COMMUNITY

There is an intrinsic dialogue between the ecological value of San Bruno Mountain and the people’s histories that live there, including Daly City, the “Pinoy Capital of the United States.” Park usership, however, is not reflective of the low income, immigrant, and diverse neighborhoods of Daly City. The main entrance is at the park’s center, miles away from the adjacent populations without viable transportation. The entrances at the base of the mountain generally lack accessible trails or curation. These communities can be important sites for stewardship that coexist with habitat that hosts rare/endangered species only found on the mountain. In addition, there is a high risk of invasive garden escapees from residential gardens at the semi-urban edges of the mountain.

THE TEST

Working at the edge of native landscape and urban environment, San Bruno Mountain Watch and Test Plot are creating a new garden under the eucalyptus canopy. Our project focuses on a hybridized landscape at the edges of the park with landscape conditions that fall between an urban and native ecotone. We will experiment with hybrid restoration and revitalization of natural areas and explore the potential for the site as a communal space for activation, gathering, and cultural understanding. Through storytelling, art, ecological restoration, and garden making, our work will distill and capture our shared experiences under the fog.