Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 1, 2025

Protesters at Yosemite, Presidio and Muir Woods decry park firings

San Francisco Chronicle reports

From a march and rally at Yosemite National Park to a protest hike at Muir Woods National Monument to a demonstration near the crater of Haleakala National Historic Park in Maui, fed-up rangers and supporters of the country’s park system gathered Saturday to fight the “illegal firings” of full-time and seasonal workers.

Led by more than 650 off-duty park rangers, the effort spanned all 433 national park sites across the country, including San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Presidio.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 1, 2025

With Trump’s War on DEI, Local Environmental Organizations Rethink Diversity Commitments 

Bay Nature reports

Some organizations are doubling down on DEI. Others are taking down words that could get them in trouble.

Read article at  With Trump’s War on DEI, Local Environmental Organizations Rethink Diversity Commitments – Bay Nature

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 1, 2025

Scientists discover unusual Calif. lake has minerals found in space

SF Gate reported

Scientists recently discovered that San Bernardino County’s Searles Lake contains minerals found in outer space.

Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/california-lake-bennu-asteroid-samples-20147113.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 28, 2025

A pod of dolphins is frolicking at this San Francisco beach

SF Gate reported

About 20 bottlenose dolphins, including mothers and their calves, have been leaping through the waves and interacting with surfers near Pacifica and San Francisco every day this past week.

Read more at  A pod of dolphins is frolicking at this San Francisco beach

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 28, 2025

Anza-Borrego Foundation Events 

Anza-Borrego Foundation hosts a variety of events and educational programs, including hikes, botany walks, photography workshops, and more. See the schedule at  Events | Anza-Borrego Foundation

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 28, 2025

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Upcoming Events

See all Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Upcoming Events at see all upcoming events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 28, 2025

Hummingbirds Living in a Hive Found for the First Time 

The New York Times reported

In a remote mountain cave in Ecuador, hummingbirds were discovered sleeping and nesting together.

Hummingbirds are tiny and delicate, but don’t be fooled: They are among the most aggressive birds in the avian kingdom. Their territorial fury is especially aimed at other hummingbirds. Competition over a patch of flowers or a mate often results in high-speed aerial chases, divebombing and beak jousting.

So when Gustavo Cañas-Valle, an ornithologist and birding guide, stumbled across a cave full of hummingbirds nesting and roosting together in Ecuador’s High Andes, he could hardly believe it.

Read more at Hummingbirds Living in a Hive Found for the First Time

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 28, 2025

What’s The Little Yellow Flower That’s Everywhere Right Now?

from Bay Nature

Oxalis provides a delightful burst of yellow color in the spring. Also, it’s eating the entire Bay Area alive.

For those whose backs are aching from weed-pulling: All about Oxalis pes-caprae, a South Africa native that was transplanted to California early in the 1900s. Now it’s taken off in the Bay Area. Possibility of eradication: slim to none.

Read more What’s The Little Yellow Flower That’s Everywhere Right Now?

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 28, 2025

New manzanita species discovered, already at risk

ScienceDaily reported

A new species of manzanita — a native California shrub famous for its twisted branches and wildfire resilience — has been discovered on the central coast, but its survival is already threatened by urban development that could destroy much of its fragile population.

Read on www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250225201232.htm

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

Europe moves towards ending lead poisoning

BirdLife International reported

Commission proposes ban on lead ammunition and fishing weights, but loopholes remain

Read on www.birdlife.org/news/2025/02/27/press-release-europe-moves-towards-ending-lead-poisoning/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

Every Planet in Our Solar System Will Be Visible at Night This Week

The New York Times reported

With Mercury joining the show, all seven of Earth’s celestial neighbors will be present at dusk this week.

