Blog - Page 5 of 6 - Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust protects farm, wild lands at Starcross Monastic Community

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — A beautiful 90-acre property just inland from the Sonoma Coast is now permanently protected with a conservation easement thanks to a generous donation by landowners of the Starcross Monastic Community. Located east of Annapolis in the Gualala River Watershed, this stunning landscape has been used by the independent, ecumenical community as a farm, residence and nature retreat since the 1970s, and boasts 70 acres of intact wild lands that the community maintains.

“We believe the land is sacred,” says Brother Toby McCarroll, co-founder of the Starcross Monastic Community. “We’ll do everything we can to protect it.”

The community has an orchard and gardens where they grow and process organic olive oil, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables for their food pantry and farmstand open to the community. Beyond the farm and monastery, the property includes an abundance of natural resources, including redwood and Douglas-fir forest and open grassland, locally uncommon stands of sugar pines and hybrid manzanita, and a stretch of Grasshopper Creek, a tributary of Buckeye Creek in the Gualala River Watershed.

The landowners have contemplated an easement for years and are eager to ensure that the land remains undeveloped for future generations. The conservation easement, which is a voluntary agreement between the landowners and the nonprofit Land Trust for the purpose of conservation, will prohibit subdivision and limit residential and commercial use of the land in perpetuity — ensuring that the property’s intact habitat and productive farmland is protected forever. Sonoma Land Trust possesses 45 easements around the county and, as with each easement it holds, will monitor the property annually to ensure compliance with the agreement.

“The Starcross Community has shown the way by living and farming in balance with nature for decades,” says Dave Koehler, Sonoma Land Trust executive director. “We are honored and thankful that they chose to partner with Sonoma Land Trust to protect their beautiful forest and farmland in perpetuity.”

About Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust believes land is the foundation of our economy and our community’s health and well-being. Since 1976, Sonoma Land Trust has protected more than 50,000 acres of scenic, natural, agricultural and open land for future generations, and is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. For more information, please visit www.sonomalandtrust.org. #ProtectThePicture

Sonoma Land Trust protects biodiverse property in Mark West watershed for coho salmon recovery

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — A beautiful 60-acre property in the upper Mark West watershed has been permanently protected with a conservation easement thanks to a generous donation by landowners Ray Krauss and Barbara Shumsky. Named by the landowners as the “Sunsrays Conservation Easement,” the project closed escrow today. Located northeast of Santa Rosa in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, this biodiverse property boasts a landscape rich in natural resources, with clear, clean springs that provide year-round water flow to Mark West Creek, a priority stream for recovery of endangered coho salmon.

“As you look around, what’s happening to the land overall is fairly discouraging,” says Ray, who with his wife Barbara, purchased the parcel in two pieces, one in 1972 and one in 1986. “Even if it’s just one piece of the puzzle, protecting this property will provide a refuge in the face of an uncertain future.”

The landowners had contemplated an easement to protect their land for years, and the Land Trust was excited for the opportunity to add this biodiverse property to the network of protected lands and waterways in the Mark West watershed. Krauss was one of the County of Sonoma’s first environmental planners, and he and Barbara have methodically and lovingly stewarded their property over the years to restore its native oak woodlands. Its diverse vegetation also includes Douglas fir and mixed hardwood forest, chaparral and grassland. The property’s mosaic of habitats, part of the Lake to Marin County wildlife corridor, is suitable for numerous species, including mountain lion and black bear.

Knowing that fire can be beneficial to California’s natural landscapes, Ray has been managing his property with fire in mind. For decades, he has incorporated fire ecology and vegetation management into his stewardship.

The Sunsrays Conservation Easement, which is a voluntary agreement between the landowners and the nonprofit Sonoma Land Trust for the purpose of conservation, will prohibit subdivision and sharply reduce residential, commercial and agricultural use of the land in perpetuity — ensuring that the property’s undeveloped habitats are protected forever. The Land Trust possesses 45 easements around the county and, as with each easement it holds, will monitor the property annually to ensure compliance with the agreement.

