The New York Times reports
Thanks to Mexican conservation efforts, the jaguar is making a comeback in the Yucatán Peninsula. A traveler ventures into its habitat in the tropical jungles surrounding an ancient Maya city.
Read more at The Return of the Jaguar
Posted in Animals | Tags: Jaguar, The Return of the Jaguar in the Yucatán Peninsula
from Jepson Prairie Docents
Lead weekend walks each spring
Jepson Prairie is one of the premier vernal pool and native bunchgrass prairie habitats in California. Visitors from the Bay Area to the foothills come to see the colorful wildflower displays in spring as the temporary pools evaporate. The Jepson Prairie Docents offer weekend tours to interpret the mysteries of vernal pools and the ancient and now-threatened creatures that live in them.
Posted in Job Openings | Tags: Jepson Prairie Docents
The NPR science podcast, Short Wave reports
The California condor population has climbed in Central California and Arizona. Now, the Yurok Tribe is leading conservation efforts to reintroduce the birds to Northern California.
Read or listen to the podcast at The Yurok Tribe leads conservation efforts to reintroduce the California condor : NPR
Posted in Birds | Tags: Condors, Yurok Tribe
The Revelator reports
A celebrated 1,200 dams have been removed in the United States in the past two decades. And meanwhile Europe has quietly removed 4,000 river barriers. Here’s how its dam-removal movement has taken off.
A growing movement across the continent is working to remove thousands of barriers and restore some of the world’s most fragmented rivers.
Read more at Europe’s Surprising Record of Dam Removals • The Revelator
Posted in Environment | Tags: Dam removal
from Theodore Payne Foundation
Horticulture, design, maintenance, botany, nature walks, ethnobotany, art, poetry, and more! Our extensive Education Program offers a range of classes for both beginners and experts with training by TPF staff and guest instructors. Classes are held at TPF in our La Fetra Nature Education Center, on TPF grounds, at various off-site locations, and on Zoom.
See event calendar at : Classes & Workshops | Theodore Payne Foundation
Posted in Class/Workshop | Tags: Theodore Payne Foundation Events
Posted in Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Leaf Photos
The Conversation reports
As part of an international team of scientists we have confirmed a new species of owl after decades of speculation that it exists on Príncipe Island, part of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe in central Africa.
The existence of the owl was first confirmed in 2016 by a photo taken by Philippe Verbelen. However, testimonies from local people suggest they’ve suspected that the owl existed since as long ago as 1928 – it was just rarely spotted.
Read more We discovered a new species of owl – but we already think it’s in danger
Posted in Birds | Tags: New Owl Species
Posted in Drives | Tags: Mono Country Road Closures
The BBC reports on: What is the bird flu and what’s behind the outbreak?
The world is going through its worst-ever outbreak of bird flu.
The highly infectious H5N1 strain of the disease is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of wild birds and millions of domestic ones.
Read article at Bird flu: What is it and what’s behind the outbreak? – BBC News
Posted in Birds, Uncategorized | Tags: Bird Flu
ScienceDaily reports
Conifers are dominant tree species in boreal forests, but they are susceptible to attack by bark beetles.A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that upon attack by bark-feeding weevils, conifers release substantial quantities of volatile organic compounds that provide important cues to neighbouring seedlings.
Read more at Conifer communication is complex and can be altered by air pollution — ScienceDaily
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Conifer Communication
The BBC reports
Half of the free range turkeys produced for Christmas in the UK have been culled or have died due to bird flu, an industry chief has told MPs.
Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, said that 600,000 out of about 1.3m free range birds had been lost.
The government recently ordered all poultry and captive birds in England to be kept indoors to fight avian flu.
Read more at Bird flu: Free range turkey supplies hit by bird flu -BBC
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Bird Flu, Turkeys
ScienceAlert reports
In a new study led by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, researchers found that each tree planted in a community was associated with significant reductions in non-accidental and cardiovascular mortality among humans living nearby
On top of that, the study’s authors conclude the yearly economic benefits of planting trees dramatically exceed the cost of maintaining them, by a factor of more than 1,000.
Previous studies have linked exposure to nature with an array of human health benefits. Access to nature is a major factor for mental health, and that doesn’t necessarily require the greenery to be primeval wilderness. Research shows urban forests and street trees can offer comparable benefits.
Read more at People in Portland Planted Trees. Decades Later, a Stunning Pattern Emerged : ScienceAlert
Posted in Environment | Tags: Health Benefits of Nature
See the current list of Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association activities, hikes, tours, classes, lectures and ABDNHA Calendar. They are both in person and virtual events.
Posted in Astronomy, Birds, Desert, Park, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Activities
Photos of the cut off fronds and bark of Palm Tree.
Palm Tree Fronds in black and white
Palm Tree Fronds
Palm Tree Bark
Posted in Uncategorized
The Guardian reports on how search and rescue teams found a lost oak.
The last Quercus tardifolia was thought to have died in 2011 – until a team of researchers fanned out and combed through Big Bend national park in Texas
Read story at Lost and found: how police search and rescue tactics helped track down a rare oak | Trees and forests | The Guardian
Posted in Environment | Tags: Lost Oaks, Quercus tardifolia, Unusual Search and Rescue
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Regional Parks Botanic Garden
NPR reported on November 17
U.S. regulators approved a plan Thursday to demolish four dams on a California river and open up hundreds of miles of salmon habitat that would be the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the world when it goes forward.
