About Greening Projects
San Francisco is full of quiet transformations — a fenced-off lot turned into a pollinator habitat, a stretch of concrete turned into a community garden, a hillside once choked with invasives turned into a home to native lupine and sage. Most of these changes are led by neighbors, not agencies. Greening Projects exists to tell their stories.
Each issue brings you:
Project Spotlights — a close look at the restoration efforts, gardens, and green infrastructure taking root across the city, and the ecological difference they’re making.
Volunteer Profiles — the people behind the plants: why they started, what they’ve built, and what it took.
Upcoming Events — hands-on ways to get outside, meet neighbors, and pitch in, from planting days to birdhouse painting.
Ways to Help — because every garden on this list runs on volunteer hours and community support, and there’s almost always room for one more person.
We started this newsletter on a simple belief: San Francisco’s green spaces aren’t just nice to look at. They’re solutions to food insecurity, flooding, air pollution, and the quiet loss of habitat that comes with city living. And they’re built by ordinary people who decided to show up.
If that sounds like your kind of thing, subscribe below. And if you’re ever moved to volunteer or donate to the projects we cover, we’ll always tell you how.
Why subscribe?
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and publication archives.
Stay up-to-date
Never miss an update—every new post is sent directly to your email inbox. For a spam-free, ad-free reading experience, plus audio and community features, get the Substack app.
Join the crew
Be part of a community of people who share your interests. Participate in the comments section, or support this work with a subscription.
To learn more about the tech platform that powers this publication, visit Substack.com.


