This is a step-by-step guide to getting a tree planted in your sidewalk in San Francisco. And no, you don't have to own your home to plant a tree. Renters are perfectly eligible too. In fact, the more people planting street trees, the better.
To get a tree planted, you can either deal with the city permitting process and actual planting and maintenance yourself, which tends to be fairly involved. Or, you can use the excellent Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF), a San Francisco non-profit that cuts through the red tape for you. This guide is for the wise people who choose the latter.
To plant a tree, you will need:
=> To live in San Francisco
=> A phone or e-mail
=> $165 (fee changes, but this is the current cost)
=> Piece of chalk
=> Food or drink to bring to the potluck
=> A willingness to water your tree weekly
Planting a tree in your neighborhood is an item on Neighbors Project's Neighbors Checklist.
This guide was made with the help of Friends of the Urban Forest.
To get a tree planted, you can either deal with the city permitting process and actual planting and maintenance yourself, which tends to be fairly involved. Or, you can use the excellent Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF), a San Francisco non-profit that cuts through the red tape for you. This guide is for the wise people who choose the latter.
To plant a tree, you will need:
=> To live in San Francisco
=> A phone or e-mail
=> $165 (fee changes, but this is the current cost)
=> Piece of chalk
=> Food or drink to bring to the potluck
=> A willingness to water your tree weekly
Planting a tree in your neighborhood is an item on Neighbors Project's Neighbors Checklist.
This guide was made with the help of Friends of the Urban Forest.
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Signing UpStep 1: Call or e-mail Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF).
To kick off the planting, you can call the FUF office at 415-561-6890, extension 101 to talk to a human or fill out the "Sign up to Plant" form on their Web site to temporarily avoid human contact.
FUF is able to make tree planting easier for the average San Franciscan by working in bulk; they move forward with actual plantings once 25 people in the neighborhood are on board. So once you let them know that you want a tree, they'll either hook you up with the neighborhood leader who is spearheading the tree planting in your neighborhood, or keep your name on file until enough people in your neighborhood are interested. If your neighborhood hasn't reached critical mass yet, you can speed up the process by advertising the opportunity to your neighbors. FUF will give you flyers to make it as easy as possible.
FUF will give you the two forms you need to fill out to get the process rolling:
1. A letter of agreement with FUF
2. The City's Department of Public Works Tree Planting" application
FUF is able to make tree planting easier for the average San Franciscan by working in bulk; they move forward with actual plantings once 25 people in the neighborhood are on board. So once you let them know that you want a tree, they'll either hook you up with the neighborhood leader who is spearheading the tree planting in your neighborhood, or keep your name on file until enough people in your neighborhood are interested. If your neighborhood hasn't reached critical mass yet, you can speed up the process by advertising the opportunity to your neighbors. FUF will give you flyers to make it as easy as possible.
FUF will give you the two forms you need to fill out to get the process rolling:
1. A letter of agreement with FUF
2. The City's Department of Public Works Tree Planting" application
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As I have experienced, the biggest problems arise from individual neighbors that may not let you do whatever you try to do. The city is fairly lenient, but by allowing everyone's opinion to be as strong, you end up needing 100% agreement from anyone that knows what you plan on doing in order to not have problems. A neighboring renter complained about the tree position and ultimately prevent someone from planting a tree on their own property.
On my .15 acre property here in Washington state, I have 18 trees: cedar (3), fir (6), pine (1), maple (1) flowering dogwood (3), Himalayan birch (1), hazelnut (1), and Asian Pear (2). I'm intending to plant some dwarf cherry trees, too. I can't imagine removing them all, or *any* of them, unless they become destructive.
:D
Anyway, trees are beautiful, especially big ones; there is no reason to object to a tree's roots pushing up a sidewalk, because it can still be walked on.
Finally, if it is a fruit tree, it even provides delicious food to those who take the time to pick it. With all of these things considered, tree planting is great.
just kidding.
actually I am into guerilla wildflower seed spreading here in dallas.
Arvash you say cracking is inevitable, it is indeed, but cracks which protrude into the air are usually caused by roots are not inevitable. Thousands of houses and roads each year suffer extreme structural damage due to roots.
"They have yet to propose a serious endangerment to society... ._. "
So a partially blind person who can't see the tree in a poor lit street walks into a tree, falls over and cracks a rib. First of all its extremely painful and second of all extortionately high hospital bills (unless you dont have the excellent NHS).
Great instructable, always good to have trees in urban areas provided they are rooted straight down.
great job nonetheless...
T-t-thats...Westlake?
People spend thousands of dollars of computers and television, house and cars. All of these things require maintenance and they only last so long before they need "updates" or stop having problems. People just want the luxury of having things like cars and computers and being able to walk in and buy it. If you plant a tree and the roots hit a pipe, WHY is it a big deal to pay your tax dollars to fix it??? You'd rather have the computer that cost $200 more, or the tree that is providing a nicer, cleaner environment for you to live in?
People need to think for a minute... really.