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.

Ron Mueller is an East Bay native and longtime East Bay Regional Park District employee. He grew up in Bollinger Canyon in the 1950s in a ranching community, and his family property was later sold to the district. In this interview, he discusses his early life, family and their history, service in the Navy after high school, returning to the Bay Area and getting hired by the district in 1973, working as a seasonal groundskeeper, becoming a ranger, transitioning to supervisor, specific projects and sites that he worked on throughout his career, sale of his family's property, relationship with other families who also sold their land, retiring in 2010, and reflects on his career with the district. In 2008, the East Bay Regional Park District interviewed Ron in connection to the history of the Meyers Cottage and Gardens at Dry Creek/Pioneer Regional Parks. As park supervisor, Ron met and came to know two of the three daughters of Henry Meyers, Jeanette and Mildred Meyers (third daughter Edith Meyers had been deceased), who both lived at the Cottage. The three sisters were instrumental in saving their family's estate and land in Union City from freeway development in the 1960s and donated the land to the district. Surviving sisters Jeanette and Mildred lived at the Cottage until their deaths. The interview transcript that focuses on the Meyers family legacy is available through the EBRPD Archives.

Like the mist rising from San Francisco Bay encircles the towering redwoods, the little-known legends of the East Bay Hills enrich a glorious history. Follow the trails of Saclan and Jalquin-Yrgin people over the hills and through the valleys. Ride with the mounted rangers through the Flood of '62. Break into a sealed railroad tunnel with a pack of junior high school boys. Learn how university professors, civil servants and wealthy businessmen planned for years to create a chain of parks twenty miles along the hilltops. Author Amelia Sue Marshall explores the heritage of these storied parklands with the naturalists who continue to preserve them and the old-timers who remember wilder days.

For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure. Beautiful, empowering, and exhilarating, She Explores is a spirited celebration of female bravery and courage, and an inspirational companion for any woman who wants to travel the world on her own terms. Combining breathtaking travel photography with compelling personal narratives, She Explores shares the stories of 40 diverse women on unforgettable journeys in nature: women who live out of vans, trucks, and vintage trailers, hiking the wild, cooking meals over campfires, and sleeping under the stars. Women biking through the countryside, embarking on an unknown road trip, or backpacking through the outdoors with their young children in tow. Complementing the narratives are practical tips and advice for women planning their own trips, including: • Preparing for a solo hike • Must-haves for a road-trip kitchen • Planning ahead for unknown territory • Telling your own story A visually stunning and emotionally satisfying collection for any woman craving new landscapes and adventure.

""Imperial San Francisco" provides a myth-shattering interpretation of the hidden costs that the growth of San Francisco has exacted on its surrounding regions, presenting along the way a revolutionary new theory of urban development".--"Palo Alto Daily News". 86 photos.