Join Bay Area Bountiful as we follow SF Bay Bird Observatory biologist, Alvaro Jaramillo, on a winter bird watching excursion in Half Moon Bay.

While winter may seem hush and dormant, birds fill the season with sounds and activity as many different species visit the Bay Area during their winter migrations to warmer locations. Learn more about what makes our region special for migratory and native birds during winter from a young and avid…

Every year, volunteer citizen scientists return to the California Coast to participate in the Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count. Their work observing and counting monarch butterflies at hundreds of overwintering sites from Mendocino to Baja provides the best look at how the species is faring after…

Bay Area Bountiful brings you to the wild side of winter in our first episode of season six, Winter Wild.

While not visible, underground aquifers hold vast amounts of water. However, during periods of drought groundwater storage is at risk of overuse. Learn more on the importance of water conservation during droughts.

In the tidal marshes at San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, research ecologist Karen Thorne, PhD and biologist Chase Freeman, from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center, study how quickly sediment accumulates in the marshland over time.

Loren Poncia discovered the powers of carbon sequestration after partnering with the Marin Carbon Project a decade ago. After learning from the environmental stewardship program, Poncia has continued to implement carbon farming practices at Stemple Creek Ranch.

Dr. Sajeemas "Mint" Pasakdee is a University of California Cooperative Extension master gardener. Her passion is studying the amazing microscopic world of the soil food web: the complex interaction of plants and animals that are the foundation of rich soil that healthy plants depend on.

Kevin Lunny founded West Marin Compost after realizing the local need to recycle organic materials from the area into nutrient-rich and biologically active soil amendments which could be placed right back into the land in Marin County.

Jack Chambers co-founded the Sonoma Valley Worm Farm a quarter of a century ago after a surprising discovery in his home garden's compost bin. The composting worms he had bought from a local bait worm farm had processed his compost pile into a refined and nutrient-dense soil––vermicompost.

Neighbors who live near San Jose's Reid-Hillview Airport have been living with noise and air pollution for many years. Now a new study commissioned by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has found definitive proof that lead from the leaded fuel exhaust of small aircraft constantly flying…

Late summer is grape harvest season in Sonoma County, an extremely important time for Sonoma County’s billion dollar wine industry. Unfortunately, now, because of climate change, harvest coincides with California’s annual fire season.

Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg, CA is located right next to the Russian River, and during this drought period, their water was shut off to maintain water levels and the health of the river. So how do you farm without access to water?

Barbara has documented the harming effects of the warming oceans and has seen first-hand bleaching coral, bacterial diseases, loss of fish habitat and more. For the past 10 years while snorkeling around St John, Barbara has collected over 90,000+ images. Although not a trained scientist, Barbara’s…

Like the rest of the Bay Area, Santa Clara County is facing a serious lack of water this year. Valley Water is the agency tasked with providing this valuable resource to everyone. We hear from Deputy Officer of Operations Gregory Williams about the seriousness of the situation and the importance of…

Living and fishing in the Bodega Bay area for 55 years, Dick is forced to confront the realities of a warming ocean, the creation of a Marine Projected Area in the local fishing grounds, and derelict crab pots.

Carissa Koopmann Rivers, a fifth generation cattle rancher, runs her operation, Rivers Red Angus, at Curry Canyon Ranch in the hills of Mount Diablo as part of a conservation project––Save Mount Diablo.

We spoke with three Bay Area fire chiefs from Cal Fire to learn more on how to best prepare ourselves, our homes and our communities for California's now year-round wildfire season.

Though many people think all "seagulls" are alike, Alvaro Jaramillo loves to share the fascinating stories of our diverse local gulls with those wanting to learn more. A senior biologist with San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, he astonishes tour groups with his encyclopedic knowledge not only of…

Amah Mutsun Tribal Chair Val Lopez and CSU Chico's Don Hankins explain the vital potential that controlled burning has, both in terms of the health of California's wildlands and its indigenous people. When people think of California Indian culture and cultural resources, they often look at tangible…

By Alastair Bland Pete has fished San Francisco Bay for nearly all of his 60 years. A lifelong San Francisco resident who keeps his last name to himself, he recalls herring runs in the 1970s the likes of which rarely, if ever, occur anymore. “I remember herring spawns that went from Oyster Point…

By Robin Meadows Paul Detjens is driving us from his Martinez office to a restoration site near the mouth of Walnut Creek on Suisun Bay, a project he spearheads as an engineer for the Contra Costa County Flood Control District. These lower reaches of the creek — straightened, widened, and leveed by…

By Kathleen M. Wong It’s a cold morning in early February, and Chris Vallee of the U.S. Geological Survey is motoring upriver along Steamboat Slough. His two-man crew is hunched in the bow with backs to the wind, wrapped to the ears in water-resistant jackets above warm layers. Vallee pilots the…

