Category Archives: nativism

Native plant issues

Two Nativist Myths: Eucalyptus Kills Other Plants; Mutually Exclusive Relationships are Common in Nature

We re-publish with permission (and added emphasis) an article from  MillionTrees.me, a website that fights the unnecessary felling of trees in the Bay Area. The article, a report from someone who attended the February 2018 meeting of the California Native … Continue reading

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Native Plant Restoration: “Someone Pays and Someone Profits”

The article below was first published on April 1st on MillionTrees.me – a site fighting unnecessary tree destruction in the San Francisco Bay Area. Though it references mainly the widespread tree destruction planned for the East Bay, the same principles apply broadly. … Continue reading

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Why “Thinning” Damages a Forest

This article is republished with permission (and minor format changes) from Death of a Million Trees, a blog dedicated to fighting unnecessary tree-felling in the San Francisco Bay Area. It beautifully reflects the interlinked reality of Sutro Forest, which has … Continue reading

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“Are Eucalyptus Trees Going to Kill Us All?” Jan 27, 2017, San Rafael, CA

If you’re interested in a spirited discussion about eucalyptus, there’s going to be an interesting event in San Rafael with TreeSpirit founder Jack Gescheidt. CLICK TO ENLARGE Are Eucalyptus Trees Going To Kill Us All?! So shouldn’t we kill them … Continue reading

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4th Sutro Forest TAC Meeting: Nativist Coup

When UCSF surprisingly announced there would be a 4th Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting after the original three, we suspected adverse changes to the Draft Plan.  That meeting was held this evening, and we were right to be concerned. Significant changes … Continue reading

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Drought-Adapted Eucalyptus NOT Dying by the Thousand

Jake Sigg, retired San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) gardener who is considered the doyen of the Native Plant movement in San Francisco, has a widely circulated email newsletter. In it, he has been pushing the argument that thousands of … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, nativism | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

What Happened to Sutro Forest in 2014 – and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all our readers! We thought we’d end the year by reviewing the pluses and minuses for 2014. POSITIVES + UCSF has suspended its plans to cut down 90% of the trees in Sutro Forest. A new … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, nativism, UCSF | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Black Lives Matter to Everyone

This site focuses on Mount Sutro Cloud Forest, but in the past we’ve digressed into other areas of environmental and public interest. We discussed butterflies, herbicides, and even a particularly egregious study that attempted to indicate that cats were major … Continue reading

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Sutro Forest: Good News; Bad News; Action Alert

Last month, we wrote about about two things: Tree-cutting in Sutro Forest in the bird nesting season; San Francisco’s new “Office of Biodiversity” that was looking for a $250,000 grant to fund developing a so-called ‘Biodiversity Plan’ that would extend … Continue reading

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John Muir, Eucalyptus, and Happy New Year!

On January 2, 1911, John Muir – founder of the Sierra Club and the man who saved Yosemite – sent out this greeting card. It has a painting of a eucalyptus tree, and a poem about the tree: “From eucalyptus … Continue reading

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“Invasive” Plants can Save Native Wildlife

We recently came upon this article by author Toby Hemenway, on his blog Pattern Literacy.  Written from the point of view of a permaculturist, it responds to nativist objections that the permaculture community plants non-native or even “invasive” species. Since … Continue reading

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Jake Sigg and Transparency and CalFire

Of late, your webmaster has been carrying on an interesting and detailed debate on the neighborhood site Nextdoor about fire hazard. The other person involved opposes our position, and has been willing to discuss it. We appreciate that; we believe … Continue reading

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War on Trees in the Bay Area

In a world where climate change is a reality, and trees our only defense (aside from actually reducing carbon emissions), it would seem to be a no-brainer that preserving existing trees would be environmentally important. The carbon sequestration and storage … Continue reading

Posted in deforestation, Environment, eucalyptus, Herbicides, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, nativism, Natural areas Program, UCSF | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Action Alert: TODAY is Deadline for East Bay Tree-felling Comments

This article is reprinted with permission from SFForest.net The deadline for comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the East Bay Tree-felling plan is TODAY. From the FEMA website: Submitting Comments on the Draft EIS Written comments must … Continue reading

Posted in deforestation, Environment, eucalyptus, Herbicides, nativism | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sutro Stewards: The Good, The Bad, and the… ???

