Hwy 140 (outside the park) closed between El Portal (Cedar Lodge) and Midpines due to a fire. Hwy 140 open between El Portal and Yosemite.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 1, 2026
HIghway 140 to Yosemite Closed Due Fire
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 1, 2026
California Assembly kills wildfire liability plan Gov. Newsom agreed to with legislators
KRCA reported
PG&E and Southern California Edison’s stocks rise after the development.
California’s Assembly on Tuesday killed a wildfire liability plan that lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed to days ago.
Amid opposition to the proposal from the state’s two biggest power companies, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas did not bring the legislation up for a vote.
Read more at California Assembly kills wildfire liability plan Gov. Newsom agreed to with legislators
Posted in Environment | Tags: Wildfire Liability
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 1, 2026
Virtual Talk: San Francisco’s Parrots 9/9/26
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Posted in Birds, Talks | Tags: San Francisco’s Parrots
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 1, 2026
Rare palm tree rediscovered in Madagascar after nearly 100 years
Monga Bay reported
Researchers have tracked down 28 individuals of a palm tree species last recorded in Madagascar nearly 100 years ago.
Nearly every tree of the species, Ravenea latisecta, was found within four protected areas in the Andasibe-Mantadia region of Madagascar, according to a recent study.
Read more Rare palm tree rediscovered in Madagascar after nearly 100 years
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Ravenea latisecta
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 31, 2026
Ecosystems of Rock-Eating Fungus And Tardigrades Found Thriving Deep Within a Gas Shale
Science Alert reported
scientists have discovered evidence of a whole community of complex organisms – fungi, worms, and even tardigrades – that call the Antrim Shale home.
Read more at Ecosystems of Rock-Eating Fungus And Tardigrades Found Thriving Deep Within a Gas Shale
Posted in Animals | Tags: Fungi, New Species, tardigrades, worms
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 30, 2026
Grand Canyon flooding knocks out water pipeline serving tourists at the national park, officials say
SF Gate reported
Officials say dozens of people have been evacuated from the depths of the Grand Canyon because of heavy rain and flooding. The National Park Service says flash flooding on Saturday destroyed…
Read on www.sfgate.com/news/article/dozens-evacuated-from-grand-canyon-after-flash-22410088.php
Posted in Park | Tags: Grand Canyon Flood
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 30, 2026
Beavers leave a trail as they head into the Arctic – Ecological Society of America
Beavers leave a trail as they head into the Arctic – Ecological Society of America
Read on esa.org/blog/2026/04/27/beavers-leave-a-trail-as-they-head-into-the-arctic/
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 29, 2026
Introduction to iNaturalist 9/12/23
Introduction to iNaturalist Regional Parks Botanic Garden
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The session includes hands-on practice in the Garden and is ideal for both new and experienced iNaturalist users who want to build their skills. Ethan Rayner, of The Watershed Project, and an iNaturalist Ambassador, will be presenting this introductory program. No reservations required; open to the public. Directions to the garden To get the most from the training, download the iNaturalist app and create an account in advance: https://www.inaturalist.org |
Posted in Class/Workshop, Garden, Talks | Tags: iNatualist
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 29, 2026
Georgia Expands Protections for More Than 100 Imperiled Animals, Plants
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources proposed to add more than 100 species to the state’s protected species list, including the saltmarsh sparrow, Atlantic sturgeon, ornate chorus frog, Appalachian cottontail and patch-nosed salamander.
Read more at Georgia Expands Protections for More Than 100 Imperiled Animals, Plants
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangered Species Protections
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 29, 2026
Shade Trees Reduce Street Temperatures 2.6 Degrees Celsius
Space Daily reported
Research cited by Singapore’s urban planners suggests shading roads with trees can reduce street-level temperatures by up to 2.6 degrees Celsius — separately, models suggest tree shade on buildings can meaningfully lower air-conditioning demand nearby
Read more Shade Trees Reduce Street Temperatures
Posted in Environment | Tags: Shade Trees Reduces Street Temperatures
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 28, 2026
Peru’s only penguin species at risk from upcoming El Niño and bird flu
Monga Bay reported
- The Humboldt penguin is the only penguin species to breed in Peru, inhabiting the country’s coastal deserts. But since 2022, the species’ has been under pressure from the spread of avian influenza, followed by El Niño.
