SpaceDaily reported
Experienced birdwatchers were found to have denser, more structurally complex brain tissue in regions linked to attention and perception, and when shown birds they had never seen before, those same regions activated most strongly.
Posted in Uncategorized
Pollinators keep our landscapes blooming and our food growing — yet they’re declining fast from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. Wherever you live, your everyday life depends on them.
Find plants for pollinators at calscape.org/why-pollinators/
Posted in Animals, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Pollination, pollinators
NBC Bay Area reported
An effort is underway to restore some of the once-popular trails in Big Basin Redwoods State Park following the CZU Lightning Complex fire.
Read on www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/big-basin-redwoods-state-park-trail-restoration/4128305/
Posted in Park, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Big Basin Trails
UC Davis reported
Mountain Jewelflower May Hold Lessons for Helping Other Species
The mountain jewelflower inhabits a wide swath of California and Oregon, from summer-scorched foothills to high mountains where snow falls during winter. But it is already suffering from climate change, with plants in the mountains struggling to survive both summers and winters, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
Read more A Native California Wildflower Isn’t Keeping Up with Climate Change
Posted in Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Mountain Jewelflower
The Guardian reported
Heavy machinery seen operating in famous Santa Elena Canyon amid outcry over new wall infrastructure in beloved Texas park
Read on www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/14/bulldozers-big-bend-national-park-trump
Posted in Park | Tags: Big Bend National Park
Two California condors who had been trapped in a Big Sur sanctuary during the Timber Fire were freed Tuesday after fire officials escorted staff to open their pen, the Ventana Wildlife Society said.
The condors, the largest North American land birds, were recovering after receiving treatment for lead poisoning at the Big Sur Condor Sanctuary, which rehabilitates the endangered species and has helped grow the state’s population.
MSN reported
Rat poison was detected in five white-tailed eagles found dead in Dorset, Natural England has said.
It follows an investigation into 10 cases relating to the suspected poisoning of the bird species in England since the start of a reintroduction project on the Isle of Wight in 2019.
Read on www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/rat-poison-found-in-five-dead-sea-eagles/ar-AA298rJQ
Posted in Birds | Tags: poisoning of Sea Eagles
The Revelator reported
India’s elephants: Riding elephants might seem like a fun thing to do, but it’s quite harmful to the animals — and that’s just one way India’s captive elephants are suffering. Two recent high-profile elephant deaths shine a light on the cruel practices.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Elephant Riding
KVRP Reported
Demand for pistachios continues to rise around the world with viral trends making the nut popular on the internet. But farmers in the Central Valley must battle with the climate to keep up with demand.
Posted in Environment, Uncategorized, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Climate change, Pistachios
The Cool Down reported
A white-rumped vulture has returned to a Cambodian sanctuary a decade after poison wiped out the local population.
Posted in Birds | Tags: White-dumped Vulture
Check out the latest events and news for Sonoma Land Trust at OUTINGS & EVENTS
Posted in Uncategorized
The Revelator reported
You might not expect to find penguins surrounded by rocks and sand — or heavy industry — but that’s exactly what you’d see in Peru, where voracious demand for fish oil and guano puts the squeeze on shrinking populations of desert-dwelling Humboldt penguins
Posted in Animals | Tags: Desert Penguins
SF Gate reported
The Timber Fire ignited Sunday evening and has now eclipsed 1,700 acres, with 5% containment, according to Cal Fire.
Read on www.sfgate.com/centralcoast/article/big-sur-wildfire-22381679.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Big Sur Fire
Jefferson City News Tribune reported
But more than 20,000 people each year come anyway, trespassing along oil-slicked active train tracks bordering the west side of the river because there are no formal trails.
Read on www.newstribune.com/news/2026/jun/28/access-finally-coming-to-one-of-californias-most/
Posted in Walks & Hikes, Waterfalls | Tags: Mossbrae Falls
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden on August 2, 2026.
The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is a California native plant garden. It is located within Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley, California, It is a 10-acre garden includes many of the state’s rare and endangered plants and a place for visitors to wander among trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses from plant communities throughout the state. There are free weekend and holiday tours. Admission and parking are free. For more information about the garden visit the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.
