ACR members were treated to gorgeous views, glassy bay waters and lessons in natural history recently on the annual Members-only Kayak Tour of Tomales Bay.

 

Picnic lunch at Pelican Point, rising coastal fog and good company made for a perfect day spent outside.

ACR Director of Conservation Science John Kelly and Board Member Jude Stalker reminded us that 60 years ago, massive development plans for the east side of the bay would have made for quite...

During winter, over 35,000 waterbirds, along with tens of thousands of shorebirds and gulls, pack the surface waters of Tomales Bay. This extraordinary phenomenon led, in 2002, to global recognition of Tomales Bay as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.

For three decades ACR has tracked the abundances of nearly 60 species of loons, grebes, cormorants, ducks and other waterbirds in the bay. These studies have revealed patterns of winter population growth and decline that are complicated enough to seem mysterious.

A magnet for herring spawning

Beneath the surface, tens of millions of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) also enter the bay each winter, to spawn in the vast, subtidal meadows of eelgrass. These events precipitate spectacular waterbird feeding...

Many supporters and volunteers of ACR have reached out to us over the weekend, concerned about how Modini Mayacamas Preserves and our staff may be affected by the Sawmill fire in northeast Sonoma County.

As of Monday morning, Modini Mayacamas Preserves is not in the path of this fire, winds continue to push it in other directions. We remain vigilant, as things can always change.

Kudos to the Press Democrat for highlighting an important point in their most recent article.

Here’s the gist of what the firefighters on the ground were telling them: In high temperatures, steep terrain and drought-stressed vegetation, it is burn scars from recent fires that can stop...

Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR) is renovating M.F.K. Fisher’s “Last House” on the Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen into an exclusive destination honoring her legacy and celebrating her love of food, wine, literature and nature. Mary Frances, as she was known by her family and friends, wrote 13 books during 21 years of residence in Last House, which was built for her by architect David Pleydell-Bouverie.

She treasured her palazzino, which features a simple design and connection to the land. Its two large rooms are divided by a huge bathroom, with black tile floors throughout and built-in bookcases for over 2,000 books. One arched porch looks west to Sonoma Mountain and another looks east to the 535 acres of land protected by ACR.

Described by W. H. Auden as “America...