Park E-ventures Newsletter Archive

Wing-Wing Proposition: See Raptors, Advance Science as a GGRO Volunteer

The Bay Area is home to the biggest migration site for hawks, eagles, kites, falcons, harriers, and vultures—collectively known as raptors—in the Pacific States.

“Raptors migrate?” you might ask.

They do! Or rather, some do. We see Osprey and Peregrine Falcons each autumn that may be winging their way to the far... more >>

Two Ways “TLC” Brightens the Future for Mount Tam

“Tamalpais beckons with the mystery and delight that high places evoke…Just a mountain, but fixed in the imagination of a city.”
—Tom Killion artist and co-author of Tamalpais Walking: Poetry, History, and Poems. 

This year Mount Tamalpais State Park will not celebrate Earth Day alone. On Saturday, April 26 the agencies... more >>

Listen to the Spin of the Parks’ Restoration Cycle

In this premiere episode of the Parks Conservancy’s new podcast*, “From Seed to Ecosystem,” correspondent Sami Fink explores how we choose project sites, explains how they become “stewardship sites,” and checks on the progress of the Mountain Lake restoration work, in interviews with Eric Klein (Parks Conservancy Restoration... more >>

Did You Know: Start Your Engines!

With “Mark di Suvero at Crissy Field” soon disappearing in our rearview mirror (the successful exhibition closes May 26), the Conservancy is revving up an exciting new attraction on the grassy meadow at the west end of Crissy Field.

In the coming months, the eight steel sculptures that have graced the... more >>

One Finch, Two Firs, Red Fox, Blue Fish

A flash of silver in the creek. A whir of wings from the branches above. A bushy tail disappearing into a tangle of undergrowth.

For most of us, encounters with wildlife in the Golden Gate National Parks are fleeting. Rarely do we have the opportunity to document, share, and fully appreciate... more >>

Little Changes, Big Problems? Why Phenology Matters

With an unseasonably warm and dry winter, spring appears to have come early for many Bay Area flowers. While these displays are beautiful, their early arrival may indicate significant changes in climate or long-term weather patterns. The study of phenology holds the key to unmasking the consequences that climate change... more >>

Muir Woods’ Boardwalk Empire Expands

Muir Woods is a peaceful place of wonder. The parking lot and visitor center welcome visitors to explore the remarkable coast redwood trees. Once inside the woods, the Main Trail’s boardwalk leads visitors deep into a gentle valley ringed with old-growth trees. One such ring of old-growth trees, Founders Grove,... more >>

Feeling Proactive in a Time of Drought: Don’t Panic, Plant Natives!

Even though Mother Nature was kind enough to turn the waterworks on in mid-February, California continues to be affected by a severe drought and the recent rains may not be enough to reverse the trend.

According to dendrochronology, or the dating of past (climactic) events by measuring tree ring growth, trees... more >>

Climate Change and Our Shifting Sense of Place

From March 28-29, participants in the upcoming BioBlitz will be racing throughout the Golden Gate National Parks to survey the area’s biodiversity by finding and identifying as many species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible. During similar events around the country, observers are discovering that... more >>

Beyond BioBlitz: Project WISE Youth Bring Science to the Parks

Just two weeks before the BioBlitz in the Golden Gate National Parks, the Crissy Field Center’s Project WISE (Watersheds Inspiring Student Education) program will hold their annual Environmental Science Symposium. On March 19 and 20, Advanced Placement Environmental Science students... more >>