TREEscapes - Friends of the Urban Forest

TREE
scapes
Fall 2012
Upcoming Events
Contact us to participate:
Milton Marks III and his legacy of trees
Tree or sidewalk garden planting volunteers—Doug L., dougly@fuf.net
Former FUF executive director, 1959-2012
Tree care—Doug W., doug@fuf.net
Tree tours—Michele, michele@fuf.net
If you want a tree, or want to help organize
a tree planting in your neighborhood,
contact Doug L., dougly@fuf.net
If you want a sidewalk garden, contact
Karla, karla@fuf.net
Sept. 22—Sidewalk Garden installation,
Inner Sunset
Sept. 27-29—Sidewalk Garden
installation, Outer Sunset
Sept. 29—Tree Planting, Outer Sunset
Oct. 11-13—Sidewalk Garden
installation, Upper Market/Castro
Oct. 20—Tree Planting, Central Richmond
Nov. 3—Tree Planting, Mission Terrace
Nov. 10—Tree Planting, Potrero Hill
Dec. 1—Tree Planting, location TBD
Dec. 15—Tree Planting, location TBD
Recology turns BART tickets into trees
Thanks to a new program from Recology,
the recycling/compost/garbage company,
when your BART ticket is running low on
value and you’re ready to discard it, tape
it to the top of your blue recycling bin
instead, and Recology will redeem it and
donate its value to Friends of the Urban
Forest and the San Francisco Food Bank.
Milton Marks III, former executive director of
Friends of the Urban Forest, died on August 9 at
age 52 after a long battle with cancer. This issue of
Treescapes is dedicated to his memory.
Marks led FUF from 1998 to 2003, during which time
he also started the Urban Forestry Council, which
advises city departments and educates the public.
He is remembered as an effective leader and caring
friend.
“When Milton started at FUF, our tree care operations were handled by a single part-time staff
person, and the mortality rate of young street trees
was too high,” said FUF Program Director Doug
Wildman, who was hired by Marks. “He expanded
our tree care services and Youth Tree Care program,
and street tree survival improved as a result.”
“He was a boss who really cared,” said FUF Data
Administrator Brian Tsai, who also joined FUF during
Marks’ tenure.
Milton Marks III
An effective leader
and caring friend
Marks was born in San Francisco to a family dedicated to public service; his father was a
California Assemblyman, Judge and State Senator, and his mother was a member of the
San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women.
His career included positions as executive director of the Urban Creeks Council and as a
trustee of City College of San Francisco. At CCSF, he developed stronger environmental
policies and a sustainability plan.
Marks is survived by his wife Abby; sons Nathan, Will and Theo; brother David Marks of
Mountain View; and sister Caro Marks of Sacramento.
FUF is currently organizing a planting in memory of Milton Marks III, on Saturday,
October 20 in the Central Richmond. To participate, contact Doug at dougly@fuf.net.
Factoid: Trees increase
property values
www.fuf.net
415-561-6890
A study of sales of houses in Portland, Oregon found that on
average, street trees add 3% to the median sale price of a
house and reduce its time-on-market by 1.7 days.
Source: Donovan, Geoffrey H., and David T. Butry. 2010. Trees in the City: Valuing
Street Trees in Portland, Oregon. Landscape and Urban Planning 94:77-83.
From Dan’s Desk
A special talent for speaking for the trees
Milton Marks III advanced our cause
The leaders of nonprofit organizations typically decide strategy, manage staff,
ensure that resources are wisely allocated, and navigate sometimes-complicated relationships with outside partners.
We must think and act not only
for the moment but for our time.
I am reminded of the great French
Marshal Lyautey, who once asked
his gardener to plant a tree. The
gardener objected that the tree
was slow-growing and would
not reach maturity for a hundred
years. The Marshal replied, “In
that case, there is no time to lose,
plant it this afternoon.”
—John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–63),
address at the University of California,
Berkeley, California, March 23, 1962
But being the Executive Director of Friends of the Urban Forest comes with an additional,
humbling responsibility—to speak for the trees. Our urban forest, unlike those in other cities,
was mostly created over the last 30 years by hard-working volunteers and visionary supporters.
To continue that progress, I’ve had to speak out, whether to persuade people of the benefits
of trees, or to defend them against various negative beliefs. I’ve had to speak for the trees
because, as Dr. Seuss wrote, “the trees have no tongues.”
Milton Marks, who previously held this position, had a special talent for speaking
for the trees.
He famously trumpeted FUF’s messages throughout
every corner of City Hall. One of my first memories of being FUF’s Executive Director was meeting with members
of the Board of Supervisors and finding that Milton had
already recruited them to our cause. They told me “I love
you guys,” “I was in a planting 10 years ago,” and so on.
Milton was prescient in predicting problems we’ve encountered, such as the City’s relinquishment of tree care
responsibilities. In his time at FUF, Milton began work on a
plan to restructure the way street trees are funded in San
Francisco.
In the last 10 months, I’ve been working on a similar plan,
building on several of the thoughts, theories and strategies that Milton developed.
