Celebrations for Planet Drum’s 50th Anniversary
1973-2023
Do you know where you’re at?
50 years of helping activists find their place.
Planet Drum looks at the planet through the lens of bioregions (life-places).
Who are we? Where are we? What are we going to do about it?
We are part of the places we live and natural systems are always the basis for culture and long-term sustainability. Our best hope to save the biosphere is by restoring and maintaining individual bioregions.
Plunge into a love affair with your place!
The first Planet/Drum (A voice for the planet) Bundle—a publication of unbound individual pieces (maps, essays, photos, a journal, a poem silkscreened on fabric) assembled into an envelope—was sent out in 1973 and invited readers to collaborate. 50 years later we are still pushing the bioregional information envelope and it’s time to celebrate both the beginning and the future.
Planet Drum — an innovative voice for bioregional sustainability, education and culture.
Celebrate with us!
A big Thank You to the Rainbow Grocery, Arizmendi Bakery and Trader Joe’s for 50th Anniversary donations!
These celebratory events were held during 2023:
* Events with asterisks* have links to videos on Planet Drum Foundation’s Youtube channel*
- Sunday, April 23: Craig Dremann gave a tour of the Kite Hill Preserve showing an area of 90% restored serpentine grassland in Woodside, CA followed by a “Picnic in the Wildflowers.”
Walks with Joel Pomerantz
Joel really knows San Francisco and his walks are delightful and full of interesting facts, both historical and ecological. They varied from 1-3 hours. Each began at 10am. Walkers RSVP‘ed to mail@planetdrum.org and signed up for one or more—5 walks for the 50th. Groups were limited but the walks were full to overflowing and we even added an additional one. Thank you, Joel!
- Walk 1 : June 18 Lands End —Dads Welcome!
- Walk 2 : July 30 Tank Hill Spring Loop
- 1½ hrs, moderate terrain
- Start & end at Tank Hill
- Topics: natural springs on upper hillsides, water capitalism, dunes & outcrops, public water, defining a ‘spring’, the city as a whole groundwater system
- Walk 3 : August 20 Bernal Lowlands
- 2½ hrs, easy terrain
- Start & end on Cortland St
- Topics: creek & marsh systems, urban farming, SF gardens, disposal of human detritus, the importance of marshes to all Pacific wildlife
- Walk 4 & 4a : Sept 10 and Sept 17 Glen Canyon
- 3 hrs, easy terrain
- Start above Noe Valley, end at Glen Park BART
- Topics: bedrock springs & creeks, SF watersheds, willow & plant fiber technology, daylighting, urban infrastructure and groundwater
- **Walk 5 : October 22 India Basin & Heron’s Head—with a party at Bay Natives (the New Farm) afterwards. Celebrating Planet Drum’s Green City Project
- 2 hrs, easy terrain
- Topics: urban wetland restoration, politics of bedrock springs, bay protection, shoreline fill, garbage dumping in the bay, sea level rise
- Summer Solstice: Revised Website is live.
- Sept.-Dec.: Rotating Exhibit in the Stegner Environmental Center of the SF Main Library. 100Larkin St., SF Celebrating Planet Drum Bundles (individually printed essays, poetry, graphics and posters assembled unbound into an envelope). The exhibit will feature all 10 bundles—2 bundles shown at a time, rotating approximately every 3 weeks.
- **Sept 22: Happy Equinox — Greg Gaar presents A Natural History of San Francisco. Greg will show over 100 photos covering the history of San Francisco’s natural features including the sand dunes, grasslands, trees, lakes, creeks, tidal marshes and rock formations. He will discuss the efforts by government agencies and volunteers to preserve what remains of San Francisco’s natural heritage. Presented collaboratively by Shaping San Francisco and Planet Drum Fdn at 518 Valencia, San Francisco, 7:30pm. The evening includes an exhibit celebrating Raise the Stakes, The Planet Drum Review. Free copies of the anthology issues of Raise the Stakes will be available.
