San Bruno Mountain, nestled in the northernmost part of San Mateo County, is an island of picturesque mountains that boasts green grassland, coastal scrubs, an intricate watershed, and dunes. If you’re lucky, when you visit you might catch the iconic flutter of three of the mountain’s vibrant butterflies: the Mission Blue, San Bruno Elfin, and...
In late spring, California’s grasslands begin their annual transformation from lush spring-green into the golden hues of summer. If you look carefully, you might see hundreds of showy pink, rose, red, and purple blooms scattered like jewels amidst the tall grasses in the drying-out landscape. These flowers are Clarkia, named after Captain William Clark of...
The story of the salt marsh harvest mouse is the story of the San Francisco Bay wetlands – once abundant, now extremely scarce due to human development and increasingly at risk from sea level rise. But we can save both the salt marsh harvest mouse and our Bay wetland ecosystem if we act now. Meet...
Mountain lions aren’t just beautiful animals – they’re a keystone species, helping maintain a balanced ecosystem in our region. They’re also at risk due to habitat loss and difficulty migrating to new territories. That’s why so much of Green Foothills’ advocacy work emphasizes mountain lion survival. Mountain Lions – A Keystone Species at Risk Whether...
If you are seeking an experience of quiet contemplation of nature, there’s no better place than a grove of coast redwoods. If you are lucky enough to find one that is off the beaten path, the first thing you might notice is that you seem to be treading more softly and lightly, as your footsteps...
In this season of spectacular wildflower blooms, if you’re observant enough you may spot the small, unassuming dwarf plantain peeking out of the grass among its more showy wildflower cousins. Dwarf plantain, or dotseed plantago (Plantago erecta), is a small annual wildflower that plays a fascinating, critical role in the life cycle of the threatened...
Wildlife migration isn’t just about large mammals like mountain lions – it’s also critically important for many smaller species. One example is the California newt, a tiny amphibian that is in danger of local extinction due to roadway mortality. But a multi-agency effort is underway to save the newts, with help from a dedicated band...
Sometimes when nature is destroyed it is lost forever, but fortunately that is not always true. California’s tule elk once numbered about 500,000 before nearly going extinct due to hunting and habitat encroachment. But today they are bouncing back. From a tiny population discovered in the Central Valley in the late 1800s, the species has...
What’s Going On With Those Cute Burrowing Owls? Western Burrowing Owls, about nine inches tall with piercing yellow eyes, used to be a common sight in local grasslands, standing at the entrances to the ground squirrel tunnels where they typically make their homes. Currently at risk, these small birds are one of the many species...
Plants and animals often act as indicator species, telling us through their presence or absence what the condition of their ecosystem is. In this sense, the story of the endangered Ridgway’s Rail is the story of the San Francisco Bay tidal marshlands – formerly abundant, now greatly reduced. The continued survival of this shorebird species...
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