SanFran 2022 megastorm

Climate change threatens future California megastorm

SanFran 2021 Striped Shore Crab

Overpopulations of striped shore crab are destroying salt marshes

SanFran 2019 wetland restoration

Tidal fluctuations threaten wetland restoration

SanFran 2018 predictions

Predictions on rising sea levels in the Bay Area

SanFran 2017 Cliff Collapse

California cliffs are collapsing

SanFran 2014 kelp

Kelp forests wiped out

SanFran 2014 condors

Condors confirmed in San Mateo

SanFran 2012 Mud Flats

Baylands tidal marshes are disappearing

hist-2636-photo-Near-extinct Bald Eagles Make a Comeback

Near-extinct bald eagles make a comeback

hist-2637-photo-Endangered Mission Blue Butterflies Released on Twin Peaks

Endangered mission blue butterflies released on Twin Peaks

hist-2638-photo-Chinook Salmon Reintroduced to California River

Chinook salmon reintroduced to California River

SanFran 2011 Redwood

Old growth redwood forest protected

SanFran 2008 porpoises

Porpoises return to play in San Francisco Bay

SanFran 2005 Amur River Clam

Invasive amur river clam

hist-2634-photo-Peregrine Falcons Nest in San F

Peregrine falcons nest in San Francisco

SanFran 1989 Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse

Salt marsh harvest mouse is endangered

hist-2633-photo-Elephant Seals Return

Elephant seals return

hist-2632-photo-Reintroduction of Tule Elk onto Point Reyes

Reintroduction of tule elk onto Point Reyes

SanFran 1974 wildliferefuge

San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge created

hist-2627-photo-Wildfowl Darken the Sky and Soundscape, Richard Pierce

Wildfowl darken the sky and soundscape

SanFran 1969 Alcatraz

Indigenous activists occupy Alcatraz Island

SanFran 1965 McAteer Petris Act

The McAteer-Petris Act

SanFran 1961 savethebay

Save The Bay founded

hist-2622-photo-Greenbelt Alliance Formed to Fight Urban Sprawl

Greenbelt Alliance formed to fight urban sprawl

SanFran 1950s Shoreline Pollution

Bay shoreline reduced due to pollution

hist-2619-photo-A Sordid Scheme

A sordid scheme

hist-2617-photo-White Settlers Drive Down Game Bird Populations, Joseph Grinnell

White settlers drive down game bird populations

SanFran 1918 Trade

Bay Area offers valuable fur to global trade

SanFran 1910 deforestation

Deforestation and soil erosion spread

hist-2630-photo-Farallon Wildlife Refuge

Farallon Wildlife Refuge

hist-2613-photo-Water Conservation Crucial for California's Future, Charles Keeler

Water conservation crucial for California's future

hist-2612-photo-Native Oysters, Charles H. Townsend

Native oysters

hist-2611-photo-Founding of the Sierra Club

Founding of the Sierra Club

SanFran 1880 shrimp

Shrimp fishery

hist-2609-photo-Salmon Fishery, John E. Skinner

Salmon fishery

SanFran 1878 eucalypti

Graceful eucalypti giants

SanFran 1871 graywhale

Gray whale migration

hist-2605-photo-Lake Merrit Bird Refuge, Kassie Rohrback

Lake Merritt Bird Refuge established

SanFran 1982 SacramentoRiver

Tainting the Sacramento River

SanFran 1853 redwoods

Havoc wrought on Oakland Hills redwoods by lumbermen

SanFran 1852 YerbaBuena

Yerba Buena's expanding wharves

SanFran 1851 Sanfranrestaurants

San Francisco restaurants

hist-814-photo-Native Landscape

Native landscape

SanFran 1850s FarralonIslands

The murres on the Farralon Islands

SanFran 1849 Looking over the Bay

Looking out over the Bay of San Francisco region

Prairie 1846 elk

Herds of elk

SanFran 1837 Yerba Buena

Fish in San Francisco Bay

SanFran 1836 landofplenty

A land of plenty

SanFran 1826 migratory geese

Extraordinary arrival of migratory geese

hist-813-photo-Wildlife Abundance of San Francisco Dunes, Adelbert von Chamisso

Wildlife abundance of San Francisco dunes

SanFran 1812 seaotters

Sea otters

SanFran 1786 quails

Conveys of quail

SanFran 1786 pungentwhales

A plethora of pungent whales

SanFran 1776 pronghorn

Pronghorn antelope

hist-2592-photo-Grizzly Bear, Father Pedro Font

Grizzly bear

SanFran 1776 salmon

Salmon

SanFran 1770 Elk

First sighting of elk upon arrival

SanFran 1769 Jackrabbit

Traditional Ohlone song

SanFran 1850 nativelandscape

First sighting of San Francisco Bay by Europeans

SanFran 1700s Ohlone Land

The Land of the Ohlones

SanFran 10,000 BCE Eagle Coyote Hummingbird

Eagle, Coyote, and Hummingbird

Americas, North America, San Francisco

Deforestation

Huge redwoods historically towered over much of the northern California landscape. In the San Francisco Bay area, these forests condensed the regional fog to keep temperatures low and rainfall consistent. Deforestation in the bay area has led to soil erosion, rising average temperatures, and loss of habitat for native wildlife. Although redwood forests are now protected, logging is an issue which continues to harm California ecosystems today.  

Pollution

In the mid-19th century, the gold rush introduced excessive mining waste into the bay area. The crystal clear water became muddy with gold washings and quickly spread to surrounding rivers and streams. Storm water waste is presently the largest source of pollution in San Francisco. Since the 1950s, the shoreline has been reduced due to garbage dumps and household waste. 

Water levels and shoreline

Rising water levels in the San Francisco Bay area are caused by a handful of factors and affect the health of the ecosystem in many different ways. Causes of seal level rise include but are not limited to residential and industrial pollution, climate change, and tidal fluctuation. The rising water levels are also detrimental to wetland rehabilitation efforts, as freshly restored wetlands are fragile. Additionally, sea level rise accelerates cliff retreat as bigger waves hit the land at faster and stronger rates. As cliff retreat advances, the wildlife dependent on these areas are experiencing major habitat loss. 

Wildlife decline

Wildlife populations in the San Francisco Bay area have long struggled to stay alive due to centuries of overhunting. Many of these species, such as beaver, otter and marten were highly  valuable during the fur trade in the early 1900s. These animals, along with woodland creatures including racoon, badgers and skunks, were targeted for their pelts only. As described in early settler journals, whales were also excessively pursued, and later shrimp and pacific salmon. Recently, habitat destruction is the primary risk that wildlife populations in the bay area face. This is the case for the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse and the bald eagle. 

Most Pressing Issues

Save the Bay

Save the Bay is a nonprofit organization working to rehabilitate and improve the San Francisco Bay Area water quality and wildlife populations. Founded in 1961, the organization does much to protect the land from development and restore it to its natural state. 

San Francisco Bay National Society

The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society seeks to nurture in the public a sense of understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuges, their natural and cultural history, and to conserve, preserve, and restore bay lands as essential wildlife habitat.

The Marine Mammal Center

The Marine Mammal Center works to rescue and rehabilitate marine mammals in the San Francisco Bay area, research the behavioral patterns of these animals, and educate the bay community on the future of global ocean conservation. The Marine Mammal Center is composed of a 1,300 volunteer network and is open to public visitation.

How You Can Help

San Francisco Bay Area