Category Archives: Sutro Forest "Fire Risk"

Assessing “fire risk” in Sutro Forest

SF Fire Department Busts Some Myths – And More “Work” in Sutro Forest?

Posted on September 20, 2015 by webmaster

This post is republished with permission and minor edits from the website of the San Francisco Forest Alliance. We think it is of particular interest not only because of the myth-busting, but because we were told for the first time … Continue reading →

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Sutro Forest: Fog and Puddles While Elsewhere Fires Burn

Posted on September 16, 2015 by webmaster

The fog rolled in, the mist filled the trees, and the forest’s music was the patter of the Cloud Forest’s internal rain. This was Sutro Cloud Forest on Saturday, September 12th 2015. We were glad of our raincoat as we … Continue reading →

Posted in Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Progress! UCSF’s Changed Plans for Mt Sutro Forest (Meeting Report)

Posted on November 22, 2013 by webmaster

Thank you, everyone who came for the UCSF Mt Sutro Forest meeting on 21 November 2013. It was a significant one. UCSF indicated a changed direction from its earlier plan. Key changes: Restricted objective: Safety. The main objective will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

What Vegetation Burns?

Posted on November 8, 2013 by webmaster

Recently, there was a small fire on the slope above Laguna Honda reservoir in San Francisco. UCSF sent around a photograph, and emphasized that it was near Mount Sutro Forest. It was. But it was on the area that is … Continue reading →

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Sutro Forest Report: What’s Been Done?

Posted on September 21, 2013 by webmaster

On Sept 11th, UCSF emailed its list that it had “completed urgent fire-safety measures on approximately 12 acres on Mount Sutro.”  In the same email, UCSF said that the measures were “in response to an assessment this summer by the … Continue reading →

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

UCSF, Sutro Forest, and – “Emergency”?

Posted on September 16, 2013 by webmaster

We’ve had questions ever since UCSF sent out statements that it was initiating “urgent fire safety” work in response to an “independent assessment” of “extra-hazardous fire conditions” by San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) – and that the California Environmental Quality … Continue reading →

Posted in Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Mt Sutro Cloud Forest Evening: Puddles, Not Fire

Posted on September 10, 2013 by webmaster

The fog blowing in last evening softened all the colors to gray. It was growing late, too late for the forest. We went anyway. These are some of the most beautiful times in the Cloud Forest, and we’d been away … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Sutro Forest – Protesting the Tree-cutting

Posted on September 1, 2013 by webmaster

The peaceful demonstration last Thursday drew a number of supporters, both those who have already been active and newcomers. A few people approached us to find out what was happening, then offered to carry signs or distribute materials themselves. We … Continue reading →

Posted in deforestation, Environment, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

UCSF Surprise: Felling >1000 Trees On Mt Sutro in Aug 2013

Posted on August 16, 2013 by webmaster

We had thought that UCSF was not going to cut down trees this fall when we wrote One More Year for Sutro Forest.  We were wrong. Yesterday, we received a surprise notification from UCSF. It plans to start felling trees … Continue reading →

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Jake Sigg and Transparency and CalFire

Posted on July 22, 2013 by webmaster

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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Sutro Cloud Forest is Foggy while Fires Burn Elsewhere

Posted on July 14, 2013 by webmaster

The summer fog has rolled into San Francisco, and we’d been watching the forest hopefully while Life delayed our visit. We finally made it on the kind of evening that makes you fall in love with Sutro Cloud Forest all … Continue reading →

Posted in Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

May 2013: Mount Sutro Forest Hike in a Dry Spell

Posted on May 6, 2013 by webmaster

We’ve had an unusually dry winter here in California, and even San Francisco’s had a hot spell recently. So what’s happening in Mount Sutro Forest, usually so damp and green? In brief: It’s not damp, but it is green. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Sutro Forest “Fire Hazard” – Lesson from the Oakland Hills

Posted on April 27, 2013 by webmaster

We are publishing, with permission and minor edits, this statement from a Board Member of the Hills Conservation Network.  This East Bay organization includes among its Board people who were directly impacted by the Oakland fire, and are dedicated to … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

ABC7 Television, an Idyllic Forest, and Fear of Fire

Posted on March 17, 2013 by webmaster

ABC7 television had a 2-minute piece on Sutro Forest recently. We think it’s great coverage, and ABC7 is doing the community a service by getting this issue out there. But we’re concerned about how two interviewees focused on fire hazard,  … Continue reading →

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Sutro Forest Statement by Dr Joseph Mascaro

Posted on March 14, 2013 by webmaster

This is the statement of Dr Joseph Mascaro at the February 25th 2013 hearing UCSF held about the Draft Environmental Impact Report regarding Sutro Forest. It is published here with permission and added emphasis. ——————————- My name is Dr. Joseph … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Meetings, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Fimrite’s Forest: The Evil Twin of Sutro Forest

Posted on March 5, 2013 by webmaster

Fimrite’s Forest is the evil twin of Mount Sutro Cloud Forest. It occupies the same space, but it’s quite different from the forest we know and love. It’s described in Peter Fimrite’s recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Report: UCSF’s Public Hearing Strongly Favors Preserving Sutro Forest

Posted on February 26, 2013 by webmaster

This is a quick post reporting on UCSF’s Feb 25th hearing. We’ll update it as necessary from the transcript and notes. [Edited to Add: Post updated to put in actual numbers of speakers and add two themes.] —————————- Around 250 … Continue reading →

Posted in deforestation, Environment, eucalyptus, Herbicides, Mount Sutro Stewards, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Mt Sutro landslide risk, Neighborhood impact, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Why Does UCSF Want to Destroy Sutro Forest?

