Comments on: Producer's Notes: The Farallon Islands—"California's Galapagos" http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/ Explore science, nature and environment stories from Northern California and beyond with KQED’s multimedia series Thu, 24 May 2012 05:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12235 Chris Bauer Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:36:05 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12235 STORY UPDATE: "A proposal to eradicate tens of thousands of mice from the Farallon Islands could involve dropping a payload of poison pellets, all in the name of preserving a fragile seabird population." Read more here: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/06/survival-farallon-birds-hangs-eradicating-rodents#ixzz1PpolRFm1 STORY UPDATE: "A proposal to eradicate tens of thousands of mice from the Farallon Islands could involve dropping a payload of poison pellets, all in the name of preserving a fragile seabird population."

Read more here: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/06/survival-farallon-birds-hangs-eradicating-rodents#ixzz1PpolRFm1

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12237 Chris Bauer Fri, 13 May 2011 16:15:03 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12237 STORY UPDATE: "Federal wildlife regulators are considering carpet-bombing the Farallon Islands next fall with potent pesticides aimed at eradicating hordes of house mice, an invasive population grown so large officials say it has radically altered the islands' ecology and now threatens rare seabirds." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/12/BALN1JFI64.DTL#ixzz1MFXTwHif STORY UPDATE: "Federal wildlife regulators are considering carpet-bombing the Farallon Islands next fall with potent pesticides aimed at eradicating hordes of house mice, an invasive population grown so large officials say it has radically altered the islands' ecology and now threatens rare seabirds."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/12/BALN1JFI64.DTL#ixzz1MFXTwHif

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12236 Chris Bauer Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:05:32 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12236 STORY UPDATE: A bit of good news from the NPS and Parks Conservancy- "Life Abounds in Local Marine Sanctuaries Research staff from Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries and PRBO Conservation Science recently finished a 10-day monitoring project as part of the ACCESS (Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies) partnership. The team found a tremendous diversity of marine mammals and seabirds including Cassin's auklets and Blue whales that have not been seen in this area since 2004. Get the full story at http://accessoceans.org/ and on the ACCESS Facebook page ." STORY UPDATE: A bit of good news from the NPS and Parks Conservancy-

"Life Abounds in Local Marine Sanctuaries Research staff from Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries and PRBO Conservation Science recently finished a 10-day monitoring project as part of the ACCESS (Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies) partnership. The team found a tremendous diversity of marine mammals and seabirds including Cassin's auklets and Blue whales that have not been seen in this area since 2004. Get the full story at http://accessoceans.org/ and on the ACCESS Facebook page ."

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12234 Chris Bauer Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:51:15 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12234 The Gulf of the Farallones is an incredibly rich and abundant marine ecosystem. Fishermen have plied these waters for generations and much of the seafood we see on our dinner tables comes from this area. It might seem absurd that the US Government would see fit to dump nuclear waste where we get our food. But that is in fact the case. Dilution is the solution to pollution…. Or is that “Delusion is the solution to pollution?” I always get those mixed up. To read an interesting blog post on the history of nuclear waste dumping at the Farallones, see: http://driftsurfing.com/blog/?p=3827 The Gulf of the Farallones is an incredibly rich and abundant marine ecosystem. Fishermen have plied these waters for generations and much of the seafood we see on our dinner tables comes from this area. It might seem absurd that the US Government would see fit to dump nuclear waste where we get our food. But that is in fact the case. Dilution is the solution to pollution…. Or is that “Delusion is the solution to pollution?” I always get those mixed up. To read an interesting blog post on the history of nuclear waste dumping at the Farallones, see:
http://driftsurfing.com/blog/?p=3827

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12233 Chris Bauer Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:39:55 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12233 Very true Stewart. Thanks for bringing this up. When I first heard some scientists, researchers and wildlife managers use the term “Galapagos of California” I found myself asking the same question. But the more we talked, the more I came to embrace the metaphor. (And it clearly is meant to just be a metaphor) While there actually are some unique species of plants and animals that are found only on the Farallon Islands, the vast majority of the wildlife that live there are migratory species that use the place as a resting and breeding site, coming and going with the changing seasons. That should not and does not diminish the status of the islands within the local ecosystem or in fact, their importance for many migratory and pelagic species up and down the Pacific. The Farallones and Galapagos Islands are clearly very different… Starting with size, location and varying levels of unique plants and animals. There is a wide gap. But the two places can be compared by their general wildness and importance to wildlife. And I think that is why some people use the metaphor “Galapagos of California”. It is to help remind us of the often forgotten or never known existence and significance of the Farallon Islands. When we compare them to the Galapagos people might better appreciate and understand how vital this place is. Another question that struck me while thinking more about this metaphor- What would have happened to the Galapagos if they sat just 26-28 miles off the mainland? Very true Stewart. Thanks for bringing this up. When I first heard some scientists, researchers and wildlife managers use the term “Galapagos of California” I found myself asking the same question. But the more we talked, the more I came to embrace the metaphor. (And it clearly is meant to just be a metaphor) While there actually are some unique species of plants and animals that are found only on the Farallon Islands, the vast majority of the wildlife that live there are migratory species that use the place as a resting and breeding site, coming and going with the changing seasons. That should not and does not diminish the status of the islands within the local ecosystem or in fact, their importance for many migratory and pelagic species up and down the Pacific.

The Farallones and Galapagos Islands are clearly very different… Starting with size, location and varying levels of unique plants and animals. There is a wide gap.

But the two places can be compared by their general wildness and importance to wildlife. And I think that is why some people use the metaphor “Galapagos of California”. It is to help remind us of the often forgotten or never known existence and significance of the Farallon Islands. When we compare them to the Galapagos people might better appreciate and understand how vital this place is.

Another question that struck me while thinking more about this metaphor- What would have happened to the Galapagos if they sat just 26-28 miles off the mainland?

]]> By: Stewart http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12231 Stewart Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:08:54 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12231 Really a nice little show. But I think the segment's title is a misnomer. When one thinks of the Galapagos, one thinks of a chain of islands containing a large number of exotic animal species found no where else in the world. Really a nice little show. But I think the segment's title is a misnomer. When one thinks of the Galapagos, one thinks of a chain of islands containing a large number of exotic animal species found no where else in the world.

]]> By: Suzanne Harle http://science.kqed.org/quest/2009/10/13/producers-notes-the-farallon-islands-californias-galapagos/#comment-12232 Suzanne Harle Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:15:37 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/?p=3858#comment-12232 Thank you for the show on the Farallon Islands. I always wondered what life on the island was like and glad to see so many seabirds live there. After years of people plundering the oceans and its wildlife, I agree that the tables are now turning and people are aware that for every action, there is a re-action. I look forward to watching the show tonight. Chris, great to meet you at the recent Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and congratulations to QUEST for the award. Thank you for the show on the Farallon Islands. I always wondered what life on the island was like and glad to see so many seabirds live there. After years of people plundering the oceans and its wildlife, I agree that the tables are now turning and people are aware that for every action, there is a re-action. I look forward to watching the show tonight. Chris, great to meet you at the recent Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and congratulations to QUEST for the award.

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