In January, 2006, we co-hosted a community stewards gathering with SF Recreation and Parks. We received initial feedback from the natural areas stewards on building and expanding the local ecological stewardship network and developing a support program.

In June, 2006, we co-sponsored the 6th Biennial San Francisco Ecological Restoration Conference, where we engaged the stewards in a further needs assessment and feedback process to help us serve the community best.

Where gaps exist in locally-based natural areas stewardship, we will catalyze communities to get involved with caring for their neighborhood natural lands. Check the calendar for wildland stewardship work-parties, and check out our stewardship programs below.

Green Hairstreak Ecosystem Corridor

Discovered by modern science in the late 1800’s from “the hills of San Francisco” the Green Hairstreak (Callyphors dumetorum) is a small, nickel-sized butterfly isolated in three remaining remnant habitats within the city: Hawk Hill and Rocky Outcrop overlooking the Sunset District and the coastal bluffs of the Presidio. Check out the Green Hairstreak Corridor project page and our newsletter archive for more information about the project.

Want to get involved?

Contact our Stewardship Coordinator, Deidre Martin at deidre@natureinthecity.org or call 415-564-4107 for more information!

Backyard Native Plant Nursery Network

We are starting up a network of backyard gardeners to help grow plants for the Green Hairstreak Corridor! If you are interested, contact our Stewardship Coordinator, Deidre Martine at deidre@natureinthecity.org. Let us know if you would like to be involved or have pots, perlite, native plant seeds, soil, funds or ideas to contribute!

Mission Greenbelt

The Mission Greenbelt Project, founded and directed by Nature in the City Steering Committee member Amber Hasselbring, is working with San Francisco residents to build a continuous public artwork of sidewalk gardens to connect the Mission District's street trees, sidewalk gardens, backyard gardens and vacant lots from Dolores Park at 19th & Dolores to Franklin Square Park at 16th & Bryant. Go to Mission Greenbelt's website for more information.

Mt. Sutro

Nature in the City is collaborating with the Sutro Stewards, the University of California San Francisco and hundreds of volunteers to restore trails and habitat, and to manage the entire mountain for biodiversity and native plant and wildlife habitat!

San Francisco Weed Management Area (SFWMA)

Invasive weeds are the single largest threat to the conservation of Franciscan biodiversity and the long-term ecological sustainability of our natural communities. They cause major impacts in both natural and designed landscapes of the City. The SFWMA is a collaborative group of public agencies and non-profit organizations working together to educate the public about invasive weeds, and to manage weeds across jurisdictional and landscape boundaries.

Building a Citywide Ecological Stewardship Support Program

Nature in the City is working to catalyze capacity for current projects, e.g., Alemany Farm & Golden Gate Park; and renewing involvement in past projects, e.g., Haight-Ashbury Stewards at Tank Hill & other sites, Yerba Buena Island, and McLaren Park.

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Conservation Advocacy & Urban Nature Policy

San Francisco nature advocates and natural areas supporters can get involved with conserving local biodiversity in myriad ways. Besides volunteering with habitat restoration and community stewardship programs, people can communicate directly with parkland and other City, State and Federal decision-makers at public meetings occurring in the City every month.

Twin Peaks Bioregion

Nature in the City is advocating bringing together ten different city jurisdictions into the Twin Peaks Bioregional Park, a connected ecological corridor and trail system at the geographic heart of the city. We led two TREKS through the proposed park this past Spring, and will hopefully be leading more in the Fall! Stay tuned for more info.

Natural Areas Program Guardians

Since Nature in the City's inception, we have been the toughest defender of the City’s only entity focused on biodiversity, the Natural Areas Program and Plan (NAP) of the Recreation and Park Department.

The Natural Areas Program is the keystone of the City's fledgling effort to manage its lands for the conservation of local nature and biodiversity. However, it is under constant surveillance and attack from those who don't find natural areas conservation or connecting urbanites with nature to be a priority for the City and its residents.