“Protecting this property and its rich water resources is a wonderful legacy that will contribute to the ecological health of the upper Mark West Creek watershed for all time,” says Ariel Patashnik, land acquisition program manager for Sonoma Land Trust. “We are grateful to Ray and Barbara for their vision and generosity in conserving this special place and expanding an important network of protected land in the watershed.”

About Sonoma Land Trust

The Point Reyes of Sonoma County – Jenner Headlands and Pole Mountain Preserves to Open September 7

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

JENNER, CALIF. — The Wildlands Conservancy’s Gateway to Jenner Headlands Preserve will enjoy its public opening September 7. Visitors to Sonoma County’s stunning coast will now have the opportunity to explore at their leisure and free of charge the trails of this spectacular 5,630-acre nature preserve, and to climb to the top of the highest peak along the coast — on Sonoma Land Trust’s Pole Mountain Preserve.

Located two miles north of the town of Jenner on the east side of Highway 1, the much-anticipated Gateway to Jenner Headlands includes a 30-space parking lot, interpretive signage, restrooms and a trailhead inviting visitors to 14 miles of trails and breathtaking scenery. Following years of careful design and planning, The Wildlands Conservancy and its partners, including Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, have struck a balance in design and management to embrace recreation, restoration, and preservation.

David Myers, The Wildlands Conservancy’s executive director, acknowledges the effort involved and impact made by protecting the Jenner Headlands and opening the Preserve to the public. “We would like to thank all of the partners and participants whose dedication and hard work have helped to protect this magnificent landscape — a landscape that will enrich visitors’ lives with beauty and inspiration for all time to come.”

The opening of the Gateway to Jenner Headlands Preserve, much like the complex, five-year-long acquisition of the property, would not have been possible had it not been for the generous support of project partners, including the State Coastal Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Board, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, The Wildlands Conservancy, Sonoma Land Trust, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space and others.

Opening the gates to the Jenner Headlands Preserve is the culmination of more than a decade of work that started in 2005 when Sonoma Land Trust began raising $36 million to acquire the property for conservation. The Land Trust closed on the Jenner Headlands deal in 2009 thanks to the collaboration of 10 public and private funding partners, including Ag + Open Space, which holds a perpetual conservation easement ensuring protection of the land forever, and The Wildlands Conservancy, the permanent steward of the property since 2013. Management of the land and its recreational opportunities are guided by an Integrated Resource Management Plan developed by the Land Trust and the Conservancy.

Shortly after The Wildlands Conservancy took ownership of the Jenner Headlands, Sonoma Land Trust again partnered with Ag + Open Space, among others, to purchase Pole Mountain in 2014. Situated between Jenner Headlands and Sonoma Land Trust’s Little Black Mountain Preserve, the acquisition connects more than 6,300 acres of wild land — for wildlife and for recreation. As the highest peak along the Sonoma Coast at 2,204 feet, Pole Mountain presents unobstructed, 360-degree views of Sonoma County, from the coast to the Cedars, and far beyond.

“A hike from the Jenner Headlands to the top of Pole Mountain is to explore coastal fields, forests and vistas that have drawn people here for millennia,” said Dave Koehler, executive director of Sonoma Land Trust. “The success of our partnership to protect this special place and open the public trail will be measured in the years ahead by visitors of all ages whose hearts and minds become connected to the land and are inspired onward to care for its future.”

“The opening of the Jenner Headlands Preserve and Pole Mountain is the culmination of more than a decade of hard work from a group of dedicated individuals and organizations,” said Ag + Open Space general manager Bill Keene. “We are so proud to have been able to contribute $10 million on behalf of Sonoma County residents to protect these two amazing natural and recreational gems, and look forward to watching our community explore this magnificent area for generations to come.”

