ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA BOOK AWARDS The Selection Process Each year, The Commonwealth Club receives hundreds of books from California authors for award consideration. Thier dedicated jury spends several months assessing each entry, narrowing down the many submitted works to a group of finalists and finally the medalists themselves. Types of Awards The California Book Awards […]
Hiking Humboldt KIDS Released
This exciting new book, created to get kids and families outside exploring the natural wonders of Humboldt County, is now a reality. Hiking Humboldt Kids by Rees Hughes is the next book in the “Hiking Humboldt Series,” and is the result of a dynamic collaboration between Backcountry Press and First 5 Humboldt. First 5 is […]
Birds of the Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains are home to vast populations of bird species. This is due to diverse habitats including riparian corridors, coniferous forests, oak woodlands, chaparral, meadows, and rocky cliffs. Over 350 bird species call the Klamath Mountains home for some portion of their life. Many of the bird species found in the Klamath Mountains are […]
Webcast: The Natural History of the Klamath Mountains
Take a journey through the biotic and abiotic wonders that define the Klamath Mountains and one of the most unique mountain ranges in North America. Ecologist and author Michael Kauffmann takes us on across the range based on his new book about the range that spans northwest California and southwest Oregon. We explore a variety […]
Greed and Destruction: Klamath Mountains Mining History
The Klamath Mountains are second to the Sierra Nevada in gold abundance in California. This abundance was, unfortunately, met by the festering greed of gold miners who lacked respect for the land and the First Peoples who resided there at the time of first contact. While there were laws for mining, the miners often disregarded […]
Cultivating Place
A Podcast Interview with Jennifer Jewell This week Jennifer Jewell, with the Cultivating Place Podcast, interviewed Michael Kauffmann and Justin Garwood. Michael and Justin have spent the better part of the last decade curating and editing a cohort of 32 additional expert contributors to a new, and really the first, comprehensive natural history of the […]
Headline Humboldt
This week on Headline Humboldt, author Michael Kauffmann is in the studio to discuss his new natural history book of the Klamath Mountains.
SF Chronicle: Best Books of 2022
We are proud to say that the San Francisco Chronicle has selected The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History as one of the best nonfiction books of 2022!
California’s Deserts
Desert environments have always held a fascination for many, their stark landscapes notwithstanding. At first glance these seemingly-lifeless landscapes are actually home to hardy woody shrubs and succulents with amazing adaptations to survive in harsh desert conditions. In California’s deserts, all this changes when the onset of winter rains bring carpets of brightly colored annuals […]
THE KLAMATH MOUNTAINS: A NATURAL HISTORY
Filled with mystery conjured by unparalleled biodiversity, the Klamath Mountains tell numerous stories of evolution and resilience shaped over long periods of time. Geology is the defining character of this range, with numerous smaller mountain ranges forming a jigsaw puzzle of big-shouldered river canyons and sharp ridgelines. Within the Klamath Knot, the geology also shapes […]
Plant Life in California’s Deserts
For the past 15 years, Philip Rundel, has been developing this book through his long-term relationship and travels in deserts of the Southwestern United States, northern Chile, and Southern Africa. His vision is now a reality. California Desert Plants: Ecology and Diversity is a new book written by Philip Rundel, Robert Gustafson, and Michael Kauffmann […]
MarineBio.Life Features Allison Poklemba
In this podcast Kara Muzia, an ocean enthusiast and marine biologist interviews Allison Poklemba. They dive into the wonderful world of seaweeds! Allison shares how plants have fascinated her from a young age, why her move across the country for university was the financially responsible choice, and how she incorporated both botany and herbalism into […]
Nature’s Archive features Michael Kauffmann
Michael Hawk, the creator of Nature’s Archive, featured Michael Kauffmann a few weeks back. They discussed the many things that make conifers such an amazing group of plants including their evolutionary history, what makes them different from other trees, and gives us a special look at the amazing diversity of conifers in his area – […]
Calling All Humboldt County Photographers
We are working with First 5 Humboldt to develop a hiking guide for kids and families. We would love to feature your photos of these landscapes and people visiting these places!
Nature Nerd Protip: Cactus Compass
Never get turned around in the Mojave Desert again. As long as you can find this plant, it will point you south! Directionality is seen in many cactus species, with our barrel cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus) serving as a good example.
Magnificent Five-needle Pines of Western North America
This 2-part webinar will explore the natural history of six closely related five-needle pines of western North America. We have created a “quiz” to prep you for the webinar and prompt you with a few amazing facts about this group within the beautiful and regal soft (Strobus) pines.
Forest Mushroom Class Pairings
Part 1: Kombucha In The Mist We’re kicking it off by pairing Part 1 with a beverage that you can watch develop with a culture of your very own — or just pick up a bottle from your neighborhood market: Kombucha! For best effect, pour yourself a sparkling glass and sit outside on a misty autumnal evening listening […]
The Vivid View of Ken Jarvela
Once you get on a roll with a painting, its like you have free license to be part of the mountains. It’s an odd feeling. Ken Jarvela is one of our favorite local artists. His work captures the wildest plants, rocks, sky and these are the subjects we love. He grew up in Bayside, California alongside […]
Forest Mushrooms of the Pacific Coast
A five-part fall webinar series Join Maria Morrow and Christian Schwarz for a comprehensive introduction to the forest mushrooms of California and the Pacific Northwest. Over the course of this series we’ll cover foundational topics ranging from the fundamentals of mushroom identification to basic fungal biology. We’ll also discuss the fascinating complexities of the bigger […]
Franklin’s Bumble Bee
Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are an important group of North American wild pollinators. However, in the latter half of the 20th century, concern has arisen because of a noticeable declines in many species’ populations—due to a variety of factors including pesticides and diseases from managed bees. Decline of the world’s rarest bumble bee The Klamath […]
