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A note from Dave Emanuel, member of the SF Forest Alliance, on Glen Canyon

February 20, 2013 by Elizabeth Weise

CARING FOR OUR CANYON

On your next visit to Glen Canyon Park you will see a stark contrast in the landscape where majestic Eucalyptus stood for more than a century lining Alms Road. The removal of these signature trees over the past two weeks has been the source of heated controversy surrounding the facilities renovation project for almost a year before it started.

 

Jan 9, 2013. Photo SF Forest Alliance.
Jan 9, 2013. Photo SF Forest Alliance.

The project never should have pitted the playground and tennis courts against the trees. But the time for passionate pleas has passed, just like the trees, and it’s now time to work on reuniting our community.

 

The way forward is going to require broader community involvement, compromise, and changes to the policies and processes that did not serve us well.  Working together, though, we can further common goals of keeping our canyon safe, healthy and accessible to recreational users and the diverse species and wildlife that thrive in the ecosystems that exist in few urban areas.

 

In order to achieve success we are asking for transparency and clarity with projects and tree management throughout the canyon in the following ways:

 

Jan 14, 2013. Photo courtesy of SF Forest Alliance.
Jan 14, 2013. Photo courtesy of SF Forest Alliance.
  • Routine maintenance – conduct tree assessments more frequently than once every 50 years and perform maintenance on a routine basis. If that means shifting money from other San Francisco Rec and Park budgets in order to do so, heed the call this is a critical issue for the canyon.
  • Tree safety – if a tree poses a legitimate threat to the imminent safety of people the tree should be removed. In March of last year 24 trees among 627 evaluated were identified by the Rec and Park hired arborist as being hazardous yet 22 of them have not been remediated as of today.
  • “Poor Suitability” – dispense with this tree assessment category altogether. It uses a hodgepodge of criteria that factors in whether a tree is too big, the wrong species or invasive, among other things that have little or nothing to do with safety. Correspondence to the arborist shows that Rec and Park staff who are overseeing the current tree removal do not even understand what “poor suitability” entails. Neither do we.
  • Removal notification – mark every tree with a clear and specific explanation for why it’s being recommended for removal. While a generic 30-day notice has been placed on doomed trees, there’s no reason why a listing cannot be maintained online, as well. And residents should be able to sign up for automatic alerts notifying them when trees get placed on the list and the reason it will be removed.
  • Incorporate trees – find creative ways for preserving trees in project design, not simply removing them for interfering with architectural grandeur.
  • Community engagement – seek participation of the canyon’s visitors and neighbors throughout the year. Challenge us for solutions to complex and controversial issues, and solicit our ideas rather than just seeking our validation for variations of a standard mold that is applied to all parks.
  • True representation – no one group or organization speaks for the thousands of people who have a stake in the care of our canyon. Seek diverse and wide participation in the community meetings – including those tasked with organizing and hosting them – that play an important role in determining how taxpayer funds are allocated. And it’s time for those watching from the sidelines to get involved.

 

It’s evident from the standing room-only crowds and rancor during many community meetings held by our district supervisor and other groups after the project’s complete plan was disclosed that the process needs real improvement.

 

There are many good things planned for the canyon, and our community lobbied hard and voted together to secure substantial funding for continued work.

 

Now is the time to learn from the significant problems we encountered and fix the process in order to reach a true semblance of consensus going forward. Our canyon is worth it.

 

— Dave Emanuel lives in Glen Park. He is a member of the San Francisco Forest Alliance,  a nonprofit organization that cares deeply about the stewardship of parks, open space and urban forests (http://sfforest.net).

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

Bosworth & Lyell tarp wrap
Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
RSVP to info@glenparkassociation.org
Just need to get last week’s
loose material into tarps!


SFCTA Freeway Ramp Open House
Thursday, May 15, 5-6:30 p.m.
Ingleside Branch Library, 1298 Ocean Avenue



Spread the Love and the Mulch
Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m. to noon
500 block of Arlington at Roanoke
The blooming Oakwoodland on Arlington and Roanoke turns two. Come join the community in keeping out the weeds and making space for the California Natives. Tools, lunch (sponsored by neighbor Jodell) and good company provided.


