What’s So Cool About Cones?
onDuring a recent hike in the Berkeley hills with a friend, the topic of cones came up. There is an activity I like to do with students to teach them about cones: I bring in a small redwood cone and …
Flora in the Forest: How to Remember Who’s Who Among the Redwoods
onIf you are an amateur naturalist like me, you take pleasure in being able to identify plants and animals as you hike through the forest. I’m still trying to learn the names of common redwood forest plants, and I always …
Conservation Scientists in the Making
onAs an environmental educator, there is nothing better than seeing young people making observations and asking questions out in nature. Questions like, “Why do you think that bay tree and redwood are growing so close together?”, “Why are the tanoaks …
Pygmy Forests Offer a Surprise
onOn a recent trip to visit some of the amazing redwood parks in Mendocino County, I happened upon a type of forest I had never seen before. A forest where pines, cypress and redwood trees are a mere fraction of …
Love in a Redwood Forest
onIt’s no surprise the redwoods inspire people in many different ways. The biodiversity of plants and animals inspires scientists, the towering red-hued trunks of the trees inspire artists, and the fallen logs and clear creeks inspire an adventurous spirit in …
Help an Endangered Bird by…Cleaning Up Your Crumbs?
onTomorrow marks the longest day of the year, the summer solstice. The summer solstice is a time to celebrate the start of summer, long hours of sunlight, warm nights and plenty of opportunities to be outside. This weekend, you may …
All Our Trails Have to Offer
onThis Saturday is National Trails Day®! Whenever I think about hiking on one of the over 200,000 miles of trails we have in the U.S., the lyrics of one of my favorite Ani DiFranco songs pop into my head: When …
How Best to Help Kids Learn About Nature?
onEnvironmental educators are always juggling what, how much and how long to teach students in nature. Do you let students explore and observe a forest on their own, or do you give them more structured activities? Do you introduce sophisticated …
Snails Play Cupid with “Love Darts”
onThere are certain animals in the redwood forest that easily call attention to themselves. The banana slug is bright yellow, the Pacific giant salamander barks, the spotted owl hoots, and the yellow-spotted centipede has distinctive yellow spots on the sides …
Looking for the Forest in Bloom
onWhile many people were searching for brightly colored eggs this past Sunday, I spent my Easter hiking in the forest looking for trillium and rhododendron flowers. As I walked along the Lady Bird Johnson Trail in Redwood National Park, I …
Happy Environmental Education Week!
onIt’s National Environmental Education Week, and that means we’re celebrating all the wonderful schools and organizations around the world who work to connect youths and their families to the natural world. In my own experience growing up, I was fortunate …
BioBlitzing with students!
onOn March 28th, over 4,000 visitors and volunteer scientists arrived at Muir Woods National Monument ready to learn, discover, and explore this absolutely amazing redwood forest. Thousands more visited the Crissy Field Center for the Biodiversity Festival. Whether or not …
BioBlitz is Here!
onThe time we have been preparing for during the past few months, BioBlitz 2014, is finally here! For the next two days you will find us at Muir Woods National Monument and the Crissy Field Center as we explore, learn, …
Using Cell Phones for Science
onThese days, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that many people spend more time on their cell phones — checking email, posting to Facebook, playing games— than they do out in nature. This trend seems especially prevalent among our …
Countdown to BioBlitz!
onIn 21 days we will have a major scientific event happening throughout the Bay Area: the 2014 National Park Service BioBlitz. Here at the League we are busy preparing for this 24-hour exploration of the ecologically diverse areas of the …
Students Learn About Restoration
onOn a cold December morning, I arrived at Rancho Mark West in Sonoma County to the sight of twenty-two sixth graders huddled in a circle beneath towering redwood trees. They were listening silently as their instructors explained how they were …
Celebrate Your Love at Muir Beach
on¡Feliz Dia de Amor y Amistad! Happy Love and Friendship Day! For me — and maybe for you, too —this day is about celebrating the loves in my life: love for family, friends and nature. And rather than expressing that …
Camera Traps: Windows into Wild Lives
onOver the past few months here at the League we have been inspired by photos captured of wildlife on the CEMEX Redwoods property in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Motion-activated wildlife cameras called “camera traps” are set up throughout the property, …
Visit a Redwood Forest… from Your Classroom!
onWhen students learn about a threatened plant, animal or environmental community, their desire to help often kicks in. They contribute to the cause by writing letters, raising money, and educating others about the issue. Once raised, their awareness can last …
Why are all the tanoaks dying?
onDuring a recent walk through Sam MacDonald Park in San Mateo County, I noticed many downed, brown-leafed tanoak trees amongst the towering redwoods. At first I wondered why the county would cut down so many trees, but then I realized …