- Between 2022 and 2025, the population of Humboldt penguins has dropped by two-thirds across 34 islands and peninsulas on the Peruvian coast.
- Experts monitoring the species say penguins are abandoning their nests as they already feel the impacts of the upcoming El Niño episode, which changes temperatures in coastal waters and diminishes the amount of prey fish available.
- Scientists are asking both the national government and the IUCN to revise the species’ status to reflect the increasing threats and boost conservation efforts.
Read more at Peru’s only penguin species at risk from upcoming El Niño and bird flu, experts warn
Posted in Animals | Tags: Extinction Risk, Humboldt penguin
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 28, 2026
Blue Whales Shouldn’t Be Able to Hunt The Way They Do. Scientists Have Finally Discovered How They Pull It Off
ScienceAlert reported
When a blue whale dives below the waves, their heart rate plummets to conserve oxygen.
Their massive hearts can slow to just two beats per minute as they dive hundreds of meters in search of food.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Blue Whales
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 27, 2026
Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Theodore Payne Foundation inspires and educates Southern Californians about the beauty and ecological benefits of California native plant landscapes.We are located on 22 acres of canyon land in the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley. Our full-service native plant nursery, seed room, book store, art gallery, demonstration gardens, and hiking trails are open to the public year round. We offer garden tours and classes for adults and families, as well as field trips to TPF and in-classroom programs for children. Friendly on-leash dogs are welcome and there is no admission charge!
See upcoming events at Theodore Payne Foundation Events – Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite
Posted in Class/Workshop | Tags: Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 27, 2026
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Events
See a list of all active events and virtual events of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy at Events in the Parks | Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Posted in Park, Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 27, 2026
Tracking Elephants
ScienceBlog reported
In 2023, conservationists fitted a young bull elephant in Zambia with a GPS collar. Two years and nearly 12,000 kilometers later, his tracks had crossed four countries and six national parks — tracing migration routes elephants have followed for generations, now cut through by human borders they never agreed to.
Ancient elephant highways are colliding with modern borders, revealing how conservation zones fail the animals they’re meant to protect.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Tracking Elephants
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 26, 2026
Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure
KQED reported
A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again Thursday in an effort to regain control over the Timber Fire.
The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what prompted initial evacuations on Aug. 10.
The Timber Fire is now the third biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.
Read more at Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure
Posted in Environment | Tags: Timber Fire
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 26, 2026
Sand overextraction weakening riverbanks as concrete demand soars | Mining | The Guardian
The Guardian reported
Research finds demand has more than doubled since 2000 and 80% of current demand comes from Asia
Read on www.theguardian.com/science/2026/aug/26/terrawatch-sand-overextraction-riverbanks-concrete-demand
Posted in Environment | Tags: Sand Extraction
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 26, 2026
Deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27-28, 2026
EarthSky reported
People in Africa, Europe, parts of Greenland, Antarctica, most of the Americas and the eastern Pacific Ocean will see a deep lunar eclipse overnight on August 27-28, 2026. The eclipse won’t be total. But it’ll be nearly total, with 96% of the moon within the Earth’s dark umbral shadow at mid-eclipse.
Read more at Deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27-28, 2026
See how to watch the eclipse in California at SF Gate: How to watch Thursday’s unusual lunar eclipse in California skies
Posted in Astronomy | Tags: Lunar eclipse
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 26, 2026
Biologist Fernanda Abra strung rope bridges above an Amazon highway and 15,000 animals crossed safely without a single death
Eco Portal reported
In 2024, Projeto Reconecta installed eight rope canopy bridges near Alta Floresta, connecting fragmented forest patches over a local highway. The results, documented over 15 months of camera-trap monitoring, were unambiguous: 15,000 safe crossings by arboreal animals, and not a single roadkill event recorded.
