Golden Gate Park Canopy Trees in Decline

Stephen Kane

Collage of three photographs • 21 by 17 inches framed • Not for sale

The major canopy trees in Golden Gate Park — Monterey cypress and Monterey pines that were planted by the thousands in the 1870s and ’80s — have reached or exceeded their natural life span of about 120 years. Many have fallen, branches have been shed, and the Department of Urban Forestry has had to remove a significant number. Park officials have since experimented with some replacement trees, and while Monterey cypress remains a tree of choice for its fast growth, several species of pine and other long-lived trees are being nurtured and planted in many areas of the park.