Living

Changes to the forest will change the surrounding neighborhoods, particularly Forest Knolls, Cole Valley, and the whole area surrounding Mount Sutro.

• The Microclimate: Removal of the dense stands of eucalyptus that act as a windbreak will adversely affect the Forest Knolls and Edgewood micro-climates. Already the removal of a stand of trees between Aldea and Christopher has made the lower part of the street more windy.

• Aesthetics and livability. Bare spaces make litter visible. Windblown trash is likely to decorate the slope, as it does Twin Peaks.  The sense of living beside a forest is lost when it is thinned into nothing more than a park. It is the scent, the sound, the natural look of the forest that drew many of the residents to these neighborhoods.

• Sound damping. The tens of thousands of eucalyptus with a dense understory of acacia and blackberry have the effect of damping sound. Removing or thinning it will make the entire area noisier. [Related post: Blue Angels and Forest Sounds]

• More homeless encampments, graffiti and vandalism. The thorny blackberry understorey, as well as the damp, discourages camping. The steep secluded areas make it particularly attractive for camping by homeless people being pushed out of other places. This has the potential to bring in more litter, as well as opening up the possibility of use by vandals. Tank Hill now has broken glass, graffiti on the rocky outcrops, and cigarette butts.