Latest Articles

Naked in the tidepools

January 17, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

With seasonally low tides, now’s the time to head out to see arguably the most colorful critters in the Bay Area — the nudibranchs that dwell in tidepools along the coast.

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Why does Half Moon Bay get winter monster waves?

January 16, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

The Mavericks surf contest has been called for Sunday, January 20. As we wait for big kahunas to roll in, we ask why Half Moon Bay gets the legendary waves that become the surfer’s delight.

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The Smallest Sandpipers

January 15, 2013 by Joe Eaton

Our two local sandpipers are cute as buttons, hard to tell apart, and eat primordial ooze. What’s not to love?

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A marvel of magnolias

January 14, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

Magnolias may not be native to Northern California. But the SF Botanical Garden has been conserving this endangered flowering tree, and now’s the time to see them in full bloom.

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San Francisco Bay herring running at Mission Bay

January 09, 2013 by Dan Rademacher

The herring are running again in San Francisco, and it’s quite a show. Commercial fishing boats cast their nets in

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Iconic Tennessee Beach arch suddenly falls into sea

January 09, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

And suddenly it was gone. The iconic rock arch at Tennessee Beach in Marin unexpectedly gave way, changing the view forever.

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Song of the Meadowlark in Solano County

January 08, 2013 by Aleta George

The Solano Land Trust’s King-Swett Ranches are great destinations for Solano County hiking: amazing views and a sense of seclusion in between Benicia, Vallejo, and Fairfield.

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‘Bouillabaisse of life’ in San Francisco Bay

January 07, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

Paddle the San Francisco Bay with Paul McHugh, a journalist and columnist who’s been covering the environment for more than 30 years. VIDEO.

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Winter fog brings quiet beauty to Bay Area parks

January 03, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

With all the cold and moist days we’ve had lately, it’s the perfect time to experience winter’s tule fog, a different variety than summer’s ocean-borne type.

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Piecing together the Diablo landscape

January 03, 2013 by Daniel McGlynn

On a warm autmn morning, a half-dozen volunteers are watering young native plants on a piece of land known as

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Spotlight on San Luis National Wildlife Refuge

January 01, 2013 by Alison Hawkes

If you find yourself headed through the Central Valley at this time of the year, a nice pit stop off Highway 5 is the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge.

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Gateway to the Delta

December 31, 2012 by Robin Meadows

I’m in another world from the moment I step into the East Bay Regional Park District’s Big Break Regional Shoreline.

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Land of the Salamander

December 31, 2012 by David Rains Wallace

North America has more kinds of salamanders–the tailed, mostly four-legged amphibians–than any other continent. Your backyard is probably full of them right now!

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The Bay Area’s top 10 environmental news of 2012

December 31, 2012 by Alison Hawkes

The Bay Area has had its share of interesting environmental stories in 2012. Here’s our pick of some of our favorites.

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