San Francisco Naturalist Society

The San Francisco Naturalist Society is dedicated to the enjoyment, study, and preservation of the natural world.

Upcoming Naturalist Society Events

Sunday, July 26
Naturalist Society BBQ at Ned McAllister’s house!

Thursday, August 13
Owls of California, with Craig Nikitas.

Thursday, September 10
The amazing bird photography of Walter Kitundu.

Today's Events

Thurs., July 2 Resources for Wildlife in the Urban Landscape, with Josiah Clark. California Native Plant Society program. The first step in improving habitat is identifying the resources that local wildlife need and use. In this talk we will discuss wildlife resources in general, exploring the importance of plant composition, origin, structure, habitat, and placement. Josiah will compare and contrast native and non-native plants and their uses by wildlife. We will also address the importance of water, dead wood, and dense cover in the urban landscape. Josiah will also talk about trees in San Francisco, homing in on when they contribute and when and how they detract from wildlife habitat. This presentation aims to inform people about how to improve their local urban surroundings for wildlife, but also aims to help the habitat stewardship community communicate more effectively about local wildlife habitat. We hope that this can make us better advocates for better habitat comprised of native and wildlife-friendly plants. The work of Josiah Clark and Habitat Potential is grounded in careful observation, case studies, reference sites, local knowledge, and a passion for maximizing biological productivity and the "life force" everywhere possible. Josiah has investigated natural processes and the specific needs of wildlife in the urban setting for the past fifteen years. San Francisco County Fair Bldg., 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public.

Thurs., July 2 The USDA is currently taking public comments on whether or not the company ArborGen should be allowed to conduct 29 field trials of genetically engineered "cold tolerant" eucalyptus trees in the U.S. This massive experiment, which is on the verge of being green-lighted, will literally be using nature as the laboratory to test more than 260,000 frankentrees. Scientists across the U.S. are voicing concerns over this proposal including:
-The USDA failed to do an Environmental Impact Statement to assess potential negative issues related to the proposed field trials.
-The spread of the these plants into the wild through seeds and plant matter is highly likely, and the impacts on native ecosystems from this invader are unknown
-One of the experimental GE tree varieties is a known host for cryptococcus gatti, a fatal fungal pathogen whose spores cause meningitis in people and animals.
Comments are being accepted by the USDA until July 6, 2009. For more information, go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27451.

Quote of the Day

"The wild creatures I had come to Africa to see are exhilarating in their multitudes and colors, and I imagined for a time that this glimpse of the earth’s morning might account for the anticipation that I felt, the sense of origins, of innocence and mystery, like a marvelous childhood faculty restored."

-Peter Matthiessen, The Tree Where Man Was Born

	Today's Events Thurs., July 2 Resources for Wildlife in the Urban Landscape, with Josiah Clark. California Native Plant Society program. The first step in improving habitat is identifying the resources that local wildlife need and use. In this talk we will discuss wildlife resources in general, exploring the importance of plant composition, origin, structure, habitat, and placement. Josiah will compare and contrast native and non-native plants and their uses by wildlife. We will also address the importance of water, dead wood, and dense cover in the urban landscape. Josiah will also talk about trees in San Francisco, homing in on when they contribute and when and how they detract from wildlife habitat. This presentation aims to inform people about how to improve their local urban surroundings for wildlife, but also aims to help the habitat stewardship community communicate more effectively about local wildlife habitat. We hope that this can make us better advocates for better habitat comprised of native and wildlife-friendly plants. The work of Josiah Clark and Habitat Potential is grounded in careful observation, case studies, reference sites, local knowledge, and a passion for maximizing biological productivity and the "life force" everywhere possible. Josiah has investigated natural processes and the specific needs of wildlife in the urban setting for the past fifteen years. San Francisco County Fair Bldg., 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public. Thurs., July 2 The USDA is currently taking public comments on whether or not the company ArborGen should be allowed to conduct 29 field trials of genetically engineered "cold tolerant" eucalyptus trees in the U.S. This massive experiment, which is on the verge of being green-lighted, will literally be using nature as the laboratory to test more than 260,000 frankentrees. Scientists across the U.S. are voicing concerns over this proposal including: -The USDA failed to do an Environmental Impact Statement to assess potential negative issues related to the proposed field trials. -The spread of the these plants into the wild through seeds and plant matter is highly likely, and the impacts on native ecosystems from this invader are unknown -One of the experimental GE tree varieties is a known host for cryptococcus gatti, a fatal fungal pathogen whose spores cause meningitis in people and animals. Comments are being accepted by the USDA until July 6, 2009. For more information, go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27451.