This is the third fallen tree on Columbus Avenue we've reported on in the past five months.

A showdown of Jedi vs. Sith might have been in good fun, but city taxpayers picked up the bill.

The San Francisco Zoo's newest addition, born on Saturday, is the zoo's first-ever guanaco born in captivity.

More than 100 residents have signed a petition appealing the removal and replacement of 38 South Park trees as part of the $2.8 million improvement project.

With San Francisco's canine population at around 120,000, about 32 million pounds of dog waste are produced here per year—all of it going to landfill. A new program is aiming to change that.

To make fitness more accessible to residents, a 9-station exercise parcourse has been added on Sunset between Noriega and Taraval.

The historic bridge will be reconstructed, but the process won't be quick.

Some surfers paddled in after spotting the shark, whose dramatic leap from the water was captured on a surf cam.

The $2.8 million improvement project, which will revamp the city's oldest park, is set to begin at the end of November.

But other tributes to the summer's 50th anniversary are still being planned.

Friends of Kezar Triangle recently added a new visual element to the 2.8-acre park that has been transformed over the last few years.

Many more improvements to the Panhandle are on the way this fall.

Neighbors angry about the closure of Vallejo for the Poets Plaza peppered Angela Alioto with questions on everything from traffic congestion to safety issues.

The city's greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 28 percent since 1990, even as its population went up 19 percent.

The park's full perimeter will be fenced off for the duration of the makeover, including the dog play area and the view of the Painted Ladies.

"Finally laying new sod at Alamo Square Park!" reports tipster Deirdre C., who snapped this photo and passed it along to us via our new SMS tipline.

This week's meeting is "a very rare chance" for Haight neighbors to suggest improvements for the troubled Alvord Lake area.

A local nonprofit's drive to make the city a sustainable lemon producer is bearing fruit in the Tenderloin, where 50 new trees will be planted for the public to enjoy.

For all you dendrologists out there, we've got word that a tree fell inside the San Francisco Botanical Garden this past Sunday afternoon, as witnessed by tipster Damien S.

The easy-to-miss labyrinth was built in 2007, after the Friends of Duboce Park raised $90,000 to construct it.

Months after launching its workforce development program in Civic Center, Downtown Streets Team is now helping to tidy up Union Square.

After last week's celebration was postponed due to wet weather, we've just received word from SF Rec & Park that the grand reopening of the entire park has been rescheduled to Wednesday Jan. 27th.

Wish you had a backyard? You can get your hands dirty improving the Panhandle every month.

Rising sea levels could threaten Ocean Beach, city infrastructure, and access to the Great Highway.

Construction on a $10.7 million improvement project for the Balboa Pool began on Monday.

The recently removed pepper tree at the center of Patricia's Green may not be replaced for a while, as the HVNA considers an entirely new plan for the park.

The program, spearheaded by Supervisor Eric Mar, is installing 100 drinking fountains and bottle fillers across the city.

Record rainfall and a misplaced decimal led to significant delays for the park.

The permit fees were waived "as this is part of the civic celebration," said Rec & Parks.

In Chan Kaajal Park is named after a Mayan phrase that means "my village."

At Sunday's Pollinator Fun Fair in the Sunset, a coalition of city officials declared that protecting bees, butterflies, and more will soon become city policy.

The basketball courts reopen today, with face-painting, a basketball clinic, and much fanfare.

The northern mixed-use pathway will get improved signage, new bike lane striping, new benches and trash cans, and bicycle racks.

This Lakeside District playground serves up a dose of recreation in the neighborhood.

The tiny park on Page Street has a colorful history, and today offers a reprieve from busy city life.

Palomacy's founder believes pigeons make great pets, and she's hoping locals will consider adopting a rescued bird.

It's been a gloriously dry six days in San Francisco, but the city's brief rain-free streak is soon to come to an end.

Because of drought and insect infestations, the tree mortality rate inside the "cloud forest" has doubled since 1999.

