Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 20, 2026

Junior Ranger items on Trump’s national parks chopping block

SF Gate reported

Pamphlets, booklets and activities educating children on history and science in national parks have come under review as the Trump administration works to eliminate informative materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” or fail to “emphasize the beauty, abundance, or grandeur of landscapes and other natural features.”

These “Junior Ranger” materials are among hundreds of items that appear in an internal government database leaked to the public in early March. And while much of the leak’s content has been publicized in news stories, this report is the first to surface how the Trump administration is poised to alter what young people learn in national parks, including everything from Indigenous history to the Civil Rights Movement to light pollution in the night sky.

Read more Junior Ranger items on Trump’s national parks chopping block

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 20, 2026

California Botanic Gardens

Here is the combined list of notable botanical gardens in California compiled by Geminia

Garden Name City/Area Notable Specialty or Collection
East Bay Regional Park Botanic Garden Berkeley (Tilden Regional Park) Largest and most comprehensive collection of California Native Plants.
University of California Botanical Garden Berkeley Extensive collection of plants from around the world, especially from Mediterranean climates.
San Francisco Botanical Garden San Francisco (Golden Gate Park) Over 8,000 varieties of plants, featuring high-elevation tropical plants and a cloud forest.
Ruth Bancroft Garden Walnut Creek Nationally renowned collection of dry-climate, water-conserving plants (succulents, cacti, and arid shrubs).
Filoli Woodside Historic estate with 16 acres of exquisite formal English Renaissance-style gardens.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Fort Bragg 47 acres along the coastline, featuring rhododendrons, heathers, and coastal bluffs.
UC Davis Arboretum Davis 100-acre public garden along Putah Creek, focused on regional landscaping and sustainable horticulture.
The Arboretum at Fresno State Fresno Diverse collection supporting instruction in ornamental horticulture and landscape design.
Huntington Botanical Gardens San Marino 16 themed gardens, including one of the world’s most impressive desert gardens.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden Arcadia Historic site with subtropical plants, aquatic gardens, and a famous flock of peafowl.
Descanso Gardens La Cañada Flintridge Known for its world-renowned collection of camellias, a rose garden, and native oak forest.
California Botanic Garden Claremont Largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to California native plants (formerly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden).
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Santa Barbara Focused exclusively on the conservation and display of California native plants.
Lotusland (Ganna Walska) Montecito A spectacular estate garden famous for its eccentric and rare plant collections, including cycads and topiary.
South Coast Botanic Garden Palos Verdes Peninsula Built on a former sanitary landfill, known for its extensive environmental reclamation and plant diversity.
San Diego Botanic Garden Encinitas 37 acres with 15 distinct microclimates, from bamboo groves to desert gardens.
Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium Palm Springs A private garden specializing in over 3,000 varieties of cacti and other desert plants.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Garden | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 19, 2026

Wildflowers of the Bay Area @Central – Berkeley Public Library

Learn what’s about to bloom and where. Event starts at March 21, 2026 12:00 PM PDT
— Read on berkeleypubliclibrary.libnet.info/event/15846847

Leave a Comment

Posted in Talks, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 19, 2026

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Photos 3/12/26

Photos from the UC- Berkeley Botanical Garden taken on March 12, 2026.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 19, 2026

‘Birdbrain’ benefits: How being an expert birdwatcher may boost cognition

NBC News reported

New research shows that seasoned birders — including older adults — had denser tissue in parts of the brain tied to attention and perception.

Read more at Birdbrain’ benefits: How being an expert birdwatcher may boost cognition

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026

Volunteer opportunity: Garden Greeter in Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden

Garden Greeters offer a warm welcome and helpful orientation to Botanic Garden visitors on weekends and holidays. Volunteer greeters hand out maps, offer general information, and provide games for children. The next Garden Greeter training will take place on Saturday, March 28, and Saturday, April 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. Attending both dates is required. To learn more and apply for the training, email greeter_coordin​ator@nativeplan​ts.org.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Garden | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026

Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 3/17/26

Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on March 17, 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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's), Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026

Upcoming UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Events

See the events calendar for the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden at Garden Events

Leave a Comment

Posted in Class/Workshop, Garden | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026

Free Talks at East Bay Nurseries

from Bring Back the Natives

the times and locations of the free Talks in the Nurseries, which will take place this Saturday, March 21, during the next Native Plant Extravaganza.  Shop during this event and a percentage of your sales will go to support the Tour.

 

Native Plant Extravaganza

Saturday, March 21, 10:00-4:00

Shop in-person on Saturday, March 21, or shop online at participating native plant nurseries on Saturday or Sunday March 21 or 22, and a percentage of your purchases will go to support the Tour. 

A link to each nursery’s plant inventory is included.  Call ahead if there is a plant you specifically want, as inventories change rapidly.

Free Talks in the Nurseries!

