Are you interested in making your street a little greener? Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF), a non-profit that's already planted more than 50,000 trees around San Francisco, is now accepting applications from homeowners who'd like to join FUF's Inner Sunset Community Planting Area this summer.
Established in 1981, FUF claims responsibility for planting nearly half of San Francisco's 105,000 street trees. Created after the City pruned funding for urban forestry programs, the group's founders planted their first tree in Noe Valley on California's Arbor Day.
The Inner Sunset is one of the City's greenest neighborhoods, with 20.5 percent canopy coverage. FUF already has a significant following in the Inner Sunset; last month, members of Inner Sunset Park Neighbors met to discuss plans for working with the group to submit applications to join a community planting scheduled for July 23rd.
To get a tree, applicants will need to submit an application form; although renters may apply to become a tree's caretaker, property owners will need to sign off first. Although FUF covers three-quarters of the costs, applicants are asked to cover a co-pay on a sliding scale that starts at $135 and tops out at $500.
If approved, FUF will handle the heavy lifting: their arborists will cut the sidewalk, plant the tree, and provide three years of follow-up. Community planting projects are executed in three phases; right now, FUF is conducting community outreach to identify as many leaf-loving residents as possible between now and June 15th.
Between mid-June and July 23rd, the non-profit will organize arborist community meetings to educate residents about which trees are most appropriate for their street, as well as the logistics of preparing the sidewalk for planting, which requires notifying the City and checking for utility lines.
Finally, on June 23rd, volunteers will coordinate with FUF and gather at various sites around the Inner Sunset to plant trees. No experience is required; amateur arborists will receive coffee and pastries, work tools and instruction. Afterwards, homeowners who've planted new trees traditionally invite neighbors in for a potluck lunch.
Inner Sunset residents who'd like to add a tree this summer have until June 15th to submit applications and co-payments. For more information, contact Lyle Lemle at (415) 268-0772, or email kyle [AT] fuf DOT net.
Arborophiles who'd like to learn more about suitable tree species or planting day can contact Planting Manager Mike Yarrak (415-268-0784) at mike [AT] fuf [DOT] net.
