2013 marks the 175th birthday of "The Father of the National Parks"—John Muir. Many of us know him as a naturalist, but did you know that John Muir was also an engineer, writer, explorer, botanist, geologist, and the founder of the Sierra Club?

Many shutterbugs received a drone as a gift over the holidays. We love the amazing images and video that these devices can capture, but unfortunately they’re not allowed in the Golden Gate National Parks. Learn why—and find other options for your flights.

Love is in the air! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, there will be many sweet treats popping up on grocery store shelves and on restaurant menus to entice you and your Valentine. Many will contain one of nature’s sweetest offerings: strawberries.

Flanked by a beloved filmmaker and a legendary conservationist, Sue Gardner wowed an audience of 1,500 scientists and policy makers in Brazil. See how she shared the Conservancy’s work abroad—and hear the lessons she learned about civic engagement around the world.

Crissy Field Center isn’t just built on green principles and clean energy—it’s actively advancing sustainability technology. Discover the story behind the wind turbines on the lawn in front of the Center, and how they are generating invaluable data on urban wind energy.

Crissy Field Center often works with schools and individual students—but did you know that we also work with community organizations? Our Community Group Programs lead programs and trainings throughout the year, all over the park. Learn how you can get involved!

Curious about how and why we need our Native Plant Nurseries to grow plants for restoration? Check out the second installment of the “Seed to Ecosystem” podcast for insightful interviews with nursery staff and one of our star volunteers.

Have you been met by chain-link fences while wandering the trails that lead to the Golden Gate Bridge? Curious about what is happening behind the fence? Discover how the Presidio Bluffs remediation project aims to create a healthier ecosystem.

The federal government shutdown also shuttered our park volunteer programs. Learn how many hours of stewardship we unfortunately lost—and how you can now help us get back on track, with a big planting season just around the corner!

What’s the greatest number of raptor (bird of prey) species seen in one day on Hawk Hill? And what’s the highest volume of raptors spotted in a day? Read on to find out—and learn how you can witness a possible “best day” at the West Coast’s premier hawk migration monitoring spot.