The Lech Naumovich Photography blog has permanently migrated over to www.lechphoto.wordpress.com

Really, it’s no big deal  I promise we haven’t sold out to a mega-corporation or off-shore oil-drilling interests.

Please continue to visit us there and at www.lechphoto.com

Much Love,

Lech

There you have it.  California has officially closed nature.  The Governor, Jerry Brown, has signed AB95 into law which asks that $11 million (2011/12) and $22 million (2012/13) dollars be excised from the State Parks budget in order to meet our greater state need to balance its weighty books.  The parks in the Bay Area that will close include Henry Coe (pictured above), Castle Rock, and China Camp.  These parks will be closed to the public for at least two years – and I say “at least” because it may be much longer.  Here’s a State Parks Foundation map of all statewide closures.

Here are 3 reasons why this is utterly stupid. (and yes, I did say stupid)

1. State Parks is actually a fiscally solvent arm of government.  Unlike the Post Office, State Parks charges money and returns a budget surplus.  By reducing our park usage and turning people off of this phenomenal resources, those numbers may very well change.  In fact, as we can all imagine, money “earned” by State Parks is returned to the General Fund and may be used to pay for things like the Governor’s car, and air travel, and free breakfast at the State Capitol.

2. This is a time of recession.  These next few years are a likely time when people will find the greatest benefit from nature.  When money is tight, people tend to find activities that utilize less of it – like hiking and picnicking.  Guess where that happens.  As we reduce access to this nature outlet, we reduce interest in conserving our resources and mental health.  But let’s also not forget – physical health.  Many great “health movements and sports fixations” have arisen in times of economic depression. (see Born to Run).  We’re removing an opportunity for us to get out and play and be healthy (which in turn increases health care costs among other things).

3. This closure is a violation of the trust of many millions of people who have helped donate time and money to create this world-class park system.  The State Parks mission statement reads as follows: To provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.  Let me be (not the) first to say that you’re not meeting this mission with the closure of a solvent resource agency to then transmit money to another State need. State Parks wasn’t created to be a cash cow.  It was created to be self-sufficient.  Jerry Brown, your leadership isn’t making it any easier for future generations to believe the State Government will maintain its promises.  Why should I donate to an agency or trust that won’t even maintain open parks?

4 – The fiscal bonus round – So guess what happens when you close something and put it in the attic or garage.  It gets dusty.  It gets rusty.  It gets forgotten. So, when you re-find that gem you’ve been caching, it needs a little buffing.  In the case of machinery, infrastructure, electronics – usually there is a high cost to getting it back up and running.  There’s an additional cost there not in any budget conversation.  Additionally, and most importantly, you lose the institutional knowledge of employees.  Yes, people will be pink-slipped.  Their commitment and knowledge of place (and how to keep that place running) will be cast away, lost.  If these parks are to ever re-open, we need to retrain personnel and reconstruct a workforce.  These are all additional costs that again aren’t considered.  I call it a lose – lose.

In closing, Mr. Brown and California legislature, you’ve lost my confidence.   You’re potentially ruining a great thing by this “minor” cutback.  You’re casting institutional knowledge and dedication aside.  Sure these “other parks” slated for closure only have ~ 10% of the total visitation for the system, but it’s an important 10% being served by many of these out-of-the-way parks.  I believe that you’ve acted too quickly and naively under a veil of incomplete economic analysis.  It’s politico-economics if you ask me, a form based on bipartisan bickering and misplaced media pressure.

But I’m willing to forgive you and let you win my confidence back if you rethink this proposition soon.  Thanks.

Sincerely,

Lech

Has the river run dry? -Henry Coe SP

Grassland Research in the Hamilton Range

I was honored to be asked by the Bay Area Open Space Council to do a slideshow for their annual conference in the Presidio, SF, CA.  The theme of the conference was healthy land and healthy people and frankly, that’s something I care about dearly.

Well-planned cattle grazing helps maintain our landscapes

Being a restoration ecologist in my “other” life, I find that healthy land and healthy people come together (or are co-generated) in restoration practice.  Although often these two are not a part of the rhetoric of restoration science, they often fall into “restoration practice journals” and other grayish literature.  And the icing on the cake is the truly non-material interactions/phenomenon that happen when you connect physically with the earth – plug your hands into the dirt – those are the most important of all.  The psychological component of restoration that really keeps our minds and brains healthy – therefore keeping our land healthy – should be a central focus and essence of our scientific work.