Read on www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/science/astronomy-planets-stargazing.html

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

Trail Updates at Los Padres National Forest

  • This past weekend LPFA volunteers led our 3rd project on the beloved Gene Marshall – Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail in the last year. We’ve been working up from Piedra Blanca Camp clearing the steep and overgrown section of trail to Pine Mountain Lodge. After last weekend we have cleared all but the final 200ft of trail below PML. So close! We’ll be back….
  • Another volunteer group spent the day finishing up clearing the Rose-Lion Connector Trail in support of the upcoming Coyote2Moon Trail Race. Thanks to Runners for Public Lands and all the volunteers who contributed nearly 250hrs towards the trail in February. The connector is looking tip top!
  • On Monday we cut out the dozen or so downed trees on lower Lion Canyon Trail and brushed a bit up towards East / West Lion Camps. The cherry on top of a trail maintenance-packed weekend!
  • The LPFA Trail Crew recently completed a week-long project to clear brush along the upper 3.5 miles of the Arroyo Quemado Trail thanks to funding and support from the Santa Barbara County Trails Council. Head out and see the freshly worked trail yourself! It’s a seven-mile one-way hike from the trailhead at Baron Ranch to West Camino Cielo that offers extraordinary views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands!
Read More…

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

Presidio Trust, under fire from Trump, details profits at park

an ai summary of the San Francisco Chronicle article:

The Presidio Trust, managing the Presidio national park in San Francisco, has generated $350 million in net income since 2013, reinvesting it into the park. This financial independence, achieved through rental income and private funding, has allowed the Trust to maintain and improve the park, despite criticism from some tenants. President Trump’s executive order to eliminate the Trust’s functions is seen as a political move targeting Speaker Pelosi.

Read full article at  Presidio Trust, under fire from Trump, details profits at park

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

4 things you can do for national parks right now

  from Goldenn Gate National Parks Conservancy

We’re standing up for national parks and our partners at the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust this week as they face an uncertain future. The Parks Conservancy’s vision of Parks for All Forever has never been more vital, and we hope you’ll stand with us. Download our toolkit to spread the word, hear our President & CEO Christine Lehnertz on KQED Forum, and find ideas on how to help »

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

Elusive wildlife shows up for photographer’s camera traps in Congo

Monga Bay reports

  • Photographer Will Burrard-Lucas deployed high-definition cameras at four sites in the Republic of Congo’s Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park throughout 2023.
  • The cameras captured a selection of beautiful photographs of seldom-seen wildlife.
  • Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park is home to significant populations of endangered mammals, including gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants.

See photos and read more at  Elusive wildlife shows up for photographer’s camera traps in Congo

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

California wildflower, poppy blooms will be ‘limited’ this spring

Desert Sun reported

The vibrant wildflowers and poppies that bloom across Southern California state parks in spring are expected to be “limited” this season, California State Parks announced on Monday.

The reason behind the forecast is below-average rainfall this winter, according to California State Parks. The stunning views of flowers in bloom in Southern California typically attract visitors eager to catch a glimpse or snap a photo, sometimes to the flowers’ detriment.

Read more California wildflower, poppy blooms will be ‘limited’ this spring

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 27, 2025

Peeing is contagious in chimpanzees, study suggests 

NPR reports

Peeing together could be a way of syncing up individuals’ internal states, which could facilitate group behaviors, like keeping watch for predators. Or it could be a form of social bonding, forging specific connections between chimps. In the wild, whizzing as a group could be a predator-avoidance strategy, says Onishi. “By keeping urination localized, the group can reduce the risk of predators tracking them through the scattered urine scents in their territory.”

Read article at  Peeing is contagious in chimpanzees, study suggests : NPR

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 26, 2025

Boat Crew Spots Thousands of Dolphins in a California Bay ‘Superpod’ 

The New York Times reported

The bay looked “like it was boiling,” said a boat captain with a whale-watching company in Monterey Bay, Calif. He captured video of thousands of dolphins swimming off the coast.

Read more and see video at  Boat Crew Spots Thousands of Dolphins in a California Bay ‘Superpod’

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 26, 2025

Upcoming Events from Eastern Sierra Land Trust

See upcoming events for the  Eastern Sierra Land Trust at   Eastern Sierra Land Trust Events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 26, 2025

Officials release once-extinct species back into the wild: ‘Back from the brink of extinction’

The Cool Down reported

Great news has emerged from Victoria, Australia, as a once-extinct fish, the olive perchlet, has been released back into the wild for the first time since the species’ last sighting in 1929.