- **Sept. 23: Potluck Picnic Celebrating the Frisco Bay Mussel Group with a presentation about them—the 70s activist bioregional study group that helped defeat the Peripheral Canal & produced a booklet & poster, Living Here and the Watershed Guide. A collaboration celebrating Shaping San Francisco’s 25th anniversary and Planet Drum Foundation’s 50th. 2-6pm at Precita Park in San Francisco.
- **Oct. 14: Afternoon (3-5pm) in the Koret Auditorium of the SF Main Library for stories about the affects of Planet Drum on groups and individuals. Stories welcome! An interactive afternoon of rowdy and wild reminiscences with authors, artists and activists Jim Dodge, Jerry Martien, Stephanie Mills, Nancy Morita, Remi Rubel, Kim Shuck, moderator, Greg Castillo, and audience members.
- **Oct. 15: A guided kid-friendly walk of El Polin Spring Watershed in the Presidio at 10am, followed by a potluck picnic and screen printing anniversary posters near the south end of the main parade lawn (Sheridan Avenue and Anza). A mobile silkscreen bike will be on location making free commemorative prints & T-shirts! Kim Shuck will be reading place-based poetry at the picnic.
- **Oct. 22: 1-5pm Potluck Party, exhibits and music at the New Farm @ Bay Natives, 10 Cargo Way, SF. Celebrating Planet Drum’s Green City Project , The New Farm and their antecedents. The afternoon will also host Things That Really Work information tables. Meet the people who are working to help the Bay Area become more ecologically resilient. The moble silkscreen bike will be on location again making free commemorative prints & T-shirts. Bring a potluck dish to share and save room for cake!
- **December 16: 3-4pm Reception in the Stegner Environmental Center, 5th Floor of the SF Main Library, 100Larkin St., SF. Celebrating the exhibition of the ten Bundles (individually printed essays, poetry, graphics and posters assembled unbound into an envelope) Planet Drum produced. The last two of the Bundles will be on display at the reception along with selected individual pieces from previous Bundles.
- Planet Drum’s current Director, Judy Goldhaft, will discuss how the Bundles were made
- Artists and curators Amy Berk and Cheryl Meeker will talk about why these bundles are relevant today
- Artivate, an art and activism program for teens, will display their new teen-made Bundle inspired by the work of Planet Drum
These celebratory events were held in France during 2024:
- Aug. 31: Agir pour le vivant, Parlons Bioregions (Let’s Talk about Bioregions), Judy Goldhaft interviewed by Marin Schaffner along the Rhone River, including an excerpt of her performance piece, Water Web. Arles, France
- Sept. 3-6: Bioregional explorations of Normandy including Water Web performance along the Risle River and showing of the movie Les Diggers de San Francisco with panel discussion and performance by Cyril Casmeze from “Singe Debout” (“Standing Monkey“) zoomorphic theater.
Visit with Planet Drum Staff at the following walks presentations, tabling events, meetups, and workshops.
Contact mail@planetdrum.org or call 415-285-6556 to set up a Bioregional Tour of San Francisco or a presentation, performance or workshop for your group. Planet Drum is available to travel to your bioregion.
Tabling Events:
Planet Drum’s Bioregional Education Program offers Workshop/Workdays in partnership with Green City Resources organizations. Community volunteers learn about a specific places and aid in the hands-on work being conducted there. Contact mail@planetdrum.org or call (415) 285-6556 to set up a volunteer/workshop event.
No listings at this time. Check back again later!
Workshops with Hands-on Restoration Work:
Planet Drum’s Bioregional Education Program offers Workshop/Workdays in partnership with Green City Resources organizations. Community volunteers learn about a specific places and aid in the hands-on work being conducted there. Contact mail@planetdrum.org or call (415) 285-6556 to set up a volunteer/workshop event.
No listings at this time. Check back again later!
San Francisco Bioregional Tours:
Explore urban wild places! See sustainability in action! Learn about native plants and restoration projects!
Planet Drum is available to give you or your group a bioregional tour in the Bay Area.
These trips are tailored to your interests, ranging from one to four hours, and can include a hands-on work component. Call and arrange a tour now for yourself, your family, your employees group or business, or your school. They’re fun, informational, and will give you a new perspective! (415-285-6556 or mail@planetdrum.org)