A few generations ago, the San Francisco Bay was filthy, smokestacks clogged the air with sooty black clouds, and many local plants and animals were on the verge of extinction. Although our region still faces threats from invasive species, pollution, and climate change, an incredible amount of progress has been made. Explaining his motivation for writing San Francisco Bay Area: An Environmental History (Backcountry Press), an encyclopedic new overview that covers everything from beavers to earthquakes, David Schmidt said “I thought that people would appreciate the Bay Area and all of its beautiful natural areas much more if they knew how hard it was to preserve them.”
Listen to the podcast to hear an interview with David Schmidt that delves into Native history, the real-life incident that inspired Hitchcock’s The Birds, our favorite local lookout points, and much more. Find the program via Apple, SoundCloud, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. Shoutout to Steven Whitright and Ethan Goldwater for helping out with recording and production on this episode.
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