The Watershed Nursery Cooperative, 601 A Canal Blvd. Richmond

11:00 “Best pruning practices for California native plants” by Nicholas Crawford, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist at The Davey Tree Expert Company

Nicholas will discuss native plant care, demonstrate hands-on pruning skills, and provide information on California’s evolving fire clearance requirements.

See the Watershed Nursery Cooperative’s plant inventory here, and their nifty Plant Finder page here.

Read More…

1 Comment

Posted in Garden, Talks | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026

Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years

The BBC reported

Giant tortoises are roaming the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in more than 180 years, in what conservationists have called a “hugely significant milestone”.

One hundred and fifty eight captive-bred juvenile tortoises were released on the island as part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate.

Read more Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 17, 2026

Drawing and Painting Wildflowers Throughout the West 3/20/25

From the Regional Parks Botanic Garden

Drawing and Painting Wildflowers Throughout the West

MAR
20

Drawing and Painting Wildflowers Throughout the West

Join Linda Ann Vorobik, botanist and botanical artist, for an illustrated talk. There will also be a show of botanical art and hand-painted silks with 25% of sales donated to the Botanic Garden.

For more information and details about event and upcoming 2-Day Botanical Watercolor Workshop 

go to  View Event →

Leave a Comment

Posted in Talks | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 17, 2026

‘Sly stowaway’ UK fox finds new home at Bronx Zoo after illicit transatlantic trip

The Guardian reported

The fox is said to be ‘settling in well’ after mischievous 3,400 mile journey from Southampton to New York

Read on www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/11/stowaway-fox-travels-on-cargo-ship-from-england-to-us

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 17, 2026

27 elephant seals test positive for bird flu in Bay Area outbreak

KRON4 reported

More than two dozen elephant seals have tested positive for avian influenza since the outbreak at Año Nuevo State Park on the San Mateo County coast began in February, according to an update from UC Davis released Monday. One sea otter and two California sea lions have also tested positive after […]

Read on www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/27-elephant-seals-test-positive-for-bird-flu-in-bay-area-outbreak/

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 17, 2026

Lead Pollution Has Dropped 100-Fold in the U.S. Over the Last Century

Good News Network reported

Lead pollution compared to 100 years ago in the US has dramatically declined by 100-fold. BLL levels of 15 plummeted to just 0.6 in 2020.

Read on www.goodnewsnetwork.org/lead-pollution-has-dropped-100-fold-in-the-u-s-over-the-last-century/

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 16, 2026

Talk: TALES OF ANIMAL SEX, MURDER AND MAYHEM 3/19/26

From Golden Gate Bird Alliance

Jeff Miller is a naturalist, conservationist, and passionate advocate for wildlife. He has dedicated several decades to championing protection of endangered species and native wildlife habitat in the Bay Area. He’s the founder of the nonprofit Alameda Creek Alliance and a senior conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, spearheading biodiversity and wildlife protection campaigns throughout the Bay Area and California.  The Irreverent Naturalist website.

Date: Thursday, March 19 @ 7pm
Location: Hybrid — Tamalpais Room @ the David Brower Center (2150 Allston Way, Berkeley 94704 and online via Zoom

If you plan to attend in-person, please RSVP at the button below. Otherwise, you can join us via Zoom through the link below.  RSVP Here

Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87377145453?pwd=Jt8aYrFqyD9zTBGl09jH58J5s9gbev.1

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals, Birds, Talks | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 16, 2026

110 planned homes near Yosemite National Park spark controversy

The plan calls for the construction of 110 modular homes north of the park’s southern entrance, close to the community of Yosemite West. Twenty percent of the units are slated to be reserved for low-income residents. Behind the project is the developer Camp Yosemite LLC, a Fullerton company whose owners appear to have a murky history.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 16, 2026

A fish a day: More than 300 freshwater species described in 2025

Monga Bay reported

Taxonomists described 309 new species of freshwater fish in 2025, according to a report released by SHOAL, the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group (FFSG) and the California Academy of Sciences(CAS). With nearly one new description each day of the year, the tally is the highest since 2017, and the third-highest since 1758, when scientists began keeping records.

The new fish species come from five continents and a diversity of habitats, including limestone caves, peat swamps, wetlands and rivers. Most are endemic and some are already at risk of extinction. Asia topped the list with 165 newly described fish species, followed by South America with 91, Africa with 30, North America with 20, and Europe with three.

Read more A fish a day: More than 300 freshwater species described in 2025

Read about one unusual new species at Discover Wildlife :

“Like an ‘aircraft’ hovering in the middle of the water.” Ghostly cavefish found beneath the ground in China https://share.google/MxQIEmk1nPgGjIWLE

 

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 16, 2026

After logging bans, Australia turns to “forest thinning”. Does it reduce fire risk?