The Gateway to Jenner Headlands will be open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset starting Friday, September 7. Parking and access to Jenner Headlands Preserve and Pole Mountain are provided free of charge by The Wildlands Conservancy. Hikers taking up the challenge to summit Pole Mountain from the Gateway parking lot are encouraged to head out early to complete the strenuous, 14-mile round-trip hike by sunset.

About The Wildlands Conservancy

Since acquiring its first preserve in 1995, The Wildlands Conservancy as remained dedicated to preserving important and remarkable landscapes and opening them to the public free of charge for passive recreation and outdoor education. Wildlands owns and stewards nearly 150,000 acres across fifteen nature preserves and reserves across California—the largest nonprofit preserve system in the state. Ultimately, saving our treasured landscapes means educating and instilling a love for nature in future generations. For this reason, Wildlands is also the state’s nonprofit leader in providing free outdoor education opportunities for California youth. Through these programs and our reverent stewardship of preserves—visited by more than a half million people per year—we foster a love and respect for life in all of its magnificent forms. For more information, please visit www.wildlandsconservancy.org.

About Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust believes land is the foundation of our economy and our community’s health and well-being. Since 1976, Sonoma Land Trust has protected over 50,000 acres of scenic, natural, agricultural and open land for future generations, and is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.

About Sonoma County Ag + Open Space

Sonoma County Ag + Open Space permanently protects the diverse agricultural, natural resource and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations. The district is responsible for the perpetual protection of over 114,000 acres of land throughout our region. These agricultural and open space lands are protected through a quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1990 and reauthorized in 2006. For more information, please visit www.sonomaopenspace.org.

Allison Sanford named chair of Sonoma Land Trust board of directors

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — Allison Sanford of Santa Rosa has been named the new chair of the Sonoma Land Trust’s board of directors. A board member since 2009, Sanford brings to the position a wealth of experience in public administration and marketing, most recently working for the County of Sonoma where she served as chief of staff to former county supervisor Tim Smith for 17 years. Prior to that, she served as marketing director for KFTY broadcasting and Rosenberg’s Department Store. Sanford replaces outgoing board chair, Neal Fishman.

“Allison has a fun and infectious passion for conservation in Sonoma County; we’re excited that she’s grabbed the baton and is running with it,” says Dave Koehler, Land Trust executive director. “Her energy and leadership are coming at just the right time for us as we’re poised to complete key land protection projects and serve our community in new ways over the next couple of years.”

Sanford said she’s excited to work more closely with the Land Trust staff and Koehler, who she sees as a strong leader with a meaningful vision for the organization. During her term as chair, she plans to focus on expanding the organization’s reach and visibility throughout Sonoma County by building on existing programs and implementing new ones, such as the Russian River Watershed initiative. As the Land Trust reaches the halfway point of its current strategic plan, she said that renewing the strategic plan will be a crucial project for her as chair in determining the organization’s future.

“I really believe it’s a critical time for the preservation of the heart of Sonoma County, which is the land,” Sanford said, citing increasing development pressure and fire suppression as among the top issues facing the Land Trust today. “It’s a critical time to have the conversation about conservation and development.”

Sanford said she has always been a nature lover, having grown up camping with her family in the summers. When she was approached to join the Land Trust board after retiring from the County, its mission resonated with her and it turned out to be exactly what she wanted to do. She is also board member and past president of Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, a nonprofit focused on youth development issues.

About Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust acquires land with redwoods and steelhead in wildlife corridor — will be added to Hood Mountain Regional Park

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — Sonoma Land Trust has closed escrow on a 40-acre property next to Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve that contains the last stand of redwoods in the upper Santa Rosa Creek watershed, and that is part of a major regional wildlife linkage. Accessible only through the eastern boundary of the park, the newly named “Santa Rosa Creek Redwoods” property is completely undeveloped and contains the steep and wild Santa Rosa Creek canyon high up in the Mayacamas Mountains.

The Land Trust plans to donate the property to Sonoma County Regional Parks later this year as a much-needed wildlands buffer between the park and the growing estate-home development along Los Alamos Road. While there was interest in purchasing the property from neighbors whose development plans would have endangered the wild nature of this parcel, the landowners, whose family has farmed and run cattle on the western slopes of Hood Mountain since the late 1800s, wanted their land protected forever.

