Protecting the top of Sonoma Mountain

The Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District have signed an agreement to purchase the 283-acre Sonoma Mountain Ranch at the summit of Sonoma Mountain by December 31. Nestled in the middle of a complex of protected lands, and buttressed by Jack London State Historic Park to the east and Fairfield Osborn Preserve to the west, this acquisition is key to creating a long-awaited public trail across the top of the mountain. Learn more

An update on the Jenner Headlands

If you missed San Francisco Chronicle reporter Jane Kay’s excellent front-page article last week about the Jenner Headlands (“A Coastal Beauty”), read it here. Our acquisitions staff is working diligently to close escrow on the property this coming spring. It’s a complicated deal and there is still a lot to do to bring this project to fruition, including raising the remaining $1.8 million. We know that people are anxious to hike this special land — but we don’t own it yet. As soon as we close, we’ll begin to offer naturalist-led hikes on the property. Your patience will be rewarded!

Are you on Facebook?

Members of the SLT Facebook group are the first to learn about important happenings with your Land Trust — like the purchase of Sonoma Mountain Ranch, for example. The more who join, the merrier!

Join the SLT Facebook group now

The winter newsletter is now available

Members will soon be receiving the Land Trust’s winter newsletter in the mail, but if you want a sneak peak…

Download it here

December 2008

Three ways to give this holiday season

Make a special
year-end donation
Together, we can protect the natural and open lands in Sonoma County for those of us here today and future generations. What will Sonoma County look like in 2015, 2035, 2050 and beyond? Will we pass on healthy, intact, scenic, wild and agricultural lands for our kids and their kids to enjoy? The fuel for our work is the support of our members. Your special year-end gift is what makes the conservation work of the Sonoma Land Trust possible. Please donate today as we wind up a noteworthy year and look forward to new opportunities.

Give the gift of protected land
Don’t know what to give that special someone? Make a Sonoma Land Trust Tribute Gift for the holidays and we will send them an acknowledgement telling them of your special holiday gift. OR consider giving your loved ones the gift of a membership to the Sonoma Land Trust — protecting the land is a gift that will last forever.

IRA gift alert
The law allowing Qualified Charitable Distributions from an IRA has been extended through 2009. Donors over 70-1/2 can make tax-free gifts to charities of up to $100,000 from their IRAs. These gifts are excluded from both federal and California taxable income. For more information, call Beverly Scottland at (707) 526-6930, ext. 108 or email beverly@sonomalandtrust.org.

Happy holidays, everyone!