Four surfboard-sized vehicles set sail off the coast of the San Francisco Bay on Thursday in an attempt to break world records in ocean exploration and robotics. The “wave gliders” will, if successful, traverse the longest distance of any unmanned ocean craft as they cross the Pacific Ocean.
Bay Nature Local Heroes | Environmental Justice | Farming and Ranching | Health | Parks | Policy | Pollution | Stewardship
Beyond the Bounty at Food Landscape Forum
Panelists at a sold-out forum on November 16 talked about their farming and farm-education enterprises on the San Mateo Coast, San Francisco, West Marin, and Santa Rosa. From food sovereignty to occupying your foodshed, check out the highlights.
Jewish Farm Brings Spirit to the Art of Cultivation
Urban Adamah is a one-acre farm and Jewish environmental education center that recently opened in West Berkeley, just a stone’s throw from Interstate 80. Named for the Hebrew word for “earth,” Urban Adamah provides local food banks and community organizations with fresh produce while accommodating 500 visitors a month.
Steering the Ship of Wetlands Conservation
Beth Huning’s current position as Coordinator of the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture isn’t her first role in the field of wetlands conservation, but it certainly is one that brings together her passion for birds, her commitment to environmental protection, and her ability to work well with people representing many different constituencies. That’s essential when running a consortium of over 26 groups focused on San Francisco Bay’s tidal wetlands. Just this month the Joint Venture celebrated its 15th anniversary.
Oakland’s Claremont Canyon, 20 Years After the Fire
Two decades ago, parts of Claremont Canyon burned in one of the largest wildfires the Bay Area has ever seen. Since then, neighbors have steadily worked to make themselves at home in a fire-prone landscape.
Should National Parks Allow Air Tours?
Two air tour operators got a provisional green light for low-flying air tours over the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes. Meanwhile, a long-term Air Tour Management Plan is in the works. As the October 21 public comment deadline approaches, some environmentalists say air tours have no place in parks, while tour operators say they offer access to people who might not otherwise see the parks.
A Sweeping View of the Natural Beauty of Napa Valley
This park near downtown Napa has been run by volunteers for decades. Great views and extensive trails make it worth a visit.
Planned Wilderness
In eastern Contra Costa and Alameda counties, an ambitious vision for protecting big pieces of remaining open space is taking shape: From Black Diamond Mines and Mount Diablo to Brushy Peak and Sunol, several major agreements promise to replace ad hoc mitigation projects with a broader canvas of protected and connected habitat.
Big Solar Coming to East Bay?
Alameda County is facing tough decisions that have until now been mostly debated in distant desert landscapes. The county is developing new regulations covering large-scale solar. Native plant advocates and farmers and ranchers aim to make sure the policies protect sensitive habitats and high-value ag lands.
Keeping it in the Family in Rio Vista
For more than a century, Jeanne McCormack’s family has grown grain and raised livestock on a few thousand acres near Rio Vista. But she and her husband Al Medvitz didn’t take a straight line to ranching. Instead, they detoured through Africa and Asia. Now, they’re in it for the long haul.