 |
Join Nature in the City and all our wonderful partners for Super Earth Month 2010! This Spring 2010, we have 30! events that we are producing or in which we are participating. From benefits to treks to habitat restoration, you should be able find your nature in the city during our Super Earth Month. Stay tuned to this page and our Nature in the City ALERTS for up to date information. Don't forget to RSVP to the events ASAP, space is limited! |
Nature in the City at the Spring Green Festival
Celebrate Earth Day's 40th Anniversary by visting Nature in the City at the first San Francisco SPRING Green Festival! We'll be at the Earth Island Institute table on SATURDAY April 10, from 3 -7 pm. Stop by and say hello!
LOCATION: SF Concourse Exhibition Center | 635 8th St (at Brannan St)
ADMISSION: $5 - $100 (see website)
April 24 | 4 - 7 pm
Earth Day in the Twin Peaks Bioregion & Eco-Corridor
 |
Twin Peaks - Naz Hamid |
Have you ever imagined hiking through the heart of the city for 2 or 3 hours only having to cross 2 major busy streets? Nature in the City is partnering with City agencies and organizations to make that a reality! Join Nature in the City's Founding Director, Peter Brastow, for this extra special 2010 Spring TREK and inaugural community exploration through the Twin Peaks Bioregion & Eco-Corridor!
From the native coast live Oak Woodlands of Golden Gate Park, over Mt. Sutro, Twin Peaks and then down Glen Canyon, we will explore the great wilderness in the city, talking about species and habitats but also issues and controversies. Along the way, we'll visit the HANC native plant nursery, the California native garden on the summit of "Blue Mountain", and walk through half a dozen different City government jurisdictions highlighting the ecological and political fragmentation, but also the glorious opportunity, for the city's natural heritage at the top of the city's watersheds.
Ending the hike in one of San Francisco's most charming neighborhoods, Glen Park, you are invited to join us for a bite to eat there, or we can hop on BART to the Mission District for food and revelry in the heart of social and cultural San Francisco. This will be a moderately strenuous one-way hike, going over the top of Mt. Sutro on the way to Twin Peaks and Glen Canyon, with easy access to BART and MUNI lines. Email Iris Clearwater or call (415) 564-4107 to reserve your spot TODAY!
Mt. Sutro Stewards
Join the Stewards the 1st Saturday of every month! Restore habitat and build trails in the Mt. Sutro Open Space Reserve!
March 14 | 10 am - 12 pm
Green Hairstreak Corridor Workday
Volunteers meet at 14th and Pacheco along the Green Hairstreak Corridor on the 2nd Sunday of every month! Bringing your own tools & gloves is welcomed! Call Iris at 415-312-2214 if you have questions or need to find us on site.
March 20 | 9 am - 12 pm
White-Crowned Sparrow Habitat Restoration
Nature in the City is partnering with Josiah Clark and gardeners at Golden Gate Park to increase habitat for the Nuttall's White-Crowned Sparrow and other songbirds. Join us, every 3rd Saturday at the Bison Paddock! Early-bird bird walk with naturalist Josiah Clark leaves the paddock at 8 am!
March 21 | 1 - 4 pm
Alemany Farm Habitat Restoration
Join us every 3rd Sunday to help create educational native plant habitat at the best volunteer-run urban farm in town, Alemany Farm
April 3 | 9 am - 1 pm
Mt. Sutro Stewards
Join the Stewards the 1st Saturday of every month! Restore habitat and build trails in the Mt. Sutro Open Space Reserve!
April 10 | 9 am - 3 pm
LEJ Community Workday
Join Literacy for Environmental Justice for hands on the land & habitat restoration at Heron's Head Park!
April 11 | 10 am - 12 pm
Green Hairstreak Corridor Workday
Volunteers meet at 14th and Pacheco along the Green Hairstreak Corridor on the 2nd Sunday of every month! Bringing your own tools & gloves is welcomed! Call Iris at 415-312-2214 if you have questions or need to find us on site.