Monga Bay reported

  • As native forest logging ends in parts of Australia, governments and industry are turning to large-scale forest thinning as a tool to reduce bushfire risk, prompting a new debate over how best to protect communities in a warming climate.
  • Research shows thinning can lower fire severity under some conditions, especially when paired with prescribed burning, but its effectiveness often diminishes during extreme fire weather — the very conditions driving the most destructive fires.
  • Scientists warn that removing trees can alter forest structure, dry fuels, release stored carbon, and eliminate critical wildlife habitat, meaning the ecological and climate costs may be substantial in high-conservation forests.
  • The controversy reflects deeper tensions over land use, public safety, and economic transition, with critics arguing that large-scale thinning risks becoming logging by another name while supporters see it as a necessary adaptation to escalating fire danger.

Read more After logging bans, Australia turns to “forest thinning”. Does it reduce fire risk?

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 15, 2026

New Revlator Column new column to help keep environmentalists resilient

from the Revelator

Dr. Green’s emotional rescue: Let’s be honest: Working in conservation and environmental protection can be stressful and lead to burnout, eco-anxiety, depression, and more. Our new mental-health advice column for environmentalists is here to help. Read our inaugural column and submit questions about the emotional challenges of your environmental work or activism. Their resident psychologist answers environmentalists’ questions about staying mentally resilient when eco-challenges get you down. You can find it at  Doctor Green’s Emotional Rescue for Environmentalists

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 15, 2026

Water vanished in California. Here’s how one species saved itself.

SF Gate reported

As the most extreme drought period in more than 10,000 years ravaged California from 2012 to 2015, many wildflowers died.

But in a new study published Thursday in the journal Science, researchers documented how one flower survived the hard times without rain.

Their findings show rare evidence of “evolutionary rescue” — a phenomenon whereby a species rapidly evolves to survive — outside the lab and amid climate change.

Read more at Water vanished in California. Here’s how one species saved itself.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 15, 2026

Scientists think they know how T. rex ate enough calories to grow so large

Earth.com reported

Fossil evidence shows that baby long-necked dinosaurs were a major food source for several large meat-eating dinosaurs during the Late Jurassic period.

Because these young plant-eaters were so common and easy to catch, predators at the time had an easier food supply than the giant hunters that evolved millions of years later.

Read more  Scientists think they know how T. rex ate enough calories to grow so large

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 14, 2026

Bear Valley Bald Eagle Cams

Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) have two live cams of a Bald Eagle nest in Bear valley at OBBV CAM – YouTube

Leave a Comment

Posted in Birds

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 14, 2026

125 million-year-old dinosaur with never before seen hollow spikes discovered in China

ScienceDaily reported

A 125-million-year-old dinosaur just rewrote what we thought we knew about prehistoric life. Scientists in China have uncovered an exceptionally preserved juvenile iguanodontian with fossilized skin so detailed that individual cells are still visible. Even more astonishing, the plant-eating dinosaur was covered in hollow, porcupine-like spikes—structures never before documented in any dinosaur.

Read more 125 million-year-old dinosaur with never before seen hollow spikes discovered in China125 million-year-old dinosaur with never before seen hollow spikes discovered in China

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 13, 2026

Planting Billions of Trees Turned Barren Desert into a Carbon Sink That Lowers CO2

The Good News Network reported

China’s multi-decade long, successful effort to plant a ring of trees around one of the world’s most hostile deserts has sprouted an unexpected benefit to humanity.

Along with protecting the nation’s grasslands and agriculture from the spreading sands of the dismal Taklamakan Desert, the giant ring of trees has turned previous unproductive land into a carbon sink that draws CO2 out of the atmosphere.

Read more https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chinas-tree-planting-turned-a-barren-desert-into-a-carbon-sink-to-help-lower-atmospheric-co2/Planting Billions of Trees Turned Barren Desert into a Carbon Sink That Lowers CO2

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 12, 2026

Tejon Conservancy Events

See the calendar of events for theTejon Conservancy at www.tejonconservancy.org/calendar

Leave a Comment

Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 12, 2026

Hipcamp Launches Interactive California Superbloom Forecast | PetaPixel

Hipcamp launches a 2026 California Superbloom Forecast using 150,000 iNaturalist observations to find wildflowers and nearby campsites.
— Read on petapixel.com/2026/03/11/hipcamp-launches-interactive-california-superbloom-forecast/

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized, Wildflower Bloom Reports, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 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

Leave a Comment

Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 11, 2026

National park evacuated due to volcanic eruption, rock storm

SF Gate reported

For the second time this year, a massive volcanic eruption has rained hazardous materials over Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii island, leading to an evacuation of the Kilauea volcano’s summit.

The volcano began to erupt at 9:17 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a park press release, with lava fountains reaching up to 1,300 feet. As that lava cools in the air, it transforms into tephra, which is made up of volcanic rock, ash and glass particles…

Read more »

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 11, 2026

Garden Photos 3/10/26

What’s blooming in my garden right now

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1 Comment

Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 11, 2026

Underwater Photographer of the Year

The Guardian  has posted the top photos from the Underwater Photographer of the year at Seals, shipwrecks and a screaming swallower: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 – in pictures

 

Leave a Comment

Posted in Photography

Older Posts »

Categories