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Park Stories

Highlighting the people, engaging programs and beautiful places that make the Golden Gate national parks special. Can't get enough? Sign up for our monthly E-ventures newsletter, and become a member today to receive our gorgeous Gateways Magazine. More about our publications here

Nursery program at Oceana High School in Pacifica
Growing Up: Oceana Nursery Upgrades Elevate Youth Programs

Learn how the Parks Conservancy’s nursery and restoration program has powerfully connected young people with the national parks in their backyard.

Odette Alcazaren-Keeley, Board Trustee, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
National Public Lands Day: Celebrating Parklands that Welcome All

In a personal essay, Parks Conservancy Board Trustee Odette Alcazaren-Keeley shares why public lands represent the best of our democracy—and how we at Golden Gate continue to strive to make national parks open, welcoming, and relevant to all.

Peak-ing Ahead: Glimpse into the Future (and Past) of Mt. Tam’s West Peak

Discover the history of the “true” peak of Mt. Tamalpais—and how to best explore this seldom-visited site. Also, learn about the Oct. 5 forum where you’ll hear a range of possibilities for its restoration and get the chance to voice your opinion.

goats
Amazing Graze: 75 Goats Advance Rehabilitation Project at Fort Mason

It’s been “Arma-goat-don” for the weeds at Fort Mason’s East Black Point. This past month, a herd of the quirky, cloven-hoofed critters cleared the area of invasive vegetation. Learn where the goats came from, why they’ve been in our parks, and how you can carry on their work.

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Fall 2017 Guide to the Parks for the Hip and Happening

FOMO ALERT! For the young and young at heart, the parks are full of must-see spectacles and must-do activities this autumn. Check our list of the top eight park attractions this fall, and then fire up your social media apps and get those hashtags ready.

Red-tailed Hawk
Migratory Story: GGRO Intern Reflects on the Journey of Raptors—and Her Own

“It has begun.” So begin the reflections of Laura Echávez, a Golden Gate Raptor Observatory intern, as she experiences her first fall migration from Hawk Hill. Discover how she draws parallels between her immigration story and the birds’ journey along the Pacific flyway.

bat monitoring
New Studies Shed Light on Mt. Tam's Bats

The partners of One Tam—the community initiative of the Tamalpais Lands Collaborative—launched a three-phased, three-year scientific research project to study the mountain's bats.

Crissy Field views
About August 26 Event at Crissy Field

The Conservancy stands directly against all forms of hatred, bigotry, or oppression as anathema to our American ideals, as well as to the values of our national parks as places of welcome and inclusion.

Tunes on Trails outdoor performance at Lands End
Drums, Waves, Wind: Adams’ “Inuksuit” at Lands End on July 29

Up to 99 percussionists, arrayed across Lands End, pound out rhythms that mix with crashing surf and the songs of birds. This is John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit, performed in a partnership of SFJAZZ and the Parks Conservancy. 

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The Presidio in the Summer of Love: The Counter-Counterculture

San Francisco has been celebrating the of the Summer of Love, an epochal moment of free love, artistic expression, and antiwar protests. But, in 1967, what was happening on the Presidio—a venerable Army post with gates only blocks from the heart of Haight-Ashbury?

wind turbines
Crissy Field Center Wind Turbines on the Cutting Edge of Energy

Crissy Field Center isn’t just built on green principles and clean energy—it’s actively advancing sustainability technology. Discover the story behind the wind turbines on the lawn in front of the Center, and how they are generating invaluable data on urban wind energy.

Penny Tibbetts
Penny Wise: Trailblazing Trans Ranger Shares Her Story

Penny Tibbetts, a law enforcement ranger at Golden Gate, recounts her journey in becoming the first ranger in the National Park Service to transition genders while on duty.