Posted on February 25, 2013 by webmaster

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

USCF, Sutro Stewards, and the fund-raising “Fire Hazard”

Posted on October 23, 2011 by webmaster

Here we go again. We’d thought, after FEMA’s  letter that suggested that UCSF’s application had exaggerated the fire hazard in Mount Sutro Forest, that UCSF would back off an assessment clearly based on misunderstood and misinterpreted information. After all, Cal … Continue reading →

Posted in Mount Sutro Stewards, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A rebuttal to UCSF November Report – Morley Singer

Posted on January 11, 2011 by webmaster

Some months ago, Friends and Neighbors of the Mount Sutro Cloud Forest met with Senior Vice Chancellor John Plotts and followed up with a counter-proposal for the management of the forest, focusing on preserving its unique Cloud Forest ecosystem and … Continue reading →

Posted in Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged | 1 Comment

One More Time: Fire Hazard? (FEMA notes UCSF’s inaccuracy)

Posted on September 16, 2010 by webmaster

Recently, we received a letter obtained by a public records request from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). UCSF had applied to this organization for pre-disaster mitigation funds to chop down trees on 14 acres of the forest, claiming the forest … Continue reading →

Posted in Meetings, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Native Plants, Chaparral: Conversation with ‘Charlie’

Posted on August 1, 2010 by webmaster

From time to time, people come by to comment and engage with the information on this website. We appreciate that. ‘Charlie’ commented on several posts, but this comment was long and complex enough that it deserved a separate post. ******************* … Continue reading →

Posted in eucalyptus, Herbicides: Roundup, Garlon, nativism, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , | 62 Comments

Report: UCSF Forest Meeting, July 2010

Posted on July 27, 2010 by webmaster

UCSF’s Forest meeting this evening had a reasonably good turnout with a few new faces among the familiar ones. Janet Kessler, the Jane Goodall of San Francisco’s coyotes, was present but preferred not to speak in public. We suggested she … Continue reading →

Posted in eucalyptus, Herbicides, Herbicides: Roundup, Garlon, Meetings, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Neighborhood impact, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Creating a Fire Ladder?

Posted on July 20, 2010 by webmaster

One of the elements of the plan for the Demonstration Areas is to remove vines that climb tree-trunks to a height of ten feet. The vines above that level (maybe another 100 feet or so) will of course die. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Six Reasons Not to Destroy Sutro Forest’s Understory

Posted on June 29, 2010 by webmaster

We have been talking about the destruction of the forest’s understory in several areas. This is not an innocuous activity.  Here are six reasons why: Creating a fire hazard. We have explained at length that the Cloud Forest, in its … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Dialogue with Sutro Biker

Posted on April 22, 2010 by webmaster

This conversation with Sutro Biker started in the Comments. We felt it was interesting enough to have it in a separate post instead of buried at the bottom of a page. ************************************************************************ Sutro Biker (SB): I still can’t believe all the misinformation … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Herbicides, Herbicides: Roundup, Garlon, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, nativism, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Sutro Cloud Forest’s Micro-climate

Posted on April 2, 2010 by webmaster

Sutro Cloud Forest is in the fog belt, and all summer long, its gets fog nearly every day. It’s never dry — and here’s why. The trees grab the moisture from the fog and clouds (1 in the picture); it … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Sutro Forest 2010-2011: UCSF Meeting update

Posted on March 25, 2010 by webmaster

UCSF’s meeting was intended to inform the neighbors about the reasons for the withdrawal of the FEMA application; reaffirm their commitment to a safe, healthy, beautiful and usable forest; and lay out next steps. Barbara French opened the meeting with … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Herbicides, Meetings, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Neighborhood impact, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

UCSF Update and March 24 meeting

Posted on February 26, 2010 by webmaster

We attended a meeting at UCSF today, in which they addressed several planning items. On Mt Sutro, UCSF was seeking money from FEMA to gut a quarter of the forest in the name of fire hazard mitigation. What UCSF’s Lori … Continue reading →

Posted in Maps, Meetings, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Neighborhood impact, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk", UCSF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Low Fire Risk and the “Historic Trail”

Posted on February 9, 2010 by webmaster

I attended a meeting called by Parks and Rec this evening, to discuss opening access to the forest at 17th and Stanyan in Cole Valley. This the black dotted line in the map below. [ETA: The map was distributed at … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, eucalyptus, Maps, Meetings, Mt Sutro Cloud Forest, Neighborhood impact, Sutro Forest "Fire Risk" | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments