Photo: Jerry Downs

M’Gee Johnston

I recently read an article in the Marin Independent Journal that a small slice of land once owned by Janis Joplin will be purchased by the MarinCounty Open Space District to provide access to Blithedale Ridge from Baltimore Canyon in Larkspur.

The headline caught my eye because of the mention of Janis Joplin (as it was meant to do), but I was so pleased to learn that this bit of land will become part of the hiking area that I love to roam. I can go out my door in Mill Valley and soon be on a fire road that will take me to trails and paths leading to Mt. Tamalpais, Corte Madera, Larkspur and beyond.

I’ll think of Janis as I meander the trails and be thankful that I live in a place where they are preserved. Speaking of legends, you can learn more about the history and terrain of Mt. Tamalpais by checking out our story: Mt. Tamalpais’, Lands and Legends.

– Doug McConnell

Photo: Pigeon Point Lightstation by Yen-Wen Lu

I watched a piece of CNN’s “Planet in Peril” series last night. I’ve spent quite a bit of time during the past few decades working on programs to help us understand and address the immense ecological crises of our time. In most ways, I haven’t seen much success. While the biosphere doesn’t get any bigger, our appetites for its limited resources seem to grow exponentially. The planet heats, habitats are destroyed and species disappear at rates unprecedented in the past sixty-five million years. Overall, it’s a pretty gloomy picture.

However, there are many signs of hope scattered across the face of the earth. Right here in northern California, I get encouraged every day by the commitments of concerned people and the consequences of their hard work. The Bay Area in particular has long been a leader in environmental action and land conservation. If you visit here these days, (more…)