Location: San Francisco
Posted: April 24th
By: Erin Fletcher
Kearstin Krehbiel
Director of Programs
San Francisco Parks Trust
http://www.sfpt.org/
San Francisco has many parks, both large and small, which are managed by the San Francisco Parks Trust. I interview the Director of Programs, Kearstin Krehbiel, about the organization, the relationship between people and parks, and the importance of greening the surplus lots throughout the city.
1. Could you please describe your job? Give a brief bit of information on the Parks Trust, What it manages, what your job duties entail, where you entered the organization and how you came to where you are now, what are your specific areas of interest within this organization ?
San Francisco Parks Trust (SFPT) is a member-based non-profit organization that supports city parks and open spaces through philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy. Since 1971, we’ve been helping make San Francisco parks more awesome. As the Director of Programs I identify and work to solve problems that face our city parks. My job is 90% Director of Programs and 10% managing people. A steadily shrinking budget has long been the largest problem facing San Francisco parks. As the city directs fewer dollars to parks, there is less for maintenance, repairs, and even service. As a result we’re stepping up our fundraising campaigns to raise awareness and direct private dollars to public parks and programs. I work to find solutions that fit with parks and the residents that love them. Helping people to support their parks is my main function – people in San Francisco love their parks and I help them discover how they can help to improve them.
2. In your position, what chance do you have to re-use materials or use surplus materials when you are building, landscaping, or realizing projects?
There are many opportunities for reuse in the Street Parks program. The land is vacant and often stewards acquire re-purposed materials (like urbanite-broken concrete for walls, or chipped tree limbs for mulch) and surplus plant materials to keep costs low.
3. Is this a priority for you?
Yes, connecting stewards to unused land is a priority, sourcing useful material for our projects is a lower priority.
4. Where do materials to make parks come from, specifically the materials that are reused?
Street Parks stewards scavenge for materials from construction sites or seek excess materials from landscapers or arborists and other professionals with access to garden supplies. Some also write grants for funding to purchase more expense items like irrigation systems (though we encourage drought-tolerant plantings).
5. What is the street parks program? How was it developed? What is the role that you play in maintaining it? What are some of the costs that go into developing a street park? What are the materials needed to create one? What is the role of the steward?
The Street Parks program began in 2004 as a partnership between the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) and SFPT (San Francisco Parks Trust) to improve blighted lots throughout the city. In all there are about 500 acres of land – about half the size of Golden Gate Park) that DPW owns but does not maintain – these are public-right-of-ways like stairs, or streets that should have gone through but didn’t (usually because of a steep hill). The materials and costs for each site vary greatly as no two sites, community visions or capacities are the same.
Together we work with neighbors to identify and improve vacant lots in their neighborhood. Community groups form around a problem area and SFPT and DPW support these groups with technical assistance, community organizing, and education. Neighbors agree to improve and maintain the site. Generally the process for development follows these steps (You can access these steps from the SFPT webpage by going to “Our Programs” and selecting “Community Greening”):
Get Started
Read the Street Parks Guidelines
Submit a Street Parks Application – we’ll contact you to schedule a meeting when we receive it.
Meet with SFPT and DPW at your site (DPW must approve your site before you make improvements).
Develop a Plan
Attend a free organizing seminar with your neighbors to develop a plan.
Create a drawing of your proposed improvements.
Develop a plant list. (See a recommended plant list.)
Create a budget.
Share your plan with the neighborhood through community meetings or flyers.
Get your permits and plans approved by the Bureau of Urban Forestry (one month turnaround).
Raise Money
Apply for fiscal sponsorship.
Apply for funding.
Break Ground
Host a volunteer workday at your garden.
Spread the word about your project in our newsletter.
Extra Help
See our resources page for more help from SFPT and our partners. We have annual events, volunteers, free seminars and funding to help you get your garden started.
6. Could you talk about why it is important to use the unused land? What are these places before they are turned into parks? Why are parks a better use of the land than vacant space?
In a city with a small footprint, like San Francisco, taking advantage of every opportunity to green is important. Street Parks increase the property values of surrounding homes, they anchor communities – neighbors working together with city government draw resources to their communities – like the Pennsylvania Street Garden in the Portrero. Street Parks can bring food to neighborhoods with limited access to fresh choices like the Quesada Gardens in the Bayview, and like the Green Hairstreak Corridor, they can also provide critical habitat for native species that are threatened by human development.