Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 5, 2026

Photos From Redwood Forest Explorations

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 5, 2026

Breakthrough lets scientists watch plants breathe in real time

ScienceDaily reported
Scientists have created a new way to watch plants breathe—live and in high definition—while tracking exactly how much carbon and water they exchange with the air. The breakthrough could help unlock crops that grow smarter, stronger, and more drought-resistant.
Read more Breakthrough lets scientists watch plants breathe in real time | ScienceDaily

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 4, 2026

Friends of Inyo Upcoming Events

See upcoming events from the Friends of Inyo at Friends of Inyo Events

 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 4, 2026

East Bay Regional Parks Upcoming Events

See the calendar of upcoming events for the East Bay Regional Parks at https://www.ebparks.org/calendar

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 4, 2026

Nearly one million salmon released into California rice fields to aid survival and growth

krctv reported 

Nearly one million young salmon are being released this week into flooded rice fields near the Yolo Bypass. The project is a partnership with stakeholders from

Read on krcrtv.com/news/local/nearly-one-million-salmon-released-into-california-rice-fields-to-aid-survival-and-growth

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 4, 2026

Rapid expansion of ring-necked parakeets in UK sparks concern

The Guardian reported

Bird organisations say more research on the species needed to control impact on other wildlife.

In the past 20 years, the soundscape in the ancient wild, rolling landscape of Richmond Park has been transformed. Once you would have heard the chirrup of the stonechat, the chirp of the great spotted woodpecker or the song of the skylark. Today, the auditory power of one bird dominates.

The bright green ring-necked parakeet increased 25-fold from 1994-2023 in the UK.

Read more Rapid expansion of ring-necked parakeets in UK sparks concern

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 3, 2026

Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Upcoming Events

See upcoming events calendar of hikes and programs at https://www.abdnha.org/calendar1.htm.

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Posted in Astronomy, Desert, Park, Talks, Walks & Hikes, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 3, 2026

Over 2,200 miles of Calif. dirt roads closed to protect desert tortoise

SF Gate reported

Off-roading is now off-limits on routes spanning 1 million acres of the western Mojave Desert after a six-year legal battle over whether adding thousands of miles of new dirt roads would harm the desert tortoise.

Read more Over 2,200 miles of Calif. dirt roads closed to protect desert tortoise

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 3, 2026

California wildlife officials quietly shift on killing a high-profile predator

Phys.org

In a move that reverses nearly a decade of practice, California wildlife officials have quietly begun to allow killing mountain lions in order to protect another iconic native—bighorn sheep.

Read more California wildlife officials quietly shift on killing a high-profile predator

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026

Upcoming CNPS Events

See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026

US judge allows last of five offshore wind projects halted by Trump to proceed

The Guardian reported

All five offshore wind projects halted by the Trump administration in December can resume construction after a federal judge’s ruling on Monday that cleared Denmark’s Ørsted to proceed with its Sunrise Wind project off the coast of New York.

Read more US judge allows last of five offshore wind projects halted by Trump to proceed 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026

Over 2,000 acres of Bay Area land preserved for $23M

SF Gate  reported

The Peninsula Open Space Trust has purchased 2,284 acres of Sargent Ranch near the southern border of Santa Clara County along Highway 101, marking the largest land deal in the 49-year-old nonprofit’s history. The $23 million acquisition is the latest of three properties the trust has secured in its overarching goal to permanently conserve the entire 6,500-acre ranch that was once slated for commercial development as a quarry. It’s also one of the largest pieces of undeveloped private property in the South Bay.

Read more Over 2,000 acres of Bay Area land preserved for $23M

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 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

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026

City bird beaks adapted quickly during COVID-19, research reveals

Bird Guides

Beak shapes in some common urban birds appear to have changed rapidly during the COVID‑19 pandemic, according to a new study.

This suggests that sudden shifts in food availability and human disturbance may have driven short‑term evolutionary responses.

Researchers examined museum specimens and live birds from several city populations in the United States, comparing beak morphology before, during and after the pandemic lockdowns that dramatically altered urban environments.

Read more City bird beaks adapted quickly during COVID-19, research reveals

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026

Upcoming CNPS Events

See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026

Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 1/31/26

Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on January 31, 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.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026

Magnolia cambelllii at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden

Magnolia cambelllii

Magnolia cambelllii

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026

A “super-tusker” elephant named Craig has died — of natural causes. That’s a good sign for elephant conservatio

Monga Bay reports

  • The death of Craig, a widely known super tusker from Amboseli, drew attention not just because of his fame, but because he lived long enough to die of natural causes in a period when elephants with tusks like his are rarely spared.
  • Craig’s life reflected decades of sustained protection in Kenya, where anti-poaching efforts and community stewardship have allowed some elephant populations to stabilize or grow after catastrophic losses in the late 20th century.
  • His passing is also a reminder of what has been lost: Africa’s elephant population fell from about 1.3 million in 1979 to roughly 400,000 today, with forest elephants in particular still in steep decline.
  • There are signs of cautious progress, including slowing demand for ivory and stronger legal protections, but continued habitat loss means that survival, even for the most protected elephants, remains uncertain.

