Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2023

Back Then, Baby Galaxies. Next, a Super-Mega Galactic Cluster?

The New York Times reports

Like basketball scouts discovering a nimble, super-tall teenager, astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope reported recently that they had identified a small, captivating group of baby galaxies near the dawn of time. These galaxies, the scientists say, could well grow into one of the biggest conglomerations of mass in the universe, a vast cluster of thousands of galaxies and trillions of stars.

Read more at  Back Then, Baby Galaxies. Next, a Super-Mega Galactic Cluster? – The New York Times

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2023

Ventura Land Trust Upcoming Events 

See the upcoming calendar of events for the Ventura Land Trust  Events – Ventura Land Trust

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2023

Lights Out for Birds

Spring is a time of abundance, but it is also a reminder that excess can be detrimental. International Dark Skies Week, which was celebrated mid-April, emphasizes the impairment caused by light pollution to both animals and humans. Turning off non-essential lights at home and in our cities and enjoying the bliss of a truly dark sky will reveal that the night skies are bursting with beauty, just like our gardens during this time of bounty.
Read more about Audubon’s Lights Out Program here.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2023

Yosemite Valley Reopening

The river did not rise as much as forecast, so Yosemite Valley will be open Sunday from 7 am to 8 pm for day-use only with very limited services. The only concession services available in Yosemite Valley will be the Village Store, Village Grill, and Degnan’s Kitchen.
Yosemite Valley will then reopen fully on Monday at 7 am.
Rivers are running very high and are extremely dangerous. Do not go into or even approach rivers in Yosemite.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2023

 Ventura Botanical Gardens Job and Internships Openings

We are seeking an Events and Rental Coordinator to join our development team. Love a good party? So do we! Help us plan and execute fundraisers, annual giving events, membership events and more.

We also have fixed term horticultural and administrative internships openings (listed below the events position on the careers page of our website). These are an excellent opportunity to gain work experience and explore future career path options. Get in touch and let us know how you can help us grow and why you love VBG.

Source: Careers – Ventura Botanical Gardens

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2023

Nevada Senator Introduces Bill to Give Away Public Lands to Mining Industry

Center for Biological Diversity News Release

WASHINGTON— Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto introduced legislation today that would allow the mining industry to turn public lands into toxic mining-waste dumps.

The bill removes most requirements for mining claims and development. Under the bill, mining companies would be allowed to bury public lands under tons of rock waste, construct roads and transmission lines, regardless of whether or not they had proven legal rights to do so. The bill would undo a century of legal precedent requiring mining claimants to prove they discovered a valuable mineral deposit on public lands before they could mine there.

Read More…

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2023

Sonoma Land Trust Hosted Outings And Events 

We host many outings & events throughout the year. From mountain treks to botany crawls, bird watching to kayaking, there are many ways to join us. See current outings at  Sonoma Land Trust Hosted Outings And Events – Join Us On The Land

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2023

Tulare Lake Returned in the Central Valley After California Storms

The New York Times reports

A barrage of storms has resurrected what was once the largest body of fresh water west of the Mississippi River, setting the stage for a disaster this spring.

It is no secret to locals that the heart of California’s Central Valley was once the largest body of fresh water west of the Mississippi River, dammed and drained into an empire of farms by the mid-20th century.

Still, even longtime residents have been staggered this year by the brute swiftness with which Tulare Lake has resurfaced: In less than three weeks, a parched expanse of 30 square miles has been transformed by furious storms into a vast and rising sea.

Read more at Tulare Lake Returned in the Central Valley After California Storms – The New York Times

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2023

Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks Update

REOPENING UPDATES
Thanks to information provided by partner agencies we can share a couple significant updates as part of our weekly review of estimated reopening dates. For a detailed list of reopening dates and today’s news release announcement visit https://www.nps.gov/seki.

At this time, due to severe road damage along the Highway 180 corridor between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, Caltrans does not expect repairs to be completed before the end of the summer season. Unfortunately, this means public access is not expected into the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park for the 2023 summer season.

Read More…

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2023

GardenFest May 6 – Bishop, CA

GardenFest is right around the corner! 🌻🪴
Join us on May 6th from 11 am to 2 pm for a celebration of springtime. The event will be held in ESLT’s backyard at 250 N Fowler Street in Bishop.
Don’t miss out on a chance to talk with Master Gardeners, grab seeds from our seed library, and get your garden going with our native plant sale! This family-friendly community event will feature a plant sale, Mee’s Small Eats, craft beer, and gardening tips and tricks – all in ESLT’s backyard

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2023

The endangered Everglade snail kite is bouncing back due to invasive snail 

NPR  reports

Over the past century, as much of their habitat was drained and water stopped flowing through parts of the Everglades, the snail kite population plummeted. It was one of the first birds put on the endangered species list in the 1960’s. Droughts contributed to the snail kite’s decline and by 2007, there were fewer than 800 remaining. “Right shortly after that though, this invasive snail came in, and just started flourishing, getting into every wetland, having these big population booms,” Beck says. “Since then, the snail kite population has been slowly rebounding.”