By Sarah Mizes-Tan, Capital Public Radio The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering advising all Americans to wear masks in public to lessen the spread of the coronavirus, after new data showed that there was a high transmission rate of the virus from people showing no symptoms.…

Sonoma County Health Officer, Dr. Sundari Mase, ordered the closure of all parks in Sonoma County. The order went into effect on March 24 and did not list an end date. The order comes after too many people crowded Sonoma County beaches, parks and trails. According to a county press release,…

As of Thursday, March 19, there are nine known cases of Novel Coronavirus in Sonoma County. Two cases were announced on Wednesday, March 18 and one more was announced on Thursday, March 19. No additional information about these cases has been released at this time. On Sunday, March 15, Rohnert Park…

By Jakob Lazzaro Cal Matters It’s mid-afternoon at the 4th Avenue/Wayne Hultgren light rail station on Sacramento’s blue line. Alexandra Curtis, a senior at nearby C.K. McClatchy High School, glances up the tracks, awaiting a south-bound train. But the ride’s not going to cost her anything. Under a…

Enlarge this image Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced Monday he would spend $10 billion of his own fortune to launch a global initiative

Marin and Sonoma County voters will soon decide whether to extend a sales tax supporting the SMART train until 2059. Campaigns on both sides of the issue have each received over a million dollars in support of their positions. Reporter Will Houston from the Marin Independent Journal has been…

By Carlyn Kranking, CalMatters Earlier this month, Democratic Assemblymember Rob Bonta of Oakland described dire consequences of climate change: Australia is burning; the Philippines, where he was born, is regularly hit by typhoons; and California faces drought, wildfire and the threat of sea level…

In her recent article, entitled “Fire Amnesia”, Felicity Barringer from the Bill Lane Center for the American West, argues that Californians are resistant to policies that would limit building in high-risk fire areas. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with Barringer about the role of local government in…

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved over 11 million dollars last week to help shelter more than 200 residents camped along the Joe Rodota Trail. KRCB’s Adia White spoke with County Supervisors Lynda Hopkins and Susan Gorin about the plan. (Image: The Joe Rodota Trail. Credit: Wikimedia…

On November 20, 1969, American Indian activists traveled to Alcatraz to begin an occupation of the prison island. It lasted 19 months. They were focused on the sovereignty and lost rights of native peoples. That anniversary has been celebrated this fall — first on Indigenous Peoples Day October 14…

The Camp Fire was the most destructive fire in California’s history. 19,000 homes were destroyed and at least 85 people were killed. But with so many fuel-laden forests, the question becomes not why this happened, but why we haven’t seen more disasters of this scale? Matt Fidler, the creator of the…

The Russian River provides water to as many as 700,000 local residents; close to a million visitors use the river for recreation in the summer. Reporter Pamela Lorence visited Healdsburg last week to meet with Don McEnhill, the head of the nonprofit group Russian Riverkeeper. He told her how…

by Matt Villano When it became clear that Healdsburg was downgrading its evacuation status on Halloween, two local women figured most people would miss out on the typical trick-or-treat experience. The women, Elena Halvorsen and Mandy Carpenter, both have kids in the local public school, and both…

Over the past two weeks, art lovers have been visiting studios throughout Sonoma County. Art Trails, which organizes the visits, was about to start two years ago, when the Tubbs Fire raced through Santa Rosa. Artist Bill Gittins was ready to display several hundred of his paintings and prints but…

Millions of Californians had their power shut off last week by Pacific Gas and Electric Company as a way to help prevent wildfires from starting during dangerous conditions. As part of a five-part series dedicated to the anniversaries of the Tubbs and Camp Fires, we look into how these two…

Fire season in California has been getting longer and more intense. One major reason for the severity is fire suppression. Putting out fires is a message officials have touted for more than a century. But as Matt Fidler, the creator of the new radio series “California Burning” tell us, the message…

Research from the University of California at Davis published last month shows that climate change could dramatically shrink oyster habitat. KRCB’s Adia White visited Hog Island Oyster Company on Tomales Bay to find out how this will affect local businesses. (An employee sorts oysters ahead of a…

Over the past two years, California has been devastated by the worst wildfires in its history. As those fires continue to grow in frequency and intensity, the state has begun to fight fire with fire. Felicity Barringer, editor and lead writer at the Bill Lane Center for the American West talked…

Are Gray Whales the Canary in the Climate Coal Mine? WATCH VIDEO. NorCal Public Media explores the mystery of Gray Whales washing up on California beaches. Locals and tourists marvel at the yearly northward migration of the Gray Whales, which occurs every spring. But 2019 has been a year that has…

Sonoma County is inspecting homes and properties to make sure that owners have cleared weeds and cut overgrown grass on their lots. This is the first time Sonoma County is doing defensible space inspections in partnership with local fire districts to make sure that firefighters can best protect…

