The Guardian reported
Photosynthesis does not always result in wood growth, a key factor in carbon dioxide sequestration
Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/13/trees-store-less-carbon-than-thought-study
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 13, 2026
Trees may store less planet-heating carbon than hoped, study suggests gas emissions The Guardian
Posted in Environment | Tags: carbon sequestration
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 13, 2026
Cacti are evolving shockingly fast and scientists just learned why
ScienceDaily reported
Cacti may look like slow, stubborn desert survivors, but they’re actually evolving at lightning speed. Scientists studying more than 750 cactus species discovered that what really drives the explosion of new cactus species isn’t flower size or specialized pollinators, but how quickly cactus flowers change shape over time. The finding overturns a long-standing idea dating back to Darwin and reveals deserts as surprisingly dynamic ecosystems where evolution is happening fast.
Read on www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260512202347.htm
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Cactus
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 12, 2026
Antarctica’s west coast missing an area of sea ice the size of France as temperatures peak 20C above average
The Guardian reported
A vast area of the Bellingshausen Sea should be covered by sea ice by now, with one expert calling the loss of ice ‘depressing’
Posted in Environment | Tags: Antarctica
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 12, 2026
BEAVER FESTIVAL XVII – 6/13/26
Where: Susana Park Martinez Estudillo and Susana Streets
When: June 13th, 2026 10:00-3:00
Cost: FREE
Hosted by: Worth A Dam www.martinezbeavers.org
Where else can you see a giant beaver skull, a 1500-gallon aquarium on wheels, an 18- piece jazz band, a children’s parade, live displays of raptors, owls,and bats, and an award winning chalk artist all while learning the story firsthand of the rodent that made one forgotten city famous? Only one place and that’s the Martinez beaver Festival. Returning for its 17th time the festival is free family fun where you can learn all about beavers, citizen science, urban wildlife, community involvement, and how to combat drought, fire and global warming one beaver at a time.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Beaver Festival
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 12, 2026
Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events
See upcoming events for the Siskiyou Land Trust at Upcoming events
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 12, 2026
Calif. experts update rainfall expectations as El Niño intensifies
SF Gate reported
After months of anticipation, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center declared on Thursday that El Niño conditions have developed.
The latest data shows a 63% chance that El Niño, the seasonal climate pattern that generally brings a wet winter to California along with a cascade of global weather impacts, will become “very strong” from November 2026 through January 2027.
Read more at Calif. experts update rainfall expectations as El Niño intensifies
Posted in Environment | Tags: El Niino
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 12, 2026
Why Do Birds Fly in a V Formation?
from Audubon
You might have seen birds fly in V-shaped formation, but why? And how do they decide who leads? And why do some V formations look so weird? You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers. Read on to learn the science behind how the V works.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Why Do Birds Fly in a V Formation?
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 11, 2026
Anza-Borrego Foundation Upcoming Events
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
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 11, 2026
Eldorado National Forest Interpretive Association Upcoming Events
See upcoming events for Eldorado National Forest Interpretive Association at enfia.org/calendar/ You need to click on list view to see current events.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 11, 2026
Vessel strike kills gray whale in San Francisco Bay
KRON 4 reported
A dead gray whale found near Pier 80 in San Francisco last week was killed by a vessel strike, The Marine Mammal Center announced Wednesday.
Scientists were alerted to the dead adult male gray whale on June 4. After it was towed to Angel Island State Park, teams conducted a necropsy, or animal autopsy.
Read more at Vessel strike kills gray whale in San Francisco Bay
Posted in Animals | Tags: Gray Whale Deaths
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 11, 2026
Rescuers Save Baby Coyote Covered In Cactus Spines
98.1KDD reported
A young coyote pup found in Surprise, Arizona, covered in hundreds of Cholla cactus spines is recovering after being rescued by the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale.
The animal, believed to be four to six weeks old, had to be lightly sedated while veterinary staff spent more than two hours removing spines from nearly every part of its body, including its nose, mouth, ears, tail, and back.
After a week of recovery, the pup is eating well, gaining strength, and beginning to socialize with other orphaned coyotes at the center.
Read more Rescuers Save Baby Coyote Covered In Cactus Spines
Posted in Animals, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Cactus, Coyotes
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 11, 2026
Point Reyes Is Reimagining Its Trail System
Bay Nature reported
Nearly 17,000 acres of former ranchland are now entering a new phase of management. Cue the most ambitious trail-planning effort the park has ever undertaken. It’s wide open right now—and planners want your input, Sophia Grace Carter reports for the Point Reyes Light. Free Read »
Posted in Park, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Pt. Reyes Trails
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 10, 2026
Record winter temperatures in Antarctic raise fears over speed of climate breakdown | Polar regions | The Guardian
The Guardian reported
Temperatures above 15C ‘very strange’ say scientists, as snow melts and rain falls on glaciers in usually frozen region
Posted in Environment | Tags: Antarctic, Climate change
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 10, 2026
Sonoma Land Trust Events
Check out the latest events and news for Sonoma Land Trust at OUTINGS & EVENTS
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 10, 2026
Indian and Tibetan wolves found to have important, ancient genetics
Rice University reported
Indian and Tibetan wolves found to have important, ancient genetics Wolves in India, like the pack that raised Mowgli in “The Jungle Book,” can often feel disconnected from both the research and storytelling of wolves. Rice University professor Lauren Hennelly is working to change that. Her research uncovers the stories that these grey wolves, along with the nearby Tibetan wolves, carry in their DNA.