Read story at https://www.ecoportal.net/en/fernanda-abra-rope-bridges-amazon/30871/
Posted in Animals | Tags: Creating Safa Animal Highway Crossings
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 25, 2026
How Forest Fires Affect Insects
Xerces Society reported
Fire has always been part of the ecosystems of the western United States, but the fires we are experiencing now are bigger and hotter than they used to be. This is partly because of years of fire suppression, but is also a result of the changing climate. Invertebrates from caddisflies to slugs to bees and butterflies are likely negatively affected, but we still have much to learn about the effects on these populations.
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: impact fire on insects
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 25, 2026
Painting Turbine Blades Black Saves Birds
The Pulse reported
Painting 1 of 3 rotor blades black on 4 Norwegian turbines cut bird collisions by nearly 72 percent, and the white tailed eagles under them stopped hitting the rotors altogether
Read more at Painting Turbine Blades Black Saves Birds
Posted in Birds | Tags: Wind Turbines
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 24, 2026
8 most poisonous birds on the planet
Discover Wildlife reported
If you’re thinking of some enormous flying creature with teeth or talonscarrying deadly venom, you’ll need to reign in your imagination. No known bird actively injects or produces venom – but the poisonous birds on this list do contain deadly toxins within their skin, feathers and other tissues.
Where do they get these toxins from? They don’t produce them themselves but rather engage in a process called heteroaglandular poison – poison produced as a result of consuming a certain toxin which is then re-used for the animal’s own defences.
Read more at https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/most-poisonous-birds?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Posted in Birds | Tags: Poisonous Birds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 23, 2026
The mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself
The Guardian reported
Farmer Derek Sayer let a boggy field run wild and just one annual hay-cut has led to remarkable biodiversity
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Wildflower Meadows
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 23, 2026
California faces highest shark numbers in years as great whites head north
The Guardian reported
Read more at California faces highest shark numbers in years as great whites head north
Posted in Animals | Tags: Great White Sharks, Sharks
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 22, 2026
‘Devastating’: Western Australia fears a black swan moment as bird flu threatens flagship species
The Guardian reported
The state’s bird emblem is an indicator species for H5N1, with high visibility populations and low survival rates. Experts are warning of ‘significant mortality’
Read on www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/23/black-swan-bird-flu-western-australia
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird Flu, Black Swans
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 22, 2026
Sperm whales change ‘vowel’ sounds when boats are nearby, scientists discover
The Guardian reported
perm whales produce a specific pattern of clicking noises when they hear the noise of boats, researchers have found. The pattern is so distinct that the scientists who identified it said they can now use it to predict when ships are nearby.
Read more at Sperm whales change ‘vowel’ sounds when boats are nearby, scientists discover
Posted in Animals | Tags: Sperm Whale Sounds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 21, 2026
As the American West dries out, a secret savior emerges from the soil
SF Gate reported
Living crusts produce and reinforce desert soils, laying a foundation upon which all else grows.
Scientists are now learning that biocrust plays important roles in everything from erosion control and nutrient cycling to bracing against the worst impacts of climate change. And as temperatures continue to rise, researchers are turning to these living soils as a potential tool for restoring healthy landscapes.
Read more at As the American West dries out, a secret savior emerges from the soil
Posted in Environment, Park | Tags: Biocrust
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 21, 2026
Reforestation is more cost-effective than previously thought
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 21, 2026
Nature’s air conditioner: How urban forests are cooling Korea’s heat waves
Korean Times reported
As record heat waves continue to bake concrete jungles across the globe, city planners looking for thermal relief may find their best tool planted right outside their front doors. According to new research from Korea’s National Institute of Forest Science, urban forests serve as powerful, natural air conditioners, slashing daytime temperatures by nearly 2 degrees Celsius compared to heavily built-up city centers.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Nature’s Air Conditioner
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | August 20, 2026
Fish Maw: An Emerging Ocean Conservation Nightmare • The Revelator
Like the early days of the shark fin trade, the mostly unregulated market for dried fish swim bladders has exploded in popularity, devastating species around the world.
— Read on therevelator.org/fish-maw-conservation-nightmare/
Posted in Animals | Tags: endangering species
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