As we head into summer, homeowners are looking for ways to protect their properties from wildfire. KRCB's Adia White attended an event at the Santa Rosa Junior College Training Center hosted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. The highlight of the event was a demonstration burn…

This year, our news team won three awards from the Public Media Journalists Association, formerly known as PRNDI. This week, we’re highlighting those stories. Living Downstream: The Environmental Justice Podcast, won first place in its category. In this excerpt, Reporter Jon Kalish talks to the…

When we imagined a podcast about environmental justice – it was before the Tubbs fire here in Sonoma County – and the deadly fire seasons of 2017 and 2018. Even so, we wouldn’t have thought of Indians and their relationship to fire as a matter of environmental justice. But producers Allison Herrera…

Dan Charles June 12, 2019 Hear this Morning Edition Story Take a walk through the grocery story; the packages are talking to you, proclaiming their moral virtue, appealing to your ideals: organic, cage-free, fair trade. When I dug into the world of eco-labels recently, I was surprised to find that…

This is the story of a 15-year conflict over what would be the biggest dam removal ever, a modern cowboys and Indians tale that shows how victories for Native American rights still come with fits of racism and armed conflict, and how rural folks learned to make peace (and collaborate on an…

Around two hundred graduates walked across the Paradise High football field on Thursday night. They were all smiles and laughter, proving that the Camp Fire couldn’t take this long-awaited moment away. KRCB’s Adia White has the story. (Image: Senior Sofia DiBenedetto lines up for graduation.…

The online shopping economy appears to be having a deadly impact on children’s health in San Bernardino County. A new investigation by Grist Magazine reveals that high rates of infant mortality there may be linked to smog emitted by diesel trucks transporting goods. KRCB News Director Steve Mencher…

In 2009, Santa Rosa created a state-mandated plan that looked ahead to the year 2035. The plan made certain assumptions, and was created to optimize the city’s chance to thrive. That was before the annexation of Roseland, and before the fires of two years ago. Now, the process has begun again, with…

From the history of the region to the people behind the scenes, there are many untold stories about winemaking in the North Bay. In the Independent Lens documentary: Harvest Season, we celebrate the often unsung Latinos at the heart of the Napa Valley wine industry. In the short documentary, Dry…

Environmental activists and concerned community members rallied at a town hall last week to discuss options for confronting climate change. The event was hosted by several local non-profits and focused on encouraging attendees to become more engaged in Sonoma County politics. KRCB’s Adia White has…

On May 15, Sonoma County residents concerned about climate change and the economy will get together in Santa Rosa to talk about the Green New Deal. We’ll have that story next week. Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, we spoke with a champion of the Sonoma County coast – an activist who has been raising the…

Local environmental activists are coming together for a town hall tonight to discuss options for confronting climate change. The event is hosted by several local non-profits and will focus on rallying support for the “Green New Deal.” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others introduced…

According to FEMA, the City of Santa Rosa has rebuilt quickly compared with other cities hit by major disasters. FEMA held its emergency preparedness symposium, "Prep Talks," in Santa Rosa last week to highlight the city’s efforts. It was only the second time the event has been held outside of…

It won’t be long until we start seeing our local Sonoma coast salmon at the supermarkets. Scientists and officials are deciding when to open the commercial salmon season at the Pacific Fishery Management Council in Rohnert Park this week. KRCB reporter Adia White tells us what factors go into…

It’s been nearly a month since Guerneville and other towns along the Russian River endured the most severe flooding in over a decade. The County of Sonoma estimated that over 500 businesses were affected by the flood. Reporter Adia White went to downtown Guerneville Monday to find out how some of…

Our current episode of Living Downstream: The Environmental Justice Podcast brings together a pair of storytellers. Jereann King Johnson was a witness in the early 1980s when PCBs were dumped in Warren County, North Carolina. Coproducer Joe O’Connell says the area has long been a retreat from…

This story comes from Warren County, North Carolina. In the early 1980s, Warren County became a flash point in the fight for something that didn’t have a commonly used name at the time: environmental justice. These days, members of this small, “majority-minority” community are taking new approaches…

The sun came out Monday and local residents enjoyed one of the most beautiful days of winter this year. It’s an important time to remember that many are still struggling to recover from the heavy rainfall and flooding two weeks ago. KRCB’s Adia White visited a small community in Forestville last…

The Barlow, an upscale shopping district in Sebastopol, home to breweries, restaurants, food shops and stores concentrating on arts and crafts, was hit hard by flooding last week. A sophisticated flood control plan at the Barlow failed to protect stores, several of which suffered devastating…

We talked with Joseph Schwall, Interim Deputy Director of Subregional Operations for the Santa Rosa Water Department at the Llano Road treatment plant to get to the bottom of rumors that raw sewage had been released from the plant in the recent storms. He said this was not at all true, and that our…