— Read on news.rice.edu/news/2026/indian-and-tibetan-wolves-found-have-important-ancient-genetics
Posted in Animals | Tags: Indian and Tibetan wolves
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 9, 2026
Upcoming Events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden
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
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 9, 2026
Are Lions Endangered? It’s Complicated.
Earth.com reported
A hundred years ago over 200,000 lions roamed Africa and Asia. Today, that number is about 20,000. That’s a 90% reduction in the population of one of the most charismatic creatures in the world. So, is the lion endangered?
Read more to see why this is a complex issue at Are Lions Endangered? It’s Complicated.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangered species, Lions
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 8, 2026
World Oceans Day: Marine protected areas surpass 10% mark in 2026
Monga Bay reported
World Oceans Day is celebrated every June 8 to raise awareness about the conservation of Earth’s oceans. In honor of World Oceans Day 2026, the United Nations is focused on marine protected areas (MPA), and the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
The world collectively reached a third of the goal in April 2026, MPAs now cover 10% of oceans. Another 20% will need to be protected over the next four years to reach the 30% goal.
Read more World Oceans Day: Marine protected areas surpass 10% mark in 2026
Posted in Environment | Tags: Marine Protected Areas, World Oceans Day
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 8, 2026
What is Naturescaping?
Earth.com reported
Naturescaping is a term that is in reference to a method of landscape design and landscaping that allows people, as well as nature, to exist.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Naturescaping
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 8, 2026
Was that bird video real?
Here is a video talking about what is real when watching videos of birds on the webs: [These] Birds Aren’t Real
Posted in Birds | Tags: Fake Bird Videos
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 7, 2026
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Upcoming Events
See upcoming events calendar of hikes and programs at https://www.abdnha.org/calendar1.htm.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 7, 2026
Something coming: what scientists know about a potential ‘super’ El Nino
Phys.org reported
Forecasters say a potentially “super” El Niño is rapidly taking shape in the Pacific—but whether it evolves into a history-making event could hinge on fickle winds and other volatile atmospheric shifts.
Read more at Something coming: what scientists know about a potential ‘super’ El Nino
Posted in Environment | Tags: El Nino
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 6, 2026
Scientists spot rare ocean animal for the first time in 5 years
SF Gate reported
Scientists spotted a white abalone near the Channel Islands for the first time in five years. The species’ population has declined by 99%.
— Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/white-abalone-22293372.php
Posted in Animals | Tags: White Abalone
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 6, 2026
Instead of Arresting Indigenous Fishermen, Australia Begins to Pay Them to Control Sea Urchin Plague
Good News Network reported
Native coastal Australians are experiencing a dramatic reversal of fortunes—from facing jail time over fishing to being trained to lead a whole new fishing industry.
Documented in a feature piece at Australia’s ABC News, young people from the Walbunja indigenous community are reconnecting to traditional fishing practices in order to suppress a very yummy plague of long-spined sea urchins devasting southern Australia’s reefs, seagrass, and kelp forests.
Read more Instead of Arresting Indigenous Fishermen, Australia Begins to Pay Them to Control Sea Urchin Plague
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Australian Indigenous Fishing Practices
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 5, 2026
Bird and Butterfly Festival 6/7/26
COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK –Coyote Hills invites you to its annual pollinator celebration! Enjoy garden tours, family activities, music, and special presentations while learning how we can support healthy pollinator habitats for butterflies, birds, and other native species across the Bay Area. All ages. Parent participation required. Parking fees apply where charged. Wheelchair accessible. Drop-in; no registration required. For information, call 510-544-3220. Jun 7, 2026 Sun10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Posted in Bird Festivals | Tags: Bird and Butterfly Festival, Coyote Hills Regional Park
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 5, 2026
This Fish Hitches Rides in Manta Rays’ ‘Buttholes,’
Smithsonian Magazine reported
Scientists suspect that the behavior could harm the manta rays, suggesting a complex relationship between remoras and their hosts that can sometimes be parasitic
Read more at This Fish Hitches Rides in Manta Rays’ ‘Buttholes,’ According to New Research
Posted in Animals | Tags: Manta Rays, Remoras
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 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
Posted in Park, Walks & Hikes | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 4, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 6/3/26
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on June 3, 2026. Although they may look similar there are actually three species of Lily/Lilium. Humboldt’s Lily/Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum, which you can see in the Southern California section of the garden; Leopard Lily/Lilium pardalinum, in the Redwood section; and Columbia Lily/Lilium columbianum, in the Shasta-Klamath section.
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.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 4, 2026
California Gray Wolf Update: 6 Wolf Packs Statewide, 2 New Packs Named
Environmental Protection Information Center reported
The Golden State now harbors up to six known wolf families! After nearly a century of statewide extinction from 1924 to 2011, gray wolves (Canis lupus) are making a decidedly strong comeback in California — a testament to both the species’ resilience and the efficacy of efforts to increase and protect statewide habitat connectivity.
Read more at California Gray Wolf Update: 6 Wolf Packs Statewide, 2 New Packs Named
Posted in Animals | Tags: Gray Wolves
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 3, 2026
Upcoming Sierra Forever Programs
See the upcoming programs for Sierra Forever at https://sierraforever.org/our-programs/
Our Mission is to educate and inspire people about Sierra Nevada and Great Basin public lands through high-quality interpretive programs, products, literature, exhibits, and events.
Posted in Class/Workshop | Tags: Sierra Forever Programs
Natural History Wanderings 