November 8, 2024

Dear Point Reyes National Seashore ,                

In a perilous world, our ancient ancestors found safety in community. They learned how to communicate, work together and form alliances, sharing food and key information.

If not, they got eaten.

That, according to anthropologists, is why we feel a warm sensation when joining with others. Our brains evolved to prioritize togetherness—and to generate anxiety when we can’t find it.

Today’s physical togetherness may look different than it did for our ancestors. It’s different than what bound our parents and grandparents together—in granges and union halls, mending circles and Sunday suppers.

Instead, we’re finding new ways to connect. We exchange news of bugling elk and feisty otters. We sing, in sync, to Ranger Fiona’s Sea Chantey Sing-Along. In teams, we protect endangered Western snowy plover chicks and vulnerable elephant seals.

We share binoculars and help each other identify new bird songs. We plan how to yank out invasive plants from fragile dunes. In parkas and wool caps, we cluster together to keep warm and gaze up on a full moon hike, guided by local astronomer and teacher Don Jolley.

The bond isn’t always human. There’s something profound about exchanging a long stare with a deer. Or communing with kelp. Or spotting the same Winter Hexagon—made up by Orion the Hunter, his faithful dogs, the Bull of Taurus and the twins of Gemini —that guided ancient mariners.

What does it take to restore the togetherness that, in a time of so much distrust and disconnection, can easily slip away from us?

That shared experience is waiting just out the door. 

In community,

Lisa M. Krieger

PRNSA Board Secretary

P.S. We invite you to join us for our 5th year full moon hike anniversary coming up on November 16th and to explore our upcoming volunteer and event offerings! See below for more details.

"Dawn" by Lyla June Johnston

Dr. Lyla June Johnston is an Indigenous musician, scholar, and community organizer of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages. She was a 2018 and 2023 Mesa Refuge resident and fellow!

"Hozho is not something you can experience on your own,

the eagles tell us as they lock talons in the stratosphere

and fall to the earth as one.

Hozho is interbeauty."

-Excerpt from Lyla June's poem, "Dawn." Hear her perform the poem or read it online. In what ways have you experienced hozho today?

Mushrooms & Community Connection

"Mycelium as a role model is the very embodiment of connectivity, and for mycelium to grow and evolve, the hyphae (the growing tips of each tiny thread of mycelium) must connect and branch all the time...That is how they grow and thrive, by depending on and prioritizing connection." —Beth Forrester, "What Mushrooms Can Teach Us About Community"

Dive further into the world of mycelium through one of our upcoming mushroom identification classes, led by mycologist David Campbell.

A banana slug munching on a mushroom treat. Photo by Avani Fachon.

November Full Moon Member Walk:

5-Year Anniversary Event!

Full moon walk at Chimney Rock. Photo by Avani Fachon.

Saturday, November 16th | 3:30pm-6:30pm

Celebrate 5 years of member full moon walks with us! We will gather under the full moon at the Bear Valley picnic area to celebrate community and the lunar cycle. We'll provide warming teas—please bring a reusable mug/cup if desired.

After, we will head out for a moon walk on either the Bear Valley or Earthquake Trail. We'd love to see you there!

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering at Point Reyes is a great way to connect with a community of like-minded people who are working to protect the Seashore's ecosystems. These events are dependent on weather. Feel free to email Cristobal Castañeda-Salazar (cristobalcs@ptreyes.org) with any questions. Drop-ins are welcome!