Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 17, 2020

No Wi-Fi in the Forest – A Good Thing

from the Alt National Park Service

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 17, 2020

Conservation action has prevented at least 28 extinctions since 1993

Birdlife  reports

A new study shows just how effectively conservation action slows extinction rates, calculating that at least 28 bird and mammal species would have been lost since 1993 without intervention. The message is clear – with enough support, we can halt the extinction crisis.

Read article at  Conservation action has prevented at least 28 extinctions since 1993 | BirdLife

1 Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 16, 2020

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Smoke & Closure Update 9/16/20

On 9/13/20 Sequoia National Park closed from the entrance station to the Giant Forest Museum, and yesterday, 9/15/20, it closed completely in response to the Castle Fire within the SQF Complex. Since then, many park employees have been evacuated or are under an evacuation warning in the Three Rivers area. Our SEKI team has been working steadily on fire readiness in the Ash Mountain area to prepare for a mandatory evacuation. This work has included lodging solutions for displaced employees, moving government vehicles and equipment out of the area, moving the museum collection, and much more. Sincere thanks to the firefighters and teams working around the clock to keep us and our communities safe.
Kings Canyon National Park from the Highway 180 entrance station is open, but we strongly suggest monitoring air quality and deciding if conditions are too smoky for you to enjoy your visit. Park visitor centers that provide park information outdoors and outdoor dining facilities may suspend operations due to concerns about air quality. If you decide to visit, please be prepared to be self-reliant.
Sequoia and Inyo National Forests, adjacent to the parks, remain CLOSED. This includes all campgrounds, day use areas, and trails.
For current conditions related to Sequoia and Kings Canyon, including what’s open or closed, services, and more, visit our website www.nps.gov/seki
For information about the SQF Complex visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048
For information about air quality visit www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/airqualityinfo.htm

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 16, 2020

Yosemite National Park Air Quality Update 9/16/20

Smoke from the Creek Fire and other wildfires continue to affect air quality in Yosemite National Park. The air quality index for Yosemite today remains in the “unhealthy” to “hazardous” range. When air quality is hazardous, everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors.
Sign up for emergency alerts for the Yosemite region at go.nps.gov/alert.

 

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 16, 2020

Pt. Reyes Woodward Fire Update 9/16/20

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 16, 2020

Many forests scorched by wildfire won’t bounce back: Climate change leading to slower post-fire recovery, transforming some woods to grasslands 

ScienceDaily reports according to a study by the University of Colorado Boulder “Many forests scorched by wildfire won’t bounce back: Climate change leading to slower post-fire recovery, transforming some woods to grasslands”

A study of 22 burned areas across the Southern Rocky Mountains found that forests are becoming less resilient to fire, with some converting to grasslands after burning. By 2050, as little as 3.5% to 6.3% of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine forests in the region will be suitable for recovery post-fire, the study found.

Read article at  Many forests scorched by wildfire won’t bounce back: Climate change leading to slower post-fire recovery, transforming some woods to grasslands — ScienceDaily

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 15, 2020

UC – Berkeley Botanical Garden Photos 8/15/20

The air finally cleared today and I was able to go out to visit the UC-Berkeley Botanical Garden. After watching a recent webinar on butterflies in the garden I tried to see what butterflies I could find as well as whatever else caught my interest today.

The UC – Berkeley Botanical Garden is currently open daily from noon to five by reservation.  There is an entrance fee and paid parking. For more information and to make reservations  go to UC – Botanical Garden.

Here are some photos from my visit.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Leave a Comment

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

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 15, 2020

Pt. Reyes Woodward Fire Update 9/15/20

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 15, 2020

Life on Venus

NPR reports  A Foul Gas In The Clouds Of Venus Could Mean Alien Life

Scientists say they’ve detected a gas in the clouds of Venus that, on Earth, is produced by microbial life.

The researchers have racked their brains trying to understand why this toxic gas, phosphine, is there in such quantities, but they can’t think of any geologic or chemical explanation.

The mystery raises the astonishing possibility that Venus, the planet that comes closest to Earth as it whizzes around the sun, might have some kind of life flourishing more than 30 miles up in its yellow, hazy clouds.

Read full story at A Foul Gas In The Clouds Of Venus Could Mean Alien Life : NPR

Leave a Comment

Posted in Astronomy | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 15, 2020

In This Woodpecker Kingdom, War Is a Spectator Sport – The New York Times

The New York Times reports

Acorn woodpeckers are renowned food hoarders. Every fall they stash as many as thousands of acorns in holes drilled into dead tree stumps in preparation for winter. Guarding these “granary trees” against acorn theft is a fierce, familial affair. But all hell breaks loose when there are deaths in a family and newly vacant spots in prime habitat are up for grabs.

The news travels fast. Nearby woodpecker groups rush to the site and fight long, gory battles until one collective wins, according to a study published Monday in Current Biology. These wars also draw woodpecker audiences, the researchers reported, who leave their own territories unattended, demonstrating the immense investment and risks the birds are willing to take in pursuit of better breeding opportunities and intelligence gathering.

