Picture this: You’re standing on a man-made island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, rain drizzling down, and suddenly you spot a seal popping its head above the water. Sounds impossible, right? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening on Treasure Island, and resident Kaile Tinoco is leading free community walks to help folks like us understand how nature is quietly reclaiming this unexpected landscape.

Tinoco, who has a background in wildlife biology, started these nature walks last year because she was genuinely curious about something: How does nature thrive in a completely artificial environment? The answer? It just does. Despite being constructed less than 100 years ago, Treasure Island has become home to shorebirds, harbor seals, and native plants that seem to be thriving against all odds.

These walks aren’t your typical guided tours where one expert talks and everyone else listens. Tinoco emphasized that everyone brings their own knowledge to the table, whether that’s scientific expertise or just lived experience. She partners with friend Amanda Madden, who has an environmental science background, and together they weave together biology, botany, and genuine curiosity. The walks have already attracted nature enthusiasts from across the Bay Area, with folks traveling from as far as San José, and even someone from Canada joining in on the adventure.

During the walk, Tinoco and Madden pointed out diverse bird species like pelicans and cormorants, while also highlighting the California native plants lining the seashore. They encouraged participants to engage all their senses, rubbing sage leaves to catch hints of rosemary and lavender, closing their eyes to count how many different bird calls they could hear. Madden even created a playful rule: whoever spots a California poppy has to shout “what’s poppin!” It’s this blend of education and genuine joy that makes these walks special.

The approximately two-mile trek from Treasure Island to the top of nearby Yerba Buena Island ends at Panorama Park, where you can catch stunning views of San Francisco Bay. Throughout the walk, Tinoco emphasized the complex connections between all living things, how removing just one plant could shift the entire ecosystem. She also highlighted that Yerba Buena Island, a 150-acre natural landmass, has indigenous roots with the Ohlone people, offering important historical context alongside the ecological exploration.

What’s particularly exciting is that Treasure Island is undergoing massive redevelopment that will eventually convert large portions into parks and restored habitat. Plans include The Wilds, a 98-acre park designed with adaptable wetlands to support San Francisco Bay ecology. For now, though, these community-led walks offer a chance to connect with nature in real-time and understand that we’re all just neighbors sharing this space, humans and wildlife alike.