollinator deaths! I.e bees and butterflies, responsible for all fruit and vegetable growth in yr farmlands outside the city… TOTALLY estupido, I think”

#376: “As a San Francisco resident, I have grown sick and tired of seeing organizations attempt to destroy the urban forests that make our city so beautiful and unique. Let Mother Nature work unmolested.”

We leave you with one that spoke to us particularly, the more so since we both care passionately about the forest, and respect UCSF as a premier medical institution for research, teaching, and for its patients.

#398: “I worked as a reforester and sylviculturist for a significant number of years. The process of thinning a forest never removes 90% of the trees. A maturing forest that has not been tampered with by humans will typically sort out overcrowding issues. If you look at the old-growth forests that still exist in the hills hugging the California coast, you can witness how a forest that sustains itself primarily from fog and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere evolves over time. While Mount Sutro Forest differs in composition from Redwood forests, it is following a similar path. Leave it be, and allow it to mature naturally. UCSF should focus on what it does best: be a center for higher learning, and it should let Mount Sutro Forest do what it does best: be a forest.”

Dusk, mist, Great Horned Owl