Watch the live stream of the 2019 Knight Media Forum on February, 26 and 27 hosted by Hari Sreenivasan of the PBS NewsHour. The Knight Media Forum is the most important annual gathering of journalists, funders, information theorists and others interested in the future of the news media in this…

Every year in the winter, the Northern Elephant Seal makes the California coast its home to breed and raise its young.This year, one colony at Point Reyes National Seashore is doing something researchers haven’t seen before. Reporter Adia White has the story. (Image Right: A young male Elephant…

Winter storms are taking a toll on River Road near Geyserville. On Tuesday, The county authorized 250,000 dollars as an emergency fix. In the midst of all the rain, Reporter Adia White travelled to Lake Sonoma to learn about what local agencies are doing to mitigate the risk of flooding on the…

January 22 at 9 pm on KRCB TV 22, we present the film "Racing to Zero: In Pursuit of Zero Waste." This "film festival favorite" examines San Francisco's attempt to change the city's approach to garbage, diverting 100 percent of its waste away from landfills. The private company at the forefront of…

Today we’re concluding the previews of our podcast Living Downstream. Producers Annie Ropeik and Nicholas Janzen bring us the story of a public housing project in East Chicago, Indiana. It was built on a lead-and-arsenic polluted Superfund site. Residents like Keisha Daniels were left in limbo…

This week we’re previewing “Living Downstream,” our Environmental Justice Podcast. Today, a story from Richmond, Calif. Reporter Claire Schoen calls this episode “Smackdown: City Hall versus Big Oil.” Her guide to Richmond is community organizer Andrés Soto, who leads a “Toxic Tour” through town.…

During this holiday season, we’re going to be presenting excerpts from Living Downstream: The Environmental Justice Podcast. Northern California Public Media launched the project this fall – and we’ve got a collection of stories that we believe is unrivaled on the subject of environmental justice.…

As the year ends, the North Bay Report is featuring excerpts from our new series Living Downstream: The Environmental Justice Podcast. This time, news director and senior producer of the podcast, Steve Mencher, talks with reporter Ruxandra Guidi. She recounts her decade-long exploration of life for…

Despite the rain, about 27,000 people came out for the Emerald Cup this weekend. It’s Northern California’s celebration of cannabis and cannabis culture. But in addition to the revelry, it’s also a business conference of sorts. KRCB News Director Steve Mencher and reporter Adia White talk about…

The Emerald Cup is a harvest festival, trade show, and celebration of outdoor sustainably grown cannabis. It brings together farmers from the famed Emerald Triangle, with their cousins in Sonoma and surrounding counties. The event Saturday and Sunday sent us to the dictionary to see if the festival…

Thousands of people from Butte County remain displaced due to the Camp Fire. Though some evacuations in the town of Paradise were lifted, much of the area is still under an evacuation order. Some Sonoma County residents have decided to help by hosting evacuees free of charge in their Airbnbs.…

Santa Rosa hosted the 2018 California Economic Summit on November 15th and 16th. Policy makers, business leaders and others came from across California to talk about how to improve the state’s economy and residents' quality of life. KRCB reporter Adia White has more on the innovative ideas shared…

This fall, Califormia Governor Jerry Brown and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg were among the leaders convening an international climate action summit in San Francisco. Their goal was to let the world know that despite President Donald Trump's wish to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris…

At least 56 people have been killed in the Camp Fire burning in Butte County. The fire is now 140,000 acres and 40 percent contained. Thousands of evacuees are still displaced from the fire and many are unsure of how to move forward. KRCB’s Adia White has this report on the recovery effort. The…

Firefighters continue to battle the Camp Fire burning in Butte County, which is now at 135,000 acres and 35 percent contained. Air quality conditions throughout the North Bay remain poor due to the smoke. Reporter Adia White has more on the health implications for Sonoma County residents. Alejandro…

We are continuing our coverage of this year’s grape harvest. In the second part of this series, KRCB reporter Adia White tells us how grapes are processed after they are picked. At the Old World Winery in Santa Rosa, they are juiced by the traditional method of grape stomping. It takes around an…

The grape harvest is underway across our region. KRCB Reporter Adia White went to pick grapes with the crew at Santa Rosa's Old World Winery during their second harvest of the year. This winery's approach is a bit unconventional. The view from the vineyards. Photo Credit: Adia White Darek…

Here's a preview of our 12-part podcast, featuring stories from California and the rest of the country (and the world). We're doing a deep dive on environmental justice issues. The timing couldn't be better, as the media is now turning its attention to this issue with full force. Most recently, the…

The Global Climate Action Summit just concluded last week in San Francisco. One of the topics brought up, was severe habitat loss across the State of California. According to the University of California Davis, over a quarter of California’s land mass is used for agriculture. This leaves little…

