San Francisco’s Natural Areas Program

Small fragments of San Francisco’s original plant communities still survive today, the last vestiges of the unique grasslands, dunes, oak woodlands, and creeks that are the natural heritage of the City by the Bay. Through site stewardship, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department Natural Areas Program continues to work with community groups and volunteers to protect and restore the biodiversity of these natural areas. Since its inception in 1997, the program has benefited from more than 10,000 volunteer hours to help care for these areas around parks and open spaces such as Lake Merced, McLaren Park, and Tank Hill. If you’re interested in joining a work party, held every Saturday at a different location, contact Suzanna Buehl at (415) 753-7268.