Natural History Wanderings

I wanted to mention two items.  The first one is the Lichen  talk and slide show by Sharnoff at the CNPS.  His book on lichens is very well done and is fine art.  It has very detailed, sharp macro photos.  If you can’t make the talk, I recommend you check out his website.

I also have a listing for a series of Natural History talks about the Bay Area.

TEXTURE AND DIVERSITY: A VISUAL TOUR OF LICHENS

MARCH 4, THURSDAY, 7.30 pm

Speaker:  Stephen Sharnoff

California Native Plant Society meeting

San Francisco County Fair Bldg: 9th Ave. and Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park free and open to the public

Steve will present a slide show of lichens, mostly close-up, with a focus on California species.  He will talk about their biology, natural history, and importance. Steve and his late wife did the outstanding photography in the “Lichens of North America.”  To see his work check his website at http://www.sharnoffphotos.com/.

A lecture series exploring nature in the San Francisco Bay Area

All talks are at 7:30pm on Thursday nights unless otherwise stated at the Randall Museum Theater, at 199 Museum Way (near Buena Vista Park) in S. F. They usually occur the 3rd or 4th Thursday of the month.   San Francisco Natural History Lecture Series

April 22nd
The Natural and Unnatural History of Yerba Buena Island and What Might Be Next
A panel of experts and aficionados will present an illustrated overview of YBI’s history, ecological treasures, threats and what the future might hold.  Speakers will include Peter Brastow (Nature in the City founder), Liam O’Brien (lepidopterist), Mike Lynes (Golden Gate Audubon Conservation Chair), Jake Sigg (CA Native Plant Society) and Ruth Gravanis.

May 20th
Restoring the Wild Heart of the South Bay – the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
Mendel Stewart, Manager SF Bay Natural Wildlife Refuge Complex, and John Bourgeois, Manager South Bay Salt Pond Project, will share with us their exciting restoration work.

June 24th
Historic Watercourses of SF ~ Focus on the Wiggle & the Panhandle
The Lower Haight once had lakes and streams. The valley had been the site of Spanish Mission trails and Ohlone trails before. Its zigzag of streets is known as the Wiggle by today’s bicyclists avoiding hills. Come glimpse the past and future of this fascinating urban valley with Joel Pomerantz, local geography researcher, founder of Thinkwalks.org and co-founder of the SF bicycle Coalition.

October 28
The Country in the City: The Greening of the San Francisco Bay Area
Professor Richard Walker of UC Berkeley, narrates the many stories of land preservation, saving the bay, and fighting toxics that have made this a global bastion of environmentalism.