In defense of snakes and lizards in Southern California
Reptile stories from tail to trail.
Around the world, miles of rock are missing. Could ‘Snowball Earth’ be the culprit?
When the famed explorer John Wesley Powell bumped, splashed and thrashed his way down the Colorado River in 1869, he discovered one of the most striking geologic features on Earth. Not the Grand Canyon — although that too is a marvel — but a conspicuous boundary between the sunset-colored sediments of the upper walls and the dark, jagged rocks below them.
Climate News Round-Up: January 2019
Habitat is essential for building resilience in both insect populations and our landscapes. Xerces conservationists work with farmers across the country to plan and install new habitats on farms.
Bestsellers in 2018
For all you growers out there who are wondering which California native plants to carry, here are our top ten sellers for all of 2018. Number 6, Trichostema lanatum, can be a bit tricky to grow, but the rest have all made our “easy” lists in the past.
Lessons from Orange County, California’s water strategy
Water is a serious issue for the cities of the world. Even in a wealthy nation such as the United States, people die from toxic water in Flint, Michigan, confront megadroughts in Los Angeles, face salinated aquifers in Miami and worry in Omaha about oil pipeline spills in the Ogallala aquifer.
8 green goals Californians should watch for in 2019
Environmentalists’ focus in 2019 will include continued fight against offshore oil drilling and plastic pollution, and making it easier for those from poorer inland neighborhoods to visit the beach.
Feisty hummingbirds prioritize fencing over feeding
- Hummingbirds are fierce fighters, but also efficient feeders with tongues and bills well adapted to extracting every bit of nectar from a flower. Why, then, do the males of some tropical species have bizarre hooks, serrations and hard tips that defeat efficient nectar extraction? Using high-speed video, researchers have documented how these males use their weaponized bills to fight rivals for food and mates, and the trade-offs in choosing fighting prowess over feeding.
California’s Pet Stores To Only Sell Rescue Cats, Dogs And Rabbits
A new law requires all pet stores to identify the public agency, shelter or rescue group that the animals came from.
Easy ways families can use less plastic in the new year
You and your kids can make a difference in the fight against global plastic pollution. And it can be fun.
The real dirt: Choose fire resistant plants in ‘firewise’ lanscaping
In the wake of the devastating Camp Fire, thousands of Butte County residents are facing the daunting task of rebuilding their homes and landscaping their yards from scratch. They may be re-evaluating their landscapes and wondering if there are more fire resistant plants that can be substituted for those that burned.