The San Francisco Bay Area is bejeweled with hundreds of parks and open space preserves as well as a rich set of laws and policies meant to ensure the survival of vulnerable species and ecosystems. Real people made this happen through a dedicated call to stewardship.

Marine Sanctuary Update

October 1, 2007 •  by

In February 2007, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey reintroduced H.R. 1187, a bill to expand the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries to include the entire Sonoma coast and parts of Mendocino, making those areas off-limits to oil … Read more

The Key to Willow Creek

October 1, 2007 •  by

Thanks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers, a biologically rich watershed on the Russian River has become one of the newest additions to our state park system.

Concord Naval Weapons Station

July 1, 2007 •  by

It’s rare for a Bay Area city to be in the position of deciding what to do with a windfall of thousands of acres of open space within existing city limits. Yet that is precisely the challenge—and the opportunity—that the … Read more

Nature Podcasts

July 1, 2007 •  by

Those of us behind the technological times may bristle at the convergence of computers and nature. What, you might ask, does an iPod have to do with an egret? “Education,” responds Caroline Warner of the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture, … Read more

Guaranteed Returns

July 1, 2007 •  by

Sure, it can be frustrating to see that land purchased for a park is still closed to the public. But buying open space is only the first step in creating a new park. After that come the land-use plans and the search for funds to pay for facilities and staff. Here we take a look at what it will take for the East Bay Regional Park District to transform the 15,000 acres in its land bank into parks.

Mount Diablo Resources

July 1, 2007 •  by

Organizations Several local nonprofit organizations work to protect open space on and around Mount Diablo and to inform the public about the natural and cultural history of the area. Save Mount Diablo Save Mount Diablo (SMD) was founded in 1971 … Read more

A Force To Be Reckoned With

July 1, 2007 •  by

Barbara Salzman was “hooked on nature” after taking her young son on field trips with Elizabeth Terwilliger, Marin’s legendary environmental educator. Salzman is now president of the Marin Audubon Society (MAS), which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The organization … Read more

San Pablo Baylands Agencies and Organizations

July 1, 2007 •  by

The Bay Institute of San Francisco Works with public agencies and nonprofits to promote wetlands restoration around San Pablo Bay, including a partnership with Dept. of Fish & Game and Sonoma County Water Agency on the use of reclaimed water … Read more

View from the Farm

July 1, 2007 •  by

You reach Fred Dickson’s place by turning south off Highway 37 near Sears Point on Reclamation Road, the very name a reminder of the glory days of diking and draining. “This was nothing but a marsh at the beginning of … Read more