We truly had a blast at our screening of The Extraordinary Caterpillar film at the Riverfront Playhouse on July 12. Along with us were representatives of the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, the Shasta Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, and Ghost Pine Native Plant Nursery, set up in the lobby hosting a plethora…
Redding Nights Are Staying Hot.That’s a Problem We Built. Redding has always been hot in the summer. But the heat people experience in Redding is not only a product of weather and geography; how much of the ground is paved, how much tree canopy is left to shade it, and how much open land has…
The Urban Heat Island EffectSpecies of the Month: Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Part 2)Species of the Month: California groundcone, Kopsiopsis strobilaceaUpcoming EventsCommunity Education Recap: The Extraordinary Caterpillar Link: July Newsletter
The Last Unroaded Forests When most people think of protected public land, they think of wilderness. But wilderness is only part of the story. The map below shows both designated wilderness and Inventoried Roadless Areas across Northern California’s national forests. Together, they represent the largest remaining undeveloped forest landscapes in the region. view the map…
Can’t see the map? Click here to open the Story Map in a new tab. Can’t see the map? Click here to open the Story Map in a new tab. How three rivers built Shasta County and much of the state’s water supply
“Looking to the future while preserving our heritage and timber resources” Tucked into the mixed conifer forest in Oak Run sits the Phillips Brothers Mill, a fully steam-powered sawmill still operating today, much like it has since its 1897 founding. On May 31 we were fortunate to attend a tour of this historical operation led…
There are places in this region where the light shifts through oak branches, where the sound of water settles the mind, and where the horizon opens enough for a person to breathe a little more deeply. These are not luxuries. They are part of what ties a community to the land. Yet many of these…
Why Accessible Open Spaces Strengthen ConservationSpecies of the Month: Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytschaSpecies of the Month: Wavyleaf Soap Plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianumEvent: The Extraordinary CaterpillarAdopt-A-Swim Beach ProgramTrip Report: Phillips Brothers Mill Tour Link: June Newsletter
The sun had set, white sheet was lit, toward the glow a moth did flit! On Friday the 24th of April, curious explorers followed lights into the forest to find a purple glow. This glow was coming from a blacklight against a white sheet, set up to attract moths and other insects of the night….
Our outing on April 26 to the Crystal Creek Water Ditch Trail was met with cool cloudy conditions and not a drop of rain in sight. The purpose of this field trip was to participate in the Shasta County City Nature Challenge by documenting as much biodiversity as possible on this short trail. This eager…
Phillips Brothers Mill TourUpcoming Events“There Is No Planet B” Book Club (June 14, 2026)National Trails Day: Volunteer Work Day (June 6, 2026)Trip Report: Shasta County Bioblitz ResultsTrip Report: Mothing / LightsheetingTrip Report: Crystal Creek Water DitchSpecies of the Month: Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis)Species of the Month: Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) Link: May 2026 Newsletter
Cal Fire’s Urban Forest Plan Is Open for Comment. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has published a draft plan to expand the urban tree canopy statewide by 10% before 2035. Public comments are open through April 30. For Shasta County residents, the plan has significant gaps that deserve attention before the comment…