Park E-ventures Newsletter Archive

Art in the Parks: Mark di Suvero at Crissy Field

On May 22, an exhibition of eight large-scale steel sculptures by renowned artist Mark di Suvero—known for his bold, exuberant works that have shaped the language of modern sculpture—will open at Crissy Field in the Golden Gate National Parks. Mark di Suvero at Crissy Field is presented by the San... more >>

Trail Anatomy 101: Name That Feature!

National Trails Day is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited! On June 1 people from across the country will join forces to celebrate over 200,000 miles of trail that have enhanced the landscape. In order to build excitement for more >>

Kids Write Back: Postcards to the Parks

Have you ever sent a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge to someone? In Crissy Field Center school programs this year, we had participants send their postcards to us! Check out some of the kids’ postcards, depicting what they learned during their school field trip to our parks.

We, the school... more >>

What Is a Species?

On a recent birding trip to Point Reyes, we ran across dozens of song sparrows—small, brown and white birds with a penchant for singing on the tops of bushes and fences. My friend, a decently experienced bird watcher, had trouble identifying them. When told they were song sparrows she said,... more >>

Freshly Picked, Tasty Tea Recipes

If you’re like me, you have a variety of teas at home that promise you sleepy dreams, good digestion, immune boosters, and more. The sheer number of teas can sometimes be overwhelming—and quite costly. Rather than going to your local grocery store, have you ever considered going out to your... more >>

A New Twist for Park Internships

This past winter the Parks Conservancy and National Park Service embarked on an exciting new adventure with our friends at San Francisco State University (SFSU) and City College of San Francisco (CCSF) – a program called “Academic Internships.” This new internship model connects local college students with work experience opportunities... more >>

John Muir, Merely a Naturalist?

John Muir has been described as "one of the patron saints of twentieth-century American environmental activity," "the wilderness prophet," and "the citizen of the universe." He once jokingly referred to himself as a "poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc.!"

But, for many of us who are aware of his triumphs in conservation,... more >>

Parks: The New Climate Classroom

The Institute at the Golden Gate is proud to announce the upcoming release of our new report, Climate in the Parks: Innovative Climate Education in Parks. As part of our work to help parks serve as platforms for climate change education,... more >>

Go-Go Boots and the Green and Gray

In the early days of the National Park Service, women were involved in a very limited capacity—as seasonal employees, temporary fill-ins, naturalists, or assistants to their ranger husbands. As a result, their “uniforms”—if they had any—were improvised. Some adapted the... more >>

The Four-Season Field Guide to Poison Oak

“Leaves of three, let it be. If it’s hairy, it’s a berry. If it’s shiny, watch your hiney.” That famous rhyme can help you pick out poison oak—for part of the year. But, because Toxicodendron diversilobum is deciduous, what about the other seasons?

To identify poison oak all year-round, just remember... more >>