Kezar Stadium will close from Monday, August 17th through Sunday, August 23rd.

Experts say the naturally occurring tides offer a unique preview of the threats posed by rising sea levels.

The site of a former gas station and parking lot is now a multipurpose plaza for the community.

Drone footage of the neighborhood.

The Alamo Square Neighborhood Association raised over $130,000 to plant the new trees.

Parks and playgrounds in Bayview, Excelsior, Ingleside, and Visitacion Valley dominated a city evaluation list of Rec & Park's worst-maintained open spaces.

Recent rainstorms have downed some large tree limbs in the area, and with more rain on the way, caution is advised.

The project encompassed a new mural, new designs on the staircase, and landscaping improvements.

Hayes Valley has a new community garden, and applications for a plot are being accepted until January 15th, 2017.

The park's renovation is now at the 50 percent completion mark, but some new factors will slightly delay its opening.

The new facility would provide accessible resources for everything from watersports to birding to yoga.

A new program at Ortega Branch Library allows participants to swap and grow their own heirloom seeds, succulents, and air plants.

This week's king tides are a small preview of the damage a seawall breach could create on the waterfront—but federal help isn't forthcoming.

As part of the Irving Streetscape Improvement Project, SF Public Works recently began planting a mix of palm and tristania trees along the corridor, where tree additions were a matter of much debate.

If you’re a light sleeper—or a night owl—you probably noticed today’s early-morning thunder and lightning.

The $6.9 million renovation project included upgrades to the park's giant sundial and skatepark, which is the city's oldest.

To protect wildlife, the contentious new rules will significantly reduce dog access to Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, Baker Beach and Fort Funston.

A row of healthy-looking ornamental plums was cut down last week in Golden Gate Park.

Luckily, the West Coast is not expected to be affected by the tsunami caused by today's Fukushima earthquake.

Got the election blues? You can catch a full hour of Hillary, Hunter, and Tenzing romping around their enclosure.

Patricia's Green isn't the only place you can soak up the sun in Hayes Valley.

The coyote has been spotted taking in the sights, wandering through the grass, and generally being photogenic.

The Castro CBD and Larkin Street Youth Services teamed up to hire at-risk youth to clean Jane Warner Plaza, but the program failed after two months.

A Twitter query over a closed crosswalk gained momentum last night, as a city representative misinformed a local mom about cycling on the Panhandle.

The surface of the promenade is worn out, so it will be replaced in stages from now through summer, with some closures along the way.

When Mary February isn't adding to her tattoo collection, the South Beach resident is maintaining a tiny public-facing garden on Stillman Street between Second and Third.

Long planned renovations to Dolores Park are set to begin with a groundbreaking ceremony this coming Saturday.

The tiny facility includes a pair of turf mini-soccer fields, stadium lights, electronic scoreboards and a locker room.

The Academy of Sciences' pair-bonded penguins got a little extra love for Valentine's Day.

San Francisco might get as much as five inches of rain through Monday—with more wet weather to come.

The partnership hopes to restore historic trails on the hospital's campus for community use.

Before the new rules went into effect this month, three members of Congress stepped in.

Here are five great walks to get you out of the house this Thanksgiving weekend.

The renovation of the city's oldest park, which was set to be completed in August or September, has now been pushed into next year.

Turk-Hyde Mini Park and Sgt. John Macaulay Playground are both getting makeovers, and now's the time for neighbors to weigh in.

For those staying warm and dry indoors, here's a peek at the action out there.

The efficient LED lights, intended to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, will go up from now through October.

The majority of the park is still slated to reopen in late winter.

Through a partnership between SF Environment and Friends of the Urban Forest, locals can take in future street trees as their holiday trees.

What the hail just happened?

SF's "coyote whisperer" has condemned the dog owners who let their pup chase the local coyote.

It may seem counterintuitive, but there's still lots to see at the garden in winter, including numerous blooms and an indoor art exhibit.

