Grassroots Ecology

Become a Youth Climate Ambassador with San Mateo County's Office of Sustainability!

Glowing scorpions, roaming tarantulas, and orb weavers are just a few of the creepy crawly critters that get us into the autumn spirit. Don't miss our next Naturalist Talk: Crawly Creatures and Where to Find Them. Tomorrow night!!! With special guest Merav Vonshak from BioBlitz.club and our very own Shelley Pneh.

With the school year now in full swing, teachers and students are spending more time on Zoom than ever before. To help avoid Zoom burnout and keep students engaged and excited about the natural sciences, we are now offering many of our classroom educational materials online! All lessons align with Next Generation Science Standards and can be completed by students on their own time, led by a teacher, or led by Grassroots Ecology staff by request.

It’s tarantula mating season, which means you might be lucky enough to catch one out on the trail in the evening hours! Come learn about tarantulas and other creepy crawlies next week at our virtual Naturalist Talk Register to join: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naturalist-talks-crawly-creatu #halloween #spider #tarantula #tarantulasofinstagram #spooky #spookyseason #communityevent #bayarea #spidersofinstagram #creepy

While many have heard about Cooley Landing’s miraculous transformation from landfill to park, fewer have heard the full story of its ecological transformation since its opening in 2012. See changes at Cooley Landing over the past several years, highlighting three of our key restoration areas: https://mailchi.mp//from-the-ground-up-august-2018-newslet

Thank you to everyone who joined in for Coastal Cleanup Month last month! Whether you came out to one of our scheduled events, or did a cleanup around your own neighborhood, you made an impact. All together 123 volunteers diverted 492 pounds of trash from entering our waterways and ocean. That’s huge! If you did a cleanup on your own last month and haven’t yet tracked it on the Clean Swell app, be sure to do so soon. State wide data from the Sierras to the coast will be coming soon! #grassrootsecology #coastalcleanupday #coastalcleanupmonth #beachcleanup #volunteer #bayarea #eastpaloalto #healthycommunities #siliconvalley @thecaliforniacoast

Yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom announced his plan to preserve 30% of California's lands and coast by 2030 to fight climate change, conserve biodiversity and boost climate resilience. Key elements include healthy soil management, wetland restoration, forest management, and green infrastructure in urban areas like trees and parks. We couldn't agree more! Read more on the governor's executivee order: https://www.gov.ca.gov//governor-newsom-launches-innovati/

A big win for Green Foothills and the community of Redwood City reaffirming that the Cargill salt ponds are within the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, thereby limiting Cargill's ability to develop on them!

Vote for us in California Invasive Plant Council's Annual Photo Contest! Two of our photos are featured on this post: our Habitat Restoration Director Kristen pulling stinkwort on the top left and high school volunteers pulling yellow starthistle on the bottom center. You can vote once a day each day in October, let's stuff that ballot box! https://www.cal-ipc.org/resources/symposium/photocontest/

This past year has truly been one of adaptation. Thank you to all of our supporters who have stuck with us through this difficult time, helping us persevere in our mission to engage and educate the public to restore local ecosystems. Learn more about how we’ve adapted, what we've accomplished, and what’s in store in our newly published 2019-20 Annual Report: https://static1.squarespace.com//Grassroots+Ecology+2019-2

Volunteer opportunity for high schoolers: Spend time exploring and learning about nature! Our fall Youth Stewards begin soon, but there is still time to apply!

It’s fig season! Did you know that figs are considered an invasive plant in California? Stopping the spread of figs may be easier (and more delicious) than you think! #grassrootsecology #figs #invasivespecies #california #bayarea #nature #plantfacts #habitatrestoration #naturalist