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Our fall 2011 issue includes a landmark foldout map of Bay Area Food Landscapes, along with features about volunteer hawk trackers, a citizen-run park in Napa, major habitat plans in the East Bay, stargazing with kids, and more! Cover photo by Ralf Burgert.
Not all print articles and images appear online immediately.
Photo by Stephen Joseph, stephenjosephphoto.com.
In this section, we survey the farms and ranches that still make up some 40 percent of the Bay Area's land mass and grow enough food to feed millions of people.
Special Section
in the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 01, 2011
Feature
by Erik Vance
The hawk trackers of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory go way beyond birding: These citizen scientists take to the highways and back roads, following radio-tagged birds that may roam just to the next valley, or all the way to Mexico. Along the way, the hawk trackers have contributed much to our knowledge of these well-traveled birds.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 04, 2011
Length:
East Bay Parks Feature
by John Hart
In eastern Contra Costa and Alameda counties, an ambitious vision for protecting big pieces of remaining open space is taking shape: From Black Diamond Mines and Mount Diablo to Brushy Peak and Sunol, several major agreements promise to replace ad hoc mitigation projects with a broader canvas of protected and connected habitat.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 06, 2011
Length:
Signs of the Season
by Kate Marianchild
Would you believe that acorn woodpeckers have the most complex social relationships of any animal with a backbone? One expert says so. Watch the birds for a while, and you just might agree!
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 14, 2011
Length:
On the Trail
by Greg Retsinas
This park near downtown Napa has been run by volunteers for decades. A model for cash-strapped parks? Great views and extensive trails make it worth a visit to find out.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 11, 2011
Length:
On the Trail
by Dominik Mosur
San Francisco's highest natural point and almost its geographic center, Mount Davidson is easy to recognize from a distance with its towering cement cross, but the urban naturalist will find great rewards in giving it a closer look.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 01, 2011
Length:
On the Trail
by Ann Sieck
Hayward Regional Shoreline's broad swath of marshes and seasonal wetlands hosts five miles of the Bay Trail north of the San Mateo Bridge. Check it out in fall and winter and you’ll be sure to see lots of shorebirds!
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 12, 2011
Length:
On the Trail
by Rob Lehman
Los Trancos is one of the smallest preserves in the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, but it’s also one of few parks in the whole state devoted to understanding the San Andreas Fault.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 12, 2011
Length:
Conservation in Action
by Daniel McGlynn
Two decades ago, parts of Claremont Canyon burned in one of the largest wildfires the Bay Area has ever seen. Since then, neighbors have steadily worked to make themselves at home in a fire-prone landscape.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 19, 2011
Length:
Families Afield
by Alan Kaplan
Winter is a great time to head out and look at the night sky. In between storms, of course. And the Bay Area has lots of groups ready to help you and your kids get excited about stars!
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 21, 2011
Length:
Ask the Naturalist
by Michael Ellis
Can bees see colors that people can't? What about birds? How do scientists figure out what can be seen by other animals, especially small animals like insects?
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 01, 2011
Length:
Naturalist's Notebook
by Jack Laws
The Darwin's emerald moth is a neat trick of evolution: The larvae change color depending on what they eat. And they do it visually -- but them in the dark and they fail to match their host plants.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 01, 2011
Length:
Reviews of some of the best local nature books, and a map.
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
by Aleta George
The impact of lost shipping containers in Monterey Bay, searching for plastic in SF Bay, opening new trail on the San Mateo Coast, and more...
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Letter from the Publisher
by David Loeb
From the Oct-Dec 2011 issue
Published October 01, 2011
Length:
Eight Miles at Point Reyes for a Warbler, with Bonus Damselflies and More
Amongst marshes, a salty past, A walk along the Hayward shoreline
Berkeleyans closer to selling backyard produce , Residents want local food sustainability