Hold your horses, San Francisco.

Once open, it'll be the first neighborhood park built by Rec and Park in over a decade.

On Giving Tuesday, a local coyote expert warns neighbors that showering the beloved Bernal Hill coyote with gifts—especially from car windows—is putting her life in danger.

Gardening gives teenaged residents practical skills "and something to look forward to," said an organizer.

Last week's rain may seem a distant memory in light of today's blue skies, but don't put away those umbrellas just yet.

City officials are ready to celebrate $7 million in permanent bike and pedestrian safety measures through McLaren Park.

More than 18,000 trees are slated for removal under the draft plan.

After nearly a decade of planning and delays, Rec & Park is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony this Thursday for the future garden near Balboa BART Station.

After Mayor Ed Lee announced that the Francis Scott Key Annex would become teacher housing, the fate of the park currently on the site is unclear.

A hearty patch of grass is now available to Painted Ladies visitors.

The flat multi-use field on the north side of Dolores Park will close on Monday.

The struggling Gleneagles course is bringing in disc golf to help secure its financial future, amid a decline in regular golfers.

It's not the first weather phenomenon in the last 24 hours that got locals drawing parallels to today's political transition. But to tipster Josh K., it was a welcome sight.

The rain that started to fall this afternoon is going to stick around.

Though 74 percent of neighbors oppose the so-called "parking for God," it may get approval for a 16-month pilot legalization program today.

In the wake of this week's heavy rain and wind, we spotted a broken tree on States Street, which has toppled down onto a Mini Cooper. A neighbor told us that the tree fell down last night.

The recent rains oversaturated two sections of the park.

Local nonprofits and Hayes Valley residents have secured the funds to create a new pedestrian-centered alley and expand another.

A tipster alerted us to the whimsical new additions along the Coastal Trail.

A group of Outer Richmond volunteers is taking strides to make their massive neighborhood cigarette butt cleanup permanent.

The plans are still very nascent, but organizers want it to be a memorial on par with the national September 11 and Holocaust museums.

A major playground renovation, starting tomorrow, is intended to be the opening act in a full-scale transformation of Civic Center.

The plans show ways to both protect the coastal environment and make it more accessible to the public.

The plaza's sudden closure follows years of debate on how to eliminate undesired occupancy.

Start gathering your gear: Alamo Square is finally reopening.

The plaza honoring a man whose policies displaced thousands of minority and low-income residents "needs a new name," said two supervisors.

A restoration project aims to create habitats and nesting opportunities for the sparrows, whose San Francisco numbers are dwindling.

With 120 feral cat colonies around the city, it takes a village—and some KFC drumsticks—to keep populations down.

The current proposal calls for 1,240 new homes overlooking acres of public open space along the shoreline.

The high ropes course will be the first city-run structure of its kind in San Francisco.

Rec & Park is kicking off improvements to the area with new sod and sprinklers.

San Francisco Public Works is looking at how the $19 million tree maintenance initiative will be implemented.

We check in on the ongoing renovation of Dolores Park's southern side.

"For a number of years, San Francisco has been in the top five, but this year the city took the lead—and it’s a big deal."

For those of you already anticipating your vernal outfits for the reopening day of Alamo Square Park, we've got some bad news.

Over the course of 46 years, Elly helped contribute to the population of critically endangered black rhinos in the world.

Originally expected to be completed at the end of 2016, upgrades to the park will now be delayed until at least next month.

After foiling Animal Care & Control officers multiple times, the escape artist has been captured.

Members of the community successfully secured funds for a major makeover.

The sea lion has no visible injuries and is being monitored at The Marine Mammal Center's hospital in Sausalito.

A dead-end street has been transformed into a one-acre public park with a dog run.

Legislation introduced by Supervisor Jeff Sheehy earlier this month would increase the fines for littering and dumping in the park from $192 to $1,000.

