Lia Keener

Lia Keener joined Bay Nature as an editorial assistant in June 2022. She graduated from UC Berkeley last year with a major in environmental biology and minors in journalism and Chinese language. She loved writing profiles of two of this year’s Bay Nature Local Heroes, and she is excited to continue learning about Bay Area nature and the people generating a more sustainable, equitable future.

iNaturalist Strikes Out on Its Own

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With the help of a $10 million startup grant iNaturalist has separated from the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic Society and become its own independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Why a Mouse Matters

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Salt marsh harvest mice are hard to find, and their fates offer a glimpse at our own coastal society’s future. A reporter tags along on an epic rangewide survey of salties—the Bay Area’s own endemic mouse species.

Two Young Researchers, Two New Scorpions

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There are now two more scorpion species to appreciate, thanks to the work of two young researchers. Their efforts could change the future for these salty-lake-bed, stinger-endowed specialists.