Blog — Sonoma Land Trust

Featured Stories

eNews

July 1, 2023

Very few people know Sonoma’s wildlife like Naturalist Sarah Reid. Having cataloged over 67,000 observations on iNaturalist and spending her…

Joan Vilms holding plants with poppies nearby.

Advocacy

March 16, 2026

A golden moment for nature: Sonoma Land Trust turns 50

To celebrate our jubilee year, we’re kicking off our celebrations by chatting with one person who’s seen it from the start: Joan Vilms. Read on to hear her amazing story.

A mountain lion walking juxtaposed next to a truck driving on highway 12.

eNews

September 1, 2025

The Right of Passage: Restoring Wildlife Movement in Sonoma Valley

In Sonoma Valley, forested hills, meandering creeks, open grasslands, and oak woodlands stretch across the landscape. So does Highway 12….

Thea Hensel and Linda Proulx, co-chairs of the Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway.

eNews

June 1, 2024

A Force for Nature Spotlight: Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway Founders Speak About Mission

For over a decade, the vision of transforming an abandoned strip of land into an urban greenway has been at…

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Golden eagle, pallid bat, sandpiper, and black bear

eNews

October 13, 2026

Ask the experts: Our preserve managers on Sonoma County species to watch

Sonoma County is a global biodiversity hotspot, home to an extraordinary variety of landscapes and wildlife. Join our land stewards on a journey through all four bioregions to explore the science, restoration, and field stories behind the remarkable biodiversity that makes our region so special.

Rocks, plants and waves at the Sonoma Coast.

eNews

October 13, 2026

Redwoods to the coast: Meet campaign co-chair Dr. Anita Das

Meet Dr. Anita Das: accomplished epidemiologist, co-chair of Sonoma Land Trust's Connecting Redwoods to the Coast campaign, and Legacy League member. As a kid, she collected seaworms in the mudflats of Bodega Bay (for science!). Now she's helping protect the coast that first sparked her love of science and the lands that gave her refuge when she needed it most.

eNews

October 13, 2026

Natural Attractions: sweeping views from Taylor Mountain

Natural Attractions is your guide to exploring Sonoma County right now, with recommendations straight from Sonoma Land Trust experts. This month, Southeast Greenway Assistant Director Alayza Cervantes takes us to the top of Taylor Mountain, where sweeping views, surprising biodiversity, and a glimpse of the Southeast Greenway’s future make the climb more than worth it.

Exterior of the Laufenburg Ranch barn after restoration work.

Members & Supporters

September 17, 2026

Where conservation meets infrastructure: The Laufenburg Ranch barn restoration

A 140-year-old barn was sinking into the Knights Valley soil. See how a community-led restoration gave this historic structure—and the conservation work it supports—a new lease on life.

eNews

September 8, 2026

Climate resilience in the face of a record El Niño

As we prepare for a potentially intense El Niño, we’re looking at what stronger storms, flooding, erosion, and other climate extremes could mean for the lands and habitats we steward—and how nature-based solutions can help build resilience.

Three circle photos: humpback whale, Gina, Bodega coast

eNews

September 7, 2026

Natural Attractions: whales and where to find them

Natural Attractions is your guide to exploring Sonoma County right now, with recommendations straight from Sonoma Land Trust experts. This month, Gina Fabiano, our director of marketing and media relations, shares the thrill of seeing humpback whales return with displays of full-body breaches just off our coast and in view with a pair of good binoculars.

eNews

August 11, 2026

High tech, low tech: Inside our field toolkit

From wildlife cameras capturing video to virtual fences guiding cattle with GPS collars, Sonoma Land Trust's stewardship team is putting some remarkable technology to work across the landscapes we protect. But as you'll see, the most sophisticated tools are only as good as the people behind them.

eNews

August 11, 2026

Technology is a tool, not a replacement, for people

Technology is a vital part of our work, but also not a replacement for a good set of boots (and hands) on the ground. With the breakneck pace of developments in the digital world, from AI to remote sensing technology, it’s important to remember that people matter and cannot be removed or replaced from this work.

eNews

August 11, 2026

How Conservation Council teens use tech as a tool for connecting with nature

In a world where technology is rapidly changing how we learn and work, Conservation Council is proof that the two don't have to compete, and that the right tools can deepen our connection to nature rather than replace the experience of connecting with it.

eNews

August 11, 2026

Natural Attractions: Exploring the ancient cliffs of Salt Point State Park

Natural Attractions is your guide to exploring Sonoma County right now, with recommendations straight from Sonoma Land Trust experts. This month, stewardship project manager Riley Scaff takes us north of Jenner to Salt Point State Park, where ancient sandstone cliffs carved by the Pacific and seaside tidepools make the long drive more than worth it.

eNews

August 11, 2026

Member Spotlight: From the Brahmaputra to the Baylands, Brad Hall on waters of the world

Brad Hall has spent five decades following the flow of water, from the Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh to the Russian River. Now he's brought that expertise home to Sonoma County where he's helping shape the future of the Sonoma Baylands and the lands and waters he loves.

eNews

July 7, 2026

Natural Attractions: exploring Creekside Park

Natural Attractions is your guide to exploring Sonoma County right now, with recommendations straight from Sonoma Land Trust experts. This issue, planned giving manager Camille Matson takes us to a hidden gem in West County where skateboards, swimming holes, and community gardens share the same stretch of creek—and the whole neighborhood shows up!