Haunted redwoods: 5 spooky mushrooms and creepy fungi
onMist-shrouded and littered with decaying matter, redwood forests are havens for spooky mushrooms and other eerie fungi.
All hail the banana slug, California’s new state symbol
onSlimy, yellow, impossibly slow, and so very beloved. The banana slug, humble hero of the redwoods, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Thanks to Assembly Bill 1850, the iconic mollusk has been officially crowned California’s state slug. More than …
11 unique baby names inspired by the redwoods
onAround the League office, a baby on the way is exciting news. So when our land stewardship manager, Anthony Castaños, announced that he and his wife were expecting a wee one, the staff was a-twitter. Should we knit a tiny …
“12 Days of Redwoods” sing-along for forest fans
onImagine a small child, eagerly unwrapping a holiday package—and discovering the toy of their dreams. That wide-eyed wonder. That giddy excitement. It’s how many of us at Save the Redwoods League feel when we step into a redwood forest. Like …
Why bird’s nest mushrooms are so fascinating
onWith all these wonderful rainy days, the forests are probably bursting at the seams with mushrooms. Some mushrooms, like the bright scarlet waxy cap or the colorful coral fungus, immediately draw your attention as they poke up out of the …
Debbie Woollett: Putting a Dog’s Nose to Work for the Forest
onOne of biologist Debbie Woollett’s star colleagues has four legs. Wicket is a Labrador mix for Working Dogs for Conservation, an organization that Woollett co-founded to apply dogs’ abilities to conservation projects. Wicket can recognize the scents of 26 species and has “alerted” on moon bears in China, elephants in Southeast Asia, invasive snails in Hawaii, and grizzly bears and black bears in North America.
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 …
A Strange and Wonderful Mystery Forest
onGuest bloggers Doug and Joanne Schwartz – League members and dedicated volunteers – are serving this summer as our Redwood Explorers-in-Residence, exploring the northern parks, and ground-truthing and mapping the groves of ancient forest they find. Along the way, they’re …
Exploring One of Nature’s Weird Phenomena
onAs you may have read in their recent blog, Doug and Joanne Schwartz – League members and dedicated volunteers – are serving this summer as our Redwood Explorers-in-Residence, exploring the northern parks, and ground-truthing and mapping the groves of ancient …
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 …
Redwood Creek Safe from Prolific Invasive Snail, For Now
onGood news is not always easy to come by in regards to the redwood forest. Whether it is the threat of development, water diversion or unsustainable logging, bad tidings are all around us. Even though they’re not always obvious, there …
Top 5 Fascinating Redwoods Facts
onIt’s National Environmental Education Week! This week is a celebration of environmental education and a special time to inspire learning and stewardship among students. I can’t say enough about how important outdoor education is to complete the circle of land …
Salamanders in the News
onIt’s not often that salamanders make the New York Times. But last week, the ‘Science’ section featured an article on a study investigating the role of salamanders in the global carbon cycle. Basically, salamanders are among the top predators in …
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, …
Sudden oak death is plaguing California forests
onLast week, Deborah Zierten introduced us to sudden oak death, a nasty fungal disease (known in scientific circles as Phytopthera ramorum) that is causing the widespread decline and death of tanoak, one of the most common tree species found in …
Bird’s Nest Fungus in the Forest
onThis fall and winter has definitely been a dry one for us here in California. One thing I’ve noticed is that with limited rainfall comes fewer mushrooms. I have always associated the rainy fall with prime mushroom time. I love …
The Secret of the Long-Horned Beetle
onWe have probably all seen squirrels running around with a seed in tow, looking for the perfect place to bury their food for the winter. Some of these seeds do get eaten later, and some are forgotten and eventually grow …
Epiphyte Heaven!
onI think I first really learned the meaning of the word “epiphyte” while working in the rainforest of Ecuador. There are epiphytes all over the trees in the tropical rainforest – one of the most famous is the orchid. But …
Ancient Forest Discovered – Underwater!
onDepending on whom you believe, the ancient and legendary city of Atlantis was forever lost beneath the waves after a volcano, war, or dust-up between the gods, and its disappearance gave rise to centuries of speculation, storytelling, and exploration. If …
Native American Use of Fire
onIn discussing fire, it is important to think about who managed the forests before us, and how that has influenced what the forests look like today. Many different Native American groups lived throughout the redwood region, each utilizing the natural …