Read story at  The endangered Everglade snail kite is bouncing back due to invasive snail : NPR

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 27, 2023

CNPS Plant Sale Ukiah April 28 and 29

from Dorothy King Young Chapter California Native Plant Society

1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 27, 2023

Chicken DNA is replacing the genetics of their ancestral jungle fowl

Science News reports

Today’s red jungle fowl — the wild forebears of the domesticated chicken — are becoming more chickenlike. New research suggests that a large proportion of the wild fowl’s DNA has been inherited from chickens, and relatively recently.

Ongoing interbreeding between the two birds may threaten wild jungle fowl populations’ future, and even hobble humans’ ability to breed better chickens, researchers report January 19 in PLOS Genetics.

Read more Chicken DNA is replacing the genetics of their ancestral jungle fowl

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2023

Lassen Park Conditions

Roads – Our road crew has a massive winter snowpack to remove from the park road. Good progress has been made from the northwest entrance. Ten miles have been cleared. With 20 more miles to go and a more difficult task ahead, it will be several weeks before the road is entirely snow-free. Before the road opens to vehicles, an excellent opportunity awaits! Walking or bicycling the cleared section of the road without cars is a definite shoulder-season activity.
Trails – All established hiking trails are hidden by deep winter snowpack. Hiking trails are non-existent until they melt out. Bring your winter equipment to explore on foot beyond the parking areas.
Keep tabs on current conditions and road-clearing operations to aid your trip-planning efforts. http://ow.ly/45Gr50NVw7p

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2023

Sierra Nevada Field Campus Classes

SNFC is a place where you are immersed in one of the most beautiful, diverse and wild regions of the northern Sierra Nevada. Our expert and friendly instructors guide your senses as you explore a dazzling array of plant and animal life. It is a place where students of the environmental sciences and artists can get hands-on experience. It is a place where people can stop to smell the azaleas and the Jeffrey Pines. It has been called a nature camp for adults. It is a place where personnel working in environmental fields can upgrade their knowledge. It is place where people from all walks of life can come together, energized by the easy comraderie and humbled by nature’s magnificence. It is simply a wonderful experience, open to the general public.

To see the class offerings and registration go to Classes

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2023

Recent Job Announcement

Recent job postings on the CNPS Jobs site. Click on each for details and application  information.

WSP Corpsmember – Fisheries & Restoration Technician (Positions Throughout CA)

Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) Team Leaders (Humboldt County and San Luis Obsibo)

Wildland Seed Collection Manager – River Partners

Seasonal Biologist

 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 2023

Nature Close to Home Associated with Well-Being During COVID

from CornellLab of Ornithology

Survey captures snapshot of nature engagement during pandemic.
Study examines types of nature engagement during pandemic

Again and again, studies have shown that exposure to nature can improve human mental health and well-being. A new study from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology dug a little deeper, looking at what kind of nature experiences were associated with a greater sense of well-being during the COVID pandemic. Their findings, published in the journal People and Nature, suggest that enjoying nature close to home was associated with the greatest sense of well-being, compared to longer, more intense nature excursions, or nature experienced second-hand through various media.

Read more  Survey captures snapshot of nature engagement during pandemic.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 25, 2023

Upcoming UC Botanical Garden Programs & Workshops

See the schedule of Upcoming programs and events at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden at  Seasonal Programs & Workshops – UC Botanical Garden

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 25, 2023

Island Conservation Around the World

Chad Hanson will discuss major global crises affecting islands around the world.  By Channel Islands Restoration

For more information and to register go to Source: Island Conservation Around the World Tickets, Wed, Apr 26, 2023 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 25, 2023

Yosemite Valley to close Friday as melting snow causes flood risk

The San Francisco Chronicle reports

Most of Yosemite Valley will close to the public this Friday, through at least Wednesday of next week, because of the potential for flooding along the Merced River.

Read more Yosemite Valley to close Friday as melting snow causes flood risk

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 24, 2023

Court upholds expanded Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Western Environmental Law News Release

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today upheld the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument made by President Obama in January 2017. President Clinton designated the Monument in 2000 under the Antiquities Act as a biological crossroads and ecological wonder known for its incredible diversity of wildlife and plant species. Cascade-Siskiyou is the only National Monument in the nation specifically established to protect biodiversity.
— Read on westernlaw.org/court-upholds-expanded-cascade-siskiyou-national-monument/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 24, 2023

NASA puts the sounds of the universe into a new album

NPR  reports

What if, instead of seeing the universe as an explosion of light, we could hear it? That’s where Kimberly Arcand, a visualization scientist and emerging tech lead for NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory, comes in. She’s part of NASA’s Sonification Project, an effort to turn data gathered from the universe into sounds, in part as a way to allow visually impaired people to experience the depths of our galaxy.

