Exploring Nature in the San Francisco Bay Area
Despite their recreational and functional value, most reservoirs come at a cost. To build a reservoir, we must drown a valley. In the Bay Area, that probably entails flooding valuable wildlife habitat, such as oak woodlands, vernal pools, and riparian corridors. It is not surprising, then, that several current reservoir proposals are drawing fire from…
There are two kayak launch sites for Elkhorn Slough: Kirby Park and Moss Landing Harbor District Launch Site (just north of Moss Landing). You can rent kayaks at the latter site. Be sure to check tide and weather conditions before launching. The following outfitters offer regular guided kayak tours of the slough, as well as…
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 Headland’s military history, and swing by the gift shop. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area…
Since our story went to press, there’s been some good news for the Southern Sea Otter: census numbers for the California population soared by 17 percent since last year. More than 2,500 otters were counted off our coast this spring, the highest number recorded since current census methods were implemented in 1983. While the dramatic…
There are quite a few reservoirs and artificial lakes in and around the Bay Area that are open to the public for a variety of recreational acitivities. Following is a listing of many of these which, while not necessarily comprehensive, gives you a range of places to get wet this summer and beyond. East Bay…
In mid-November, a federal judge gave the U.S. Navy permission to test its Low-Frequency Array (LFA) sonar in the western Pacific Ocean. The system transmits sounds up to 215 decibels, approximately equivalent to the noise of an F-15 fighter jet during takeoff. Environmental groups have sought to stop the Navy, fearing that whales in the…
Independent, nonprofit environmental journalism connecting people with nature in the San Francisco Bay Area.