Read more In This Woodpecker Kingdom, War Is a Spectator Sport – The New York Times

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Sequoia National Park Closes in Response to Castle Fire

Sequoia National Park announced
Sequoia National Park is implementing a full park closure at 6 am on September 15 in response to the Castle Fire on the SQF Complex. Many park staff have been evacuated from the area and for visitor and resource protection, park managers have decided to close all entrances to Sequoia National Park.
During this unprecedented fire year, park managers have had to evaluate how to best balance the responsibilities to the public as well as the mental welfare and physical safety of the staff. “With Three Rivers and the park headquarters under an evacuation notice, staff is focused on preparing to evacuate.” Acting Superintendent Lee Taylor “To ensure any pending evacuation goes as smoothly as possible we are closing the park to visitors.” Park managers send their sincere thanks and gratitude for the support received during this incident.
Kings Canyon National Park remains open at this time. Visitors will not be able to access Sequoia National Park from Highway 198 or Highway 180 out of Fresno. The Giant Forest and sequoia trees will be inaccessible to visitors. All park campgrounds will be closed with reservations cancelled and refunded. Mineral King Road remains closed at this time.

Read More…

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Grape Leaves: Ash & Fall Colors

With the smoky conditions going outside to take photos hasn’t been an option. So I took a few photos of the ash and early fall color on the grape leaves outside my front window.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1 Comment

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

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Yosemite Smoke/Fire Conditions 9/14 to 9/15

Smoke Outlook  San Joaquin-Yosemite – Area (Creek Fire)
9/14 – 9/15
Issued: 2020-09-14 08:14 (PDT)
By: Julie Hunter (jdhunter@washoecounty.us) and Leland Tarnay (leland_tarnay@firenet.gov)

Fire: Yesterday containment went up to 10% on the west and south side of the fire with increased fire activity on the north end of the fire. This increased activity is driving our smoke impact. For the latest Creek Fire fire information details, go to: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7147/

Smoke: Yesterday, the Creek Fire produced substantially more smoke than the past few days, leaving this forecast area with uniformly Very unhealthy/Hazardous air quality this morning. Today south winds may be slightly more westerly, sending smoke plumes directly north and potentially clearing some west-side sites in the afternoon. More fire activity is likely, creating continued heavy smoke impacts this evening on the east side, and likely more smoke tomorrow morning throughout the forecast area.

Notes: Forecasts reflect particulate matter from smoke only – not ozone or dust. Poor visibility, potentially less than 1/4 mile is likely under morning smoke inversions.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Sequoia National Park Closes Generals Highway

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park, Uncategorized | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Northern California Smoke Outlook 9/14 to 9/15

1 Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Pt. Reyes Woodward Fire Update 9/14/20

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 14, 2020

Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destruction, scientists warn 

The BBC  reports

Wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds in less than 50 years, according to a major report by the conservation group WWF.

The report says this “catastrophic decline” shows no sign of slowing.

And it warns that nature is being destroyed by humans at a rate never seen before.

Wildlife is “in freefall” as we burn forests, over-fish our seas and destroy wild areas, says Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF.

Read full story at Wildlife in ‘catastrophic decline’ due to human destruction, scientists warn – BBC News

1 Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 13, 2020

Happy 58th Birthday Point Reyes National Seashore!!

from Pt. Reyes National Seashore
On September 13, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the establishment of Point Reyes National Seashore. It is a unit of the National Park Service but the only National Seashore on the Pacific Coast!
The cultural history of Point Reyes reaches back some 5,000 years to the Coast Miwok Indians who were the first human inhabitants of the Peninsula. Over 120 known village sites exist within the park. According to many experts, Sir Francis Drake landed here in 1579, the first European explorer to do so. In response to the many shipwrecks in the treacherous coastal waters, key lighthouse and lifesaving stations were established by the United States Government in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the early 1800s, Mexican land grantees established ranchos. They were followed by a wave of American agricultural operations, which continue to this day in the Seashore’s pastoral zone. By 1914, Guglielmo Marconi sited and commissioned the building of a wireless telegraphy stations in the Point Reyes area, which played an important role in maritime communications for ships on the Pacific Ocean through the late 1900s.
Read more about Point Reyes National Seashore at www.nps.gov/pore!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 13, 2020

Zoom Presentation: Why Invasive Plants Matter 9/15/20

Why Invasive Plants Matter? Evolution, Speciation and Management Strategies for Maintaining Biodiversity – September 15, 2020 at 7:30pm

Jason M. Mills, M.S., Restoration Program Manager, Sonoma Ecology Center

This presentation will cover some of the bigger picture implications of invasive species and their impact on native ecosystems. We will then dive into some examples of especially problematic species, as well as some of the challenges facing local ecological communities in peril. Specific noxious weed prioritization and strategic methodology for controls will also be discussed. A topic of paramount significance will be to work towards closing the gap between those with advanced botanical skills and those tasked with performing the often strenuous work. Opportunities for collaboration and ways to get involved with active stewardship efforts in order to maximize biodiversity and resources will be the underlying goal of the talk.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89786650900?pwd=U05ldy9veUZUbzdiRXQ2TzdQUk5wdz09

Meeting ID: 897 8665 0900      Passcode: PitkinLily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming 2020 General Meeting Speaker Series

 

General Meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Luther Burbank Art and Garden Center at 2050 Yulupa Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 | View Map  For futher information, contact Virginia Hotz-Steenhoven, Programs and Lectures Chair, Milo Baker CNPS 

Top

© California Native Plant Society. All rights reserved.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Talks | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 13, 2020

Botanizing Nevada and Placer Counties – YouTube

A detailed botanical exploration of the many botanical habitats of Nevada and Placer counties from the Redbud Chapter of the Native Plant Society. Presentation starts about at minute six.

