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Mount Sutro Management Plan

The Mount Sutro Management Plan balances six key principles:
• Ensuring public safety and property protection
• Restoring and revitalizing the forest
• Improving public access
• Enhancing the habitat for wildlife
• Protecting and expanding native-plant populations
• Maintaining the scenic quality of Mount Sutro

The Mount Sutro Management Plan was implemented In 2001. Vegetation-management activities undertaken by UCSF included removal and pruning of hazardous trees on Christopher Drive and Crestmont Avenue. Trees that could be saved were pruned while those that could not be pruned were removed.

In 2003, the Rotary Club of San Francisco provided the campus with a $100,000 grant to develop the native-plant demonstration area called for in the management plan. The demonstration area is located on Mount Sutro’s summit.

Community native-plant experts helped UCSF develop a planting plan for the native-plant demonstration area. During 2003 and 2004, several volunteer days were held, during which volunteers assisted in the sowing and maintenance in the native-plant demonstration garden.

In addition to these projects, the campus—in partnership with the Trail Center and community volunteers—is working to improve access to the Mount Sutro trail system. This project is in response to the management plan’s recommendation that the existing trail system be improved and that other trails be created in order to provide a more efficient trail system.

A regular trail-maintenance day has been established and will occur on the first Saturday of each month. Volunteers should meet at the Woods parking lot at 9:00 a.m. The Woods lot is located on Medical Center Way, almost half way between Parnassus Avenue and the Aldea Housing Complex (see link to Mt. Sutro Trail Map, below). Parking is available for volunteers during the day of the scheduled activity.

For more information about the trail volunteer activities, please email Orlando Elizondo or call him at 415/476-8431.

Updated: August 11, 2006

(Adapted from the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve Maintenance and Restoration Plan 7/99)

Click below to download pdf:
Mount Sutro Trail Map

Executive Summary

The University of California San Francisco's 1996 Long Range Development Plan recommended that a Maintenance and Restoration Plan for the 61-acre Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve be developed. In March 1998, the University selected HortScience, Inc., Kelley and Associates Environmental Sciences, Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey, and Martin Whitcomb Landscape to prepare such a Plan.

We first characterized the composition and health of the woody vegetation in the Open Space Reserve and the Aldea parcel. We sampled the trees, shrubs and groundcover species in 10 representative 100' long transects located throughout the Reserve. Blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) is the dominant tree species, comprising over 80% of the trees in the transects. Blackwood acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), plum (Prunus domestica) and Bailey's acacia'(Acacia baileyana) were present in smaller proportions. In general, trees that make up the canopy were in good condition. Trees in the understory had generally poor health. Tree failures, particularly windthrow of entire trees, were a common occurrence across the Reserve.

We also evaluated the condition and structure of over 200 trees growing in heavily used areas of the site, such as along Medical Center Way and in the Surge parking areas. We recommend removing 109 trees, including 5 along the border with the Edgewood Avenue properties. We also surveyed the Reserve for the presence of species native to California. Six woody and 17 herbaceous species were identified. Not all were indigenous to the site. Native plants were concentrated in three areas of the Reserve: 1) north edge of the summit, 2) the summit, and 3) north and west of the Chancellor's residence.

In evaluating other resources associated with the site, we considered the historical significance of the Reserve, existing recreational hiking trails and views into and out of the site. Use of the recreational trails appears limited in part by the terrain and continual encroachment of vegetation. While there are potentially significant opportunities for views out of the Reserve, particularly from the summit of Mount Sutro, the extensive tree cover blocks essentially the entire site.

Following the assessment of existing vegetation resources, we established representative test plots to identify the actions required to achieve the four management objectives outlined in the RFP. In addition, we developed two additional management options. For each of the six management options, we estimated the initial implementation and annual maintenance costs. In addition, we compared the six management options for their relative impact on user safety, effect on biodiversity within the Reserve and aesthetic qualities. A summary of this comparison is included in this Executive Summary.