Letter from a Cole Valley Neighbor

Posted on June 25, 2009 by webmaster

SaveSutro received this letter today, with a request to publish.
—————–
Dear Friends of the Mt. Sutro Forest,

“The cover-up is worse than the crime.” — Watergate aphorism

For several months people had been asking UCSF’s public-relations spokesperson Orlando Elizondo for a copy to the UCSF grant application to FEMA that calls for extensive tree-cutting on Mt. Sutro. These requests went unanswered, and now I think we know why.

When I finally got a copy from another source, I was dumbfounded to see that in answer to the question, “Are there controversial issues associated with this project?”

UCSF officials brazenly answered, “NO” (Item J.2 on page 32). And then, of course, that relieved them of answering the next question,”If Yes, please indicate in the text box below a description of the requirements, issues or public involvement effort.” where they would have had to disclose all the citizen group protests, newspaper accounts, and contentious public meetings that have roiled San Francisco about cutting down large healthy Eucalyptus trees.
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FEMA Fire danger? Where?

Posted on June 24, 2009 by webmaster

The UCSF application to FEMA, besides a great deal of peripheral information relating to the management of other forests like the Presidio, said that the California Dept of Fire and Forestry identified areas of high fire risk.

A map was attached with red areas purporting to show fire-hazard. But none of the three red areas were related to the project sites, South Ridge and Edgewood

One showed an area in the Forest Knolls neighborhood, which is privately owned. Another showed the Interior Greenbelt. A third showed the area around the water tank in the Aldea Student Housing area on Mount Sutro.

There’s a more detailed analysis of the so-called “fire-risk” here. (There’s also an excerpt from the map.)

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The Letter Objecting to the UCSF “Fire Mitigation” plan

Posted on June 23, 2009 by webmaster

Objections to the UCSF “Fire Mitigation” Plan (published with permission)

UCSF has circulated a plan to fell thousands of trees in two separate areas – South Ridge and Edgewood – as part of an ostensible “Fire Mitigation” project. FEMA funding for this plan is pending.

1. We believe this plan does not reduce the risk of fire in our area. The fire risk has been considerably overstated.
2. The plan actually appears to increase fire risk, possibly substantially.
3. Adverse Environmental Effects: Affects the microclimate in the forest as well as in neighboring areas by making it drier and windier. Use of toxic chemicals into a watershed area, and the destruction wildlife habitat.
4. Removing trees and undergrowth will increase the potential for dangerous landslides.
5. The historic 100-year-old forest is part of the character of the adjoining neighborhoods, and destroying them will adversely affect residents and property values.

None of the above are proper uses for Federal funding, including FEMA grants.

These points are discussed further below.

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Report on Urban Forestry Council Meeting

Posted on June 23, 2009 by webmaster

Summary: The Urban Forestry Council was unaware of the UCSF plan until it received a letter from concerned neighbors. This meeting was to find out more. Five members of the public spoke: Three residents of the Forest Knolls neighborhood; one member of the Mt Sutro Stewards organization that has been opening up trails to make the mountain more accessible; and a resident of the Cole Valley neighborhood. The steward was in favor of the plan; the neighbors stated their objections.

Council members were disturbed that UCSF had not kept them informed, and wondered about the ecological ramifications. The Council Chair, noting that the Council was an advisory body, invited detailed comments, and then said they would take this up again later when UCSF could make a presentation.

Detailed report below.

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Letter from the SF Tree Council

Posted on June 23, 2009 by webmaster

Letter in support, to the SF Urban Forestry Council from San Francisco Tree Council, (published with permission):

Re: Support for Letter “Objections to the UCSF “Fire Mitigation” Plan

Dear Urban Forest Council Members,

I assume item #7 refers to the letter – Objections to the UCSF Fire Mitigation Plan. It states what I have been saying for many years, as a member Parnassus Community Action Team (PCAT), UCSF Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve; and reiterates what was said last February, when UCSF invited SFTC to meet privately with them (I decided to include a neighbor, Paul Castleman and John Rizzo, SF Sierra Club); and what the public expressed at the last public meeting May 18th.

Please consider carefully what the Mt. Sutro citizens are saying.
I agree with their concerns and also believe this plan does not reduce the risk of fire in the Mount Sutro area but actually increases fire risk, substantially.

The fire risk has been considerably overstated for the purpose to get FEMA money. The Plan is to remove many trees that will affect the microclimate in the forest as well as in neighboring areas by making it drier and windier; the use toxic chemicals will affect the watershed area; will also cause the destruction wildlife habitat; and removing trees and undergrowth will increase the potential for dangerous landslides.

The historic 100-year-old forest is part of the character of the adjoining neighborhoods, and destroying them will adversely affect resident’s environmental health, quality of life and property values.
None of the above are proper uses for Federal funding, including FEMA grants. Nor will this plan improve or preserve the historic forest.

Please join in support, of the many neighborhood citizens that rightfully object to the Mt. Sutro Fire Mitigation Plan.

Sincerely yours,

Carolyn Blair
Executive Director, San Francisco Tree Council, Member SF Urban Forest Council
sftreecouncil@dslextreme.com

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Blog & Discussion

Posted on June 2, 2009 by webmaster

The website has been reorganized a bit to allow for easier posting of articles and updates. They’ll be on this page.

All the comments that were formerly on the front page have moved to this page as well (side-effect, sorry).

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