By Caryl Hart In a press briefing at the opening of the Global Climate Action Summit, California Governor Jerry Brown and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the America’s Pledge Campaign. The plan aims to keep American states, cities and corporations on track to reduce…

by Caryl Hart The Global Climate Action Summit got off to a strong start on September 12, with a number of announcements on worldwide agreements to reduce emissions and funnel money to the protection of forests and indigenous people. Thousands of delegates and media from all over the world are in…

The Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company is working to make seaweed a dinner staple. Alice Woelfle reports on how this unusual type of vegetable is actually good for your health. You can hear Woelfle's orginial report on KZYX. Bullwhip Kelp is one type of seaweed found on the California coast. Credit:…

by Caryl Hart Climate change is widely acknowledged as one of the most pressing problems in the world today. The Global Climate Action Summit, September 12-14 in San Francisco, will gather together thousands of those committed to addressing this threat. (Photo: Indigenous groups march for climate…

Governor Jerry Brown is hosting the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco this week. On Saturday over 30,000 people marched to San Francisco’s Civic Center to voice their hopes for climate action ahead of this week’s summit. Reporter Adia White followed a group of North Bay residents to the…

Monarch butterflies, those gorgeous creatures with the “stained glass” bodies, have been in decline for years, largely because it’s hard for larvae to find food. At a recent farmers market in Ukiah, reporter Sarah Reith spoke with advocates for the Monarchs about how to improve their chances of…

Prescribed burn of chaparral at the Hopland Center. Such burns lessen the impact of wildfires. Photo by Evett KilmartinTwo-thirds of the more than 5,000 acre Hopland Research and Extension Center was scorched in the River Fire last week. Reporter Sarah Reith of KZYX in Mendocino County ventured…

Prescribed burn of chaparral at the Hopland Center. Such burns lessen the impact of wildfires. Photo by Evett KilmartinTwo-thirds of the more than 5,000 acre Hopland Research and Extension Center was scorched in the River Fire last week. Reporter Sarah Reith of KZYX in Mendocino County ventured…

Immigration is a top political concern for Latino voters in California, but a new poll finds that environmental issues are equally important to them. The Public Policy Institute of California's recent poll of California voters finds that: A majority of likely voters (56%) say the candidates’…

All the flying mammals in the world are bats: the pollinators, the blood-sippers, and the insect-eaters.

The Official Sonoma County Parks Hiking Guide: Sonoma County's Regional Parks The Top 50 Long Distance Hiking Trails in the U.S.A.: Top 50 U.S. Hiking Trails Check out this cool interactive map of local trails: Hiking Trails Interactive Map If you have a yen to get away from it all, strap a pack on…

Stories of the Coast: How the California Coast Was Saved November 6th marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the California Coastal Commission - established by a voter initiative in 1972. As a result, the California coastline is considered the public’s land - the beaches and bluffs are…

Northern California Public Media presents Living Downstream: The Environmental Justice Podcast, produced in association with the NPR One mobile app. Living Downstream explores environmental justice in communities from California to Indonesia and is hosted by NCPM News Director Steve Mencher.…

Protection for endangered orcas or "killer whales" off the Pacific Coast may be about to disappear. Lori Abbot reports.

Anaheim boasted a thriving wine industry in the late 1800s, before an unnamed affliction killed 40,000 acres of the grapevines and put 50 wineries out of business. The problem was later found to have been Pierce's disease of grapevines. Would Anaheim be wine country today if it weren't for Pierce's…

Explore the epic beauty and exciting opportunities we can all discover, just around the bend, in these stories about the people and places of Sonoma County, California. Hiking Trails

What People Are Saying about Rebels With a Cause REBELS WITH A CAUSE is really moving out into the world – thanks in large part to your help. Please take a minute to bask in the warm light of these comments from four screenings that took place over this past weekend. And take a look at the schedule…

Styrofoam — referring generically to #6 expanded polystyrene foam — is a disposal headache. Extremely bulky, yet lightweight, it takes up space in the waste stream (and in landfills), but its removal doesn't add much value to what is known as "diversion numbers."In 1989, California Assembly Bill…

In California, the adage goes, "Whiskey's for drinking and water's for fighting." Often that goes for the coastal oceans, as well as inland waterways. But not always. Lori Abbot reports on a current cooperative effort. At right: Volunteer recreational angler Ken Yuen and CCFRP scientist Jahnava…

The popular holiday song counts swans, geese, French hens, Turtle Doves and, of course, that partridge. Meanwhile, birders across California are out in the wild, counting everything they see flying past. Lori Abbot has more. The peregrine falcon was once on the federal list of endangered and…

Sonoma County Regional Parks has received $1 million from the California River Parkways Program to help purchase 297 acres in the Mark West Creek watershed for a future regional park and open space preserve. The grant is among 33 statewide announced this week by the California Natural Resources…

The California Air Resources Board officials are calling the state's first-ever cap-and-trade carbon auction a success. And, as Lori Abbot reports, it could be an important milestone for California as a leader in the global clean tech market. At right: A gasifier at Sierra Energy transforms waste…

The federal government (National Marine Fisheries Service) and wildlife conservation groups are aligned in in a battle over pesticide use, with the latest round in a Virginia courtroom. NMFS wants to require no-spray buffer zones around waterways where salmon and steelhead live and migrate, for…

Halloween has special meaning for California's Death Valley, but it has nothing to do with spooks and spirits. Lori Abbot explains what the day's observance is really about.

