Naturalist’s Notebook: The Rainbow Connection
The poet Keats warned that understanding a rainbow may “unweave” it, robbing it of mystery. John Muir Laws disagrees.
Monte Rio Grows, Connecting Sonoma’s Redwood Corridor
With the addition of 1,500 acres, the regional park gains miles of new trails.
LATEST STORIES
One Way to Celebrate Black History Month: Go for a Hike
What does nature mean for Black community? Our photography fellow kicks off a new project.
IN SEASON IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
California’s New State Mushroom Is One Heck of a Fungus
After votes from California mushroom enthusiasts, the bling under the live oaks emerged as the winner.
Dos Rios Is California’s First State Park in 15 Years, and It Has a Lot to Do
Dos Rios Ranch State Park, in the Central Valley, is a test of California’s ability to adapt to the future—and learn from the past.
Staff picks
Crows are Wicked Smart
Should an animal’s intelligence change the way we treat it?
The Bird Nest Detectives
Century-old bird nests help scientists time-travel to San Francisco Bay’s lost plant communities.
The People Will Keep Fishing, Despite Forever Chemicals in the Fish
Bay Area sport fish sampled in a study were overwhelmingly tainted with PFAS. “It’s more widespread than we really thought,” says a scientist. But it’s not so easy to persuade anglers to eat less fish.
A Legal Settlement Will Usher In a Wilder Point Reyes
Most cattle will leave, and an ambitious plan aims to restore coastal scrub, grasslands, and chaparral. But the agreement immediately drew fire from community members, who decry the loss of working ranches and farmworkers.
