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
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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
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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
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Mount Tamalpais, Matt Davis Trail

By Jessica Taekman

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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San Pedro Valley County Park

By Dave Carroll

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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Vasona County Park

By Rob Lehman

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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My Hill

by Ariel Rubissow Okamoto

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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Birds of a Different Feather, Flocking Together

by David Lukas

Meander through an oak woodland, or even a wooded suburban area, on a winter day, and you're likely to experience something strange about our winter woodland songbirds: You may not see them at all. Then suddenly the trees come alive with dozens of birds of several species.

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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A Big Year for Rare Species

by David Carroll

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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The Frog Days of Winter

by Mike Koslosky

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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What native land snails live in the Bay Area?

by Michael Ellis

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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Letter from the Publisher

by David Loeb

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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Ear to the Ground
News from the Conservation Community and the Natural World

by Aleta George

Beavers in Martinez, nature art in the classroom, plastics in the ocean, and more...

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue

Appalling Photos

by Bill Maney

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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The Herd Shot Round the Bay

by Jack Laws

In a few spots in the Bay Area, you can get a glimpse of our state's signature grazer: the tule elk.

From the Jan-Mar 2008 issue
Published January 01, 2008
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