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This September, after 60+ years as Audubon Canyon Ranch, we have changed our name

Since its grassroots beginning in the early 1960s, Audubon Canyon Ranch has been stewarding and studying North Bay ecosystems, sharing the lands we hold and what we’ve learned with the aim of creating a more resilient world. 

While our name has served us well for many years, it also has caused near-daily confusion when people think we are part of the Audubon Society or are a single preserve on the Bolinas Lagoon.

Why All Hands Ecology?

From restoring habitats to uplifting one another, we work as a community and we wanted our name, like our relationships, to reflect the ecosystems we care for — diverse, interdependent, and full of life.  

“All Hands is welcoming,” explains CEO Tom Gardali, who has led the organization since 2021. “The root of ‘ecology’ is home — it’s the web of relationships between all living things, including people, and the places we share.  

“At its core, our new name is a pledge — to engage people, to work side-by-side, and to keep showing up for the places and beings we love,” he adds. 

A new look inspired by nature’s golden spiral

While the name was developed by our staff and board, we selected Marin-based branding agency Good Stuff Partners to develop the logo and other brand elements. The new mark was inspired by the Fibonacci spiral, a mathematical sequence that explains the natural phenomenon observed in a snail’s shell, the unfurling of a fern frond, the formation of a hurricane, and even the proportions of the human body. 

“For us, the Fibonacci-inspired logo expresses the pursuit of science, the way the arts can translate the human experience, and the expansive impact of partnerships. Altogether, this visual identity depicts our commitment to the lands that sustain us all,” says Gardali. 

You have been essential in helping this organization become what it is today.

In no small part due to your involvement, All Hands Ecology has evolved into an organization that is having a great and growing impact. In addition to studying birds, our conservation science now includes lions, fire, plants, and more.  

Our education programs are going strong with expanded access and opportunities both in the field and in the classroom. Our Conservation Science Intensive, an immersive, female-centered mentorship for teens, just marked its ninth year.  

We have ramped up stewardship of the 5,000+ acres under our care and are in the process of restoring grasslands, removing a dam, and reconnecting tidal flows. We are working at scales well beyond the boundaries of our preserves, collaborating more than ever, and are active participants in regional and statewide conservation networks. And our prescribed fire program is a hopeful model for California and beyond — scaling “good fire” for environmental health and community safety.

Building on our foundation

We believe our new name builds on our foundation and reflects our ongoing evolution. We realize this name change may come as a surprise to some and, if this news is unwelcome, we certainly understand. We hope you will join us as we look to the future — your support will be critical … because every action matters.  

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