Beth Slatkin Archive

On touching a sea squirt, and other adventures with nature

February 22, 2012 • by Beth Slatkin

Inspired by a teaching stint with inner-city kids 20 years ago, English-born teacher Mandi Billinge founded an organization that gives thousands of Bay Area children their first hands-on experience with nature.

Legislating for nature

February 3, 2012 • by Beth Slatkin

Berkeley Assemblymember Nancy Skinner muses about an early internship gathering park data, how local governments are leading the world on environmental issues, and why she wants to make reflective roofs as popular as recycling.

For Jay Holcomb, Every Bird Matters

January 25, 2012 • by Beth Slatkin

The Director Emeritus of International Bird Rescue reflects on 40 years of helping oiled and injured birds and wildlife.

LandPaths Executive Director Craig Anderson in the Swiss Alps

Exploring the Bay Area’s “Islands of Wildness”

January 20, 2012 • by Beth Slatkin

A seasoned climber, hiker, outdoorsman, and lifelong world traveler, Craig Anderson could have remained an “itinerant geographer and outdoor guide”. Instead, he moved to Sonoma County fifteen years ago, signed up to work for a brand-new nonprofit called LandPaths, and stayed.

Q&A With Cris Benton, the Bay Area’s Expert in Kite Aerial Photography

December 23, 2011 • by Beth Slatkin

For kite aerial photographer Kris Benton, capturing images from the air is “more than just a hobby” – it’s a way to record the history of a landscape.

Uncovering Nature’s Treasures with David Wimpfheimer

December 9, 2011 • by Beth Slatkin

From whale-watching expeditions to wildflower forays to the annual Christmas Bird Count, naturalist David Wimpfheimer takes great pleasure in leading people on what he likes to call natural “treasure hunts.”

Talking turkey with naturalist David Lukas

November 23, 2011 • by Beth Slatkin

To David Lukas, a freelance naturalist and author who lives just outside of Yosemite National Park, observing plants and animals in their native habitats is as essential as breathing or eating.

Steering the Ship of Wetlands Conservation

October 28, 2011 • by Beth Slatkin

Beth Huning’s current position as Coordinator of the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture isn’t her first role in the field of wetlands conservation, but it certainly is one that brings together her passion for birds, her commitment to environmental protection, and her ability to work well with people representing many different constituencies. That’s essential when running a consortium of over 26 groups focused on San Francisco Bay’s tidal wetlands. Just this month the Joint Venture celebrated its 15th anniversary.

For Debi Shearwater, Every Year is a “Big Year”

October 13, 2011 • by Beth Slatkin

The proprietor of Shearwater Journeys, Debi’s renowned pelagic tours give birders and non-birders alike rare glimpses of seabirds and ocean wildlife.

Reconnecting People with Nature: Rue Mapp, Outdoor Afro

September 15, 2011 • by Beth Slatkin

Inspired by a childhood divided between urban Oakland and a Lake County working ranch, Rue Mapp founded Outdoor Afro, an online community and organization that reconnects African-Americans with natural spaces and one another through outdoor recreational activities.