In this issue (Jan-Mar 2008)

Photo by Rob Lehman.

Forgotten Foundation
The New Deal for Bay Area Parks

by Gray Brechin

On a trail at Mount Tamalpais or Diablo, perfectly set stone steps make an ascent easier; farther along, a massive log bridge crosses a rugged ravine. It's common to pass by and take these structures, and those who made them, for granted. This spring marks the 75th anniversary of the inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose epic New Deal work projects brought us not only dams and bay fill but also enduring public trails and other park infrastructure that thousands of people use today with little knowledge of their origins and the great nationwide social experiment that built them.

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
Length: moderately-short

Illustration by Tim Gunther.

Lord of the Burrows
The Incredible, Edible Ground Squirrel

by Kathleen M. Wong

Ask most people to name the most important species of our grassland habitats, and they'll probably pick coyotes, golden eagles, or even rattlesnakes. But experts say that the strongest contender of all is the animal eaten by all those other ones: the lowly California ground squirrel, a true keystone of local grasslands. Belowground, the squirrels' lengthy burrows harbor insects, snakes, owls, and even frogs and salamanders that couldn't live in such a dry landscape without the squirrels' help. And above-ground, they've evolved some unusual defenses that allow them to thrive, even as they feed so many others.

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
Length: moderately-short

Photo by Matt Knoth.

Patience Rewarded
Meandering the Marshes of Grizzly Island

by Joe Eaton

You might be taken by surprise at this marshland wildlife area, with its plethora of wandering elk, playful otters, acrobatic owls, and diverse waterfowl. Just be sure it's not hunting season when you go.

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
Length: moderately-short