Prepare your selfies: after a few delays, local and tourist favorite Alamo Square Park is finally set to open next week.

Uulu, 36, has been a fixture at the zoo since she was three years old.

With whales recently spotted under the Golden Gate Bridge, we looked at the best ways landlubbers and seafarers can view the majestic cetaceans.

The fences have come down, and the park is open once again to locals and photo-hungry visitors alike.

Much of the population will head south to breeding grounds off the Southern California coast.

After a pigeon with a blow gun dart embedded in its head was spotted earlier this month, another with a dart in its neck has been sighted.

Trees, shrubs and grasses are being planted, the rusted fence is being replaced, and a play structure is already up.

On Wednesday evening, Rec and Park will meet with area residents to solicit ideas for playground improvements.

The latest local tree casualty is a string of cars off of Oak Street.

A program to hire at-risk youth to maintain the plaza and greet visitors is also in the works.

Named after a celebrated local poet, this park offers some of the best views in the city.

The proposal would see off-leash dogs restricted from much of Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, Baker Beach, and Fort Funston.

Some say the placement of Dolores Park's trash cans contributes to the problem, while others say people should just be more responsible.

Designed and built as a gathering place for local homeowners, the Forest Hill Clubhouse has served the community since 1919.

The Clean Team will be in Bayview / Hunters Point and Dogpatch today for planting, weeding, graffiti and litter removal, and more.

Head to the hills to find a little country in the city.

Neighbors are invited to weigh in on the issues they'd most like to see the Panhandle Improvement Project tackle.

The 2.5-acre playground will boast updated landscaping, revamped play areas and more.

The canopy was overhanging the street, and the tops of semitrucks were hitting it.

Due to budgeting issues and construction complications, Alamo Square's renovations may close it entirely from December through July.

Today, new sod was installed to return the park to a state of green.

One of six "Tier 1 Failing Playgrounds", the park will see new life next year.

Don't fret: Rec & Park says the repaired fountain should be back in eight weeks.

The Tenderloin group's next mission: adding updated lighting and seating to the park to make it safer.

A dead whale's tail has washed up on Ocean Beach, without any other signs of its carcass. Here's how it got there.

Ivy Street is set to undergo sidewalk widening and landscaping as part of the 580 Hayes development.

The public is encouraged to attend SF Rec & Parks' Capital Committee meeting this afternoon at 2pm at City Hall (room 416) to discuss, in part, pedestrian safety improvements to the Panhandle.

After installing more than 100 new plants along the pathway, a local group is raising $5,000 to add a much-needed stone wall.

Funds are still being solicited from the community for the walls' completion.

Friends of the Urban Forest and local volunteers are finishing up a three-day project to install new sidewalk gardens on the 600 block of Pierce.

Neighbors again opposed the three-month closure of Vallejo between Columbus and Grant at a recent hearing, putting the timeline of the new Poets Plaza in question.

As more construction begins, local groups are developing a plan for Cedar, Alice B. Toklas, Olive, Austin, Fern and Hemlock alleys.

Neighbors say they're seeing dozens of rats at a time around Sydney Walton Square and Sue Bierman Park.

Rec & Parks and the Trust for Public Land are soliciting feedback on design concepts for a potential redesign of the 25-year-old rec center.

We put together a walking tour of the Castro's green spaces, from community gardens to commemorative plots.

The tree was one of nine designated for removal in coming months due to safety concerns.

Rec & Parks will lead the Friends of Washington Square as they do plantings and cleanup at this tiny triangle of park from 9am–noon.

Rec & Parks and Planning will determine whether the nine-story development's impact on Gene Friend Recreation Center is appropriate for the neighborhood.

Susan Strolis and Friends of Alvord Lake have already done a lot to improve the lake, and seek community input as they attempt to do more.

The reopening party from 11am–3pm November 14th will include RecPark's mobile recreation, Zumba, food trucks and a free swim at the North Beach Pool.