San Francisco Biodiversity Council

The San Francisco Biodiversity Council is an inter-organizational collaboration to strengthen advocacy work for critical local environmental issues such as: Candlestick-Bayview Hunters Point Redevelopment, Lake Merced Watershed Plan Advisory Committee, Mayor’s Open Space Task Force, McLaren Park Conservation Planning, Presidio Environmental Council, San Francisco General Plan Recreation and Open Space Element, Sharp Park Endangered Species Restoration, Urban Environmental Accords, and Yerba Buena Island Redevelopment.

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Nature Education

Public Education is integral to inspiring wonder, celebration and respect for our local nature and bioregion and for restoring San Franciscans' sense of place with their local biodiversity, wildlands and natural areas.

McLaren Park Earth Day

Check out our McLaren Park Earth Day page to see our previous stage lineup and habitat restoration opportunities, and read the great press we received about our 2007 Earth Day Celebration! This event was very successful in 2007 and 2008, but we have not had the funding or available to do it since. We did however, have a fabulous Earth MONTH extravaganza in 2010, full of treks, talks and benefits!

Natural History Guides

Nature in the City now has two wonderful publications about the natural history of San Francisco: our 2nd edition Nature in the City MAP and the Guide to Butterflies of San Francisco (preview) - both of which are available in stores now! Also in stores, is the URBIA Urban Adventure League Guides - go to our publications page to learn more and find out where you can pick one up now!

Maps are included with every new membership to Nature in the City, and if you donate $100 or more you will also receive 3 of butterfly guides (1 for you and two for friends!)

Nature in the City TALKS

Join us again this fall for another set of TALKS about local urban nature conservation & urban ecological sustainability. All talks are at Counterpulse, 1310 Mission Street, San Francisco, at 7:30 PM, the last Wednesday of the month. Stay tuned to the TALKS page for more information and a schedule of the next talks, as well as podcasts of all our previous talks.

Nature in the City TREKS

We had a fantastic round of mainly sold-out Spring TREKS! Liam O'Brien led us on two walks to learn about the Green Hairstreak Corridor and to catch glimpses of this elusive beauty,

we had a spectacular day of birds and plants with Dominik Mosur on Mt. Davidson, Nature in the City Founder & Director Peter Brastow led us on an adventure across the city from the ancient Oak Woodlands in Golden Gate Park, over Mt. Sutro, Twin Peaks, and into the riparian bluffs of Glen Canyon; and Tree Frog Treks founder Mr. Science (aka Chris Giorni) led a group of over 50 children and adults from the TFT headquarters and through the oaks and redwoods of Golden Gate Park. Visit our Facebook photo albums for special photos from each of these days.

Stay tuned for a whole new line-up of Nature in the City 2010 Fall Treks, and let us know if you have any special requests!

Website and Email Newsletter

The goal of this website is to be the place to learn everything there is to know about the city's natural heritage and biodiversity. This is where people find out how to connect with nature where they live. We want this to be an optimized community resource, so feedback and help is welcome and necessary. We are in the midst of a major website change, which will hopefully be up and running this fall. Stay tuned for a whole new natureinthecity.org!

Be sure to sign up for our monthly email newsletter and periodic action alerts! Take a look at the archives for a better idea of what will be coming to your inbox.

Nature in the City Public Storefront

Please donate to Nature in the City TODAY so that we can rent a great public space in the future - it would be fantastic to have an office where all of you could stop by and say hello!

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Public Agencies (that own/lease natural lands in the City)

° California State Parks

° SF Public Utilities Commission - Water Department at Lake Merced & Laguna Honda

° Department of Public Works (DPW)

° Fire Department on Twin Peaks

° Port of San Francisco

° Treasure Island Development Authority on Yerba Buena Island

° US Coast Guard on Yerba Buena Island

° UCSF on Mt. Sutro

° U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

° CalTrans

° US Navy

Urban Environmental Accords at the Commission on the Environment

On the heals of the Nature in the City Symposium, held during World Environment Day 2005,

we are championing the Urban Nature section of the Urban Environmental Accords, advocating strongly that the the City implement better and more robust urban nature conservation policies and programs.

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Programs, Projects & Resources

1 Ecological Restoration & Community Stewardship

2 Conservation Advocacy & Urban Nature Policy

3 Nature Education

In this Section