FILE- An aerial view of Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco on April 10, 2025.
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Nearly a hundred trees are set to be removed from San Francisco’s waterfront starting Monday morning as part of the $40 million renovation of Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park that also led to the disassembly of the Vaillancourt Fountain earlier this year. All of the trees will be replaced by the fall of 2027, with three palm trees relocated to other spots within the park, Tamara Aparton, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, told SFGATE.
Locals should “expect construction noise, temporary sidewalk closures, and pedestrian detours” during the removal, which is slated to last five weeks, a sign posted outside of the padel courts read. Trucks transporting heavy equipment will periodically enter and exit the construction site, but park officials anticipate minimal impacts to parking and traffic.
Aparton said the purpose of the removal, which affects 97 out of 113 trees, is to help improve accessibility, noting that some pathways are several feet higher or lower than the surrounding sidewalks.
“Making the park easier for everyone to move through means creating a more level landscape, and unfortunately, some of the existing trees cannot remain as the ground around them changes,” Aparton told SFGATE in an email.
Aparton said the existing trees — a mix of species including ginkgo, poplar, cherry, palm and olive trees — will be replaced by coast live oak, coast redwood, Monterey cypress, southern magnolia and strawberry trees. “We chose a mix of species that can thrive in this location, provide year-round greenery and develop into a healthy, diverse tree canopy over time,” she said in an email.
The project is part of a wider transformation of the 5-acre site that’s expected to incorporate several new elements, including vast greenery, pathways cutting through sculpture gardens, food trucks, volleyball courts and picnic tables.
“We understand how much people value the park’s mature trees,” Aparton said. “The new park will remain a green, beautiful place, with expansive lawns, gathering spaces and a growing tree canopy—while being accessible and welcoming to everyone.”
SFGATE deputy managing editor Kendra Smith contributed to this report.