Monitoring Presidio Clarkia (endangered) at Redwood Park, Oakland

Monitoring goldfields and grasses alike, a stone's throw from San Jose

Catching Mission Blue Butterflies at San Bruno Mountain, South SF, CA

It's like I'm growing up at the zoo

So it’s been a little over one month since my life really took off.  Nope, not my photography career, or my latest book peaking on the NYT bestseller list, but rather the birth of lil’ Kaya Evelyn.  It’s been an amazing ride and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  Truly a miracle – truly its impossible to put into words.  Taking after daddy, she’s already tossing around many philosophical looks (predominantly when pooping), including magnum-pee-in-my-pants and blue-steel-waiting-for-more-milk-ma.

Kaya - blue-steel-waiting-for-more-milk-ma look

Drea, my wife, dreamt about turtles with Kaya in utero, and so they’ve become a bit of a totem for her.  Seeing she’s a Pisces, turtles make perfect sense.  Especially when she looks kinda grumpy like one.

Note the resemblance.

After the studio shoot, we popped outside in order to get our allergies, I mean biophilia, going.  You know that the word poopies and poppies are only one letter apart.

Poppies and Ms. Poopies

We hope to see you all soon!  Much love from Kaya, Drea, and Lech.

Lavender makes me sleepy

So it’s been a few years since I’ve called Wisconsin home.  I enjoyed by undergraduate work there enormously.  The University was a buzz with great things from outstanding programs in the Sciences and Liberal Arts, to social demonstrations, to wonderful art and great community.  In case you’re wondering, University of Wisconsin Madison is the number one place to do your undergraduate degree AND get an education.

So with great pleasure I’ve done a small collaboration with Eli Evans, freshman-year dorm friend and writer extraordinaire.  He’s one of the members of the Wisco-crew that continues to meet up on a regular basis and generally cause trouble when we get together.  So is Ryan, and its his birthday so happy birthday buddy.  Now back to the news at hand.

Eli had a bit to say about the political situation in Wisconsin.  He’s never been called, um, “shy” when it comes to his pen.  His wit and creativity deserve five minutes of your time.  Believe me.  I hope you’ll give it a read: article 1 and article 2 (wherein my photo appears). Here are a couple of photos I sent to Eli under the guidance of “barren and moody couldn’t hurt”.  The last one was selected.

Thanks for your work on keeping the Wisconsin dream alive.

Oh, and here’s a bonus shot of the infamous Evil Evans – Rose Bowl 2011!

Christal sexing the butterfly

As you know, I chase butterflies. Mostly its been larva (these little black caterpillars that have the slightest of orange spots and are very difficult to spot) at Coyote Ridge, Santa Clara county.  Sometimes you can spend a whole day looking for the little guys and well, that’s your day.  In good years, like this year, we’ve found many “mini-cats” on the cool slopes of Coyote Ridge.

Peak bloom for Coyote Ridge - I dare you try to point out a non-native in this photo?!

About a week ago (actually 4-6-11), I stepped up into the big leagues.  Yup, real butterflies.  Wings, antennae, real, butterfly parts… not just black slinkies with orange spots.  As part of the restoration of Bay Checkerspot butterflies, Creekside Science has obtained US Fish and Wildlife Service permits to move adults to Edgewood Natural Preserve in San Mateo.  Well guess what, that means we get to catch them.  Much to the my chagrin, my parents always believed that I “chased butterflies”, and well, now, after saying it for about 15 years, they are correct.

Jimmy with a lady, her mobile home, a cooler, wildflowers and cows - Paradise!

Here are some images of the 18 ladies that we transferred successfully.  Bon chance, Bay Checkerspots!  Let’s hope the mini-cat hunting is very prosperous in 2012.

Yes we do look like this catching butterflies

My first pick-up at the park!

Glam shot of this pregnant hottie

Jimmy, eyes on the prize

Many thanks to the Friends of Edgewood for all their support over the years – they are awesome!   Here’s a great Bay Nature article on Edgewood Park.

