Upper historic trail – 2013

UCSF is proceeding with its “Vegetation Management Plan” that involves removing trees and planting native scrub.

According to their newsletter: “Starting December 15, we’ll begin this season’s work to remove dead and dying trees along the Fairy Gates Trail, Nike Road and the Lower Historic Trail. Removing dying trees helps open up patches of light for new growth on the forest floor and keeps the trails safe, especially during winter storms.”

Unfortunately, thinning out the trees in this very windy site merely makes the forest *less* safe by exposing other trees to wind they are not accustomed to, and by drying out a cloud forest that has been moist, even wet, through summer.

They declared most of the trees as “dying” – initially arguing that eucalyptus trees had a life of only 100 years. Trees that fall naturally in storms are the ones that are naturally unsuited to remain – and can be removed, (though dead trees and snags are an important part of the ecosystem and provide habitat to a host of birds and animals).

We expect a denuded forest at the end of this Plan. Here, with nostalgia, are pictures from 2013.

View from Trail in 2013 – Credit Tony Holiday

Fairy Gates Trail in 2013 – credit Tony Holiday