Read more at What Craig’s long life reveals about elephant conservation

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026

Pumas in Patagonia started feasting on penguins — but now they’re behaving strangely, a new study finds

LIve Science 

Pumas in Patagonia are preying on penguins — and it’s changing how the big cats interact with each other.

The pumas in question reestablished themselves in an Argentinian national park that housed a penguin breeding colony — and the cats promptly began eating the birds. Now, it turns out the normally solitary cats that eat the penguins are tolerating each other more often than expected, new research published Wednesday (Dec. 17) in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B reports.

Read more at Pumas in Patagonia started feasting on penguins — but now they’re behaving strangely, a new study finds

 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 31, 2026

Job Opportunities Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks

Are you looking for seasonal work in the great outdoors?

Sequoia and Kings Canyon are currently hiring for several positions, including maintenance, trails, equipment operator, utilities, and administrative support.

Find available positions, descriptions, and requirements on USAJOBS.gov by using the location filter for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Please pay careful attention to the application instructions listed in the description.

NPS photo
Alt text: 1. Clouds roll over the landscape in Sequoia. 2. The river flows through Tokopah Valley. 3. Giant sequoias in winter. 4. Dogwood blooms. 5. The General Grant Tree. 6. The Foothills Visitor Center with lupine in bloom.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 31, 2026

Sonoma County Old-Growth Redwood Reserve Set For Expansion

the Press Democrat reported

Sonoma County old-growth redwood preserve set for expansion

A San Francisco conservation group has reached an agreement to purchase 200 acres in northwest Sonoma County that will expand its existing old-growth redwood reserve east of Stewarts Point and Salt Point State Park.

Under the agreement, Save the Redwoods League will buy the property for $4 million from the family of the late Harold Richardson. The land will be added to the group’s Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve, a 730-acre forest that was acquired from the family in 2018, bringing the combined reserve to nearly 1,000 acres.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 31, 2026

Stingless bees from the Amazon granted legal rights in world first

The Guardian reported

Planet’s oldest bee species and primary pollinators were under threat from deforestation and competition from ‘killer bees’

Stingless bees from the Amazon have become the first insects to be granted legal rights anywhere in the world, in a breakthrough supporters hope will be a catalyst for similar moves to protect bees elsewhere.

Read more at Stingless bees from the Amazon granted legal rights in world first

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 30, 2026

Mineral dust accelerates Greenland ice sheet melt by promoting algae growth

Phys.com reported

Large-scale melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet is irreversible and happening at a rapid rate, and now a new international study is the first to understand why. A University of Waterloo scientist and a team of international collaborators found that airborne mineral dust and other aerosols are directly connected to how much algae grows on the ice. The algae interfere with albedo, or the reflection of the sun’s rays, exacerbating melting. The work is published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Read on phys.org/news/2026-01-mineral-greenland-ice-sheet-algae.html

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 30, 2026

Poacher kills wolf from famed Yellowstone National Park pack

SF Gate reported 

A Yellowstone National Park wolf strayed outside the national park. Then hunters illegally shot her.

Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/poacher-wolf-yellowstone-pack-21316264.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 30, 2026

Calif. investigation uncovers underground market for endangered wildlife parts

SF Gate  reported

California wildlife officials announced they have dismantled a large underground wildlife trafficking operation in Fresno and Madera counties, after federal agents intercepted a falsely labeled international shipment, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Friday.

Read more Calif. investigation uncovers underground market for endangered wildlife parts

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 29, 2026

Photos Of What’s Happening In My Garden in Late January

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 29, 2026

Octopus caught riding on the back of the world’s fastest shark

Earth.com reported

An octopus rides on the back of a fast mako shark off the coast of New Zealand; a scientific video reveals an unusual interaction.

Read on www.earth.com/news/octopus-caught-riding-on-the-back-of-the-worlds-fastest-shark-in-the-open-ocean/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026

‘Please help’: Photos show Death Valley destruction from white Toyota

SF Gate reported

The National Park Service is ramping up its efforts to locate the driver of a California vehicle that illegally went off road in Death Valley National Park.

Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/death-valley-dunes-destruction-21320484.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026

 Friends of California Condors Wild and Free Upcoming Events 

Friends of California Condors Wild and Free Upcoming Events at  Events | Friends of California Condors Wild and Free

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026

10 Species Across U.S. Move Closer to Lifesaving Protections – Center for Biological Diversity

10 Species Across U.S. Move Closer to Lifesaving Protections

Extinction Crisis Threatens Olympic Marmots, Mount Pinos Sooty Grouse, Many Other Species

PORTLAND, Ore.— In response to petitions from the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that 10 species across the country warrant consideration for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
— Read on biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/10-species-across-us-move-closer-to-lifesaving-protections-2026-01-23/

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