Richmond Roundup

Workers clean up Sutro Heights Park
Neighbors near the Sutro Heights Park noted that the land just south of there had become overgrown, sheltering graffiti vandals, partiers and encampments. So, they asked for help from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), then rolled up their sleeves and joined park rangers to begin clearing the area.

After three workdays, the neighbors made progress, but now they are trying to recruit more volunteers to finish the project. There will be a park stewardship day on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. until noon. Volunteers will work to trim and stack branches, paint over graffiti, spread wood chips and do any other work that is necessary.

Volunteers should meet at the corner of 48th Avenue and Anza Street at 9 a.m. The GGNRA will provide gloves and water, as well as park maps and event guides for those who want to explore more of the Golden Gate National Parks. Volunteers should RSVP to park Ranger George Durgerian (george_durgerian@nps.gov) for the workday so he can gather enough supplies to support all helpers.

Workers with Swift Tree Care sawyers will be working at the Sutro Slope at the park from Aug. 11 to Aug. 15. They will be cutting some limbs off five trees that run in a west-southwest line from the end of Anza Street to improve visibility for neighbors and reduce illegal camping.

Missing wildflower re-emerges
In 1917, the Presidio Fire Station was built, the military post was supporting troops fighting in World War I, and the Smooth Owl's Clover was last seen at the Presidio. That is until April, when Presidio Trust staff members collecting seeds at an out-of-the-way site near Fort Scott stumbled across a lucky find.

The bright yellow flower not seen at the Presidio in 92 years was poking through the soil.

"It's fascinating to think about the legacy, the history of the ecosystem," says Andy Kleinhesselink, a biological sciences technician with the Presidio Trust. "That there are still parts of it living in the soil - seeds lying beneath the trees, buildings, roads - unseen but still there, still viable, just waiting for their chance to re-emerge."

Smooth Owl's Clover is a native wildflower found in California's coastal counties, but it was long thought to have vanished from the Presidio. An annual plant that stands about six inches tall, the clover's upright flowering stem bears a few dozen little pastel yellow flowers stacked on top of one another. Trust staff speculate a nearby main burst a few months ago disturbed the soil, re-awakening the dormant seeds buried below the surface.

Kleinhesselink and other Trust staff members will now hand-pollinate the new-found plant, hoping to nurture the tiny, existing population and possibly replant the clover elsewhere.

Chinese Caps, Sticky Cinquefoil and Baby Blue Eyes are other wildflowers to re-appear at the Presidio after long absences.

Presidio antiques, vintage property auction
For the first time, the Presidio Trust, in association with the General Services Administration, will hold a live auction of items collected by the Trust's salvage department since the U.S. Army's departure in 1994.

Ranging from the eclectic to the conventional, the lots include claw-foot bathtubs and other vintage fixtures; antique furniture; stainless steel and custom cabinetry; a grand piano and a Hammond organ. Items were recovered from the former Letterman Hospital, Public Health Service Hospital and other renovation sites. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the national park.

Previews of the Presidio Trust Salvage Auction will take place at the Presidio Trust Salvage Department's warehouse at 1243 Appleton St., on Aug. 25, and Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or by appointment. Items will be sold both individually and in small lots.

The auction will be held on Friday, Aug. 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Herbst International Exhibition Hall, 385 Moraga Ave. Registration is required. For more information, call (415) 561-4260 or visit the Web site at www.presidio.gov.

RDNC gets large donation from SF Federal Credit Union
Steven Stapp, CEO and president of the San Francisco Federal Credit Union presented a check for $1,500 to the Richmond District Neighborhood Center on July 9. The donation will help support the numerous programs provided by the Center, including after-school programs for youth, weekend arts classes, English classes for new immigrants, and a host of other programs that improve the quality of life in the Richmond District.

The presentation took place at the Neighborhood Center's weekly youth-lead food pantry, which provides free groceries to more than 150 senior citizens and low-income residents of the Richmond District.

Expressing her appreciation for the Credit Union's support, the center's executive director, Pat Kaussen, said: "In these difficult financial times the generosity of the San Francisco Federal Credit Union is appreciated more than ever."

To learn more about the center's programs, go to the Web site at www.rdnc.org or call (415) 750-8554.