April 17 | 9 am - 12 pm
White-Crowned Sparrow Habitat Restoration
Nature in the City is partnering with Josiah Clark and gardeners at Golden Gate Park to increase habitat for the Nuttall's White-Crowned Sparrow and other songbirds. Join us, every 3rd Saturday at the Bison Paddock! Early-bird bird walk with naturalist Josiah Clark leaves the paddock at 8 am!
April 17 | 9 am - 12 pm
Laurel Hill Playground
Help weed the east slope of Laurel Hill Playground to prepare for a historic botanical Laurel Hill state! RSVP to Rose Hillson if you would like to participate.
April 18 | 1 - 4 pm
Alemany Farm Habitat Restoration
Join us every 3rd Sunday to help create educational native plant habitat at the best volunteer-run urban farm in town, Alemany Farm
May 1 | 9 am - 1 pm
Mt. Sutro Stewards
Join the Stewards the 1st Saturday of every month! Restore habitat and build trails in the Mt. Sutro Open Space Reserve!
May 9 | 10 am - 12 pm
Green Hairstreak Corridor Workday
Volunteers meet at 14th and Pacheco along the Green Hairstreak Corridor on the 2nd Sunday of every month! Bringing your own tools & gloves is welcomed! Call Iris at 415-312-2214 if you have questions or need to find us on site.
May 15 | 9 am - 12 pm
White-Crowned Sparrow Habitat Restoration
Nature in the City is partnering with Josiah Clark and gardeners at Golden Gate Park to increase habitat for the Nuttall's White-Crowned Sparrow and other songbirds. Join us, every 3rd Saturday at the Bison Paddock! Early-bird bird walk with naturalist Josiah Clark leaves the paddock at 8 am!
May 16 | 1 - 4 pm
Alemany Farm Habitat Restoration
Join us every 3rd Sunday to help create educational native plant habitat at the best volunteer-run urban farm in town, Alemany Farm
San Francisco's Native Landscapes at the Center for Urban Projects
Join us for a panel discussion exploring the past, present, and future of San Francisco's native landscapes. Panelists will include Peter Brastow, the Founding Director of Nature in the City; Lew Stringer, Natural Resources Management Specialist for the Presidio Trust (and Nature in the City Steering Committee Member); and film maker Andrea Dunlap whose work documents bay natives.
March 16 | 6:30 PM
Drinks in Common
Drinks in Common, the Henry George Historical Society's occasional gathering, will be featuring Nature in the City's founding director, Peter Brastow, at their next event! Come hear Peter speak, meet other environmentalists, and grab a stein of beer & some schnitzel!
The meeting will be held at Schroeder's Restaurant, 240 Front Street (near California).
April 22 | 7:30 PM
San Francisco Natural History Series presents:
The Natural and Unnatural History of Yerba Buena Island & What Might Be Next
A panel of experts and aficionados will present an illustrated overview of Yerba Buena Island’s history, ecological treasures, threats and what the future might hold. Speakers include Peter Brastow (Nature in the City founder), Liam O’Brien (lepidopterist & Nature in the City Steering Committee member), Mike Lynes (Golden Gate Audubon Society Conservation Director and General Counsel for Environmental Matters), Jake Sigg (CA Native Plant Society & Nature in the City Steering Committee member) and Ruth Gravanis (winner of the Nature in the City Greatest Urban Biodiversity Activist award).
LOCATION: Randall Museum | 199 Museum Way
ADMISSION: Free and open to the public!
May 26 | 7:30 PM
Nature in the City TALKS 2010:
Twin Peaks Bioregional Park: conservation strategy for the heart of San Francisco
The Twin Peaks Bioregion is the hilly heart of San Francisco - the top of the city's watersheds - from the oak woodlands of Golden Gate Park to Glen Canyon, and from Hawk Hill to Buena Vista Park. Nature in the City has been talking for a couple of years about the heart of the city as a special place to which we should pay attention. Now we are ready to give a more concrete presentation to the community about our vision for a Twin Peaks Bioregional Park, which would consolidate 10-12 different City jurisdictions into one management entity for the protection, restoration and connectivity of one of the most open space and biodiverse rich parts of San Francisco. Peter Brastow, Nature in the City; Claire Beyer, Master of Landscape Architecture and author of Revisioning Open Space: A Framework for Designing a Recreation and Habitat Corridor Across San Francisco, CA; Lisa Wayne, Director of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department Natural Areas Program.
