Inside Greening Projects: This Week's Projects, People & Events
Native Plants, New Gardens, and Painted Birdhouses
“To leave the world better than you found it is the legacy of one who cares for the Earth.” — Anonymous
Project Spotlight
Bernal Wild is a volunteer-led habitat restoration collective working on the slopes of Bernal Hill in San Francisco. Since 2021, the group has focused on removing invasive plants, Scotch broom, oxalis, Pride of Madeira, and re-establishing locally appropriate native species, including lupines, clarkia, buckwheats, native grasses, sages, ceanothus, toyon, and oaks.
By replacing dense monocultures of invasives with diverse native plantings, Bernal Wild is creating habitat that supports pollinators, birds, and other wildlife while reducing fire risk and soil erosion. Their work shows how a small, committed group of neighbors can transform neglected urban land into a thriving, insect-rich landscape — and offers a model for community-driven pollinator restoration wherever you live.
Projects like Bernal Wild run entirely on volunteer hours and community support. If their work speaks to you, there’s always room for one more set of hands — or a contribution that helps keep the native plants coming.
Volunteer Profile
When Emma Dolan moved to San Francisco in 2023, she brought with her something the city’s dense, paved neighborhoods seemed poorly equipped to accommodate: a desire to grow things. A scientist at UCSF, she was accustomed to patience and the long view. What she wasn’t prepared for was being told, politely but firmly, that her idea was probably too ambitious, too expensive, and too complicated to pursue.
She pursued it anyway — and she wouldn’t be doing it alone for long.
Within a year, Emma helped launch one of the city’s newest community gardens at Kimbell Field. What began as one person’s instinct has since grown into a collective effort, drawing scores of volunteers, securing grant funding, and giving rise to a new neighborhood organization dedicated to the garden’s long-term stewardship.
Read Emma’s story: Kimbell Community Garden
Stories like Emma’s usually start the same way: someone decides to show up. If you’ve been looking for a sign to get involved in a project near you, this is it.
Upcoming Event: Birdhouse Painting at Ogden Avenue Gardens
Date: September 12, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: Ogden Avenue Gardens
Grab the family and join us at Ogden for a relaxing, creative morning in the garden! We’re hosting a community birdhouse painting session designed for kids and the young at heart.
We’ll supply all the wooden birdhouses, brushes, and colorful paints — all you need to bring is your imagination. While the artists get to work, parents can kick back and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee.
Spend a couple of hours connecting with neighbors, enjoying the outdoors, and building a cozy new home for our local feathered friends.
No registration required – drop by and paint with us!
Help Us Grow a Greener, Healthier San Francisco
Across San Francisco, something remarkable is happening. Communities are transforming empty lots, concrete corridors, and bare sidewalks into vibrant green spaces — and the benefits are extraordinary.
These aren’t just beautification projects. They’re solutions to some of our city’s most pressing challenges, including food insecurity, flooding, and air pollution.
Green infrastructure projects deliver immediate benefits while building long-term resilience. They address multiple challenges at once. They bring people together. And with your support, we can do so much more.
Join us in building a greener, more resilient San Francisco.