From our blogs

08 Oct 2021

Be a Scientist: think like a biologist, engineer, or environmentalist

The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is excited to share our newest environmental education offering: our "Be a Scientist" activity packet.

After the massive successes of this year’s summer programs, we combined our most popular summer activities into a comprehensive booklet that challenges students to use their observational skills and creativity to think like a biologist, engineer, and environmental scientist.

Those who embark on the journey to "Be a Scientist" will learn about mindfulness, nature journaling, habitats, the importance of watersheds, and how to take action to protect the environment.

21 Jul 2021

The Summer 2021 Issue of Tide Rising, our quarterly newsletter, is here

by Ceal Craig

Tide Rising: Volume 2, Issue 4, Summer 2021

Tide Rising: Volume 2, Issue 4, Summer 2021.

The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is happy to publish the latest issue of its digital newsletter, Tide Rising: Volume 2, Issue 4, Summer 2021. This issue’s theme is Exploration & Discovery.

In this issue:

  • Learn about Family Story Walks -- an exploration and discovery activity
  • Discover the history of the Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge and enrich your understanding of the Bay area and our Refuge Complex
  • Wonder how to connect children (and maybe even adults) on cell phones with nature?
  • This month, we spotlight Asian Pacific environmentalists of note.
  • Carin High, Co-Chair of the Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, describes the CCCR campaign to Save the Newark Wetlands.

Readers' feedback:
Can you spare 5 minutes to complete a survey (five questions plus a few optional ones)? Share your ideas about our quarterly Tide Rising newsletter: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TideRising2021Survey
Let us know how we are doing and what we can do to improve our efforts and serve you better.

Editors: Ceal Craig, PhD; Renee Fitzsimons
Contributors: Rachel Caoili, Ceal Craig, Mary Deschene, Renee Fitzsimons (SFBWS), Meg Marriott (USFWS), Miguel Marquez (USFWS), Carin High (CCCR).
Photographers: Ambarish Goswami, Ceal Craig, Derell Licht, Rachel Caoili, Grant Johnson, Meg Marriott, SFBWS Staff.

Thanks for reading!

15 Jul 2021

Celebrate Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July is a global movement advocates for solutions to single-use plastic consumption and helps to promote small changes we can make in our daily lives to reduce our plastic footprint. While switching to single-use plastic alternatives might seem like an inconsequential change, everyone working together to reduce their plastic usage can make a huge difference.

We know that avoiding plastic entirely is not always feasible. However, we can take care to avoid or reuse certain plastics that cannot be recycled easily. Taking a little extra time and effort to sort and clean plastic recyclables can make a huge difference in avoiding plastic contamination. Ensuring that our everyday plastics are clean, actually helps divert them from our local landfills and increases their chances of having a second life!

Plastic recycling can be very confusing, but with this quick guide, you can recycle with more confidence and help keep our watersheds, oceans, and communities healthy. You are part of the solution to plastic pollution!

For more information, visit www.calrecycle.ca.gov or email us at watershedwatchers@sfbayws.org.

01 Jul 2021

Family Story Walk: Betty the Bee

The Story of Betty the Bee

From July 15, 2021 through July 29, 2021, join us in a self-guided Story Walk, featuring the book The Story of Betty the Bee.

Written by San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society staff, the book features a bee named Betty and her life at Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

For a more interactive experience, walk along a special Story Walk trail at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso. You will come across a series of numbered stops at some of which, you will have the opportunity to read the story with your family and complete additional activities.

Download the activity packet below. Activities are indicated at specific stops along the Story Walk. Use this activity packet to complete the 5 activities along your journey.

Folded activity booklet

⮇ Click here to download and print the folded activity booklet (PDF 9 MB) ⮇

Print the booklet double-sided. When the printer prompts you to flip the pages, choose the option to flip on the short-edge. Keep the pages in order as they appears on your screen and fold along the black line. Staple the pages together or tie a string around the center fold.

16 Jun 2021

Family Story Walk: A Home for Salty

A Home for Salty, written by Stephanie Stuve-Boden and illustrated by Diane Adams.

A Home for Salty

From June 17, 2021 through July 1, 2021, join us in a self-guided Story Walk, featuring the book A Home for Salty.

Written by Stephanie Stuve-Boden and illustrated by Diane Adams, the book features the adventures of a salt marsh harvest mouse, an endangered species that lives on the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

For a more interactive experience, walk along a special Story Walk trail at the Refuge in Fremont. You will come across a series of numbered stops at some of which, you will have the opportunity to read the story with your family and complete additional activities.

Download the activity packet below. Activities are indicated at specific stops along the Story Walk. Use this activity packet to complete the 5 activities along your journey.

Folded activity booklet

⮇ Click here to download and print the activity booklet (PDF 2.3 MB) ⮇

Print the booklet double-sided. When the printer prompts you to flip the pages, choose the option to flip on the short-edge. Keep the pages in order as they appears on your screen and fold along the black line. Staple the pages together or tie a string around the center fold.