LOCATION: CounterPULSE | 1310 Mission Street (at 9th)
ADMISSION: Free and open to the public!
Save your spot! Contact: iris@natureinthecity.org | (415) 564-4107
RSVP required as spaces are limited, $10-20 donation to support Nature in the City programs!
The rest of our Spring TREKS can be found here!
March 28 | 9 am - 12 pm
Tune Into Spring on Twin Peaks with Josiah Clark
 |
White-Crowned Sparrow |
SOLD OUT
Join local Ecologist Josiah Clark to explore one of San Francisco's most prominent yet misunderstood natural landmarks, to focus in on the plant and associated breeding bird communities of Twin Peaks & Mt. Sutro. Seeking and finding dozens of native and introduced organisms, we will consider the specific opportunities and limiting factors of each. Josiah will help the group to interpret and decipher signature natural resources, combining fundamental principles in landscape ecology with an intimate knowledge of the needs and status of San Francisco's unique and disappearing wildlife species.
We will make a special effort to listen to the unique song dialects of San Francisco's last Nutall's White-crowned Sparrows as we look for the last endangered Mission Blue butterflies, which will be just hatching out. Also, we'll keep a sharp eye out for signs of breeding birds and migration. Blink and you will miss it. Tune into the ephemeral, vibrant beauty of spring!
 |
View from YBI - Peter Brastow |
Explore Yerba Buena Island with Ruth Gravanis
SOLD OUT
Join us for a lively walking tour of a little-known treasure, visiting remaining indigenous Bay Area ecosystems right in the middle of San Francisco Bay. We'll discuss the cultural and natural history of the island and its restoration needs while observing vegetation, critters, geologic features, cultural landmarks, and great vistas.
 |
Fairy Bells - Craig Dawson |
Mt. Sutro in Bloom with Craig Dawson
Walk at a leisurely pace along the dappled trails of Mt Sutro, with founder of the Mt Sutro Stewards, Craig Dawson. We will focus on the abundant native flowers in bloom at this time, as well as learn what to look for on future visits with the changing seasons. Craig will share from his vast knowledge and stories about the rich history, flora, and fauna of this mountain that he has known since childhood, and become its greatest steward today.
April 10 | 10 am - 12 pm
URBIA 'Islands in the Sky' Sense of Place Adventure
 |
An URBIA Adventurer |
Start at the bottom of the colorful mosaic stairway at 16th Avenue and Moraga Street (with a small paper cup of yerba buena tea)! Seek out and celebrate spring wildflowers and green hairstreak butterflies with an Urbia walking adventure. This colorful Adventure No.1 booklet guides you to stunning 360 degree views from one of the highest dune hilltops in SF and embarks on a series of outdoor treasure hunts. Sharpen your abilities to read the natural landscape features easily missed in this urban environment and enhance your experiences for future travels in the city or out in the wild.
Fun for kids of all ages (even gray-haired ones!) RSVP to team@urbikids.com. Drop-in anytime between 10 am - 12 pm to pick up your adventure packet!
 |
Watershed |
Twin Peaks Watershed and Botany Walk with Amber Hasselbring
Taking a new look at Noe Valley as a watershed, we will explore the natural topography of the land, observing how water has shaped the urban landscape above and below ground. We will trek to find the remnants of Precita Creek, and continue along stairways and walking paths to the summit of Twin Peaks, stopping at viewpoints along the way as we climb to 922' elevation. As we walk through urbanized spaces, we'll also discuss sidewalk and habitat gardening, botany, history, geology, birds & insects, and ecologically sensitive ways to improve San Francisco's ecosystem.
 |
GH @ the Presidio - Matt Zlatunich |
Green Hairstreak Butterfly Corridor with Liam O'Brien
Take a captivating walk with lepidopterist Liam O'Brien as we seek a glimpse of the stunning iridescent green, locally endangered Green Hairstreak butterfly. Walking through some of its last island breeding areas, we will discuss its life-cycle, plant associations, and efforts in the neighborhood to increase its habitat and to create a connected habitat corridor. We will have Liam's expert eye on the lookout for other butterflies and their host and nectar plants as well, and learn out how to plant for the Green Hairstreak and other local butterflies in your own neighborhood. Click here to see Liam and the Green Hairstreak butterfly on the Channel 7 news!
