Earth.com reported
Coral reefs look tough. They build massive limestone structures that can stretch for miles and last for thousands of years. But inside those bright underwater cities, something fragile is happening.
A new study shows that human activity has quietly shrunk the very food chains that keep reefs alive.
Read on www.earth.com/news/coral-reef-food-chains-have-shrunk-by-up-to-70-percent/
Posted in Environment | Tags: Coral Reef Loss
SF Gate reported
Santa Clara County just gained thousands of acres of protected open space, thanks to the purchase of two large ranch properties by a Palo Altoenvironmental nonprofit.
On Tuesday, the Peninsula Open Space Trust, or POST, announced that it had secured Mead Ranch, a 1,921-acre property in Santa Clara County’s Coyote Valley that was previously owned by members of the Bechtel family. The purchase comes several months after the nonprofit made headway into acquiring Sargent Ranch, a sprawling parcel at the southern terminus of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The two properties, one of which was owned by a prominent industrial engineering family, connect critical habitats in Santa Clara County.
Read on www.sfgate.com/local/article/south-bay-ranch-purchases-21959906.php
Posted in Park | Tags: New Land Acquisition, Peninsula Open Space Trust, Sargent Ranch
Very cool website. Look up any bird and you will see the bird and hear the bird. Easy to use.
Click here
Posted in Birds | Tags: Cornell Birds of the World Website
There are speaker series presentations on YouTube. Check out our channel for all 72 of our videos! Here are the latest:
Butterflies of the Bay Area with Liam O’Brien
A Natural History of San Francisco with Greg Gaar
The California Current’s influence on San Francisco’s weather, people, and plants with Darren Peck
Keeping Pathogens Out: Best Practices to Prevent Phytophthora in Native Habitats
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Botanical Talks on YouTube
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on March 7, 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.
Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve reported
Contrary to the news articles, this is not a “superbloom” year. While there is no definition of what a superbloom is, when many people envision one at the Poppy Reserve, they think of carpets of poppies over the hillsides that stretch as far as the eye can see. This is not one of those years. It is clear that more time will not improve the bloom conditions. Some poppies are already producing seed capsules. Visitors will be wowed with lots of wildflowers, especially owl’s clover, but not acres of poppies. That being said, it is GORGEOUS. How long will the bloom last? That entirely depends on the weather. If we get warmer temperatures, the bloom may be over sometime in April. If it is cooler, the bloom could last longer. Only the Mojave desert knows.
Posted in Park, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve
Discover Magazine reported
A new deep-sea species now carries a scientific name chosen by the internet, and researchers say the crowdsourced approach could help conservation efforts.
A newly discovered deep-sea creature has officially been named, and unlike most species descriptions tucked quietly into academic journals, this one belongs to the internet. After more than 8,000 suggestions poured in from across social media, researchers have christened a rare deep-sea chiton Ferreiraella populi — a name that literally means “of the people.”
Posted in Animals | Tags: deep-sea chiton, Ferreiraella populi
from East Bay Regional Parks
Spring is a great time to get outdoors in the East Bay Regional Park District. Hillsides and meadows are bursting with life, vibrant colors, and one of spring’s greatest gifts on full display—wildflowers!
View hundreds of wildflower species at Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve, Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve, Briones Regional Park, and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, among many others. Visit Wildflowers In Your Parks to learn more about wildflowers and where to see them.
On weekends from late March to early May, Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve hosts special wildflower season hikes and programs. Arrive early to sign up for programs at the Visitor Center, as space is limited. Visit the activity calendar for more information about the Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve Wildflower Season programs.
Other Regional Parks also offer naturalist-led wildflower-themed programs. Check out the activity calendar for a complete list of wildflower programs.
Posted in Park, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Wildflowers in East Bay Regional Parks
See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events
Posted in Talks | Tags: Upcoming CNPS Events
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 in Drives | Tags: Monitor Pass Open
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on March 3, 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.