“We are delighted that the Land Trust will be able to add our family’s land to the park,” says one of the previous owners, who wishes to remain anonymous. In addition to protecting this parcel, Sonoma Land Trust and the Sonoma Ag + Open Space District are working with these owners and other private landowners along Los Alamos Road to further protect this wilderness area just 20 minutes from downtown Santa Rosa.

The quarter-mile stretch of Santa Rosa Creek on this rugged property also provides ideal conditions for the spawning of threatened steelhead trout and for the rearing of juvenile steelhead. “Because this parcel is so important to fish and wildlife, we will work with County Parks to put an emphasis on protecting the wildlife corridor and critical fish habitat,” says Tony Nelson, Sonoma Valley stewardship manager for the Land Trust. “This property is wild and undisturbed, and we hope it will remain that way.”

“Literally, today, just over the boundary into this property from the park, I saw an 18-inch steelhead in Santa Rosa Creek!,” exudes John McCaull, Sonoma Land Trust’s acquisitions manager for Sonoma Valley. “This mature fish came back from the ocean via the Russian River, through the Laguna, through downtown Santa Rosa, and then five miles up the slopes of Hood Mountain. This is the first time in over a decade that a steelhead has been documented in the upper reaches of Santa Rosa Creek and it gives our protection of this property even more importance.”

Although a majority of Hood Mountain burned severely in the Sonoma Valley fires last fall, Santa Rosa Creek Redwoods escaped the flames. With no legal road access, it was a relatively inexpensive acquisition at $90,000, with funding provided by Wine Country Weekend, the San Francisco Foundation and major donors of the Land Trust. Sonoma Land Trust added another 162 acres and a half mile of Santa Rosa Creek to the Hood Mountain/Sugarloaf Ridge park complex in 2016.

“We are always looking for opportunities to protect more of Santa Rosa Creek and to connect Hood Mountain Regional Park to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park,” says McCaull. “Putting together an integrated park system can take decades of work. That’s why Sonoma Land Trust is in the business of ‘forever.’”

About Sonoma Land Trust

DONE DEAL! Estero Ranch has been protected forever

Advancing their shared missions to protect scenic, agricultural and biologically significant landscapes, Sonoma Land Trust (SLT), the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District (District) and The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) teamed up with the California Coastal Conservancy and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to purchase the 547-acre Estero Ranch, located south of Bodega Bay. The acquisition, which closed on December 24, permanently protects a rugged section of the iconic Sonoma Coast where the Estero Americano meets the Pacific Ocean, and will enhance SLT’s adjacent 127-acre Estero Americano Preserve. It will also increase the number of District-protected properties in the coastal agricultural belt of Sonoma County, and will serve as a companion to the TWC-owned and managed Jenner Headlands Preserve to the north. Watch video flyover here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUERF0lKB9c.

“This is a very exciting property to be able to protect,” says Land Trust executive director Dave Koehler. “Collaboration is the key, and each partner brings a unique set of tools to help get the job done. The estuary is where life begins for hundreds of fish and wildlife species, and the working ranch is a cornerstone in the scenic landscape of the Sonoma Coast. Its permanent protection has been a conservation goal of all of the partners for more than 20 years.”

We’ve acquired a 162-acre property in the wildlife corridor

Sonoma County parks officials and county land acquisition partners are finalizing a deal this month that will add an additional 162 acres to Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, unlocking for the first time a privately owned and largely untouched wilderness in the Mayacamas Mountains to public access.

The $319,000 deal for the private property by Sonoma Land Trust, a Santa Rosa-based nonprofit that acquires land to preserve it as open space, will allow Sonoma County Regional Parks to expand its network of hiking trails and overnight camping destinations, as well as protect a slice of highly coveted wildlands between Hood Mountain and Sugarloaf Ridge State Park from the possibility of future development.