April 24| 4 pm - 7 pm
Earth Day in the Twin Peaks Bioregion & Eco-Corridor
Have you ever imagined hiking through the heart of the city for 2 or 3 hours only having to cross 2 major busy streets? Nature in the City is partnering with City agencies and organizations to make that a reality!
Join Nature in the City's Founder & Director, Peter Brastow, for this extra special 2010 Spring TREK and inaugural community exploration through the Twin Peaks Bioregion & Eco-Corridor!
From the native coast live Oak Woodlands of Golden Gate Park, over Mt. Sutro, Twin Peaks and then down Glen Canyon, we will explore the great wilderness in the city, talking about species and habitats but also issues and controversies. Along the way, we'll visit the HANC native plant nursery, the California native garden on the summit of "Blue Mountain", and walk through half a dozen different City government jurisdictions highlighting the ecological and political fragmentation, but also the glorious opportunity, for the city's natural heritage at the top of the city's watersheds.
Ending the hike in one of San Francisco's most charming neighborhoods, Glen Park, you are invited to join us for a bite to eat there, or we can hop on BART to the Mission District for food and revelry in the heart of social and cultural San Francisco. This will be a moderately strenuous one-way hike, going over the top of Mt. Sutro on the way to Twin Peaks and Glen Canyon, with easy access to BART and MUNI lines. Email Iris Clearwater or call (415) 564-4107 to reserve your spot TODAY!
 |
Wilson's Warbler - Will Elder |
Spring Bird Migration at Mt Davidson with Dominik Mosur
Join experienced local birder Dominik Mosur for a beautiful morning seeking out spring migrants at one of San Francisco's premier birding locations, Mt. Davidson. Birds we are likely to see include Black-headed Grosbeaks, Bullock's Orioles, Western Tanagers, wood warblers, Empidonax flycatchers, a variety of sparrows, and there is always the chance of an unexpected vagrant as well. Mt. Davidson is also host to dozens of species of native plants, insects as well as several species of reptiles. Depending on conditions, and the number of birds present, we may also check nearby Glen Canyon Park. Remember to bring your binoculars and bird guides!
May 2| 11 am - 1 pm
|
GH @ the Presidio - Matt Zlatunich |
Green Hairstreak Butterfly Corridor with Liam O'Brien
Take a captivating walk with lepidopterist Liam O'Brien as we seek a glimpse of the stunning iridescent green, locally endangered Green Hairstreak butterfly. Walking through some of its last island breeding areas, we will discuss its life-cycle, plant associations, and efforts in the neighborhood to increase its habitat and to create a connected habitat corridor. We will have Liam's expert eye on the lookout for other butterflies and their host and nectar plants as well, and learn out how to plant for the Green Hairstreak and other local butterflies in your own neighborhood. Click here to see Liam and the Green Hairstreak butterfly on the Channel 7 news!
 |
Get Out and Get Dirty in GGPark - Family Fun Event with Chris Giorni
Gather at the enchanting Tree Frog Treks' Frog Hall to meet the animals, slither with a snake, sip hot tea /coffee, & nibble freshly popped popcorn. Then we will venture off to the Oak Woodlands in search of scrub jays, ravens, brown towhees, rolly pollies & slender salamanders. We will then get down in the dirt to help restore a small corner of this wilderness in the city. We will finish up with a flush of fuchsias in the dell & towering redwoods, that impell us to stop, look & listen to the nature in the city. Rain or shine. Ages 4 & up; pre-K through gray!
June 5| 3 - 7 pm
Sunset Trek in the Twin Peaks Bioregion and Eco-Corridor with Peter Brastow
SOLD OUT
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Have you ever imagined hiking through the heart of the city for 2 or 3 hours only having to cross 2 major busy streets? Nature in the City is partnering with City agencies and organizations to make that a reality!