See all Xerces Society upcoming events at Xerces Society Webinars
Posted in Butterflies, Talks | Tags: Xerces Society Webinars
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Garden Photos
Monga Bay reported
Read more at Avian flu strikes California’s northern elephant seals; area quarantined
Posted in Animals | Tags: Bird Flu impact on Elephant Seals
McGill University reports
A global synthesis shows microbial activity is accelerating carbon release and mobilizing toxins, complicating climate projectionsMicrobes across Earth’s coldest regions are becoming more active as glaciers, permafrost and sea ice thaw, accelerating carbon release and potentially amplifying climate change, according to a new international review from McGill University.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Microbial Activity and Climate Change
SF Gate reported
According to experts interviewed by SFGATE, there’s no concrete way to define a superbloom. And even if there were, some find the term problematic altogether.
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/calif-superbloom-death-valley-21951556.php
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Superbloom hype
SF Gate reported
Hotel and dinner guests were evacuated Monday after a fire broke out in Yosemite National Park’s Ahwahnee Hotel
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/yosemite-ahwahnee-hotel-fire-21953201.php
Posted in Park | Tags: Fire at Ahwahnee
See All Upcoming Tejon Ranch Events at Events
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: Tejon Ranch activities
ScienceDaily reported
- Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier stunned scientists by retreating eight kilometers in just two months, with nearly half of it collapsing in record time. The rapid breakup was driven by a flat, underwater bedrock surface that allowed the glacier to suddenly float and fracture from below. Satellite and seismic data captured the dramatic chain reaction in near real time. The findings raise concerns that much larger glaciers could one day collapse just as quickly.
Read more Antarctica just saw the fastest glacier collapse ever recorded Antarctica just saw the fastest glacier collapse ever recorded
Posted in Environment | Tags: Climate change
See Upcoming Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events at Home | Los Padres ForestWatch
Posted in Birds, Talks | Tags: Los Padres ForestWatch 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
SF Gate reported
The Olympic marmot, a chubby, whistling ground squirrel found only in the high alpine meadows in and around Olympic National Park, has finally made progress toward federal protection. After nearly two years of silence about the creature’s dwindling numbers, federal wildlife officials have taken a long-awaited first step after a lawsuit accused the agency of missing legally required deadlines.
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/olympic-marmots-endangered-species-21338309.php
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on February 23, 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.
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
NBC Bay Area
A blood-red moon will soon grace the skies for a total lunar eclipse — and there won’t be another until late 2028.
The spectacle will be visible Tuesday morning from North America, Central America and the western part of South America. Australia and eastern Asia can catch it Tuesday night. Partial stages of the eclipse with small bites taken out of the moon can be seen from Central Asia and much of South America. Africa and Europe will be shut out.
Solar and lunar eclipses happen due to a precise alignment of the sun, moon and Earth. There are between four and seven a year, according to NASA.
Read more A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red on Tuesday
Posted in Uncategorized
Monga Bay reported
For farmers, sometimes the easiest way to save a crop or prevent catastrophic insect damage is to spray a pesticide. But this common practice is wreaking havoc on the soil, according to new research published recently in the journal Nature. The study examined soil from 26 European countries, finding that pesticide contamination is widespread beyond … Continue reading
Posted in Environment | Tags: Pesticides
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Catalina Island Trip Details -Tuesday, March 10, 2026 Duration: A full day on Catalina Island – The boat departs from Long Beach Harbor for Avalon at 9:50 am, and we’re on the 7:55 pm return. Please meet in Long Beach at 8:30 am for check-in. Group Size: Limited to 15 volunteers. Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking on well-maintained trails. What is included:
What is not included:
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Posted in Environment | Tags: Catalina Island Marine Institute
New Scientist reported
Temnothorax kinomurai, a parasitic ant species found in Japan, reproduces asexually and all of its young develop into queens that try to take over other ants’ colonies
Read more Everyone’s a queen: The ant species with no males or workers
Posted in Animals | Tags: Parasitic Ants, Temnothorax kinomurai
ScienceDaily reported
Plants make chemical weapons to protect themselves, and many of these compounds have become vital to human medicine. Researchers found that one powerful plant chemical is produced using a gene that looks surprisingly bacterial. This suggests plants reuse microbial tools to invent new chemistry. The insight could help scientists discover new drugs and produce them more sustainably.
Read on www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260203030546.htm
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Microbial Tools
Natural History Wanderings 