Want a new street tree? If you live in the Upper Haight or Cole Valley, now's your chance.
January 3rd is the last day to submit an application for a neighborhood street tree of your very own, planted by the Friends of the Urban Forest, the local organization working to increase San Francisco's urban tree population.
For those who decide to get a tree, Friends of the Urban Forest will buy the tree, complete the installation, do three to four checkups over the next three years, and secure city permitting for a flat $135-180, depending on the type of tree. (The real cost is around $475 per tree, but the process is subsidized.)
For a small additional charge, the group also offers watering bags that encircle trees and slowly water them, and wire mesh screens that provide extra protection to trees in risky locations.
Those who make the current deadline will likely have their trees planted on February 6th, said Ben Carlson, an FUF spokesperson.
It bears mention that street trees in San Francisco are in the midst of some turmoil these days, as the combination of the drought and the early lashings of El Niño have caused many trees to die or fall over. For several years, the city has been transferring tree maintenance responsibility to adjacent property owners; Supervisor Scott Wiener is attempting to counter that by proposing a new parcel tax for publicly maintaining them.
If you're interested in getting involved with FUF's greening efforts by volunteering, an application can be found here. Since its inception in 1981, Friends of the Urban Forest estimates it's planted roughly half the city's extant trees.