Read more at  Officials release once-extinct species back into the wild: ‘Back from the brink of extinction’

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 26, 2025

Regional Parks March and April Activity Guide

See the East Bay Regional Parks March and April activity guide at https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/RIN-Mar-Apr-2025.pdf

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 25, 2025

Theodore Payne Foundation  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 – 20 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 25, 2025

Seals, sharks and spiny squat lobsters: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 – in pictures 

The Guardian reported

The annual competition draws thousands of entries from across the world and brings together images from below the water’s surface that show the diversity and challenges of subaquatic life

See the photos at Seals, sharks and spiny squat lobsters: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 – in pictures | Environment | The Guardian

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 24, 2025

‘A desperate plea’: Bold display pops up at Yosemite National Park

SF Gate reported

A striking sight unfurled thousands of feet over the steep granite face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park on Saturday — and it wasn’t the annual firefall.

A group of six demonstrators rigged ropes and rappelled down to hang and secure four corners of an inverted American flag over the 7,500-foot cliff. As many as hundreds of unsuspecting spectators were gathered below to take in the last weekend of the sunset spectacle that transforms the waters of Horsetail Falls into a glowing bright orange hue.

Read more  ‘A desperate plea’: Bold display pops up at Yosemite National Park

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 24, 2025

Photos of Street Plants

A series of photos I took walking around my neighborhood of plants in front of houses.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 24, 2025

Year-round biologists to leave SF islands for first time in decades

SF Gate reported

Biologists who monitor wildlife year-round at San Francisco’s remote Farallon Islands will be leaving their posts for the first time in nearly six decades due to federal budget cuts. Despite its timing, the news is not related to President Donald Trump’s funding freeze that recently impacted Yosemite National Park and the Presidio Trust, among other places. Nevertheless, it raises concerns over the loss of continuous data collection on cherished California species that researchers are calling an “unprecedented disruption.”

Read more  Year-round biologists to leave SF islands for first time in decades

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 24, 2025

Upcoming Activities at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden

See upcoming class, talks and activities at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park at https://nativeplants.org/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 24, 2025

Birds-of-paradise ‘glow’ with their skin and feathers 

The UK Natural History Museum reported

Birds-of-paradise can emit green, yellow and pale blue light from their bodies.

It’s believed this ability – known as biofluorescence – helps the birds to stand out or hide in their tropical forest habitats.

For some of the world’s most decorative birds, the phrase ‘positively glowing’ has taken on a different meaning.

Read more : Birds-of-paradise ‘glow’ with their skin and feathers | Natural History Museum

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 23, 2025

How you can stand up for national parks

from Golden Gate National Parks Conservanc

It may seem like the future is uncertain for the Presidio and other beloved national park sites across the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the country. Just in the last week, we’ve seen executive orders and federal policy updates impacting our partners at the National Park Service and Presidio Trust, raising concerns about potential staffing and funding losses. Without friendly park rangers, or staff maintaining trails and visitor facilities, the parks won’t be the same.

We know you love these national parks and their place in our region, now and into the future.

Here’s what you can do right now to help:

  • Contact elected officials: Use this tool to find your local elected officials and express your support for parks.
  • Visit responsibly: Practice Leave No Trace principlesand pack out all your trash to help parks.
  • Volunteer: Find a regular volunteer program in the GGNRA and give back to the parks by maintaining trails, planting, and habitat restoration.
  • Support the parks: Become a Parks Conservancy member and donate to support the parks and ensure our work to protect parks will continue.

The news is still unfolding, and we’re closely tracking items like the executive order directing changes at the Presidio Trust, which has made extraordinary progress in park-building and operations since the Presidio Trust Act passed with bipartisan support in 1996. The Presidio remains open and welcome to all, and we’re proud to support this vibrant national park site where nature, history, and community come together.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 23, 2025

How To Control Garden Pests While Supporting Pollinators

from the Xerces Society

Spring is just around the corner! While you may already be flipping through seed catalogs and dreaming of warm days, now is also the time to brainstorm strategies for managing pests and attracting beneficial insects. Set yourself up for success by considering integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM) as a strategy for both enhancing the health of your food plants and fostering an abundant population of beneficial insects.

What is IPPM?

Integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM) is a similar strategy to integrated pest management (IPM), but, as the name suggests, IPPM puts more of an emphasis on conservation and creating a resilient partnership between agriculture and the local ecosystem.

Read more How To Control Garden Pests While Supporting Pollinators | Xerces Society

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