A leak in a major water supply line to Santa Rosa ran for approximately five hours Monday afternoon, before it was repaired.Drinking water was released at a rate of 10-gallons per minute during that time. According to the Sonoma County Water Agency, the chlorinated water was contained in a field…

The American Red Cross has released its official Wildfire App, putting lifesaving information directly into the hands of people who live in or who visit wildfire prone areas. This free app—available in English or Spanish—is for use on both iPhone and Android platforms. Given numerous fires in the…

An environmenta; group has sued to stop he controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, widely known as "fracking," in California. Lori Abbot has the story,

A convicted abalone poacher who was sentenced recently to probation and a fine also lost his ability to get a California fishing license for the rest of his life. Paul Chak Po Mak, 62, of Oakland, was arrested and cited by Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens after taking more than the bag…

There is no doubt that climate change will have serious and widespread impacts on agriculture throughout California. New state legislation is intended to assist farmers in coping with those changes. Lori Abbot reports. At right: Three generations of Burroughs family farmers walking their…

As October begins, pollination season has largely ended and many commercial beehives are having their harvested. Now for the first time, beekeepers have a new tool to track just how much energy their efforts take, and the amount of greenhouse gases those efforts emit. With growing consumer interest…

Now that California has officially designated a series of offshore coastal areas as Marine Protected Areas, the state needs to monitor them. Lori Abbot has this report on how that's being done. At right, an underwater fish survey in progress. Photo courtesy of Reef Check California.

by Aubrey White Lately, I’ve seen the familiar signs of back-to-school. The school bus noisily pulls away from my neighbor’s house before the sun has fully risen. The neighborhood kids are inside a bit earlier in the evening (probably to finish that pesky homework), and I see throngs of students…

Sonoma Compost was one of the three winners of Green America's first quarterly "People & Planet" award, which recognizes America's best green, small businesses.The others were: Green Kid Crafts of Anchorage, Alaska, and Raleigh City Farm from Raleigh, North Carolina. Each of three winners, who were…

An underwater fish monitoring video camera located near a fish ladder in the Russian River recorded the first 2012 Chinook salmon on September 5th. That pioneering fish is the first of thousands that are expected to enter the Russian River watershed this season, in a year that shows promise for…

A Superior Court judge has approved a controversial statewide pesticide plan to control the Light Brown Apple Moth. Health and environmental groups argue the plan involves applying harmful and untested pesticides in order to control a minor agricultural pest that has not been proven to damage…

A group of local water suppliers and agricultural and watershed organization have established the Russian River Independent Science Review Panel, an effort to establish a sound scientific basis for future water supply and watershed management decision making in the Russian River. The new Panel will…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released an Action Plan that proposes seven measures for improving water quality, restoring aquatic habitat, and improving the management of the San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary. The release of the Action Plan follows the agency’s analysis concluding that…

In the many forested areas where wildfires are currently burning, the question will soon arise: What should be done after the fire goes out? That depends on the severity of the burn and land owner goals. 100% tree mortality caused by the August, 2007 Angora Fire near Lake TahoeFor high severity…

A USGS report released today finds a slow recovery for California's sea otters. After several years of declining numbers, advocacy groups were hoping to see a reversal of that trend. Lori Abbott tells us what the numbers showed. Photo credit: Cindy Tucey KRCB's North Bay Report examined the threats…

Engineers at a company co-founded by a University of Texas at Dallas professor have identified a material that can reduce the pollution produced by vehicles that run on diesel fuel. The material, from a family of minerals called oxides, could replace platinum, a rare and expensive metal that is…

Rat poison used on illegal marijuana farms may be sickening and killing the fisher, a rare forest carnivore that makes its home in some of the most remote areas of California, according to a team of researchers led by University of California, Davis, veterinary scientists. Researchers discovered…

While California's State Parks struggle to keep their gates open and provide b basic services to visitors, there is a move underway to upgrade one of the National Monuments in the state into a full-fledged National Park, Lori Abbot reports.