Throughout 2020, Shane has traveled far and wide in Nevada and Placer Counties, exploring just about every habitat and ecotype that exists in our area and documenting his discoveries on iNaturalist and Calflora. Through his pictures, he will take us on a journey through our fascinating plant communities, from the valley floor to the east side of the Sierra. He’ll share tidbits of information and detail the assemblages of flora that make up each one, including notable finds of rare plants, native plants with anomalous coloration, and populations of plants never before documented in our counties.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Talks | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 13, 2020

Northern California Smoke Outlook 9/13 to 9/14

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 13, 2020

Pt. Reyes Woodward Fire Update 9/13/20

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 13, 2020

A breakthrough in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence

EarthSky reports

The researchers called their new analytical technique “a milestone in SETI.” One researcher commented: “We now know that fewer than one in 1,600 stars closer than about 330 light years host transmitters just a few times more powerful than the strongest radar we have here on Earth.”

Astronomers at the University of Manchester in the UK said today (September 2, 2020) that they’ve made an analytical breakthrough in the ability to seek and perhaps someday find intelligent extraterrestrial life in our Milky Way galaxy. They said this breakthrough is a “milestone” that could “significantly improve” our chances of finding extraterrestrial intelligence by dramatically expanding the number of stars available for searching. They said that, with their new analytical technique, they’ve increased the number of stars that can be analyzed by more than 200 times and have placed the best limits ever on the prevalence of artificial radio transmitters, dubbed techno-signatures, in the Milky Way.

Read more at A breakthrough in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence | Human World | EarthSky

Leave a Comment

Posted in Astronomy | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 12, 2020

Northern California Smoke Report 9/12/20

Leave a Comment

Posted in Environment, Uncategorized | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 12, 2020

Zoom Presentation on how to use PlantID.net 9/14/20

The Marin CNPS will have a presentation on using PlantID.net on Monday September 14, 2020 at 7:30 via zoom. To get the link contact the Marin CNPS at https://www.cnpsmarin.org/ to get the E-Bulletin.

PlantID.net is a website for people who see a plant in the wild and wonder about it. The site allows you to enter what you know about your plant (where you are, plant type, color, leaf arrangement, deciduous, has berries, etc.) and get a short picture-list of possibilities. Then you can dive down into photos and captions to learn more about your plant. There are also plant lists for local preserves and trails, lists for subgroups like Marin thistles and Marin dandelions, and thousands of photos and diagrams. All the different ways to identify native plants make it likely that you will find new favorites as you walk our local hills.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Talks | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 12, 2020

Pandemic Forces Closures and Changes in Bay Area Science

Bay Nature reports

All around Northern California, environmental and conservation groups have had to reassess their priorities over the last six months, deciding what field work is immediately safe and essential, and reexamining budgets in the face of sudden financial pressures.

Read article at  Pandemic Forces Closures and Changes in Bay Area Science – Bay Nature

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 11, 2020

UC Botanical Garden Closed Through September 13

The UC Botanical Garden will remain closed through the weekend, September 11-13, due to unhealthy air quality. Take proper precautions and stay safe!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Garden | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 11, 2020

Washington Bans Cruel Wildlife-killing Contests

Center for Biological Research News release

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to ban wildlife-killing contests, making it the seventh state to enact such a measure.

The ban prohibits any sort of hunting contest that would allow for unlimited numbers of coyotes and other wildlife to be killed. These events, such as the Washington Predator Coyote Classic and the Lind Gun Club Coyote Hunt, killed at least 1,427 coyotes between 2013 to 2018.

Read More…

Leave a Comment

Posted in Animals | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 11, 2020

Pt. Reyes Woodward Fire Update 9/11/20

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 11, 2020

Poor Air Quality Today

From the East Bay Regional Parks

 

Visitors Advised to Minimize/Refrain from Active Outdoor Recreation
Your health is important to us. With the Air Quality Index currently at unhealthy levels, the Park District is advising visitors to minimize or refrain from active outdoor recreation.
Should air conditions worsen, park restrictions, including temporary closures, may occur, and service levels may be reduced for the safety of the public and our park staff. Any restrictions will be posted by 4pm for the following day on our website, www.ebparks.org, as well as via social media.
Up-to-date information on air quality and guidance to limit exposure is available at www.baaqmd.gov.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Park | Tags: ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories