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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – Save Mount Diablo (“SMD”) and Campolindo High School (“CHS”) signed a Conservation Collaboration Agreement on April 16, 2018, to honor and help protect the Mount Diablo natural area in recognition of Earth Day. SMD’s Conservation Collaboration Agreement program is one part of the organization’s larger Community Conservation initiative, and is built upon the wisdom of Aldo Leopold’s “Land Ethic,” the proven power of solos in nature, and the recognition that we must all do more than just business as usual to help address the widely documented “Nature Deficit Disorder” in our modern, wired society.

“The Campolindo Science Department is passionate about providing our students with outdoor education and stewardship opportunities that connect them with the natural world. We are thrilled to be working with Save Mount Diablo, as they are providing our students with both, as well as providing excellent role models who are acting locally to protect land on behalf of people, and on behalf of wildlife. There is much bad news when studying environmental science – it is very encouraging and empowering for our students to engage with an organization that is accomplishing so much in terms of land conservancy and habitat restoration,” said CHS Teacher Jane Kelson.

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
– Henry David Thoreau

This year’s Bioblitz was the most highly attended SMD Bioblitz since 2007, with seventy-five biologists and expert naturalists compared to the usual thirty to forty naturalists of years past. Participants came from LSA, Nomad Ecology, Swaim Biological, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, the California Academy of Sciences, and the California Native Plant Society, among others, and donated their time over the weekend.

Arroyo Del Cerro is home to the federally listed California red-legged frog and “has the potential for California tiger salamander,” said Malcolm Sproul. Other species were spotted as well, including the endemic Contra Costa manzanita. (Endemic means this species of manzanita only occurs in the area.) In total, 419 species were found, a high number that reflects the diverse habitat on the land.

About Lance: a. How long have you lived in the Bay Area? – All of my life. I was born in Oakland on November 1942, and raised in Lafayette, when…

A SPECIAL EVENING On Thursday, March 22nd, a sold-out crowd of 300 guests gathered at the Lesher Center to join us in celebrating Seth Adams, Land Conservation Director on his…

“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” – Henry David Thoreau (Photo of Burma Road Trail by Bob Brittain)

In celebration of Land Conservation Director Seth Adam’s 30th anniversary with Save Mount Diablo, a ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 22nd at the Lesher Center of the Arts in Walnut Creek to commemorate the many milestones achieved protecting, defending and restoring Mount Diablo’s irreplaceable wild lands during Seth’s storied career, and look forward to more great years of conservation. 

WALNUT CREEK, CALIF. — Enthusiastic fans of “Audible Mount Diablo” joined Save Mount Diablo recently at their offices in Walnut Creek for the premiere “green carpet” release of the latest Audible Mount Diablo guide, Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve: the rocks, the boomtowns, and nature’s remarkable recovery. It’s the 13th in a series of hour-long guides to Diablo area parks, each made up of ten to fifteen 3-5 minute segments.

Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve traverses areas of grassland, foothill woodland, chaparral, and more. In the latest guide, viewers will enjoy learning about one of the East Bay’s most storied and beautiful parks while taking in some of Scott Hein’s amazing nature photography (featuring great views of our favorite mountain)!

“Don’t worry about the failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” – Jack Canfield

“Keep close to nature’s heart. Break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir
Photo – Falls Trail, Credit: Scott Hein.