The Presidio (and Goldsworthy) - I

When in San Francisco, I had an objective to get out of the city and into a more natural surrounding. Amidst the rain, I realized that I would likely have to settle for a hike through the Presidio during the few clear hours of my visit. Reinforcing this idea was the news that Andy Goldsworthy had recently installed a 'spire' in the park so I set out to learn more about it.

Little did I know before this trip, but the lush seeming Presidio that stands today is a man-made forest. What is more incredible is that the land originally (and not that long ago) consisted of marshy swamps and windblown sand dunes. In 1846, the US Army and eventually the Army Corps of Engineers worked to fill the land in order to build the better known military post and plant what has grown into a forest.


Hiking through the park, the Presidio as it stands today, open to the public, I was impressed to see some passive infrastructures at work. It seemed that hiking through the day after heavy rains was a good time to see the land at work.

Also interesting was spotting the breakdown of some of the enhanced natural systems and human interface of sandbags and piping.

The state of the park varied, particulary during the 'off season' for vegetation in CA. But the quality of the trees, meadows, and the chance to spot some more natural growth still gives a more wild and natural feel than a visitor might expect of a manmade site around 150 years old.