“We’re only a half hour away from Santa Rosa, but this place still feels so wild and pristine,” said Wendy Eliot, conservation director for Sonoma Land Trust. “And it protects that gap between Hood Mountain and Sugarloaf. It’s very exciting.

Towering old-growth forest … protected forever

April 19, 2017 — The project has been completed. Howlett Ranch is now protected for all time!

February 21, 2017 — Back in 2014, Sonoma Land Trust began working to help a family on the North Coast protect their 1,380-acre property that includes one of the last remaining intact old-growth forests in Sonoma County. The property is also adjacent to Buckeye Forest, the former Preservation Ranch, and so provides desirable habitat connectivity. Thanks to the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Sonoma Land Trust provided the landowners with a loan that enabled them to keep their forest intact until they could complete the sale of a conservation easement to our partner, the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. In the meanwhile, our acquisitions staff also secured additional funding from the Moore Foundation ($1.28 million) and The San Francisco Foundation ($50,000) toward the $6.13 million easement cost. Today, we’re excited to announce that the Open Space District received approval this week from its Board of Directors (the Board of Supervisors) to purchase the conservation easement over Howlett Ranch. “Projects like this one are important because it takes generations to restore old-growth redwood habitat — so we need to protect what remains now while we have the chance,” says land acquisition project manager Ariel Patashnik.

Sonoma Land Trust donates 1,665-acre ranch to Regional Parks

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

Size of Tolay Lake Regional Park to double

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — In November of 2007, Sonoma Land Trust purchased a 1,665-acre property in southern Sonoma County at risk of subdivision and vineyard development and named it Tolay Creek Ranch. The acquisition of Tolay Creek Ranch also completed the protection of a 7,500-acre wildlife corridor extending from the foothills of Sonoma Mountain to the bay. With sweeping views of San Francisco Bay, dazzling wildflower displays and plenty of space for hiking, the ranch was well suited to becoming a park — particularly since it is situated adjacent to 1,737-acre Tolay Lake Regional Park. Today, after nearly 10 years of resource assessments, habitat enhancement and creek restoration activities, Sonoma Land Trust has donated Tolay Creek Ranch to Sonoma County Regional Parks, a move that will double the size of Tolay Lake park.

“We acquired Tolay Creek Ranch to protect the land and restore the creek, and also to add the property to Tolay Lake Regional Park,” says Dave Koehler, Sonoma Land Trust executive director. “The ranch has a biologically and culturally rich landscape, and we are delighted that our Regional Parks partner will ensure that current and future generations will enjoy and care for this special place.”

Background information

Tolay Creek Ranch is located in southern Sonoma County between Lakeville Highway and Highway 121, north of Highway 37 and approximately eight miles south of Sonoma and seven miles southeast of Petaluma. It provides important wildlife connectivity to existing protected and natural lands, and unites Tolay Lake Regional Park with other protected lands downstream and along the bay, including Sonoma Land Trust’s Sears Point Wetland Restoration Project. Like neighboring Tolay Lake park, Tolay Creek Ranch was also a significant center of Native American life.

As part of the acquisition project in 2007, the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District purchased a conservation easement over the property that prohibits all development and allows grazing, public access, habitat and riparian restoration, and park expansion.

“In acquiring this property, our vision has always been to restore the watershed and turn it over to Regional Parks to manage for resource protection and public enjoyment,” continues Koehler. “We are pleased to have accomplished that.”

Restoring the creek and ranchland

The ranch’s grasslands provide habitat for a variety of bird species, as well as deer, small mammals and mid-sized carnivores, like coyotes and bobcats. Containing three miles of Tolay Creek, it also provides important habitat for amphibians and waterfowl. Additionally, the ranch is home to protected species, such as burrowing owls and golden eagles, which visitors may be fortunate enough to see.

