More than 420 guests voyaged to Alcatraz to attend the 22nd annual Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy "Trails Forever" fundraising gala on October 19, raising $1.1 million in the process for projects such as park maintenance, the construction of a new welcome center near Pier 31 and youth education and leadership programs. 

“What we really want to do is make sure this is a gateway to a national park” — a vibrant hub that highlights the cultural and natural history of Alcatraz and the broader Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said Chris Lehnertz, CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the nonprofit agency managing the ferry landing for the National Park Service.

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy has been working toward expanding the waterfront Alcatraz Embarcation Plaza at Pier 31, the launching point for the Alcatraz ferry, since at least 2017. The Parks Conservancy is partnering with commercial real estate agency Maven Properties to find an operator for a new restaurant or cafe space in the updated plaza.

Speaking with Parks Conservancy Program Manager Sara Leon Guerrero, CBS News highlights how the re-detection of the San Francisco leaf-cutter bee is a hopeful sign and conservation success.

One Tam, a partnership among the National Park Service, California State Parks, Marin Water, Marin County Parks, and the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, ensures “the long-term health of Mt. Tamalpais,” the conservancy said. The species, “endemic to the Bay Area,” has been documented less than 100 times, the conservancy said.