Join Nature in the City's Founding Director, Peter Brastow, for this extra special 2010 Spring TREK and inaugural community exploration through the Twin Peaks Bioregion & Eco-Corridor!
From the native coast live Oak Woodlands of Golden Gate Park, over Mt. Sutro, Twin Peaks and then down Glen Canyon, we will explore the great wilderness in the city, talking about species and habitats but also issues and controversies. Along the way, we'll visit the HANC native plant nursery, the California native garden on the summit of "Blue Mountain", and walk through half a dozen different City government jurisdictions highlighting the ecological and political fragmentation, but also the glorious opportunity, for the city's natural heritage at the top of the city's watersheds.
Ending the hike in one of San Francisco's most charming neighborhoods, Glen Park, you are invited to join us for a bite to eat there, or we can hop on BART to the Mission District for food and revelry in the heart of social and cultural San Francisco. This will be a moderately strenuous one-way hike, going over the top of Mt. Sutro on the way to Twin Peaks and Glen Canyon, with easy access to BART and MUNI lines. Email Iris Clearwater or call (415) 564-4107 to reserve your spot TODAY!
April 18 | 1 - 4 pm
 |
image (c) 2003 Graham Rogers |
Nature, the human habitat, and public policy: A Henry George Historical Society land use walking tour
Nature's busting out all over! It shows in the cracked sidewalks where plants are pushing up, and in the desire by San Franciscans for semi-wild places for soulful recreation. Land use legislation tops the list for how humanity affects nature in busting out in urban quarters. Come along on a benefit walking tour for Nature in the City which explores the core property rights issues in determining public land use policy.
Land use economist and historian David Giesen will lead a very urban hike (through downtown highrises, not through parks) which plums the core social values that drive urban planning. Is land itself, including land under cities, human habitat? How does speculation in land affect land policy and urban growth patterns?
This benefit walk for Nature in the City is based on Giesen's long running (12 years) trek through many of the social movements, all land-centered, which have arisen in or moved to San Francisco over the past 200 years. Participants will take away a hefty understanding of urban sprawl, public transportation funding, and public influence in land use policy. For tickets contact NTC Programs Associate, Ellie Billings or call (415) 564-4107. 100% of the money received for this walk goes to NTC! RSVP NOW!
LOCATION: Ticket booth at the Powell & Market Cable Car turnaround
ADMISSION: $15/person
April 25 | 11 am - 5 pm
Beauty for a Cause at Moxi Salon
Moxi Salon will be offering $25 haircuts (w/ wash and conditioning but no blowout) and $35 mini-facials (that's 30 mins) all day Sunday, April 25 and all proceeds go to Nature in the City! Guiness World Record holder and esteemed photographer, Anna Hogan, will also be donating 3 prints to be auctioned off!
Stop on by & pamper yourself, all while donating to a wonderful cause!!!
LOCATION: Moxi Salon | 1980 Union Street, Suite 8
ADMISSION: Haircut, mini-facial, or purchase a photograph!!!
GGNP Endangered Species Big Year The Golden Gate National Parks Endangered Species Big Year is a race against time to observe each of the 36 endangered and threatened species found within the GGNP, while taking 36 discrete conservation recovery actions that will prevent these species from going extinct. Events are happening all over the Bay Area this time of year! Check-out their calendar & sign-up today! |
March 20 | 9 am - 12 pm
San Francisco Rare Plant Treasure Hunt
Co-leaders: Michael Chasse and Alex Hooker
Search for rare plants in the dune and serpentine habitats along the western edge of the Presidio.
Contact Michael Chasse at 415-561-2857 or michael_chasse@nps.gov to RSVP or
for more information.
LOCATION: Meet at the parking lot near Lobos Creek.
March 20 | 10 am - 1 pm
First Day of Spring Family Debut - URBIA Adventure Number 3
On Saturday March 20th bring the whole family out to celebrate the first day of spring on a treasure hunt through the most botanically diverse place in the city: the San Francisco Botanical Garden. There are about 8,000 types of plants growing in this extraordinary garden, more than many entire states! After a long wet winter the garden is a kaleidoscope of colors...
