Tree limb that injured woman raises worries about care of parks

Tree limb that injured woman raises worries about care of parks A Visitacion Valley woman who suffered a serious head injury when she was hit by a falling tree limb Friday afternoon in Washington Square Park remains in critical condition. The 36-year-old was watching her two young children climb on the playground near Columbus Avenue and Filbert Street in North Beach when a tree branch weighing around 100 pounds fell nearly 50 feet, hitting her in the head. Legislation that would earmark money to maintain street trees and transfer their care to Public Works is headed to the November ballot. Another ballot measure that passed in June will funnel millions of dollars into the Rec and Park Department, which is facing a maintenance backlog exceeding $1 billion over the next 30 years. Ken Maley, a member of Friends of Washington Square, said Rec and Park has been scrambling to prune trees for years. Maley led an effort in 2008 to create a tree management plan for Washington Square Park, considered the living room of North Beach. Supervisor Aaron Peskin, whose district includes Washington Square Park, was at the scene Friday shortly after the 20-foot tree limb fell. “The Recreation and Park Department, along with other city agencies, is continuing to investigate the incident,” Lee said. Friday’s accident was a tragic example of why tree maintenance is so important, said Dan Flanagan, director of Friends of the Urban Forest, which helps residents plant and maintain trees in the city.