Ok, so lets start with the facts:

1. My fantastic wife gave birth to sweet Kaya Evelyn on St. Patrick’s Day, 2011.  Ariel was our amazing doula.

1b. I bet it hurt more than I can ever imagine.

2. Kaya tipped the scales at 7lbs and 8oz and at 20 inches is probably ready to sign up for the WNBA.  She’s more of a point guard than a strong forward.

3. Yes, I’m ridiculously happy, lucky, humbled.  I mean really, I spent hours balancing Kaya on a stuffed turtle.  She is a pisces.

4. We didn’t find out if she was a she until the big day.  That was fun.  I don’t believe we’ll have any shortage of pink dresses.

5. I heard that we’re already number one on the regional cute baby list.

6. She’s already part of Red Sox nation.

7. She smiled at day 3 – Beale genes.  I think it would have happened in two days had she had a cheesehead hat on her.

8. She loves Roxy and they talk often.

9. I know, I know, this pose is illegal is thirty California counties – but not in our house!

10.  I think I’ve seen this look before… many times.

11. Like daddy, she likes to streak late night searching for a cheap burrito and the next afterbar – Naumovich genes.

12. She’s got some beautiful long fingers for finger cracks – let’s call ‘em hybrid genes.

13.  There’s nothing unlucky about this number today.  I feel like the luckiest dude alive.

Top of the world at Yosemite NP

I was fortunate to share my dining room with Rich Walkling on Monday this past week.  Rich is an accomplished restoration ecologist, currently working at Restoration Design Group in Berkeley.  He and I have continued to bump into each other over the years, sharing similar interests and motivations in life.

Rich has started this extraordinary interview project wherein he interviews environmentalists mid-career about how they arrived at their current place in time and where they are looking at going.  It was such a fun time touching base with my past and how I came to be where I’m at.  The interview made me recognized how blessed I am with my life.

self portrait

Rich was is an excellent interviewer, calm and kind.  He’s very smart and well read, so there’s no pulling the wool over his eyes.  So we talked about everything from Poland to growing up in St. Louis to Golden Hour (my non-profit) to botany and photography.  He took my babble and made it into a story.  Great editing and great interview.  Here’s 45 minutes of pure Lech.  Thanks Rich!

Restored creek channel with a fish ladder for local trout

Cordonices Creek straddles the border between Berkeley and Albany.  Flowing downward from the Berkeley Hills into the Bay, the creek is a prominent fixture of the “flatlands” landscape of the East Bay.  You can see it’s meanders and curves which were once confined to a concrete lined linear flood control channel.  Now, Cordonices is a creek again.

Ohlone interpretive sign

Restoration Design Group designed the restoration of this important watercourse.  Notably, it still provides habitat for native trout as well as native wetland plants and birds.  It also provides an important opportunity for present-day humans to make this home.  For us to rediscover our critical relationship to the earth.  This requires lots of splashing and playtime (usually by kids, but adults are allowed), and a few interpretive panels to guide our journey into understanding how important ecology is for everyone’s health and happiness.

Here are some great aerial photos of this site as it progresses through the restoration process.  My understanding is that these were taken with a kite camera – Very Cool!  Here’s my shot from the bridge showing the current condition of the third phase of this project.

More shots from this incredible project are below.  I feel lucky to be helping celebrate great restoration projects like this through photography.

Father and child stopping to read about the creek

Handmade fence-like structures built for this site from native material

Kids enjoying the newly restored creek

Bikeway and benches are now available for public use

Yes, this is the "urban" East Bay.

A reprise of a recent Flickr post.

Here’s the text I posted with the original photo:

Chaenactis, or pincushion, litters the desert floor. Its dainty top-heavy heads are known to wave in the wind. It’s an inconspicuous little aster. But all so important for the desert tortoise. Studies indicate that pincushion is the number one food for desert tortoises in the Mojave. I can just imagine how many hundreds of these a grown 50-year old desert tortoise has consumed…

Texture by Nasos3.  Files combined and layered in Photoshop Elements 8. Amazingly these two photos came together beautifully with little additional manipulation.  The combination setting was ”overlay” for combining the photos.  100% for both photos – flower on top of texture.  Simple is great.