Paul Epstein

Planets on the Sand

August 31, 2012 •  by

The universe: sparse matter, mostly vacuum. Almost every year since 2004, Dave Grossman and Pat Mundy have installed a temporary scale model of the solar system on Stinson Beach to highlight the grand emptiness of much of the universe. Grossman … Read more

Lines of defense

August 20, 2012 •  by

Right after completing his undergraduate degree in biological sciences at UC Davis, Fresno-born Mike Lynes went to work out in the field. But after working as a scientist for several years, he realized that his skills and interests lay in … Read more

Fearless with Feathers

July 5, 2012 •  by

Rich Stallcup is viewed by the ornithological community as a “legend in his own time” for the breadth and depth of his knowledge, and for his commitment to education and conservation. He is one of the founders of Point Reyes Bird Observatory (now PRBO Conservation Science). We spoke with Stallcup about his largely self-taught background in ornithology and about PRBO’s work.

Speaking of Sonoma Mountain

May 25, 2012 •  by

Nancy Shelby, director of the theater group Word for Word Performing Arts Company, is taking on the work of Native American storyteller Greg Sarris. In a new piece, they explore the legends and history of Sonoma Mountain. Shelby says theater goes back to the village coming together in an exploration of what it means to be human.

Paddling to the sea

May 14, 2012 •  by

Jessie Raeder was an energetic high school student when a bitter dispute erupted over the use of chemicals to eradicate pike in Lake Davis in favor of native trout. Nowadays she’s director of Paddle to the Sea, a month long “paddle-a-thon” that begins in June and runs the 241-mile length the Tuolumne River from the Sierras to the San Francisco Bay. The goal: raise awareness and money for the river’s benefactor, the Tuolumne River Trust.

Imaginations from the sky

April 26, 2012 •  by

Originally working in packaged design, Robyn Hodess became a landscape painter after a cross country plane ride sparked her imagination. Her landscapes look like they exist, somewhere, but are actually all from her head. She’s come to see nature differently: “Before, I was looking at it very closely, ‘Oh, look at the bud.’ … Now I’m saying, ‘What are the textures in the world? What are the colors in the world?'”

Caching nature

April 13, 2012 •  by

Lee Van Der Bokke is a world-class geocacher – someone who hides, and searches for, “caches”—hidden containers of different sizes that are tagged and located using GPS (global positioning system) or mobile devices. He says they’re a great way to get people — young and old — exploring nature.

A blogger’s mission to save state parks

March 28, 2012 •  by

It started out as a patriotic effort to show fellow citizens what they didn’t know they were missing before it was gone. But in her mission to visit and blog about every California state park on the closure list, Lucy D’Mot also discovered some things about herself. “I feel like maybe I missed my calling earlier in life, to be a little more out in the outdoors,” she said.

Weaving Art and Nature: Charles Kennard

March 15, 2012 •  by

From weaving handcrafted ornamental beehives to restoring watersheds, Charles Kennard is an eclectic environmentalist who brings his artistic sensibilities to his conservation efforts.