Oak Woodlands Description
The Oak Woodlands in Golden Gate Park are the remnants of the only “forested” area originally within the 49 square miles of San Francisco. These coastal live oaks grow in sheltered ravine areas and, remarkably, were left intact when Golden Gate Park was created by removing all the native dune plant communities and planting non-native grasses and ornamental plants.
The chief management challenges in this project include coping with the dominant understory weeds — English ivy, cape ivy, blackberry, and ehrharta grass. The other problem that the Oak Woodlands project faces to a greater degree than any other remnant natural area in the City is the ever-present contingent of homeless and their encampments. Here is the management plan.
Through strong volunteer leadership, the Oak Woodlands project has enjoyed one of the most rapidly-increasing rosters of new volunteers. These folks have made huge gains in recovery of the biological diversity of this remarkable area.
Oak Woodlands currently has 90 volunteers who have subscribed to our regular email newsletters and work at this site. They have posted 87 photos and 21 posts to their blog.
Regular Workparty Schedule
- 2nd Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 12:00
Regular Meeting Location
- Conservatory of Flowers -- [Map and Details]
Blog Posts
Here are blog posts about the Oak Woodlands project — presented 2 at a time in reverse chronological order. Browse to earlier or later posts via the pagination controls below.
Oak Woodlands Jan 2010 report
14 January 2010 - 17:58, rcbakewell said:
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COON HOLLOW – west region
A good start with plantings in the Coon Hollow region, with extensive weeding and watering follow-up. The 3rd av coastal shrub ’ garden’ is maturing well and we mulched and kept annual grasses in check.
Thanks to J. Fred Decker, Calvin Moore and Rob Bakewell for coming out during the week to get this done. Our leader Tom Annese, mechanically cut annual grasses twice.
We also made progress on the south side of Coon , adjacent to W. Conservatory Dr., by continuing to thin out maytens, ground covering English Ivy and acacia. This reduces the opportunities for covert transient camping and allows us to set up for understory restoration.
ARGUELLO ENTRANCE
The Arguello entrance west slope got attention, clearing and planting including several coffee bush and the fragrant ceanothus ( California Lilac ).
After testing by UC Berkeley’s Matteo Garbaletto it was determined that there is no SOD currently present on the Bay Laurel at Arguello / Conservatory Dr.
LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Tom Annese, Natural Areas staff leader for Oak Woodlands, left with his new wife for Iowa – we bid him farewell and thank him for the years of excellent stewardship. He is a skilled man , his expertise and work ethic will be missed.
We also will miss Suzanna Beuhl , who ’ retired ’ from Natural Areas after a long stellar performance.
Our ’ new ’ Oak Woodlands Natural Areas leader is Dylan Hayes. We are blessed to have him lead the effort – encyclopedic knowledge, experience, good humor and a furious work ethic give us an edge.
CASINO HILL – west region
The south side of Casino Hill ( ’ Bunny Coves ’ ) is shaping up well – a team effort between RPD – GG P and Natural Areas cleared off the maytens, acacia and ivy and a pleasing textured landscape is seen from JFK. RPD- GG P supplied a whole lot of plants and, with help from Oak Woodlands volunteers, the area is filling in nicely.
We look to 2010 to see progress on the north side of Casino Hill – ending the supplementary watering and removal of the blankets of Cape Ivy.
This has been frustrating for the volunteers who have been valiant in attacking the ivy – only to see it grow back because of watering during the summer.
HORSESHOE ARENA – LICK HILL- STANYAN east region
HOT ZONE for RESTORATION
NEW VOLUNTEER GROUPS and GRANT MONEY
The area surrounding the Horseshoe Arena , between East Conservatory Dr. and Stanyan including Lick Hill is the ’ hot ’ area right now.
Peter Zepponi’s ’ The SF Horseshoe Pitchers ’ and the members of the SF service organization , ’ The Guardsmen ’ , led by Ted Batlett, have taken on the restoration of the long neglected Horseshoe Arena.
This place was a nexus for trashing , illegal camping, drug nonsense ad nauseam, and had pretty much turned this region of the Park into a no go zone. Despite the periodic complaints of neighbors and Oak Woodland volunteers the ’ authorities’ ’ efforts to grapple with this issue were ineffectual.
This has now changed.
There has been a commitment to continue the restoration of the facility’s including the awarding of CG grant money and a major increase in RPD, Natural Areas and volunteer efforts to clear brush and restore habitat.
During the past 12 months the changes have been remarkable.
On Nov 14 2009 a combined work party among all of the above saw about 40 volunteers remove about 40 truck loads of pre-cut brush – by Natural Areas staff – and clearing of 2 truck loads of major trash mostly around the Arena ’ bowl ’.
We also began the clearing of brush along the Stanyan St. ’ cliff ’ of east side Lick Hill.
The historic stone wall along Stanyan St. , betwen Hayes and Fulton will no longer be overshadowed by overgrown brush and trash.
During the last part of 2009 and now Jan 2010 we have continued on the slopes of the ’Arena ’ planting for habitat restoration and erosion control.
Its a big aesthetic and public safety bonus.
We will continue with more grant applications and efforts to boost the volunteer service outreach and opportunities.
This place has rightly become one of the keystones in the redevelopment and restoration of the entire northeast region of GG Park and the Oak Woodlands Natural Area.
HORSESHOE ARENA KICKOFF W/ MAYOR NEWSOM
On ’ opening day ’ back in September, with a big national Horseshoe Tournament that featured Mayor Newsom throwing the first iron, we saw about 200 people show up.
More people are discovering this place – hiking , running, birdwatching and playing horseshoes !
That abandoned restroom facility has to made serviceable on a keyed basis for this place to be entirely successful – we look to RPD for co-operation on this !
TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS SLATED FOR 2010
The Park Bond B funds for Trail Improvements in Natural Areas are being released for upcoming construction of a main nature trail upgrade thru the Oak Woodland.
RPD Capital and Planning lead the co-operation with Natural Areas Program leadership and volunteers to get this going.
PARKS TRUST CITY GUIDES
Parks Trust has agreed to lead a co-operative effort with Oak Woodland volunteers to get a City Guide / Park guide tour up and scheduled for later this year or beginning 2011. I may be the first walk ‘guide’.
INVITED TO JOIN RESTORATION AND COMMUNITY
Overall, the multilevel action is impressive and we invite the community to step up and take advantage of opportunities for community service – get some exercise, learn about the ecology and cultural history of GG Park and meet people with passion.
Come on over and take a look and please join us for one of the Oak Woodland work parties scheduled every 2nd Sat of month.
I will be more actively posting blogs and photos of the Oak Woodlands during the coming weeks.
ROB BAKEWELL
Volunteer Steward for Oak Woodlands
rcbakewell@yahoo.com
451-710-9617
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Coon Hollow
03 December 2008 - 14:56, rcbakewell said:
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Here are a few photos taken in late November 2008 by Rob Bakewell in Coon Hollow.
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