David Loeb was the co-founder and Executive Director of the Bay Nature Institute and the publisher of Bay Nature magazine. Now retired, he continues to roam the trails and waterways of the Bay Area and points beyond and contributes occasional articles to baynature.org.
As far as I know, the passage of the Wilderness Act 50 years ago was the first time in human history that a society has declared by statute that certain areas shall never be developed, nor exploited for commercial gain, nor intruded on by motorized transport.
By the time you read this in April, the die will have been cast and the show — of unknown quality and duration — should be on. So head on out for a springtime pilgrimage, and while you’re at it, why not share your best wildflower sightings with us and our readers?
I have a mixed reaction when I hear that a place I know and love has been hit by wildfire. On the one hand, there’s a visceral recoil: Will this cherished place survive? But on the other hand, there’s a thrill that comes from anticipating dramatic changes to a familiar landscape.
Bay Nature Publisher David Loeb was out for what seemed like a normal Elkhorn Slough kayaking trip with sea otters. Then one hopped onto his boat -- and it's all captured on video.
It can be said that the nature of nature is change. That doesn’t mean change is necessarily good or bad. It just is. And the best advice is often to embrace the change instead of digging in your heels in a hopeless attempt to prevent it.
This summer’s confluence of the Americas Cup races and the presumptive opening of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge (if they can figure out what to do about those pesky bolts) has some people calling 2013 the Year … Read more
It's not easy to catch up with Cindy Moreno. The daughter of immigrant farmworkers from the Central Valley and a recent graduate in environmental studies from San Jose State, Cindy is doing more than her share for the environment.
Last winter I noticed a different bird in the bare branches of the London plane trees outside the office. A yellow-rumped warbler. Not an uncommon bird, yet not one I would expect to see next to a cement plant.
I’m tremendously saddened to hear of the recent – and, to me, sudden – passing of master birder Rich Stallcup. Rich was one of the founders of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (now PRBO Conservation Science). And he was one of the … Read more
Most of the people in the world–and most of their infrastructure–can be found in jurisdictions bordering the coast or coastal watersheds. The Bay Area is no exception. However, in this era of climate change, the benefits of living close to … Read more
Independent, nonprofit environmental journalism connecting people with nature in the San Francisco Bay Area.
