Stories from the Field

On Thursday, February 27, the Field Arts and Events Hall in Port Angeles, WA became a gateway to the hidden worlds of forests. Hosted by National Geographic Live, From Roots to Canopy brought together science, storytelling, and inspiration, featuring renowned tree canopy ecologist and National Geographic Explorer Nalini Nadkarni.

At NatureBridge Golden Gate, our lab spaces are more than just classrooms—they are dynamic hubs of discovery, creativity, and collaboration. Representing years of effort, innovation, and community support, the labs at Golden Gate offer transformative opportunities to explore science and the environment in a hands-on way to thousands of students every year.

On January 2, 2025, the NatureBridge community lost its founder and a true pioneer of environmental education, Donald Rees. With a bold vision, unrelenting passion, and an unwavering belief in the power of nature to transform young lives, Don created an enduring legacy that has connected over 1.6 million students to the natural world.

After more than 50 years, NatureBridge is saying farewell to our longtime campus at Crane Flat as we transition to our new home at Henness Ridge, the National Environmental Science Center (NESC).

Ty Cobb, former CEO of Yosemite National Institutes (now NatureBridge), passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in Reno at the age of 84. Known for his visionary leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire collaboration, Ty guided YNI through some of its most difficult moments while building a foundation for its future growth and success.

This November, Woodlake High School students and chaperones arrived in Yosemite for their first year as a WildLink school, and we are so excited to have them on the team! That means that the brave students who signed up for this expedition had virtually no idea what to expect before signing up for the trip, because none of their peers had experienced it before them! The week, although quite frigid, was full of lovely views, learning about Wilderness, spending lots of time by the river, and enjoying the beauty of Yosemite Valley and Wilderness. Their educators Sarah and Amelia were excited to help this group feel a sense of belonging in this place. They were also lucky enough to be joined by Ranger Lissie on their first day in the Wilderness!