Supporting an urban one-acre oasis

In 2017, the Tubbs Fire ravaged the Mark West neighborhood, an unincorporated area of Sonoma County just north of the City of Santa Rosa. The community has been steadily recovering in the years since, with locals coming together to plan and influence the rebuilding of their neighborhoods. But one critical piece of the recovery plan was missing – a shared outdoor space for everyone to enjoy. With Sonoma Land Trust’s help, a group of community members and business leaders quickly mobilized to acquire a centrally-located, one-acre property with the vision of creating “a green oasis in the middle of our neighborhood.” Park planning is now well underway, and we are all looking forward to the public being able to enjoy this green space in an area that has historically lacked access to nature.

The former Mark West Community Preschool was burned in the fire, with just one living tree remaining. The one-acre property is centrally located and was slated for residential development, but when the idea for a park was raised, a group of community members and business leaders quickly mobilized to make the idea a reality. They formed a new nonprofit organization, the Mark West Area Community Fund, facilitated donations and funding, and approached several partners to facilitate the purchase of the property.

This is where Sonoma Land Trust came in. We were delighted that the Community Fund came to us for help acquiring the property, and we provided the guidance and expertise to purchase the lot with funding from the Sonoma County Ag + Open Space Matching Grant Program, the Mark West Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), and District 4 Infrastructure Funds.

The benefits of this park are innumerable – aside from filling a critical need for open space in the neighborhood, it will provide opportunities for recreation and benefits to public health by improving air quality. It will also increase climate resilience as a refuge from heatwaves, and very importantly will revitalize a fire-scarred area with a restoration plan prioritizing the planting of native and drought-tolerant trees, shrubs, and plants.

Beyond the tangible benefits the community park will bring to the area, the collaborative process of rebuilding and creating this “green oasis in the middle of our neighborhood,” as Community Fund board member Westin Miller called it in a 2023 op-ed, is also an exercise in healing. Miller’s vision for the park is full of possibilities:

“The potential for amenities such as a gazebo, a playground with elements like tree logs, stumps, boulders, and plants to encourage nature-based play, vegetable gardens, and a pollinator garden to help attract bees, butterflies, and birds. Newly planted trees will provide places to cool off and enjoy the shade, especially during ever-hotter summers. I can see my family spending many evenings and weekends here with our friends and loved ones.”

The opportunity to feel a sense of community, and for a gathering space where people can come together and experience a sense of place and connection is the driving force behind this collaborative project. The park has so much support behind it – from elected officials, business owners, healthcare providers, families, and the broader Sonoma County community.

As of January 31, escrow closed on the property, and a ribbon-cutting celebration is scheduled for early Spring. An initial park design is underway, driven by feedback and ideas received at several community engagement events, and we are all looking forward to the public being able to enjoy this green space in an area that has historically lacked access to nature.

Want to get involved? The public is welcome to volunteer and help build the park by visiting www.markwestarea.org