How the Landscape Does Its Quiet Work
Landscapes are not just scenery. They are places where people learn skills, traditions, and a kind of hospitality that can last across generations.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Gopher Tricks
Many predators have an eye out for Botta's pocket gophers.
Summer 2026 Almanac: Fruiting Bodies
Life during summer … bears fruit.
Summer Slog
Why oh why do the lowest of each day’s tides only happen around my favorite swim hour?
Bay Nature Events
LATEST STORIES
The Podcast Studio Is Gently Floating in the Harbor
Kate Josephs and Michael Herz—the 1970s eco-warrior who founded Baykeeper—are back in the Bay, and they have some stories to tell.
A Surprisingly Chill Hang Around a (Prescribed) Fire
Community spirit—and serious safety precautions—made my first prescribed burn feel like a friendly gathering.
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How a ‘Sturgeon Surgeon’ Tracks the Bay’s Giant, Stealthy Living Fossils
Our resident sturgeon have gizzards and razor-sharp armor, can live a century, and are under threat.
IN SEASON IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Tarantula Hawk Wasp Mamas Deliver the Smackdown of the Summer
When it comes to motherhood, it doesn’t get much more extreme than tarantula hawk wasp moms, known to duel tarantulas—and win.
Who’s Knocking at Your Back Door in the Night? Probably Raccoons.
Urban raccoons are everywhere. Some evidence suggests they’re growing smarter from living in an urban world.
Swallowtail butterflies thrive along SF’s gritty streets
San Francisco residents are well-acquainted with the seagulls and pigeons in their midst. Take a closer at the green spaces amid the cityscape and you’ll notice one of most beautifully understated wild residents: the swallowtail butterfly.
Staff picks
This Trump Change Could ‘Eviscerate’ the U.S. Endangered Species Act
A plan to redefine ‘harm’ could remove federal habitat protections from almost 100 Bay Area listed species. The proposal is now open for public comment until May 17.
Why Do Skunks Dance?
There are two species of skunk in the Bay Area, the familiar striped skunk, and the less common spotted skunk.
How to See Insects
Fascinating creatures, miniature works of art, critical links in the web of life — bugs are so much more than pests.