As you’ll see elsewhere in this special issue of Treescapes,
Milton’s contributions to San Francisco’s urban forest were
great. As I continue to speak for the trees, I know my job
is a little easier thanks to him.
Warmly,
Yes on Proposition B
Will increase trees in
San Francisco parks
San Francisco voters who share our
concern for trees will have the chance
this November to pass a ballot measure
that will strengthen our tree population.
Proposition B, the San Francisco Clean
and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, will
result in new trees being planted in parks
throughout the city, benefiting the people
who live, work and visit here.
It will also help solve San Francisco’s
“tree deficit.” The percentage of the city
covered by trees is much smaller than
that of most other major U.S. cities.
Trees are also a great investment,
because as they grow larger they provide
more benefits.
For these reasons, we enthusiastically
support Proposition B!
Executive Director
Milton Marks III with sons Theo (in front)
and Will at FUF’s 1000th tree planting,
February 20, 2010.
Be a part of the Great Tree Count!
Crowd-sourced data-gathering to map our urban forest
From September 30 to October 7, Friends of the Urban Forest will hold a Great Tree Count
to map the trees throughout San Francisco! We’ll rally tree-loving volunteers to inventory the
trees around them using the Urban Forest Map. For each tree that’s added, the environmental benefits it provides will be estimated and added to San Francisco’s green tally. We hope
you’ll join us at our kick-off event in Washington Square Park on Sunday, September 30; we’ll
post details on our Facebook page soon (facebook.com/FriendsOfTheUrbanForest).
Reflections on a tree lover
Family, colleagues and friends look back at Milton Marks III
Abby Levinson Marks (wife): “When Milton worked at FUF, he loved everything
about it. He loved how communities came together to plant trees. He loved
connecting people. He loved seeing trees that had been planted in FUF’s early
days, and that had grown large. He loved finding old photos of our city streets
before they had trees, and seeing how trees have transformed those streets.”
Alexis Harte (former FUF Program Director): “Milton was incredibly supportive. It stood out how much he encouraged his staff to run with their initiatives.
He was very kind.”
Milton Marks III with wife Abby Levinson Marks and
(left to right) sons Theo, Nathan and Will
photo credit: Luke Thomas, FogCityJournal.com
Brian Tsai (FUF Data Administrator): “When my mother died, I went back east
to Maryland. Milton contacted a restaurant that did delivery in my hometown
and ordered a dinner for us. He was a boss who really cared.”
Mike Sullivan (former Member, FUF Board of Directors): “Milton was the first
executive director to embrace tree maintenance as an important goal for the
organization. It was great to see FUF’s tree maintenance really flower.”
Doug Wildman (FUF Program Director): “His interest in historic preservation
was connected to his interest in trees. Before Milton, FUF’s tree survival was low.
He saw tree care as a preservation issue.”
Mary Ellen Hannibal (former writer and editor of FUF’s Treescapes
newsletter): “Milton got me started on my green path. I had been a writer
and editor my whole career, but got into the green scene through Milton.
I have a climate change book coming out, and I just won a National Association
of Science Writers Award.”
Allen Grossman (long-time FUF supporter): “He was the most principled
guy I ever met, just about. That goes a long way; I’m 85.”
Abby (wife): “When Milton left FUF, they asked him what kind of going away
party he wanted, and he said ‘a planting!’”
The family of Milton Marks III asks that remembrances be made in the form of donations to
Friends of the Urban Forest. Your tax-deductible
gift will support the planting of street trees in
Milton’s memory. Please use the enclosed
envelope or visit donationpay.org/fuf/
Milton at his “Going-Away Party”
Nonprofit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
San Francisco, CA
Permit No. 13997
Presidio of San Francisco
P.O. Box 29456
San Francisco, CA 94129-0456
Address Service Requested
TREE
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FriendsOfTheUrbanForest
Friends of the Urban Forest is a
non-profit organization, founded in
1981, that offers financial, technical
and practical assistance to individuals and neighborhood groups who
wish to plant and care for street
trees and sidewalk gardens in San
Francisco.
Board of Directors
Jim De Golia, Chair
Jeanne Darrah, Vice Chair
Marjorie Fochtman, Secretary
Jon Braslaw
Eliza Brown
David Covell
Karen Donovan
Jay Murphy
Laura Tam
Emily Upstill
Patricia Wilson
scapes
Fall 2012
Recently FUF’ed
before
after
In July, Friends of the Urban Forest installed sidewalk gardens on the northern side of Bernal
Heights. Shown here is a block of Folsom Street near Precita Avenue, adjacent to Saint Anthony –
Immaculate Conception School, before and after the gardens were added.
Executive Director
Dan Flanagan
Editor: Ben Carlson
Layout: Mari Ann Donnelly
Printed on recycled paper.
If you’d prefer to receive Treescapes
electronically, please email brian@
fuf.net
Friends of the Urban Forest hosted a walking
Tree Tour of the Bayview neighborhood in June.
In July, Friends of the Urban Forest led a tree
planting in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood, with
help from members of our Youth Tree Care team.