Civic Center art project may be killing trees
By: Joshua Sabatini
Examiner Staff Writer
April 27, 2009
 |
| "The Upper Crust," an art exhibiit in Civic Center Plaza, could kill the trees it occupies, according to a certified arborist's report. (Mike Koozmin/Special to The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — An art exhibition in Civic Center Plaza could kill trees and should be removed immediately, a certified arborist has warned city
officials.
Acclaimed artist Patrick Dougherty in March installed his “The Upper Crust” exhibit, which is 18,000 pounds of freshly cut willow saplings interwoven in the sycamore treetops.
Tree advocates at the time expressed concerns that the exhibit could harm the trees, and a March 31 arborist report seems to validate those worries.
“To protect the trees from possible harm, it is my recommendation that the sculptures be removed from the trees immediately,” certified arborist Roy Leggitt said in a report, after inspecting the trees for the Urban Forestry Council. “Under storm conditions, or even under normal summer conditions when winds are higher, the sculptures will have a wind sail effect that could cause either limb failure or entire tree failure.”
Leggitt also warned that sycamore trees require “full sunlight to remain healthy” and the limbs covered by the weavings “will not grow normally or as robust due to low light conditions, and certain limbs may die as a result.”
The report has raised some concerns, though not everyone agrees with it.
“We were very concerned and respectful of the trees and not wanting to do anything to negatively impact their health,” said Jill Manton, director of the Public Art Program with the Arts Commission.
Manton said, however, that she had consulted Recreation and Park Department staff about Leggitt’s report and they “did not share the same concerns.”
“I’d be happy to get an outside third-party opinion,” she added.
As for the artist, Dougherty “asserts that he has created more than 150 such installations and has not lost a tree,” according to an Urban Forestry staff report.