The California Fish and Game Commission has voted to adopt a network of Marine Protected Areas for northern California, including one that lies offshore from Point Reyes. The historic vote marks the completion of the United States' first statewide network of underwater parks. From the California…

Camping season is officially underway. This summer, while visiting the outdoor recreation areas you love, do your part to protect California by buying and burning local firewood. “Campfires are an essential part of camping for most of us,” says Don Owen, chairman of the California Firewood Task…

A ballot measure requiring the labeling of genetically modified foods has taken a big step forward, while funding priorities for the California State University system are also expected to be affected by the November election.

What do the Sierra snowpack and the state’s economy have in common? There is less to both than Californians would like.

The latest hazard to women’s health may be right at their fingertips.

The clarity of Lake Tahoe's water improved in 2011, but overall has remained nearly stable since 2000, according to UC Davis scientists who study the lake. The latest data released by the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency reported the average annual…

Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, a Sonoma County non-profit that has long provided interpretation, restoration and other services, has applied to the California State Parks Department to assume responsibility for operating Austin Creek State Recreation Area (currently on the closure list) and…

Two Sonoma County nonprofit conservation groups, Sonoma Land Trust and LandPaths, have announced the creation of a new 554-acre nature preserve on the Bohemia Ranch located between Occidental and Monte Rio near Camp Meeker. The forested land adjacent to the famous Bohemian Grove contains a…

Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB) is restoring the segment of Copeland Creek from Commerce Blvd to upstream of Snyder Lane in Rohnert Park. The work is being done in partnership with the Sonoma County Water Agency through grant funding from the California Natural Resources Agency, This project…

A University of California wildlife research team working in the Sierra Nevada is asking the public to donate clean, gently used socks for research on a rare weasel called the Pacific fisher. The team is part of the Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project (SNAMP), which is examining the effects…

A single gray wolf has been reported wandering in southern Oregon. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, this animal is a 2 ½ year old male formerly from a pack in northeast Oregon. Since the animal has been collared with a GPS device that periodically transmits its location,…

Sonoma County homeowners are now eligible for rebates of up to 100% for Energy Analysis services. In addition, rebates up to $6,000 are now available for some home energy efficiency upgrades. These new incentives were announced Oct. 27 by the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP), and…

 Final AIA Report to be Presented at a Community Meeting December 3 in Santa Rosa The Southeast Greenway Campaign Committee has received the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) report: Imagine…A Greenway to Spring Lake and Beyond. It offers a provocative, conceptual vision for the old Highway…

There have been a series of new cases of equine herpes virus in California over the last several weeks, in Tuolumne, San Joaquin and Sonoma counties. Locally, there was a single confirmed case in Sonoma County, which was quickly identified and quarantined until the risk of contagion had…

Loleta, Calif. – The Wiyot Tribe and Friends of the Eel River (FOER) were joined by Native American Indian tribes from throughout Northern California in a prayer ceremony Saturday focused on returning the Eel River and the fisheries it supports to a healthy, sustainable state. This event follows…

Shedding light on the current debate over immigration reform and the use of "guest workers" in American agriculture, Harvest of Loneliness is a historical documentary examines what was known as the Bracero Program--a system put in place from 1942 to 1964 to recruit Mexican farm laborers for…

 I drove past the new sculpture garden at the Sonoma County Museum several times during its construction and finally my curiosity got the better of me. A few days ago, early on a weekday afternoon, I stopped to take a look around. The Sculpture Garden was created on land adjacent to the museum, a…

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced final approval for integrated water management funding including $8.2 million for the North Coast region and $30.1 million for the Bay Area region. The North Coast plan designates $1 million for the Sonoma County Water Agency’s…

Final Estuary Management Project Environmental Review Certified and Project Approved On August 16, the Sonoma County Water Agency Board of Directors (Board) certified an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and approved a project to change the way the Russian River estuary is managed between May 15…

Just how bad was that storm last March? California's Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) has just released a compelling 9-minute documentary that tells the story of this year's spring storm and flooding. The video, embedded below, shows how a persistent low pressure system parked itself over the…

The Climate Protection Campaign has just released a new video explaining their work and unveiling a new initiative to help achieve Sonoma County's goal of dropping emmissions levels to 25% below 1990 levels by 2015. The Campaign is leading efforts to create a sustainable local model for energy…

Denise Cadman, a biologist and educator working for the City of Santa Rosa and a long time supporter of the Laguna Foundation, is requesting your stories and art for a Laguna Bird Anthology project. If you would consider contributing or want to know more about the project please read her invitation…

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued this year’s first Spare the Air Health Alertfor tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21. There is no free transit tomorrow and there is no wood burning ban in place. Everyone is encouraged to drive less and reduce their energy use. “Pollution in our air…

You are subscribed to the What's New page for the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner. This information has recently been updated, and is now available: Funding Available for Farmers Combating EGVM – Application period extended through July 1, 2011! Update your subscriptions, modify your…

