San Francisco Recreation and Parks officials are reviewing the maintenance records of a massive tree that came down on five cars at Golden Gate Park. Sergio Quintana reports.
San Francisco Recreation and Parks officials are reviewing the maintenance records of a massive tree that came down on five cars at Golden Gate Park.
The eucalyptus tree, which was 80 years old, has been cut up and carried away after it toppled Monday and sparked a traffic nightmare on 19th Avenue. No one was seriously injured in the incident.
A spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Parks said it is not unusual for trees to come down during or after storms.
Arborists monitor the health and root integrity of the 131,000 trees in the city's parks system, but it is impossible to predict when a big one may fall, the spokesperson said.
On Tuesday, arborists responded to the site of the fallen tree to survey neighboring trees for their root integrity. They also cut down a nearby tree as a precaution.
Golden Gate Park has about 27,000 trees in it. A city spokesperson said crews are unable to keep close tabs on all the trees.
San Francisco Recreation and Park officials also warn even healthy trees can come down during or after storms.
The city's Department of Public Works, which maintains trees across San Francisco, said there is a program to take down and replace problematic trees. Nearly a thousand trees have been taken down over the last couple of years.
Friends of the Urban Forest, a local nonprofit, has helped replace the problematic trees.
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