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San Francisco magazine's editors and readers were asked to pick the people, places, and things that make the Bay Area the best place to live, work, and play. The votes were tallied and we are excited to reveal that the Mount Sutro Stewards are among the 'Best of' picks for 2009!!

Our work in the UCSF Mt. Sutro Open Space Reserve wouldn't be possible without your help! Thus, this award is an acknowledgment of your support and contribution. Thank you for supporting the efforts of the Mt. Sutro Stewards! Please fell free to post your comments when you get to the article.

The Hidden Treasure of UCSF

Neighborhood residents have known and enjoyed the Mount Sutro Open Space for decades. The relative inaccessibility of the dense 61-acre eucalyptus forest has made Mount Sutro "the most remote place right in the heart of the City.

Check out the photos of the Stewards on National Trails Day!

What a fantastic way to kick off the year on Mt. Sutro!

The Stewards and over 40 volunteers from One Brick, SF Urban Riders and the neighboring communities expended much energy and contributed another 150+ hours of labor to the Open Space habitat restoration and trail programs.

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The habitat crew under the supervision of Jake Sigg and Rob Bakewell worked at numerous sites along the Historic Trail and continued to push back the invasive weeds, ivy and blackberry.

Meanwhile on the other side of the hill the trail crew, under the supervision of Dan Schneider and Dwayne McDaniel, took charge of a work in progress that was started last October. The technical and challenging section of trail just below the Fairy Gates Trail near Medical Center Way is being realigned for safety and to meet the standards established for the Mt. Sutro trail network. A huge amount of excavation was required for the full bench construction on the steep hillside. Not to make things any easier, the volunteers struck rock in the one remaining switchback corner needed for completion. The work was a huge success and the new alignment is now open. Some finishing work and replanting will take place next month before the Stewards move on to their next site.

There were several photographers among the volunteers who have provided links to their photos. Take a look and check out the Stewards' first big accomplishments of 2009.

Dustin's photos | Peter and Kristin's photos

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Watch the Stewards' SF Beautiful Contest video!

Check out our recent award from San Francisco Beautiful!

Compare the two aerial photos of the summit. The left is from 1958, the right is current with the roadway superimposed. Both are oriented the same direction & you can see the only remaining element of the base in both photos, the gatehouse at the bottom of Nike Road. The biggest difference is the intact rotary meadow in the right hand photo. A much more hospitable hiking environment!

Several trails lead through the forest, but they need major repair. Native plant populations, including of some species that are extremely rare in San Francisco, need to be protected and restored. The summit garden, a native plant demonstration project was funded with help from a $100,000 grant from the San Francisco Rotary Club. Hundreds of volunteers donated their labor to clear the summit of invasive weeds and plant California natives.

A Surprising Discovery

One day, during efforts to repair and expand the current trail system, Mt. Sutro volunteers, while mapping out an area on the Western ridge, came climbing down a steep hillside and literally stumbled upon a previously unknown trail, buried under layers of brambles. The trail has since been unearthed and restored. We believe the remarkable trail dates back to before the 1906 Earthquake.

Volunteers Needed!

July 4th
9 am
We'll be running both our habitat and trails programs from the Woods Lot as usual.

July 18
A second change to work with the Rec Park Natural Areas Program in the Interior Greenbelt.

Check out the volunteer schedule and the Nature in the City Calendar. Volunteers for historic trail and habitat restoration are welcome to join us every 1st Saturday of the month.

Meet at the Woods Lot on Medical Center Way at 9 am sharp.

Download the volunteer schedule flyer for more detailed information.

UCSF, Mt. Sutro Volunteers, Nature in the City and the California Native Plant Society are collaborating together to restore and rejuvenate this precious natural and cultural resource. Haight-Ashbury Stewards work regularly with the Mt. Sutro Volunteers. We hope to build support to connect the University's land and the adjacent Interior Greenbelt, managed by SF Rec and Park's Natural Areas Program into one contiguous parkland to serve the community as an oasis of serenity and biodiversity, welcoming anyone in need of peace, fresh air and a little exercise.