Read more at Dam demolitions set for Klamath River in Western U.S. will be biggest in history : NPR
Posted in Environment, Uncategorized | Tags: Dam removal
Posted in Fall Foliage, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Fall Color
Bay Nature reports
The California Department of Fish & Game made the change in response to a sizable growth in the population of wild turkey, a species first introduced to California in 1877 as game for hunters. Paradoxically, hunters are now seen as part of the solution to keeping wild turkey numbers in check.
Too many turkeys can be a stress on the local acorn crop and they can out-compete ground-nesting and grassland birds. They also make a nuisance of themselves by damaging gardens, defecating on sidewalks and harassing people for food. Wild turkeys can reach 20 pounds and become quite aggressive, occasionally even charging people.
Read more at Keeping wild turkeys in check > Bay Nature
Posted in Animals | Tags: Wild Turkeys
ScienceAlert reports
A species of clam known only by the 28,000-year-old fossils it left behind has turned up alive and well on an American shoreline.
The small, translucent bivalve, known as Cymatioa cooki, was recently discovered hiding in the rocky intertidal zone of southern California – a place carefully combed over by scientists for many, many years.
Read more at ‘Extinct’ Clam From 30,000 Years Ago Turns Up Just Fine in California : ScienceAlert
Posted in Animals | Tags: 'Extinct' Clam, Cymatioa cooki
Wild Turkeys walking down the street in front of my house today
Fall Leaves on our sidewalk
Posted in Animals, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Wild Turkeys
NASA reports
New results show average sea level rise approaching the 1-foot mark for most coastlines of the contiguous U.S. by 2050. The Gulf Coast and Southeast will see the most change.
By 2050, sea level along contiguous U.S. coastlines could rise as much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) above today’s waterline, according to researchers who analyzed nearly three decades of satellite observations. The results from the NASA Sea Level Change Team could help refine near-term projections for coastal communities that are bracing for increases in both catastrophic and nuisance flooding in coming years.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Rising Sea Levels
These positions are located in R5 on the Six Rivers National Forest and Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Gasquet, CA, Eureka, CA, and Mount Shasta, CA.Serves as an advanced trainee botanist on a Forest Service unit. The incumbent has responsibility for providing assistance to the staff pertaining to a variety of botanical and sensitive plant species duties in support of Forest activities. Read more and learn how to apply at USAJOBS – Job Announcement
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Botanist Job Openings
from the National Park Service
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Leonardo Fibonacci
from Audubon
Wild Turkeys are a striking sight, but they weren’t always as easy to spot as they are today. Once decimated across the continent, the gobbler’s population has boomed in recent decades. Despite being one of the most recognizable birds in North America, you might be surprised to discover that you know little about them—and what you think you know might not be true.
Keep reading for a turkey tell-all chock full of fun facts everyone around the table can appreciate.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Wild Turkeys
from the East Bay Regional Parks
Join us on Green Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – for a Free Park Day in Regional Parks. Green Friday is a great time to enjoy the fresh air, admire the fall colors, and spend quality time with family and friends. It’s also great for working off the Thanksgiving holiday meal!
To celebrate Green Friday, the Park District is again waiving all park entrance and activity fees, including parking, dogs, horses, boat launching, and fishing, as well as entrance to Ardenwood Historic Farm. Note the fee waiver does not include state fees for fishing licenses, watercraft inspections, or concessions, such as the Tilden Merry-Go-Round and Redwood Valley Railway steam train.
The Park District’s Green Friday celebration is part of the #OptOutside movement, started in 2015 by REI, to promote healthy alternatives to shopping the day after Thanksgiving.
Posted in Park | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks, Green Friday
Nevada Public Radio reports
Stacking rocks in state parks can disturb wildlife habitats
Listen to the short report at https://knpr.org/npr/2022-10/stacking-rocks-state-parks-can-disturb-wildlife-habitats
Posted in Animals, Park | Tags: Rock Stacking
Posted in Job Openings, Uncategorized | Tags: Missouri Botanical Garden
from Sonoma Land Trust
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 upcoming outings at Sonoma Land Trust Hosted Outings And Events – Join Us On The Land
The Texas Observer reports
The wildlife sanctuary’s conservation work has been overshadowed by political drama over its location on the border.
More than 100 butterfly enthusiasts descended on the border city of Mission over Halloween weekend to celebrate the annual Texas Butterfly Festival. The event marked a comeback for its host, the National Butterfly Center, which has been threatened and harassed by right-wing extremists who believe (falsely) that the wildlife sanctuary is a human trafficking hotspot. The center closed from January to April over safety concerns.
“We reopened the National Butterfly Center on Earth Day, and this year it was honestly a big celebration,” recalled Marianna Treviño-Wright, director of the center.
Read more at Texas Butterfly Center Makes a Comeback After Right-Wing Attacks – The Texas Observer
Posted in Butterflies | Tags: National Butterfly Center, Texas Butterfly Center
Natural History Wanderings 