Oakland getting more mini-parks
Oakland is expanding the number "parklets" to bring more green to urban residents.
Author Archives: Paul Epstein
Planets on the Sand
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Charles Kennard: Eclectic Environmentalist
From taking photos to weaving ornamental beehives and tule boats, Charles Kennard's art is inspired by nature.
