Pictures from yesterday's Panhandle workday

Here's a quick look at yesterday's community work day. A dozen neighbors joined our Rec & Park department gardener to help improve conditions in the Panhandle. We focused our efforts between Baker and Lyon at the east end of the park, with most of our work focused on removing weeds from around the base of trees - the young cherry trees and horse chestnuts that are planted near Baker Street, the magnolia trees near the McKinley monument, and more mature Monterey cypress and Giant sequoia next to the north path. 

We also helped pull some grasses that were beginning to encroach on the understory planting among the redwoods in the southeast corner of the park. The plants there are doing well, and a diversity of mushrooms was also noted.

The bed of ornamental plants at Lyon Street also got some overdue attention, after being overgrown by an outbreak of fumitory.    

Next community work day; Ashbury project update

You're invited to participate in the next Panhandle volunteer work day, on Saturday June 9. We'll gather at the normal time and place: 

Second Saturday work day

Saturday, June 9

9 am - 11:30 am 

Meet at the Bulletin Board (near Oak @ Ashbury)

Dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes. Tools and adult-size gloves are provided. 

During the summer, we don't have the organized presence of families from the SF Day School, so drop-in volunteers from the community are more vital than ever!  Please share with a friend and plan to take part!

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There's some further delays to report for our approved Capital Improvement Project (to restore turf and pathways near the Ashbury cross-over path and the basketball courts).  That was frustrating news to receive, and it's not fun to pass it on to the group. The project has been re-assigned within Rec and Park's Capital Division to Jeny Wegbreit.  Jeny told me that the city's design review process has been lengthy, and she expects to have completed construction documents by mid-summer. 

Two trees down near Central

This pittosporum tree, just west of Central  and south of the south path, was horizontal yesterday. It appeared that, in falling, it also pushed over another pittosporum next to it. 

At least I believe they were both pittosporum. The tree that initially fell, had the red flowers (top) of a Karo (pittosporum crassifolium) while the tree that got knocked over (bottom) had closed buds. The Panhandle has a lot of pittosporum trees including the concentrated grove located just east of here, between Central and Lyon.  

Whatever species, they make for quite a lot of tree to remove from the park. Other trees nearby include three nice, if somewhat stunted, hawthornes. There are also several large eucalyptus and, a little farther west, the cluster of olive trees.   

Pictures from our May Panhandle work day

For our May workday in the Panhandle, we returned to the trees near Fell @ Cole for some basic tree care. 

Young & old in the Panhandle

 We were led by Zack from RPD and joined by SF Day School fourth graders and their families in the work of removing weeds at the base of the old trees before spreading compost & mulch. 

Besides the main crew's work, additional volunteers from New Traditions Elementary School raked and swept at the playground. Families and staff from New Traditions were together at the playground for a picnic and thought it would be a great time to contribute to community efforts to make the Panhandle a better park. 

At the conclusion of the work, as a special recognition for all of the great contributions during this past school year, volunteers got tacos from Hot Bike, sponsored by SF Day School and the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association.

Photos by Michael Helquist. Thanks!