At Vasco Regional Preserve, stone balls the size of dinosaur eggs litter the landscape, the winds burrow into stone, and cup-sized pools tucked into sandstone outcrops teem with fairies (of the crustacean variety). The preserve, owned by the East Bay … Read more
Matthew Bettelheim
More about Conservation Easements
If you are interested in learning more about conservation easements, pay a visit to the San Francisco Bay Area Open Space Council’s website: www.openspacecouncil.org. Among the resources the Council has made available is their 1999 report, “Ensuring the Promise of … Read more
Bullet Trains in the Back Country?
Late last year, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) withdrew its controversial proposed Central Valley-Bay Area routes that would have girdled Henry Coe State Park and the adjacent Orestimba Wilderness. But while the heart of the park has been spared, … Read more
Taking Refuge
At this small, sandy National Wildlife Refuge on the industrial outskirts of Antioch, you’ll find great views of the San Joaquin River, and rare plants and insects that don’t exist anywhere else.
Book Review: Tom Stienstra’s Bay Area Recreation
Tom Stienstra’s Bay Area Recreation, by Tom Stienstra, Foghorn Outdoors, 2004, 498 pages, $19.95 (www.foghorn.com). In introducing his newest guide-book, Tom Stienstra writes, “Like many people, at one time I believed there was no place left to go in … Read more
Book Review: 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles, by Jane Huber, Menasha Ridge Press, 2004, 260 pages, $15.95 (www.menasharidge.com). Jane Huber offers a welcome guide to hikes within a 60-mile radius of the Bay Area’s bustling hub. Huber’s engaging writing neatly melds … Read more
Redwood Outings
Redwood Regional Park, Alameda County – French Trail: From the Canyon Meadow Staging Area, set a course north along the Stream Trail toward the Skyline Gate. Verdant grassy meadows and shadowy redwood groves trade off as you make your way … Read more
Megafauna Resources
To learn more about ancient megafauna and efforts to protect and restore the Bay Area’s megafauna: Megafauna Video Check out our feature article on the Bay Area’s prehistoric megafauna, and then watch KQED’s video on megafauna, part of their Quest … Read more
Where to Find Fungi, Once the Rains Begin
A good rain sends all manner of mushrooms pushing their way up from underground. Here are some of the places around the Bay Area where you can admire the beauty and diversity of these charismatic fungi.
Experience the Bay
Swimmers plunge into the Bay at Aquatic Park for the swim to Alcatraz and back. Photo by Charles Kennard. The best way to appreciate San Francisco Bay is to experience it firsthand. There’s nothing like getting some spray on your … Read more