Though 'green' in its lefty politics, San Francisco is actually not that green in a literal sense. See, city trees shade only a mere 13 percent of city streets, putting us to shame in comparison with spots like New York and Paris. But this veritable concrete jungle might have more than a never-ending kale salad trend turning it leafy green. A new plan presented by the Department of Public Works would have maintenance of all trees and sidewalks become the responsibility of the city, as 40% currently are, and will assume care of the 60,000 or so trees under the care of private property owners, who have been responsible for paying for tree upkeep and sidewalk repairs connected to tree roots.

The new plan also calls for more trees to be planted across the board in a bid to increase the city's canopy to 25 percent by 2033. But money, as we all know, doesn't grow on those trees. For now, finding options are still being decided, but the plan would represent a welcome change. According to Friends of the Urban Forest, property owners are not the best caretakers of the city's trees, as they either can’t afford to properly maintain them or hire careless tree trimmers who can harm the trees instead of helping them.

A presentation about the Urban Forest Plan will take place on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the LGBT Community Center at 1800 Market St., so if you have any tree-related grievances (anti-eucalyptus campaigners included), that's the place to air them.

[Examiner]