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, founders 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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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!

eNews

July 7, 2026

To build a state park

How does a California State Park get made? Sometimes with a real estate deal, sometimes with a decade of advocacy, and sometimes both. Find out how Sonoma Land Trust contributed to the iconic landscapes of Sonoma Coast State Park and Jack London State Historic Park.

eNews

July 7, 2026

Potential to restore a creek and so much more

This creek tributary holds a key to helping salmon return to the Russian River, and we’re excited to have a new opportunity that prioritizes it through a coordinated, intentional approach to freshwater health, we may repair a critical portion that could make the greatest impact. Could this historic coho run be reinvigorated? Find out more.

eNews

July 7, 2026

What’s real, true, and worth protecting

Jim Perry never planned to become a rancher—but when he married into the McCormick family, he fell in love with the land as much as his wife, Sandra. Years after her passing, he honored her legacy by helping protect the 654-acre McCormick Ranch forever, ensuring the place she called "real and true" will stay that way for generations to come.

eNews

July 7, 2026

You can’t talk about land without talking about water

We may be called a “land” trust, but our mission is to protect the lands and the waters of Sonoma County to secure healthy and thriving futures for all. Every acre of land we protect sits somewhere in a watershed. That means this work requires an understanding of how a watershed functions within a landscape, and with over a dozen distinct district watersheds within Sonoma County covering over 1,500 square miles, there’s a lot to know!

Collage of birds that live in Sonoma County.

eNews

June 9, 2026

Explore eBird: discover birds and contribute to science

Whether you're a lifelong birder or just starting to notice what's singing outside your window, free tools like Merlin and eBird make it easy to identify birds, log sightings, and contribute to real conservation science—no expertise required.

Black-headed grosbeak and California thrasher and Kate Freeman.

eNews

June 9, 2026

Natural Attractions—Exploring Riverfront Regional Park

Natural Attractions is your guide to exploring Sonoma County right now, with recommendations straight from Sonoma Land Trust experts. This month, birding expert and land acquisition program manager Kate Freeman, takes us to Riverfront Regional Park, a shady, bird-filled gem where brown creepers spiral up redwood trunks and California thrashers lurk in the coyote brush.