From the latest edition of Marine Ornithology: In the Bay Area, the Double-crested Cormorant population has recovered from significant declines to reach population sizes comparable to those from the late 19th century, when only one colony offshore at the Farallon Islands was known. We were especially elated to observe that on the colony at Hog Island on Tomales Bay, formed in 2001, has become the largest in the study area since 2011.

ACR was pleased to co-author this report on the changes in abundance and distribution of nesting Double-crested Cormorants in the SF Bay Area from 1975-2017. The report was spurred by severe nesting disruptions observed during the construction of the new Bay Bridge. Download the full report from...

Over the past three decades, a great deal of research has been gathered on snags and their role in forest and wetland ecosystems. Snags, better known as dead trees or logs, play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity in a number of habitats including oak woodlands, pine forests and riparian zones. In California alone, snags are home to over 160 different species, which is why government land managers have designated them as “special habitat elements.”

Forest ecologist Jerry Franklin states, “A dead tree is more alive than a live tree.” Dead trees are a vital part of nutrient cycling within forests. Logs, in particular, contribute to the nutrient reserves and chemical and physical characteristics of forest soils or waterways.

According to Sally Duncan of the U.S....

In the natural world, once you start to see a thing, you cannot stop seeing it. I first realized this fact as a child, while learning to forage for chanterelles in the East Bay hills. At the time, I called it “mushroom eye,” referring to how anything bright orange in the woods would immediately snap my attention to it, even while traveling at 35 mph on country roads.

“Mushroom eye” is a positive attribute. Unfortunately, the same visual attribute can apply to invasive species, such as the ever-present yellow blooms of French broom or aggressive seedlings of Douglas fir. While zigzagging down country roads, I find my thoughts constantly distracted by invasive species.

At this point, you might be thinking Douglas fir trees are native, not invasive. True, they are native,...

Audubon Canyon Ranch has joined with other conservation organizations and public land managers to form the Sonoma Valley Fire and Vegetation Management Collaborative. Here's an overview of The Collaborative and the work we will undertake.

Who are we? We manage 18,000 acres of protected Sonoma Valley lands.

We are a group of six conservation organizations and land management agencies that began working together in the wake of the devastating Nuns Fire of October 2017. Collaborative members have agreed to coordinate fire and vegetation management with each other and with CAL FIRE’s Sonoma Lake Napa Unit (LNU) in the Sonoma Valley region.

Members of the Collaborative are Audubon Canyon Ranch, California State Parks, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space,...