A lot of progress, much of it green, has happened; Connie Chan of SF Rec & Parks told us that neighbors can expect the park to open "in early 2016, as scheduled."

Neighborhood group Protect Coit Tower wants to ensure the tower's $1 million+ annual revenue is being put back into the murals and park.

Rec & Park is asking for lease changes that would provide more protection of Coit's murals, but also allow after-hours tours, food sales and more.

The anticipated reopening brought shrieks of joy from children on the new play equipment as neighbors greeted each other and talked.

Both the fire and water departments have been called in to handle the flood of water pouring down the Vulcan stairs.

These majestic creatures may keep a low profile, but they can be heard—and occasionally seen—by a number of Sunset residents.

The San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park, always free to city residents, is also letting in out-of-towners for free on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

The tax, at roughly $30 per single-family home, is a possible solution to the underfunded care and maintenance of trees in the city.

Last year's $9.3 million renovation transformed the park with a new open layout, basketball court and clubhouse.

Want a tree? Friends of the Urban Forest is now taking applications for a February street-tree planting in the Upper Haight and Cole Valley.

You can go blocks without seeing a single string of lights, so we've rounded up our ten favorites this year from around the city.

In May, we delved into how California's current water crisis affects San Francisco, and vice versa.

There's still time to weigh in on the latest concept design for the rec center's redevelopment.

Want to work behind the scenes at the zoo? They're holding an orientation for volunteer docents, who help educate visiting groups, this Sunday.

Dog owners should be on high alert, as coyotes have been spotted in Cole Valley, the Panhandle, and Corona Heights.

"It was a fantasy land to someone from the East.” Here's the the story of Ray Clark, the first historian of Golden Gate Park.

$14 million has been secured to renovate the Western Addition playground, and community input is requested.

Dolores Park’s newly-renovated southern half officially opened last night, with jellyfish, robots and more.

The City Attorney's office has sent an invoice to Nikki Sparks, the organizer of a December Lightsaber Battle, requesting she pay $5,220 for damages to Sue Bierman Park and park ranger staffing.

There are still plenty of renovations in the works, including an overhaul of the Panhandle's playground.

The Pacific Justice Institute is threatening to sue the city unless the pissoir is removed, saying it discriminates against women and the disabled, and could potentially expose genitalia to passersby.

The proposed green open space at 12th and Harrison is likely to start construction next year, pending a few other city approvals.

Goods news for after-dark beachgoers: SFist reports that a Golden Gate National Recreation Area proposal to require $35 per-use permits for beach fires has been retracted.

10 to 12 trees will be removed from Alamo Square, to be replaced with over 40 more after the park completes its renovation.

The city is hosting two meetings next week to hear out the community on the prospect of pro soccer at Kezar Stadium.

The neighborhood group has agreed to support the San Francisco Deltas' plan to play home games at Kezar, but with some reservations, particularly regarding alcohol sales.

"The first coy promise of spring" comes courtesy of these two aromatic bloomers, found in abundance around the neighborhood.

Removed seven months ago, the vintage Art Deco-style drinking fountain has been repaired and reinstalled.

Delight in the hidden sanctuary of Hyde/Vallejo Mini-Park.

Five large ficus trees on Waller and two on Steiner may be removed, despite arguments from the neighborhood that they're healthy.

The San Francisco Deltas are close to getting an approval to play home games at Kezar—but the HANC is now opposing that effort.

The winds and rain of recent storms have sent eucalyptus trees crashing down onto a pavilion at Pine Lake Park, which is closed until further notice.

Slated to open at the end of April, the mixed-use park will have a community garden, skate ramps, an artist's courtyard and more.

Under the Muni Forward plan, anywhere from 37 to 45 percent of upper Haight Street's trees would be removed and replaced next year.

Trekking to the top of Grand View Park's 666 feet might be hell on your calves, but the 360-degree view is worth the burn.