Calling All Nature Lovers!
Join us on Thursday, Feb. 9th to celebrate local nature and local heroes at Bay Nature Institute's annual awards dinner!
Welcome
The nonprofit Bay Nature Institute is dedicated to exploring and protecting the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area. Join us online, in print, or in the field to learn about local parks, wildlife, hikes, and more.
Current Issue
Community
Sign up to get
Explore
Search
Bay Nature Institute
- Magazine
- Online
- On the Air
- BN Hikes & Outings
- BN Special Events
- About Us
- Contact Us
Connect with us on
RSS Feed
Images of activism
Photo by Scott Hess.
Interview by Paul Epstein — 01/27/12
Petaluma photographer Scott Hess never shies from a debate about conservation. He's hiked, admittedly illicitly, around Lafferty Ranch to reveal the property's hidden beauty, and once snapped pinups of "ecobabes" for a calendar on climate change. In this Q&A, Hess explains how his activism and photography intersect, and the pitfalls of doing what you love most.
For Jay Holcomb, Every Bird Matters
Connecting with the Director Emeritus of International Bird Rescue
interview by Bay Nature staff — 01/25/12
The Director Emeritus of International Bird Rescue reflects on 40 years of helping oiled and injured birds and wildlife. The biggest challenge for shoreline and ocean birds, besides oil spills, are fluctuations in ocean temperatures, which cause algal blooms and spikes and crashes in fish populations.
A tale of two species, and a lagoon
Photo by Gary Nafis
By Paul Hagey — 01/24/12
Sharp Park is at the center of a controversy over whether golfing can coexist with endangered species. The Pacifica course, which overlooks the ocean, is a unique coastal freshwater ecosystem with a lagoon that's great for the California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake. But if you want to keep the fairways open to business, much of that water has to be pumped away.
Taking Care of Baby Salmon
New Project Tests Fallow Fields as Salmon Nurseries
Creative commons photo by Eileen McFall.
by Aleta George — 01/23/12
Proponents of the Yolo Bypass Floodplain Fishery Enhancement Project are starting small but thinking big. During the first year of the pilot project, scientists will test whether raising juvenile chinook salmon on flooded rice fields in the Yolo Bypass will help the fish get stronger and bigger before being flushed down to San Francisco Bay and out to the Pacific.
Daily Catch
Bay Area Nature News
- Petaluma's legal fees mounting on Dutra plant fight
01/26/12 The city of Petaluma could face up to $200,000 in legal fees to fight the asphalt plant project across from Shollenberger Park. Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
- Sonoma seeks halt to new vineyards
01/26/12 Sonoma County officials are alarmed at the applications to expand vineyards onto 370 acres of forested hillsides and are calling for an emergency halt until new regulations are crafted. Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
- Sustainable seafood hitting shelves at big box stores
01/26/12 Costco, Target and Walmart have started shelving sustainable seafood on store shelves. The blue label from the Marine Stewardship Council traces seafood from boat to plate. Source: National Public Radio.
- Santa Cruz bans bullfrogs
01/26/12 Santa Cruz became the first city to ban the sale and possession of American bullfrogs, an invasive species that plucks off California red-legged frogs and other natives. Source: San Jose Mercury News.
- Obama's speech rankles oil drilling foes
01/26/12 Obama's reference to oil drilling in the State of the Union worries environmentalists, who say it underscores the need for permanent protection of the North Coast shoreline. Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Bay Nature on Flickr
Javascript Flickr Badge, by Erik Rasmussen, requires javascript.
Featured Blog
Point Reyes Walkabout
Celebrating 50 Years, 154 Miles of Trails with Jules Evens
- A Bobcat Day in Bear Valley
01/16/12 The Bear Valley trail, heading southwest from Park Headquarters to the coast, is one of the emblematic walks, and the most traveled trail, on the Point Reyes Peninsula. Jules covers about 10 miles and encounters a bobcat, an alligator lizard, early-blooming milkmaids, and very late-blooming Indian paintbrush.
- 50 Years of Point Reyes, 154 Miles of Trails!
01/04/12 This New Year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Point Reyes National Seashore, yet another brilliant example of "America's Best Idea." To acknowledge and honor this milestone, I have set a personal goal to walk all of the 154 miles of designated trails within the Seashore during 2012, one step at a time.
- Setting Out: 2012 Point Reyes Walkabout
01/03/12 Jules starts with Muir and runs into a badger as he sets out on his adventure to hike every trail at Point Reyes this year. Stay tuned for more!
Featured Video
National Geographic birding show launches
National Geographic WILD
And you thought birding was for introverted, solitary types. The premier of "Aerial Assassins" on Friday night on National Geographic WILD TV is an adrenaline-spiked adventure with the world's hottest birder at the helm. James Currie tracks Harris' Hawkes through the Sonoran Desert in the American Southwest. We'll leave it to you to decide whether this makes birding look like something your 15-year-old would get psyched about, or if it's just too hyped.
Events Calendar
Nature events from all over the Bay Area
Pescadero, CA, January 28, 8 AM
San Mateo coast, January 28, 8 AM
Muir Woods National Monument, January 28, 8 AM
East of Half Moon Bay, January 28, 9 AM
Become a Friend of Bay Nature!
Your tax- deductible gift helps Bay Nature nurture the connections among the many organizations and individuals working to protect nature in the Bay Area.
Find us on Facebook!
Bay Area Food Landscapes
Did you know that more than 40% of the Bay Area is still covered in farms and ranchlands? Check out our landmark map of food producing areas from Sonoma to Santa Cruz, San Francisco to Solano.