Hamerton steps logoHamerton Steps Planting
Saturday, May 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
RSVP hamertonstairs@gmail.com



Upper Noe Neighbors Community Meeting Wednesday, May 21, 7 p.m.
Upper Noe Recreation Center auditorium
295 Day Street
Agenda


San Francisco Department of Public Works logoDPW Love Our City
District 8 Cleanup Day
Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to afternoon
Learn more and sign up here


 

Logo Center for Creative Exploration

The Center for Creative Exploration
Explore all the Colors of the Rainbow
one-day workshop
Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
300 Chenery Street
Learn more and link to registration here


Weeding Party
June 21, 10 a.m. to noon
100 block of Arlington at Charles
Join neighbors on the North end of the Cut to keep down the weeds and beautify top to bottom. Tools, lunch and good company provided.


Monthly cleanup on the Greenway
First Saturday of the Month (usually)
Click here to learn more


Friends of Glen Canyon’s
Glen Canyon Habitat Restoration
Every third Saturday 9:30 a.m to noon
Sign up here

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Click the above button or here to see all upcoming Glen Park Branch Library events. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get events highlights in your inbox.

Glen Park Rec Center

Glen Canyon Park sign
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Glen Park Rec Center
class schedule


Saturdays 3-4:45 p.m.
Questions? Call 415-239-4007


GP Movie Night Schedule

Renew Your Glen Park Association Membership for 2025

Join the Glen Park Association and help promote our community’s interests. Together, we can secure improvement funds, publicize neighborhood concerns and strive to speak as one voice on neighborhood and city issues.

Membership in the Glen Park Association is only $10 annually and can be purchased online.

Glen Park Association Advertising Sponsors

JE_Digital Small Space Ad
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GPA Ad- Perez Construction ad 6.27.22 v Glen Park
moroco
Center for Creative Exploration - adult
JE_Digital Small Space Ad
Diamond Heights Digital Ad
GPA Ad- Perez Construction ad 6.27.22 v Glen Park
moroco
Center for Creative Exploration - adult
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Glen Park Association is in Glen Park.
4 hours ago
Glen Park Association

Save the Date! May 17th, Saturday 10:00AM - 11:30AM

Join us and help pick up trash & litter in the neighborhood!
We’re celebrating 3 years of collaborating with @refuserefusesf and the @glen_parkmerchantssf of #keepingGlenParkclean and bringing the #community together!🙌🏽

Meet at Critter Fritters Pet Food and Supplies @critterfritterspetfood
📍670 Chenery Street

Supplies and refreshments prov
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Save the Date! May 17th, Saturday 10:00AM - 11:30AM

Join us and help pick up trash & litter in the neighborhood! 
We’re celebrating 3 years of collaborating with @refuserefusesf and the @glen_parkmerchantssf of #keepingGlenParkclean and bringing the #community together!🙌🏽

Meet at Critter Fritters Pet Food and Supplies @critterfritterspetfood 
📍670 Chenery Street

Supplies and refreshments provided
No experience required

#refuserefusesf #glenpark #sanfrancisco #keepSFclean @rafaelmandelmand8 @anhishere @danielluriesf @sfpublicworks @avenuegreenlight #avenuegreenlight
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Glen Park Association is in Glen Park.
2 days ago
Glen Park Association

Yesterday was a great day at the Glen Park Small Business Stroll presented by the San Francisco Public Library’s Small Business Center and our Glen Park Branch Library!
Participating merchants were @bird.beckett , @perchsf , @theclarktechnique , @pebblescafesf , @glen_park_station_bar and Glen Park historian Evelyn Rose did a BART history talk at the Glen Park BART station.

📷: Photos courtesy of
... See MoreSee Less

Yesterday was a great day at the Glen Park Small Business Stroll presented by the San Francisco Public Library’s Small Business Center and our Glen Park Branch Library!
Participating merchants were @bird.beckett , @perchsf , @theclarktechnique , @pebblescafesf , @glen_park_station_bar and Glen Park historian Evelyn Rose did a BART history talk at  the Glen Park BART station. 

📷: Photos courtesy of Bonnee Waldstein 

@sfpubliclibrary #glenparksf  #glenparksmallbusinessstroll
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Wonder what’s going on with the French restaurant on the corner of Chenery. It never reopened.

Blog Roll

Coyote Yipps
Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center
Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project
Open SF History
Sunnyside Conservatory
Sunnyside History
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
Tramps of San Francisco
Upper Noe Neighbors

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