A history of our relationship with San Francisco Public Works
Forty years ago this year, the city of San Francisco cut the budget for the planting of street trees due to budget constraints. Five folks
Building a thriving urban forest takes more than love
“Under the canopy of the trees, daily dramas and moving love stories are played out. Here is the last remaining piece of Nature, right on
Tell City Hall: we need more trees
“The best available technology for pulling carbon dioxide from the air is something called a tree.” ― Al Gore Sometimes the urban forest needs advocates
5 Trees to Plant for Better Air in San Francisco
By Anna Wright One of the biggest benefits of trees is their ability to improve air quality. Urban forests are often called a city’s lungs
Dan Flanagan to step down; search for new FUF leader begins
Dan Flanagan, executive director of Friends of the Urban Forest since 2008, has announced plans to retire this spring. FUF’s board of directors has engaged
Healthy Soil
The key to a healthy garden (vegetable, habitat, or ornamental) is understanding your soil. Soil requirements can vary among different garden types, but there are
Planting native vs. non-native tree species
Very few of the tree species we plant are native; they include Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) and California Buckeye (Aesculus californica). But few tree
See a tree problem? Report it!
If you notice a street tree that has been damaged or knocked over by a vehicle, or vandalized, or that has dropped a limb or
Keeping your block beautiful
San Francisco is a challenging place for street trees and sidewalk gardens because of our sandy or clay-like soils, strong salty winds, rainless summers, and
Self-guided tree walks
Thanks to the efforts of three local tree experts, you can enjoy more than a dozen self-guided walking tree tours in various San Francisco neighborhoods.
Controlling pests the natural way
A gardener’s knee-jerk reaction to pests (whether animal, insect, OR plant) is usually “kill it!” or “pull it!” — but is there a better alternative?
Movie/Book Recommendations From FUF
By Tatevik Aslanian It’s been difficult to safely get any time outdoors lately, and by now most of us have burned through our watch lists. So
Parks to Experience the Outdoors in San Francisco
Written by Vincent Distrola One of my favorite things to do on a day off is pack a small lunch, fill my water bottles, and
Greener Block Award winners for 2020
Every year, Friends of the Urban Forest recognizes a community with the Brian Tsai Greener Block Award (formerly called the “Most Greenified Block Award,” and
Join us in writing letters for trees!
以下中文说明 | Instrucciones en español a continuación We need your help writing letters to SF residents encouraging them to sign up for a
Racial justice = environmental justice
We want to live in a world where Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) don’t have to bear the burden of environmental injustice, violent
Our most-planted street trees of the decade
Since 1981, Friends of the Urban Forest has planted about 60,000 trees. We’ve always done our best to identify, obtain, and plant species that are
Why We Love Magnolia Trees
Written by Vincent Distrola Growing up in the Golden State feels surreal. If you were to take a drive starting at the bottom of the
Nowhere near the greenest city
San Francisco has a “green” reputation, but when it comes to “tree canopy coverage” — the percentage of our land area that’s covered by trees