To familiarize yourself with all the Marin Headlands have to offer, start at the National Park Service’s Marin Headlands Visitor Center. There, browse their historical and natural history exhibits, tap into their educational resources on the Miwok Indians or the … Read more
This spring, plan a sleepover date with nature right here. With dozens of campgrounds within easy commuting distance, Bay Area residents have plenty of options for stealing away for a refreshing night out in the wild. Do you want to camp in the redwoods? Spend a night on the coast? Or greet the sunrise in a field of ancient oaks? Why not all three?
During the rainy months, when trails often become too muddy for easy walking, consider taking an urban hike. In San Francisco, a new edition of Stairway Walks in San Francisco by Adah Bakalinsky, available through Wilderness Press (www.wildernesspress.com), describes public … Read more
When she gets out of the shower in the morning, Sue LaTourrette might find herself standing 10 feet from a great egret. “We live on a creek,” she says, “so we were used to wildlife. But we never had herons … Read more
If not for an unassuming wire fence, you might mistake Judith Larner Lowry’s garden for one of nature’s own. The tall wooden gate resists slightly, then yields, permitting the visitor to step into a quiet community of coastal scrub. Undulating … Read more
Not long ago, the Bay Area was home to wild creatures in numbers beyond reckoning. While we can't undo generations of intensive human settlement, there's a surprising amount of potential habitat for wildlife in the spaces in our own yards. By growing native plants, we can invite the wild back into our daily lives.
NURSERIES, SEED SUPPLIERS, PLANT SALES, AND BOTANIC GARDENS Bay Natives 375 Alabama St. #440 San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 287-6755 http://www.baynatives.com Berkeley Horticultural Nursery 1310 McGee Ave. Berkeley, CA 94703 (510)526-4704 Stock includes California natives among other types of plants. … Read more
It’s really not that hard to transform your garden into a welcoming habitat for native wildlife. But you do need to know where to start. Here are a few steps to help you begin: 1. Start small. Working in a … Read more
A winding path through Kathy Welch’s garden leads to an oak grove. Photo by Saxon Holt. Kathy Welch had already begun to consider renovating her yard in the Oakland hills when she made a few discoveries. “I found a trillium … Read more
To See the Stars Well do I know that I am mortal and a creature of one day;but when my mind follows the massed wheeling circles of the stars,my feet no longer touch the earth…—Ptolemy, epigram to the Almagest Observatories … Read more
Independent, nonprofit environmental journalism connecting people with nature in the San Francisco Bay Area.