In recent months, many people have asked us about the Sutro Stewards, and we’d like to explain our position. We’re not affiliated with them. The Sutro Stewards are a volunteer group that works primarily on Mount Sutro. Craig Dawson is … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Herbicides, Mount Sutro Stewards, nativism, UCSF | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

The Importance of Eucalyptus

It’s Earth Day today, and we’d like to talk about the importance of Eucalyptus trees. Surprisingly, even some people who identify as environmentalists have no idea of the far-reaching value of these trees in our environment. San Francisco has a … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Mount Sutro Stewards, nativism, Natural areas Program, UCSF | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Why Does UCSF Want to Destroy Sutro Forest?

This article is republished from Death of a Million Trees with permission and minor edits. —————- Why Does UCSF Want to Destroy Sutro Forest? The short answer to that question is “I don’t know.” However, since many of the over … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, nativism, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Speaking for Glen Canyon’s Trees

We received a report (and opinion-piece) from a supporter of Anastasia Glikshtern in her appeal regarding the Glen Canyon project. [The background is HERE:  Saving the Trees of Glen Canyon Park.] While the appeal was denied, it was clear that … Continue reading

Posted in deforestation, nativism, Natural areas Program | 1 Comment

Ostriches below Mt Sutro Forest

If we were thinking of non-native species of birds, we probably couldn’t get much further than ostriches. So it seemed particularly appropriate to post this picture. The graceful non-native trees of Mt Sutro Forest fill the background, and in the … Continue reading

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Fact Check: Nothing Grows UnderEucalyptus? (Allelopathy)

Like most people in the US, we’ve been listening to some of the political speeches and the discussion around them recently. And we’re rather heartened by a newly emerging trend: fact-checking. In the last few months, one “fact” we’ve heard … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, nativism | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Insects Don’t Prefer Native Plants

New data, but old theories? One argument that Native Plant Advocates make for their attempts to convert San Francisco’s open spaces to native plants (despite the habitat destruction and pesticide use) is that it’s better for wildlife. In fact, it’s … Continue reading

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Glen Canyon Park: Chainsaws in the Nesting Season

The nesting season for birds is in full swing. San Francisco’s mild winter and recent rains have provided a window for building and breeding, and they’ve grabbed it. The birding reports are full of lovely stories, from humming-birds to Great … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, nativism, Natural areas Program | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

What Adolph Sutro Didn’t Know About the Eucalyptus Forest

Mount Sutro Cloud Forest, a century-old forest of eucalyptus, was planted by former mayor and philanthropist Adolph Sutro (1830-1898). Like the larger and better-known Muir Woods, it’s the last remnant of a forest that covered a much larger area – … Continue reading

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The Murdered Tree on Mt Davidson

[Edited to Add:  This tree finally went down on April 8 or 9, 2013, following strong winds in the Bay Area.] It’s visible for miles around, the dramatic dead tree high on the brow of Mt Davidson. That’s the Murdered … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, nativism, Natural areas Program, Neighborhood impact | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

The $3.4 mn “Park” at Sutro Dunes

We’ve driven by there a hundred times, and never noticed it… but it’s a Natural Area and a park, opposite Ocean Beach. It’s just below the bluff topped by Sutro Park, across the road from some neat condos.  It’s been … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, nativism, Natural areas Program | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Pine Lake with Pollution and Pesticides

Someone sent us a note, recently. “There was a sign up at Pine Lake today warning people that the water was polluted!” it said. And here is the picture attached: “All around the lake, walkers were talking about the NAP … Continue reading

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Happy New Year, with Pyrotechnics and Pesticides

Last night, we went to watch the fireworks from Twin Peaks as the year turned over. It was a clear night, despite a little fog earlier on. The hill was crowded with cars and buzzing with anticipation. People jogged or … Continue reading

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Miranda’s Daily Blog: Day 13

Miranda’s trying to save a forest in Tasmania, on Mt Mueller. We’re trying to save a forest in San Francisco, on Mount Sutro. But here’s what really got me: “It seems almost crazy, doesn’t it? For someone who loves trees … Continue reading

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Mt. Davidson Park – An Open Space Preserved for Recreation or Native Plants?

It’s not just Sutro Forest. Native plant interests threaten trees throughout the city, and in particular, in San Francisco’s other significant century-old forest: Mt Davidson. A favorite area for the residents of Miraloma Park, the Significant Natural Areas Management Plan … Continue reading

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‘Tis the Season… for Poisons on Twin Peaks

And when is it not, actually? Maybe this could be called the Santa Claus mix? The old formula – Glyphosate and Imazapyr, being used against “Road brush” whatever that is, and erhata grass. It’s scheduled for Dec 19-23, 2011. Pesticides … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Herbicides, Herbicides: Roundup, Garlon, nativism, Natural areas Program | Tagged , , | 1 Comment