Publications & Press
News, scientific articles & environmental reports.
The Bay Checkerspot Butterfly Returns to San Bruno Mountain
Biologists release the federally threatened Bay checkerspot butterfly on San Bruno Mountain. The rare butterflies haven't been observed there for over 30 years!
Driving Home the Butterfly
Bay Nature
The Mission blue butterfly flies again on Twin Peaks, thanks to a dedicated six-year relocation project.
butterflies brought to twin peaks
SF Chronicle
Teams of scientists relocated dozens of Mission Blue butterflies that are native to San Francisco from San Bruno Mountain to Twin Peaks in San Francisco in an effort to bring back the species.
SF Natural Areas & mission Blue habitat
San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
Kirra Swenerton talks about the inspiring work of the Natural Areas Program. Rec and Park manages over 4,000 acres of land and 1/4 of that are wild open spaces, called Natural Areas (Twin Peaks, Bernal Hill, Glen Canyon, etc). Kirra and her team protect, manage and restore these precious remaining wild spaces in San Francisco.
golden paintbrush restoration
Society for Ecological Restoration/Ecological Society of America
Site selection for reintroduction of rare plants is based on a combination of practical, physical, and biological parameters. This study helps to identify soil requirements for the reintroduction of the federally threatened prairie plant, Castilleja levisecta.
Castilleja levisecta restoration
MS Thesis, University of Washington
Soil suitability and site preparation techniques for Castilleja levisecta restoration on Whidbey Island, Washington. (download the full text pdf)
An inconvenient plant
SF Weekly
One of the world's rarest plants grows in the Presidio. Plans are under way to save it — and ax thousands of trees in the process. Kirra Swenerton, seed ecologist at the Presidio’s native plant nursery, demonstrates a seed burn of the sort she hopes to use to revive the Raven’s manzanita.