Click on arrows to right or left of photos to move slide show
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Botanic Garden
Berkeleyside reported
Volunteers with the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association are constructing a trail near Terrace View Park.
Read more at The first new path in 5 years is being built in the Berkeley Hills
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: New Path in Berkeley HIlls
Anza-Borrego Foundation hosts a variety of events and educational programs, including hikes, botany walks, photography workshops, and more. See the schedule at Events | Anza-Borrego Foundation
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Anza-Borrego Foundation Events
ScienceDaily reported
Trees planted to protect farmland from wind may not be the biodiversity boost many assume. In Japan’s wetland farming landscapes, shelterbelts benefited some birds but sharply reduced grassland and wetland species that need open space. Researchers found grassland bird abundance dropped by more than 70% near shelterbelts.
Read more More trees can mean fewer birds, new study reveals
Posted in Environment | Tags: More trees can mean fewer birds
EarthSky reports
Want to get the best view of the Perseid meteors? In 2026, the best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower is midnight through dawn on August 12 and 13. You’ll have moon-free skies. And since the Perseids are often bright, you might see 50-100 meteors per hour. Remember, even one bright meteor can make your night! In this video, EarthSky founder Deborah Byrd shares 9 easy meteor-watching tips that can help you spot many more shooting stars. Whether you’re a first-time skywatcher or a seasoned observer, these simple techniques can make this year’s Perseid meteor shower unforgettable.
Read on earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower/
Posted in Astronomy | Tags: Perseid Meteor Shower
CNN reported
An unusual wave of butterflies delighted residents in the Santa Cruz mountains in May. Now, a second tide of the orange-and-brown insects has emerged hundreds of miles away in the Sierra Nevada and near Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Read more at Massive migratory flight of millions’: Rare butterfly swarm visits Tahoe, Lassen
Posted in Butterflies | Tags: Tortoise Butterfly Swarm
See all Xerces Society upcoming events at Xerces Society Webinars
Posted in Butterflies, Talks | Tags: Xerces Society Webinars
Without the protections of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, millions of acres of public lands could open to development.
— Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/utah-national-monument-landmarks-22369277.php
Posted in Park | Tags: Utah. National Monuments
SF Gate reported
California has lost more than half of its coastal sand dunes over the past 165 years, an alarming decline that could have catastrophic effects on the state’s efforts to combat climate change.
A recent study, led by UC Santa Barbara researchers and published in the journal Earth’s Future, is the first comprehensive look at the state’s vital sand dunes. The analysis found that humans are largely to blame for dune habitat loss over the years, as infrastructure replaced entire ecosystems or invasive plants destroyed their ability to thrive. Total dune loss is estimated at around 60% across the state.
Read more California’s coastal expansion has come at a tremendous cost
Posted in Environment | Tags: California Coastal Sand Dune Loss
The Verge reported
An Amazon-owned site in Pecos County, Texas, received a permit to release up to 33 million tons of CO2 to power its AI data center.
Read on www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/977124/amazon-data-center-worst-polluting-power-plant
Posted in Environment | Tags: Polluting Power Plants
SF Gate reported
The work comes ahead of a massive project to improve border security in the region, including vehicle barriers, roads and smart technology.
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/big-bend-national-park-border-22378869.php
Posted in Park | Tags: Big Bend National Park
MSN reported
Matthias Huss is measuring ice melt on the Rhone Glacier. This year, Swiss glaciers will reach “Glacier Loss Day” as early as June 29. Only in the record-breaking year of 2022 did this turning point occur even earlier. “This is a truly alarming situation,” warns glaciologist Huss. The glaciers still have three hot summer months ahead of them — and every day costs them precious ice.
Space Daily
Within the first few months of life, every bottlenose dolphin invents a unique whistle that becomes its name for the rest of its life — and other dolphins learn that whistle, remember it, and use it to call out to that specific individual, making bottlenose dolphins the first non-human species ever discovered to use personal names,
Read more Dolphin Names
Posted in Animals | Tags: Dolphin Names
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Posted in Garden, Job Openings | Tags: Job Opening
See upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at events.
Posted in Garden, Park, Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks Upcoming Activities
See the events calendar for the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden at Garden Events
Posted in Class/Workshop, Garden | Tags: UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Events
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