The San Francisco Bay is a great natural treasure— The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) is charged with keeping it safe. In 2010, KRCB is presenting the history and future of our beloved Bay in a new series called “Around the Bay with Will Travis,” who is the…

Photo credit: Paul Bausch One of the best hikes in Sonoma County, the Pomo Canyon to Shell Beach hike offers a little bit of everything, from towering redwoods to pounding surf, from ferny dells to ridge-top vistas. TRAILS TO TAKE: Moderate to strenuous. This gorgeous 6-mile hike offers wildflowers…

Photo credit: City of Healdsburg (top) and Nancy Lorenz (bottom right and left) Throughout this beautiful property you’ll find breathtaking views of the Mayacamas, Fitch Mountain, Lake Sonoma Basin, coastal range and the Russian River. Situated right on the urban edge of Healdsburg, trails wander…

Photo credit: Carlos Chavez (top and middle) and Bob Dyer (bottom right and left). Located just outside the Russian River town of Guerneville, this 805-acre park features a magnificent grove of ancient redwoods and a variety of hikes that will take you from ferny redwood groves to oak- and…

Located a few miles off Highway 12, near the small town of Glen Ellen, Jack London State Historic Park is a memorial to writer and adventurer Jack London. Here's how he described the spot: “...there are great redwoods on it...also there are great firs, tanbark oaks, live oaks, white oaks, black…

An urban oasis, the Santa Rosa Creek/Prince Memorial Greenway Trail runs west along Santa Rosa Creek from downtown Santa Rosa to Fulton Road. A lovely meandering creek, whispering shade trees, migratory birds calling among the rushes, what could be better! The trail is paved from downtown to Fulton…

Photo credit: Carlos Chavez (top and middle) and Bob Dyer (bottom right and left). Shollenberger Park in southeastern Petaluma is a 16-acre wetland bordered by Adobe Creek and the Petaluma River. Level paths—some paved, some gravel—wind among diked ponds, ample marshlands and open fields. This is a…

In Spring 2010, KRCB Expressions produced a series of video shorts about Sonoma County Trails. So come on, get out there. Like the man said, "The worst day outdoors beats the best day indoors." Schollenberger Park Petaluma Prince Memorial Greenway Trail Santa Rosa Jack London State Park Sonoma…

In Spring 2009, KRCB Expressions produced a series of video shorts about Sonoma County Bike Trails. So come on, get out there. Like the man said, "The worst day outdoors beats the best day indoors." Helen Putnam Park Trail Petaluma Brush Creek Trail Santa Rosa Howarth Park / Spring Lake Santa Rosa…

World Premiere: Mill Valley Film Festival REBELS WITH A CAUSE narrated by Frances McDormand Mill Valley Film Festival (laurels) Saturday - October 6 - 6:15 PM - Sequoia Theater Mill Valley, CA Tuesday - October 9 - 4:00 PM - Rafael Film Center San Rafael, CA We advice buying your tickets in…

Watch the trailer, spread the word!

Donate Now and support Rebels With A Cause KRCB invites your participation in bringing this important local story to the National PBS audience. Rebels With A Cause is currently in production. Pledge your financial support to bring this project to light and remind everyone just how close we have…

Rebels With A Cause Contributors Kelly+Yamamoto Productions Nancy Kelly, Writer, Producer, Director and Kenji Yamamoto, Producer, Editor Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto made Smitten, a documentary thatenters the world of Napa Valley’s Rene di Rosa, an unusual art collector whose goal is neither…

Rebels With A Cause (working title) Saving the Marin County Coast An hour long documentary by Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto Executive Produced by KRCB Public Television In the 1950s, the vision for the Marin County coast was all too familiar: the rural area would become an extension of San…

For full information visit: www.rebelsdocumentary.org Watch the Preview: Beginning in the 1950s, a national movement was born of principles that may seem obvious today. Unconvinced by land developers who promoted residential construction as unmitigated progress, citizens began banding together to…

InCA Productions and KRCB have partnered to produce 8 interstitial length programs focusing on local folks who have changed their energy use. The individuals and families share how, by changing their lives in simple and manageable ways, they have dramatically changed their energy usage. From…

Follow artist Lisa R. Fredenthal-Lee as she discovers materials the world casts away and invents techniques for making art from those materials. Episode One - Egg Flats Artist Lisa R. Fredenthal-Lee goes in search of egg flats and finds them at a local restaurant that specialized in what else eggs!…

Sonoma County Appellations Series This series introduces viewers to Sonoma County California's wine country, a region long known for superior quality of its agricultural products. Today, the many appellations of Sonoma County are recognized as producing some of the world's finest wines. Alexander…

The California Coastal Conservancy has authorized spending up to $650,000 to acquire conservation and public access easements over the 495-acre Bordessa Ranch property on the Estero Americano in western Sonoma County. An additional $50,000 will go to to Sonoma County Regional Parks to develop a…