14 Jun 2021

Online Marsh-In Summer Camp! • August 2-6, 2021

The annual Marsh-In Summer Camp program held at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Environmental Education Center in Alviso is staying online this year!

Join us for our second online summer camp program that combines technology and outdoor activities for a unique learning experience. Camp will be held from Monday, August 2 – Friday, August 6.

Online camp will consist of three live Zoom sessions as well as self-guided activities. Live Zoom sessions are Monday and Wednesday from 10:30 am - 11:30 am, and Friday from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm.

A participant at the online summer camp 2020.

A participant at the online summer camp 2020.

Discover, engage and learn!

Although we cannot host our traditional summer camp program this year, we still want to provide our community with an engaging and interactive learning opportunity. This year’s theme is Endangered Bird Species. We will be highlighting two bird species found at two of our local National Wildlife Refuges. There will be live interactions with Refuge Rangers and Biologists as well as self-guided activities.

Requirements

Campers must be entering grades 1-6 in Fall 2021, have access to the internet via a computer or tablet, and attend all days of camp. All activity materials will be provided in a Camp Kit.

To apply

Please fill out this Google Form (one per family): https://forms.gle/rP3dXdngeAHZzKS56
Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, June 30th. Selections are made by lottery. Acceptance notifications will be sent on July 7th. Must return permission slips by July 14th. Log-on instructions will be sent on July 30th and camp begins on August 2nd.

Please email us at summercamp@sfbws.com or call 408-515-1889 with any questions.

Summer programming is sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society, a generous donation by Cargill, Inc., and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

21 May 2021

Endangered Species Day: May 21, 2021 - California Tiger Salamander

Celebrate the 16th Annual Endangered Species Day on May 21st, 2021. Every year on the third Friday in May, thousands of people around the world participate in Endangered Species Day by celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened and endangered species.

In honor of Endangered Species Day, we would like to introduce the adorable California Tiger Salamander! The California Tiger Salamander is a threatened and endangered amphibian species native to California. This spotted salamander enjoys munching on snails, insects, earthworms, and even small fish!

A female California tiger salamander with unfertilized eggs, observed near breeding ponds at Ellicott Slough NWR. Photo Credit: Ashley Spratt / USFWS

A female California tiger salamander with unfertilized eggs, observed near breeding ponds at Ellicott Slough NWR. Photo Credit: Ashley Spratt / USFWS

09 May 2021

National Wildflower Week: May 3 - 9, 2021 - Create a Pollinator Garden

The first full week of May is National Wildflower Week, May 3 through 9 this year. It is a time when gardens are blooming with flowers.

Pollinators visit flowers to drink nectar or feed off of pollen and transport pollen grains as they move from spot to spot. Birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, small mammals, and most importantly, bees are pollinators.

Pollinators play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the production of most fruits and vegetables. Without the assistance of pollinators, most plants cannot produce fruits and seeds. The fruits and seeds of flowering plants are an important food source for people and wildlife.

A wonderful way to support local pollinators is to create a pollinator garden.

Pollinator garden. Photo Credit: Olivia Poulos / SFBWS

Pollinator garden. Photo Credit: Olivia Poulos / SFBWS

06 May 2021

National Wildflower Week: May 3 - 9, 2021 - The Value of Native Plants

The first full week of May is National Wildflower Week, May 3 through 9 this year. It is a time when most of the country is ablaze with springtime blossoms.

While taking a walk around your neighborhood or driving along the freeway, a patch of California Poppies, with bright orange petals and lime green foliage, might catch your attention.

California Poppy. Photo Credit: Hope Presley / SFBWS

California Poppy. Photo Credit: Hope Presley / SFBWS

The California Poppy is the state’s designated flower, and it’s a shining example of California’s amazing collection of plants.

California has the highest number of native and endemic plants than any other state. It is estimated that the state is home to 6,500 species, subspecies, and varieties of plants, many are not found anywhere else on the earth! 

Why does California have so many plants? Well, California is actually a global hotspot for biodiversity. The state’s variation in landscape features, latitudinal ranges, minerals, soils, and climate result in a wide range of ecosystems that can support many plants as well as animals. Most of the state lies within the California Floristic Province, a portion of western North America having a Mediterranean- climate (dry summers and mild, wet winters) with high levels of plant diversity. 

01 May 2021

East Bay Green Home Tour • June 6 and June 13, 2021, 10am - 1pm

Join the 2021 East Bay Green Home Tour, a free, 2-day, online video tour of 12 East Bay homes.

Learn what neighbors are doing with their homes to combat climate change, improve air quality, generate clean energy, and move towards a safer, healthier, greener future.

Each tour segment consists of a 10-minute video tour followed by a live 10-minute Q&A with the homeowner or tenant. Extras include an induction cooking demonstration and experts talks on heat pumps, air quality, rebates, and more.

Register on EventBrite to attend the East Bay Green Home Tour.

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