A Botanist, a Bay Area Island and a Big Surprise
In the mid 90s, botanist Mike Wood was contracted by the U.S. Navy to undertake a rare plant survey of Yerba Buena Island as the military prepared to leave the...
Botany
Early-Spring Blooming Soaproot Serves as Food, Soap, Glue and Medicine
Soap, food, glue, medicine, poison, and more — all from a hairy, fist-size underground bulb.
Before the Annual Fungus Fair, It’s All About Finding the Right Mushroom
Served in French dishes under the alias pom pom du blanc, lion’s mane has a texture and taste resembling lobster or shrimp. Chris Schoenstein, a lifelong enthusiast and member of...
Critical Habitat Identified for Franciscan Manzanita
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has declared 230 acres of San Francisco critical habitat for the Franciscan manzanita, the oft-discussed rare shrub famous for its dramatic rediscovery and the...
Traditional and Modern Methods of Acorn Preparation
Bay Area oaks are prolific, but acorn use has diminished within the last 200 years. With the help of modern kitchenware you can rediscover the art of acorn preparation and...
Restoring Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge
Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge has been shaped by industry and development leaving its three endemic and endangered species clinging to their habitat. But in a recent partnership between the...
Bay Researchers Fight Uphill Battle with Invasive Cordgrass
Three years ago, managers at the Invasive Spartina Project thought they’d be almost out of a job by now. But while the ruthless and hybridizing cordgrass hasn't spread any more,...
Looking for Lichens in Knowland Park
Oakland's Knowland Park boasts unparalleled views of the San Leandro Bay, gnarled coast live oak trees and stands of rare, maritime chaparral. But within this large landscape, one of nature's...
On the Hunt—Searching For Rare Plants in the Delta
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the lifeblood of the central valley. But this somewhat landscaped environment is also home to some of California's rare plant populations, and on a kayak...
Flying Lichens, Like Old Man’s Beard, Find a Way to Live on Air
Lichens are not so much a taxonomic category as a way of life; as lichenologist Trevor Goward put it, “Lichens are fungi that have discovered agriculture.”