In the years leading to Sonoma Land Trust’s acquisition of the property, up to 40 homes and vineyards were proposed for the ranch’s hilltops. Instead, the last 10 years have seen a number of activities aimed at restoring the natural landscape. Several thousand students from the STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) program, from kindergarten through high school, have planted thousands of native trees and plants along the banks of Tolay Creek to restore needed vegetation and halt erosion; and miles of new, wildlife-friendlier fencing have been added to the property to better manage cattle. The longtime rancher, who has grazed the property for more than 35 years, has worked with the Land Trust over the last decade to change the ranching practices to improve the grasslands and the water quality in Tolay Creek.

Future plans for the property and park

Sonoma Land Trust has conducted public hikes on the property several times a year and, once Tolay Lake Regional Park fully opens later this year, visitors will be able to enjoy it daily. Due to its relatively flat topography, an easy walk along the ridgetop provides hikers with expansive views of Petaluma, San Francisco Bay, Tolay Lake and Tolay Creek, and there are miles of trails for hardy hikers.

The property now comprising Tolay Lake Regional Park was purchased in 2005 by the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District and transferred to Regional Parks. Since then, the park has been open weekends for hiking, birding, biking and horseback riding through a permit program.

Regional Parks is completing an extensive master-planning process to guide future recreational uses and conservation efforts for both the Tolay Lake and Tolay Creek properties. Their combined 3,400 acres make Tolay Lake Regional Park the largest in the county parks system. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the master plan this spring and Regional Parks aims to open the expanded park for daily use later this year.

“This has been one of the most complex park-planning projects in our history and the public has waited patiently for full access,” says Supervisor David Rabbitt, whose 2^nd District includes the park. “With the master plan review, we are much closer to opening the gates and letting people enjoy this unique park.”

The park currently offers more than eight miles of trails, with the master plan suggesting an eventual 32-mile trail system along with backcountry camping, a visitor’s center, picnic areas and environmental restorations.

“Our goal is to open the Tolay Creek addition this fall at the same time Tolay Lake Park will be opened to the general public,” says Regional Parks director Caryl Hart. “We are very grateful to Sonoma Land Trust for this spectacular addition.”

About Sonoma Land Trust

About Sonoma County Regional Parks

The Regional Parks system includes more than 50 parks, trails and beaches. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, Regional Parks creates healthy communities and contributes to Sonoma County’s economic vitality by offering opportunities for outdoor recreation and education, and by preserving natural and cultural resources. For more information, please visit sonomacountyparks.org.

Towering old-growth forest … protected forever

CONTACT:

Sean Dowdall
President, Landis PR
sean@landispr.com

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. — The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District (District), a special district of the County dedicated to protecting our working and natural lands forever, has received approval from its Board of Directors to purchase a conservation easement over Howlett Forest – 1,380 acres in northwest Sonoma County that contains one of the last remaining intact old-growth forests in the county. The District is contributing $4.5 million toward the $6.13 million purchase price, with additional funding obtained by Sonoma Land Trust (SLT) from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation ($1.28 million) and The San Francisco Foundation ($50,000). The District also received a $300,000 grant from California State Parks’ Habitat Conservation Fund and a 5% ($365,000) donation from the landowner to help with the purchase.

This extraordinary deal conserves thousands of important, old-growth trees within an intact forest, 5.75 miles of healthy riparian corridors, and the headwaters of two of the five main tributaries to the Gualala River. The easement also helps ensure the economic viability of the local forest industry by retaining good jobs through long-term sustainable timber harvesting.

“We are not often presented with opportunities to protect what remains of our treasured old-growth coastal redwood forests,” said Bill Keene, General Manager for the District. “That is what makes this project so significant and special – there are very few properties like this left. By partnering with Sonoma Land Trust to bring in outside funding to leverage our taxpayers’ dollars, we are able to conserve thousands of majestic, old-growth redwoods and Douglas-fir trees and two main tributaries of the Gualala River, both of which provide important habitat for steelhead, coho salmon, owls, bobcats, and even black bears. We’re also able to ensure that this healthy forest will continue to sequester carbon on our behalf as we face the challenges of climate change.

