“The San Francisco Bay Shoreline Guide takes us on a walking and cycling journey around San Francisco Bay, unfolding the wonder, drama and beauty of one of the great estuaries of the world.”--Robert Redford "From the bustling waterfronts of our cities and towns, to our wild, windswept, and thankfully, protected natural wetlands, this is our fantastic guide to all of the magnificence of the San Francisco Bay Shoreline. Grab it and go on world-class journeys in our own backyard. I'll see you along the trail!"--Doug McConnell, Television Producer and Reporter “This guide helps to create an awareness and appreciation of San Francisco Bay.”--Sylvia McLaughlin, co-founder of Save the Bay Praise from the previous edition "There are absorbing stories here for the armchair reader and detailed guides for the active explorer. Read, enjoy, and cultivate your roots in the region."—Harold Gilliam "Comprehensive and copiously illustrated, this Guide is a treasure-house of user-friendly information. It reveals the equivalent of a national park hitherto unknown in our midst."—Margot Patterson Doss "This book is a complete guide to the Bay Area. All that's missing are the smells, so perhaps the next edition should be scratch and sniff."—Robin Williams

Living Landscape traces the East Bay Regional Park District's 75-year history, from its beginnings in the depths of the Great Depression when voters approved a tax hike, to its establishment as the largest and most innovative regional park agency in the United States. The agency's unwavering focus and sophisticated methods have allowed it to preserve 100,000 acres of public parklands in 65 parks throughout San Francisco Bay Area's Alameda and Contra Costa counties (the East Bay). The book explores the politically charged annexation of new territory in 1964, board members whose controversial tactics nearly brought the agency to its knees, the clashes of "pure" open-space advocates with those favoring increased public access to parks, and many more pivotal moments. Set against the coming of age of the environmental movement, the book reveals how these extraordinary events unfolded, through the eyes and words of people behind the scenes. Living Landscape informs and surprises readers interested in the environment, California history, politics, law, or simply a good story.