Friends of the Urban Forest

Greening San Francisco

Share FUF's site!
  • Contact Us
  • 简体中文
  • Español
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Location
    • Senior Management
    • Board of Directors
    • History
    • Financial Reports
    • Job Opportunities
  • Programs & Services
    • Greening
      • Free Trees for San Francisco
      • Tree Replacement
        • 更替树木
      • Sidewalk Gardening
      • Early Tree Care
      • Emergency Tree Care
    • Community Engagement
      • Community Engagement
      • Have a corporate workday with us
      • Green Christmas Trees
    • Education
      • Green Teens
      • Green Crew
      • Tree Tours
      • Community Forester Training
    • Advocacy
  • Get Involved
    • Events Calendar
    • Volunteer
    • Internships
    • Tree Topping Watch
  • Benefits of Urban Greening
  • News
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • San Francisco Urban Forest Media Summary
    • FUF in the News
    • Press Releases
      • 2018 Press Releases
        • Silliman and Woolsey streets win San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2017 Press Releases
        • Shafter Ave wins San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to Launch Large-Scale Tree Planting in the Excelsior
      • 2016 Press Releases
        • Tenderloin wins San Francisco’s “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2015 Press Releases
        • Ney Street “Neyborhood” wins annual “Most Greenified Block” award
        • Save Our Water and Our Trees! campaign offers tips to help trees thrive
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to plant 50,000th tree August 1
      • 2014 Press Releases
        • San Francisco’s in trouble when mild rain fells trees
        • #TechPlantsSF engages tech community in greening San Francisco
        • Broderick/Hayes wins “Most Greenified Block”
      • 2013 Press Releases
        • City’s “Most Greenified Block”: Pennsylvania Street Gardens
        • City to Install 11 Blocks of Sidewalk Gardens in SF Neighborhoods
      • 2012 Press Releases
        • Urban foresters to hold Great Tree Count
        • Friends of the Urban Forest Transforms Neighborhoods
        • Wells Fargo to plant 160 street trees for 160th anniversary
        • Applications due November 26 for subsidized fruit trees
      • 2011 Press Releases
        • Will our next mayor improve our streets and parks?
        • Urban Wood Movement to Hold First Conference in San Francisco
      • 2010 Press Releases
        • 150 Cherry Trees mark 150th Anniversary of Japanese visit
        • “Green Christmas Trees” better than dead ones
        • New sidewalk gardens beautify neighborhood and protect City sewers
        • Save a tree by logging it… into the Urban Forest Map
        • Friends of the Urban Forest to hold 1000th planting Feb 20
        • New trees for Nob Hill to echo nineteenth century glory
        • Big San Francisco tree planting planned for Tu B’Shvat
    • Coronavirus Update: Changes in Operations and Programs
  • Support Us
    • Donate Now
    • Matching Gifts
    • Sponsorship
    • Membership
    • Planned Giving
    • Tree Tributes
    • Our Reusable Paper Towels
    • Donate Appreciated Stock
    • More Ways to Support FUF
    • Supporters & Partners
  • Resources & Reference
    • Urban Tree Species Directory
    • Photos
    • Arborist (and Other) Referrals
    • Plant On Your Own
    • Tree Care On Your Own
      • Soil, Mulch & Nutrition
      • Watering
      • Stakes, Ties & Fencing
      • Sidewalk & Basin Care
      • Pruning
      • New City Tree Care Policy
      • Common Problems & Disorders
    • Useful Links
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Site Map
Home Programs & Services Greening Emergency Tree Care
A tree with damage to its bark

Emergency Tree Care

Two smiling women holding tools in front of a street tree

Karen and Nicole in the Silver Terrace neighborhood, September 2005.

We can conduct unscheduled emergency tree care visits during the first three years after we’ve planted a street tree. To report a small fallen or leaning street tree, please contact our Tree Care Team by phone at 415-404-2760 or by email at treecare@fuf.net. We can only upright small trees, meaning their trunks are 2 inches or less in diameter and/or they’re no more than 15 feet high. Our average response time is a few days to two weeks. Please keep in mind that we are a nonprofit with limited administrative support and spend most of our time in the field responding to calls and keeping up on our scheduled maintenance. We appreciate your patience!

For emergencies involving larger trees, or for hazards such as a tree interfering with a power line, contact the city’s customer service center by calling 311 from any 415 area code phone, or by using the SF311 mobile app, or by visiting the SF311 website.

NOTE: If you’re not sure whether a fallen or leaning tree is too big for FUF to handle, please contact us first (and send us a photo if possible). We’ve heard reports that trees that we could have saved have been removed after they were reported to SF311. Thank you!

For assistance with backyard trees, consider calling a professional arborist.

Tips to save your small tree after a stormA small street tree that's leaning over

If you want to upright your own tree and secure it with stakes, stakes and stake pounders are also available from Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, 415-695-9530, or The Urban Farmer Store, 415-661-2204.

Until your tree can be uprighted, move it off the sidewalk as much as possible; the city has the authority to remove a tree that is obstructing the path of travel. Keep the exposed roots covered and moist.

Water the tree after it has been uprighted to prevent shock. Continue watering on a regular basis to encourage new root growth.

For larger storm damage, see the Arbor Day Foundation’s Storm Recovery resources.

Prevent your next emergency call

Prevent tree emergencies by checking your tree’s hardware periodically, by keeping tree ties loose to encourage root strength and expansion, and by regularly watering it. See our Stakes, Ties & Fencing and Pruning pages for details.

Become an emergency tree care volunteer

We always need more emergency tree care volunteers! See our Volunteer page to find out how you can help.

Programs & Services

  • Greening
    • Free Trees for San Francisco
    • Tree Replacement
    • Sidewalk Gardening
    • Early Tree Care
    • Emergency Tree Care
  • Community Engagement
  • Education
  • Advocacy

Donate Now

501(c)(3) Non-Profit

Donate today and help us continue to increase the number of trees we plant!

Upcoming Events

  • No upcoming events
  • See all upcoming events »

Shop FUF

Bags, Mugs, Hats, T-shirts and more… Start Shopping »

One thing I really enjoy about doing tree care is that people express gratitude that someone's taking care of the trees. It's heartwarming to know that other people love trees like I do."
— Lisa Duncan, volunteer

We just can't say THANK YOU enough! This has been such a life-changing, street-transforming, neighborhood-lifting experience."
— Lori Hébert & Thaddeus Homan

Secure Online Bill Payment

Pay for your sidewalk garden

INTERESTED IN A TREE? SIGN UP!

Request a Tree

Subscribe to e-­newsletter

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on FlickrFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 Friend of the Urban Forest
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site Map
Website by MIGHTYminnow