Read more NASA puts the sounds of the universe into a new album : NPR

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 23, 2023

Fossil reveal largest penguin ever discovered weighed a whopping 340 pounds

Live Science  reports

Researchers in New Zealand have unearthed fossils from two previously unknown ancient penguin species. One of the new species is the largest penguin ever discovered.

Read more at  Largest penguin ever discovered weighed a whopping 340 pounds, fossils reveal | Live Science

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 22, 2023

Global Big Day May 13, 2023 

from eBird

Be a part of birding’s biggest team! Global Big Day is an annual celebration of the birds around you. No matter where you are, join us virtually on 13 May, help celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, and share the birds you find with eBird.

Participating is easy—you can even be part of Global Big Day from home. If you can spare 5 or 10 minutes, report your bird observations to eBird online or with our free eBird Mobile app. If you have more time, submit several checklists of birds throughout the day. You never know what you might spot. Your observations help us better understand global bird populations through products like these animated abundance maps brought to you by eBird Science.

Read more and learn how to participate at Global Big Day—13 May 2023 – eBird

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 22, 2023

Urban ‘Microrewilding’ Projects Provide a Lifeline for Nature 

The Revelator reports

Recovering urban wildlife isn’t just about protecting a city’s parks and rivers, but also making its streets, homes and skyscrapers greener.

Read story at  Urban ‘Microrewilding’ Projects Provide a Lifeline for Nature • The Revelator

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Posted in Animals, Birds, Butterflies, Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 21, 2023

Sound That Plants Make

ScienceDaily reports

Researchers have recorded and analyzed sounds distinctly emitted by plants. The click-like sounds, similar to the popping of popcorn, are emitted at a volume similar to human speech, but at high frequencies, beyond the hearing range of the human ear.

Read more at Scientists analyze sounds emitted by plantsScientists analyze sounds emitted by plants

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 21, 2023

Major Threats to World’s Largest Tree

Sci.News reported on how the world’s largest tree is under series threat of survival primarily due to deer

The Pando aspen clone, also known as the Trembling Giant, is the largest known organism on our planet in terms of dry-weight mass.

This ‘forest of one tree’ has an estimated mass of 5.9 million kg, covers some 43 ha (106 acres) in south-central Utah’s Fishlake National Forest.

It consists of more than 47,000 genetically identical above-ground stems or ‘ramets’ originating from a single underground parent clone.

Source: Pando, Earth’s Largest Living Organism, is ‘Breaking Up’ Because of Herbivory and Fencing | Sci.News

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 20, 2023

Earth Day Activities On East Bay Regional Parks

 

Earth Day for the Bees at Coyote Hills

Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 10-11am

Join the Park District in the Nectar Garden for the Global Earth Challenge Bee Campaign! Monitor pollinator populations, learn the importance of bees and other pollinators, and take home a native bee-friendly plant.

 

Earth Day at Del Valle*

Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 11am-3pm

Join the Park District at the visitor center for a scavenger hunt, make a craft to take home, explore the Oak Hills trail, and get up close with animal specimens. *pending reopening of the park

American Sign Language (ASL) Earth Day Walk at Sunol

Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 2-4pm

Celebrate Earth Day on a guided hike with professional American Sign Language interpreters. All are welcome!

Earth Day Family Nature Fun Hour – Going Green at Crab Cove

Sat April 22 and Sun April 23, 2023, from 1:30-2:30pm

Celebrate Earth Day with engaging and educational activities at the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 20, 2023

The California national park that’s a favorite of NASA scientists

SF Gate reports

Spectacular craters, a giant valley and dunes illuminated with red and pink hues pepper the landscape. Extreme weather brings icy cold and dangerously hot temperatures. This foreign world is no place for humans.

This isn’t Mars but Death Valley National Park, one of the hottest and driest places in North America. The two are so strikingly similar that NASA has been using the unique California national park as a stand-in for the red planet for decades, most recently as part of the preparation for the successful Perseverance rover landing in 2021.

Read more at The California national park that’s a favorite of NASA scientists

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 20, 2023

Getting Kids Outdoors Can Reduce the Negative Effects of Screen Time

Neuroscience News reports

Exposure to excessive screen time at age two is associated with poorer communication and daily living skills at age four, however, spending time outdoors can mitigate some of the negative effects of screen time.

Read more at Getting Kids Outdoors Can Reduce the Negative Effects of Screen Time – Neuroscience News

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