May 7, 2024
The San Francisco Bay Area welcomed the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize winners with open arms this April. During a busy week meeting with nonprofits and foundations, and celebrating their remarkable contributions to the global environmental movement, the Prize winners also paused to take in the natural beauty of the Bay Area.
A Stop at the Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge, an iconic symbol of the West Coast, was an obvious stop on the tour. An internationally recognized symbol, the bridge, which opened in 1937, is both a picture-perfect landmark and an engineering marvel.
Exploring Muir Woods
The Prize winners visited Muir Woods, a redwood sanctuary and national monument in Marin County. Located just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, Muir Woods was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt as the 10th national monument in the United States. The old-growth coastal redwoods are an example of a unique ecosystem that has largely been lost to urban expansion and development on the West Coast. The average age of these redwoods is between 600 to 800 years, with the oldest being at least 1,200 years old! It was a delight to share these California native antiquities with environmental leaders from around the world.
Visiting San Francisco Botanical Garden
Goldman Prize winners Sinegugu Zukulu and Nonhle Mbuthuma (South Africa) also participated in a guided tour of San Francisco’s Botanical Garden. Led by the team at Gardens of the Golden Gate Park, the Gardens are a kaleidoscope of colors and fragrances that feature flora from every corner of the globe. Sinegugu and Nonhle learned about the rich history of the Gardens, explored native California plants, and even visited an area dedicated to South African plants.
