The Deer Next Door
Living with Backyard Blacktails

by Bruce Morris

It certainly seems that we’re seeing more deer all over our neighborhoods. But how can these large mammals make a living among all the cars and houses? Writer Bruce Morris took the time to observe the deer in his suburban Belmont backyard. What he learned may surprise you: These deer weren’t just “making do”; they were thriving. With surprisingly small home ranges, suburbanized deer are redefining our built landscapes to fit their needs—an orchard becomes a fawning zone, an abandoned garden a nursery, a wooded lot a feeding area.

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue
Published April 01, 2005
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Voice of the Volcano
Stories in Stone at Sibley Preserve

by Gordy Slack

We all know that the East Bay hills are ripe for an earthquake, but volcanoes? Don't look for lava in the headlines anytime soon, but there is a place in Oakland where an ancient volcano has laid bare a tale of fiery eruptions, long-extinct ecosystems, and the massive movements of tectonic plates. Many people go to Sibley Regional Preserve for the views of Mount Diablo or the quirky labyrinths at the bottoms of old quarry pits. But look closely at the trailside rocks, and you’ll see lava flows and a volcano turned on its side!

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue
Published April 01, 2005
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Art on the Wing
A Butterfly Day at Mount Diablo

Artwork by Liam O’Brien, text by Dan Rademacher

The Bay Area is home to a surprising variety of butterflies, moths, and skippers; local artist and avid lepidopterist Liam O’Brien gets outside with his field journal whenever he can, to record them with his unusual mixture of drawing, painting, collage, and writing. A beautiful sunny day out in the oak savanna of Mount Diablo brought two rare species into view, and onto the pages of Liam’s notebook.

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue
Published April 01, 2005
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Coe Kaleidoscope
A Year of Colors on Pine Ridge

by Winslow Briggs

When it comes to wildflowers, you can’t do any better than a visit to Henry Coe, Northern California’s largest state park. Winslow Briggs, who wrote the book on the park’s trails, walks us through a year of blooms, taking us from season to season in a wild but accessible landscape.

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue
Published April 01, 2005
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Letter from the Publisher

by David Loeb

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue
Published April 01, 2005
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The Lost Trails of Santa Clara
from the Writings of Sada Coe

by Sada Coe

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue
Published April 01, 2005
Length:

Ear to the Ground
News from the conservation community and the natural world

By Christine Sculati

Garden tours, John Muir, breeding herons, Wallace Stegner, World Environment Day, and more...

From the Apr-Jun 2005 issue