Thanks to a generous bequest from the late Chuck Wofford and the efforts of volunteers and staff, the Parks Conservancy and National Park Service unveiled the newly refurbished Battery Townsley. The top-secret facility in the Marin Headlands, an anchor of American coastal defenses during World War II, was restored after years of neglect and is now open for tours.

The lead story in a special "giving guide" showcases the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. Their 21-year partnership is a model of public-private collaboration, built on a shared vision that has "raised the bar of what these National Parks can be."

Experience the sights, sounds, and science of hawk-watching with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) in the Marin Headlands. The GGRO, a volunteer-driven program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, monitors and bands raptors during their fall migration to assess the health of bird populations.

The San Francisco Chronicle profiles Mark and JoAnn Zlatunich, who have transformed their backyard into native habitat for flora and fauna. Parks Conservancy volunteers learn about and participate in habitat restoration and native-plant propagation.

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month, the Marin Headlands Nursery has grown almost 300,000 plants in the last decade. Volunteers at this facility, one of five Parks Conservancy native plant nurseries, help bring native green back to the Rodeo Valley and Fort Baker, and even the historic gardens of Alcatraz.