Online Lecture
Insect Apocalypse: Is insect biodiversity, biomass, and abundance declining? What can we do?
Wednesday, June 23, 7:30 pm
Report after report brings the alarming news that insect populations are declining. Join Dr. Leslie Saul-Gershenz to learn what’s happening to insects in California and beyond and how we can address this important problem.
Tesla: Home of Rare Plants and Plant Communities
Tesla, a beautiful and peaceful landscape at the eastern edge of Alameda County, is home to many rare plants and sensitive plant communities. In spite of its habitat value, Tesla is currently slated by California State Parks to be developed into an off-highway vehicle recreation area. Right now, you can help preserve Tesla by signing a petition to Governor Newsom urging him to redesignate Tesla for non-motorized recreation only.
Job Opening: Conservation Advocate–East Bay and Northern California
We have just posted a job announcement for a full-time Conservation Advocate–East Bay and Northern California. This person will be responsible for conservation advocacy on projects for our CNPS East Bay Chapter and for supporting the state CNPS office’s conservation priorities. This is an exciting new position for someone with a BA or BS degree and four to eight years of relevant professional work experience. The full job description provides more details and information about applying (applications are due by June 18). Please help us spread the word!
Highlights of the 2021 Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour
This year’s four Sunday sessions, held online and recorded, were packed with beautiful and inspiring examples of gardens full of California native plants. One of the recurring themes among the gardens was the way planting natives has increased each garden’s populations of birds, native bees, butterflies, and other insects and thus increased the biodiversity of that local ecosystem. In an ecosystem, biodiversity equals resilience.
This Spring in the East Bay: Dying Acacias and Blooming Wildflowers
Even in May, there are beautiful wildflowers blooming if you look for them. That beauty helps balance the bad news about diseased acacias in the East Bay (they’re not native, but the disease and fire risk are still big concerns), released in a report by UC Berkeley’s Matteo Garbelotto and available online.
East Bay Restoration Volunteer Opportunities
As the number of COVID-19 cases in the Bay Area decreases, some of the organizations that work to restore East Bay wildlands are carefully restarting volunteer activities. We want to help spread the word about restoration activities of other local groups. Here are two opportunities for you to help with restoration activities in June organized by Garber Park Stewards and Tending the Ancient Shoreline Hill (Albany Hill).