“Sonoma Land Trust has recognized the importance and urgency of this special project since its early days,” said Dave Koehler, Executive Director of SLT. “We are thrilled to be partnering with the District, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and The San Francisco Foundation to achieve permanent protection of Howlett Forest’s towering redwoods and pristine creeks. With the property’s outstanding habitat values and adjacency to Buckeye Forest, formerly known as Preservation Ranch, it is a crucial addition to a complex of over 50,000 acres of protected land in the region. This project leaves a wonderful legacy of old-growth redwood protection and sustainable forest management for our children.”

Property description

California’s coast was once home to over two million acres of coast redwoods stretching from Big Sur to the Oregon border. Now only 5% of the original forest – roughly 120,000 acres – remains. Of the remaining virgin forest in private ownership, only a small percentage is protected, and Howlett Forest is one of the last remaining intact old-growth forests in Sonoma County. With over 2,560 trees greater than four feet in diameter, including more than 870 redwood trees with a diameter greater than five feet, and creek corridors that have never been logged, there is no greater priority for forestland conservation in Sonoma County.

Howlett Forest is also unique in the Sonoma Coast Range because, unlike much of the intensely harvested forestland in this region, it still contains stands of old-growth coastal redwoods within its mixed-age forest, providing the rare and important structural characteristics of old-growth stands. This diversity in age and size is truly unique on the Sonoma Coast, which is why this property is so important to protect. The varied structures, snags, and understory found in the property’s forest, and especially in the stands of older trees, provide nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for a diverse range of plant and animal species, including northern spotted owl and pileated woodpecker, as well as large mammals such as the American badger, bobcat, mountain lion, and black bear.

The property contains 5.75 miles of headwater streams of Buckeye Creek and Rockpile Creek, two of the five main tributaries that drain to the Gualala River. The river and its tributaries provide habitat for anadromous coho salmon and steelhead trout, as well as resident populations of rainbow trout. The healthy riparian habitat on the property supports these sensitive species. “When you step foot on the Howlett property, you realize right away that it is irreplaceable. The incredible number of old growth trees in this forest is a testament to the owners’ lifetime love of the land and the trees,” said Lynda Hopkins, 5th District Supervisor and a member of the District’s Board of Directors. “Preserving this critical woodland adjacent to other protected lands such as Buckeye Forest helps us maintain a contiguous stretch of healthy forests that will filter our water, clean our air, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and help to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

Project structure

Before George Howlett passed away in 2008, he had wanted to ensure his ranch remained intact and managed in a manner that would protect the trees and mature ecosystem, while also continuing to provide income. He determined the sale of a conservation easement was the best tool to achieve both objectives. However, the development of a conservation easement project takes time. So in 2014, in order to forestall an imminent timber harvest and allow time for the easement to be negotiated, SLT obtained a project-related loan from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and then re-loaned those funds to the landowner. Now, the District and SLT have partnered to assemble the necessary funding to purchase the easement, with the District providing sales tax dollars and a grant from the Habitat Conservation Fund, and SLT securing funds from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and The San Francisco Foundation, to prevent future subdivision or intense, destructive harvesting on the property.

As a result, the property will be protected from subdivision and development, and the old-growth redwoods will not be cut. In a region of the county where vineyard conversion and timber harvesting is threatening critical habitat and natural resources, the protection of these remarkable trees is monumental. Such activities would eliminate and degrade critical habitat for special-status species, reduce the carbon sequestration potential of the land, and remove forever these magnificent trees that can live to be 2,000 years old. The District’s conservation easement protects the property’s significant natural resources in perpetuity by limiting development and ensuring sustainable harvest practices that retain old-growth redwood trees and old-growth forest characteristics.

About the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District permanently protects the diverse agricultural, natural resource and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations. The District is responsible for the perpetual protection of over 111,000 acres of land throughout our region. These agricultural and open space lands are protected through a quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1990 and reauthorized in 2006. For more information, please visit www.sonomaopenspace.org.