The Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk celebrated a milestone on February 23 in St. Mary's Park with the planting of the 500th California Native Tree in the local parks by Phil Ginsburg, General Manager of SF Recreation and Park Department. Brandeis Hillel Day School 6th grade students, Founder & Director of Life Frames, Inc. & A Living Library, Bonnie Ora Sherk, the sponsor and designer of the Bernal Living Library Nature Walk, and funder of the project, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's, Glenn Flamik, planted additional trees in the park and all participated in the joyous 500th Tree Planting Ceremony.

Many teachers, students, city and community leaders also gathered and KTUV, San Francisco Chronicle, and World Journal in attendance, interviewed Rec and Park General Manager, Phil Ginsburg and Life Frames, Inc. Founder & Director, Bonnie Ora Sherk, to document this historic, sunny day.

See article in SF Chronicle:  Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk           See article in World Journal:  公園局和「生命鏡框」合種500棵樹 Read more: 世界新聞網-北美華人社區新聞

To see more pics of this great event, check this link on our Facebook page:  More Photos from 500th Tree Planting

The Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk is linking schools, parks, public housing, streets, and other open spaces leading to the Islais Creek at the south end of St. Mary's Park. Close to 700 trees have been planted throughout the area and more planting is planned.

The next planting is on March 11, 10-2, at Holly Courts Public Housing, (Corner Appleton and Patton off Mission).

All are Welcome !!

You are cordially invited to join San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and Life Frames, Inc. for the 500th Tree Planting in the Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk in St. Mary’s Park. The event focuses on A Living Library’s milestone of planting 500 trees in San Francisco parks (Holly Park and St. Mary's Park)*.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

10:15 a.m.
SF Rec and Park Department General Manager, Phil Ginsburg and Life Frames, Inc. Founder & Director, Bonnie Ora Sherk welcome City and Community leaders, parks advocates and 6th grade students from Brandeis Hillel Day School.

10:30 a.m.
General Manager Phil Ginsburg and Brandies Hillel Day School 6th grade students plant the 500th tree in St. Mary’s Park.

BACKGROUND:
San Francisco Recreation and Park Department has been in partnership with Life Frames, Inc. since 2002, coordinating the Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk, that is linking local schools, parks, public housing, streets and other open spaces leading to the Islais Creek.  The goal is to connect people in a sustainable, ecological environment, and call attention to the importance of California Native Trees, the Islais Creek and Islais Creek Watershed.  This is part of SF Rec and Park’s overall efforts to foster civic participation as well as to encourage community stewardship of our local parks. Funding for the trees was provided by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.  Other city agency partners in this initiative include:  San Francisco Housing Authority, San Francisco Unified School District, San Francisco Department of Public Works, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

For more information about SF Rec and Park, please visit our website: www.sfrecpark.org, and for more information about A Living Library, please visit our new blog: www.alivinglibrary.org/blog

* NOTE:  We have already planted more than 600 trees cumulatively thus far within the whole Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk.  The next tree planting is Saturday, February 18, 10-2 pm at Holly Courts Public Housing,  Corner Patton and Appleton, off Mission Street).  All are Welcome !

A Living Library with all sectors of community, incorporates local resources  and transforms them to become vibrant, content-rich, ecological learning landscapes;  each Branch linked to another.

On August 27, a large group of trekkers from WALK SF gathered at Junipero Serra Child Development Center, looked at maps and site plans, and learned about the Islais Creek Watershed and the Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk leading to the Islais Creek, from Bonnie Ora Sherk. 

600 diverse native trees have already been planted, funded by Cal Fire, and more trees and understory are being planned.  The Nature Walk has been underway since 2002, and hundreds of volunteers have participated in its planning and planting, with great help from city agencies:  RPD, DPW, HA, PUC, all led by Life Frames, Inc. and Bonnie Ora Sherk.

After much discussion, the walkers moved up Appleton, while viewing the native trees planted there, and looked across the street at Holly Courts Public Housing, where other  native trees have also been planted.  Everyone hiked through Holly Park seeing all the diverse species of natives trees planted, then wound their way along planted pathways with oaks,  ceanothus, and other species, down through St. Mary's Park, to the riparian area near the hidden Creek at the south end, into the Redwood Circle for a moment of silence and visualization, then back to St. Mary's Recreation Center to discuss its potential to become a community-wide Center for Urban Forestry and Watershed Education.  Many plans are in discussion and underway; it is a very auspicious opportunity for all !

Please enjoy some pics from the event below !