Read about Current Reforestation Projects

The Presidio’s beautiful open spaces have been shaped by natural process like weather as well as by human influence. The planted historic forest is the most dramatic example of people shaping the park’s character.

The Presidio’s transformation from mostly open dunes into a richly forested and designed setting is one of the Army’s most impressive accomplishments in landscape architecture. No other military installation in the nation has ever undertaken landscape planning on such a grand scale.

The change began in 1883 when the Army began to transform the Presidio into a park-like, forested reserve, not unlike New York’s Central Park.

Developed by Major William A. Jones, the Plan for the Cultivation of Trees upon the Presidio Reservation resulted in thousands of trees being planted along the Presidio’s ridges and entrance gates. The eucalyptus, pine, and cypress groves accentuated the post’s size, sheltered it from winds, and created a clear visual distinction from the surrounding city.

Enveloping the Presidio with lush greenery, the historic forest is a beloved park feature. The 300-acre forest both contributes to the Presidio’s National Historic Landmark District designation and provides habitat for birds and wildlife.

Reforesting for the Future

Because the trees were planted over a relatively short period, they are beginning to decline at about the same time. To preserve the treasured forest, the Presidio Trust has begun an ambitious reforestation program that is guided by the Presidio Vegetation Management Plan. The Presidio Trust strives to preserve the qualities that define the forest’s character (such as the orderly military alignment of trees), take into account the forest’s importance as wildlife habitat, and consider the needs of visitors who walk in its shade or admire the views it frames. Learn more about reforestation projects now underway.