The URBIA team will be on hand to greet explorers and distribute booklets for our third seasonal adventure. We will send you off to experience plants from regions of the world while seeking a California land where oak trees spread overhead. Have fun learning about botany with an escorting bumble bee. On the way, hidden waterfalls, a banana tree, jungle-like pathways, a San Francisco rainforest, and a secret grotto will challenge your team's way-finding skills. For more info: email team@urbikids.com.
LOCATION: San Francisco Botanical Garden | 1199 9th Avenue, San Francisco, CA
ADMISSION: Free and open to the public
March 30 | 12:30 pm
SPUR Lunchtime Forum
Creeks, dunes and watersheds: A short history of San Francisco's waterscape
Urban development has changed the waterscape of San Francisco more dramatically than anywhere else in the state, from a natural creek- and dune-scape to today's modern sewersheds. Christopher Richard of the Oakland Museum will take us on guided photo tour, with historical maps and photographs, uncovering the unique features of San Francisco's primeval waterscape and how the city used and abused the many creeks and lakes as it grew. Richard's presentation will feature the remaining free-running creeks in San Francisco, which you can visit.
LOCATION: 654 Mission Street | San Francisco, CA 94105-4015
ADMISSION: Free to SPUR members | $5 for non-members | Okay to bring lunch
April 10 | 8 am - 3 pm
Birding Safari w/ SF Nature
Spend the day birding with one of these top birders: Alan Hopkins, Andy Kleinhesselink, Angie Geiger, Josiah Clark and Dom Mazur! All proceeds go to San Francisco Nature Education. Email info@sfnature.org or call (415) 387-9160 to sign up today!
ADMISSION: $100/person
April 10 | 9 am - 3 pm
LEJ Community Workday
Join Literacy for Environmental Justice for hands on the land & habitat restoration at Heron's Head Park!
LOCATION: Heron's Head Park | Cargo Way @ Jennings Street
April 17 - May 16
Golden Gate Audubon's Birdathon!
A birdathon is like a walkathon, except that you count bird species instead of miles. Friends, family members, and coworkers support you by pledging any amount, from dimes to dollars, for each species you identify. The 2010 Golden Gate Audubon Birdathon is their biggest fundraising event of the year! Read more about it and sign up today! Numerous field trips have also been organized for this birdathon, check them out here!
April 17 | 10 am - 2 pm
Bug Day!
The bugs will be back and better than ever at the Randall Museum's annual celebration of all things buggy. Enjoy creepy-crawly crafts, live entertainment, real creatures (and their scientists), and more!
LOCATION: Randall Museum | 199 Museum Way, San Francisco, CA 94114
ADMISSION: Admission is free | $3 suggested donation for those who are able
April 17 | 10 am - 2 pm
Earth Stroll at Crissy Field
Make strides for a healthy planet and a healthy you this Earth Day. Bring the whole family on a fun, interactive fitness adventure around Crissy Field! Guided by your very own Eco-Passport, play eco-games visit with live animals and engage in fun activities that are designed to help you connect with this little corner of our planet. A special activities passport is available for $5 and includes a free copy of"Let's Stroll Crissy Field," the latest book in the popular "Let's Go Chipper" series. If you have questions, please call (415) 561-7765. For more, visit www.crissyfield.org.
LOCATION: Crissy Field Center | 1199 East Beach Drive, near the Marina Gate
ADMISSION: $5 | Passport fee can be waived upon request for qualified individuals.
April 18 | 10 am - 3 pm
10th Annual People's Earth Day & GRAND OPENING of EcoCenter!
Come celebrate at Literacy for Environmental Justice's EcoCenter, a NEW environmental justice education center. People's Earth Day will be a fusion of food & entertainment, inspiration & fun!
LOCATION: Herons Head Park | Cargo Way @ Jennings Street
ADMISSION: Free and open to the public!
April 25 | 11 am - 3 pm
CNPS Native Plant Garden Tour
A free and self-paced tour of native gardens around San Francisco. Go to the CNPS website for more info! Nature in the City will be hosting at Alemany Farm and at 14th Ave at Ortega St, where you can meet our site stewards and pick up a map of Green Hairstreak sites and plants!
LOCATION: All over San Francisco!
ADMISSION: Free and self-guided!