Some have asked: Why don’t we just buy plants from our local nurseries to restore the park? In short, the Parks Conservancy grows native plants from seed because such a practice increases the chances of the plants’ survival.

Everyone knows Stinson Beach, Crissy Field, and Fort Mason’s Great Meadow are great places for a picnic. But, in celebration of Picnic Month, here are some lesser-known spots—hand-selected by our staff—for an al fresco meal with a view.

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.

Think you know the ins and outs of the Institute at the Golden Gate? Prove it with this quiz. If you’re the first to submit the correct answers, you’ll win an Institute gift pack—featuring a Parks Conservancy fleece vest, tote bag, and more!

Milagra Ridge is considered a habitat island because it’s surrounded by development on all sides. A wildlife corridor could help provide species inhabiting Milagra Ridge with a safe way to connect and migrate to other parts of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), as well as other open spaces in the Bay Area.

San Francisco’s most unique and interesting attribute might be the Bay Area’s geology.

The national parks have a never-ending “to-do” list, and a great portion of this list is taken on by our amazing volunteers. This season we’re pointing a spotlight on a very special volunteer who has been working with us for almost six years!

Erica Becker is a longtime member of the Parks Conservancy and the Silver Lupine Circle, a group of supporters who have named the Conservancy as a beneficiary of their estate plans. 

Redwood Creek, which starts on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais and empties into the Pacific Ocean, has now been restored to its natural floodplain at Muir Beach. It’s time to see the major improvements to the landscape—and visitor amenities.

On October 27 of 2012, it will be 40 years since President Richard Nixon signed the legislation to create the 34,000-acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Since then, the Golden Gate National Parks—as these parklands are popularly called—have grown to more than 80,000 breathtaking acres.