The relationships that sustain me: a message from the director of philanthropy
In this busy time of year, I am committing to moving slower and focusing more intently on the relationships that sustain me. That includes my relationships with people, places, and the natural world. One system that includes all of these relationships, and one I think about a lot as the director of our fundraising program, is philanthropy. The Greek etymology of philanthropy translates to “love of humanity” but I like to think of it more broadly, as love of all life.
At Sonoma Land Trust, we see this love of life expressed every day—through the stewardship of our volunteers, the generosity of our donors, the long hours of our staff, and the enduring commitment of supporters like Bob and Eva Martin and Scott Hafner. Their dedication to conservation is an act of deep care for their fellow kin—human, plant, and animal alike.
It’s humbling and energizing to recognize just how interconnected we are with the people, plants, and animals that surround us. As the year comes to a close and you consider where to share your philanthropy, both in terms of time and resources, we invite you to support Sonoma Land Trust in ways that feel most meaningful to you (see several options below). We also encourage you to support local organizations working to address food insecurity, a pressing need in our community now.
Standing together, we can continue to make our community resilient to the challenges we face. We know that when the community is healthy, the land is healthy, and vice versa.
With gratitude,
Shannon Nichols
Director of Philanthropy
Sonoma Land Trust
Good people giving back
It’s a sunny day in rural Santa Rosa as Scott Hafner, smiling, recalls childhood weekend trips from Berkeley up to his family’s ranch in Sonoma County to sometimes pick pears and prunes, drive a tractor, and use big machinery to till a 25-acre field for planting. It could be sweat-inducing work, but “when you’re that age, you’re just along for the adventure,” he says.
Hafner’s adventure didn’t stop there—today, he tends to his family’s business and serves as chair of the board for Sonoma Land Trust, after being a member since 2001 and board member since 2017. That seed of love for the land was planted during his childhood where he learned what it meant to live in harmony with the land, caring for it and delighting in its fruitful rewards. His parents bought a ranch in Alexander Valley in 1967. Then planted with fruit trees, they converted it to vineyards by the 1970s, in the same period Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse and Robert Mondavi opened his winery. It was a time of great change and opportunity.
At first, the lessons Hafner learned from the family farm were more about customers, crops and hard work, not conservation. From his father—whose father worked for John Deere selling agricultural equipment—Hafner inherited the appreciation for being in a rural, bucolic setting, “and the honest and simple life of working the land,” he says. There were also summers backpacking in the Sierra Nevada with his parents and siblings, which imbued Hafner with awe for beautiful landscapes and the natural world at large. And Hafner’s parents imbued him with a sense of responsibility for taking care of the world around him. “We were raised with the instruction that you always leave the campsite better than you found it,” Hafner says.
That principle—leaving things better than you found them—has guided Hafner ever since. “It has an application to a campsite,” he says, “but it also has an application to life. You try to make your community better than you found it.”
Both of Hafner’s parents embodied that ethic. His mother, Mary Hafner, served on Sonoma Land Trust’s board for fourteen years until 2010, helping guide the organization through major milestones, including the protection of the Jenner Headlands, one of Northern California’s largest coastal conservation projects. His father worked in public information and ceremonies at UC Berkeley and had been a journalist earlier in his career. “I really looked up to both of my parents,” he says. “They showed by example what it meant to live with purpose and generosity.” When his mother later became ill, she asked him to consider serving on the board of Sonoma Land Trust. “It was clear that it was important to her,” Hafner says. “She asked me one more time, and I said, of course I would.”
That same dedication to service runs through Hafner’s decades of volunteer work. He and his husband, Bill Glenn, were deeply shaped by the AIDS epidemic, caring for friends during that tragic period. Hafner has served on the boards of the Horizons Foundation, a gay and lesbian community foundation in San Francisco; the board of trustees of Connecticut College where he studied; a seminary in Berkeley; and the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Sonoma County, which works to address health inequities linked to socioeconomic and racial divisions. Hafner’s volunteer work has been varied, but what connects it all, he says, is “trying to make the world a better place.”
As Sonoma Land Trust’s board chair since 2023, Hafner’s role includes fundraising, which he sees as less a transaction than an invitation to be part of something meaningful. It’s a lesson he learned by watching how his parents, as well as his husband Bill, helped grow and lead local organizations. For him, it’s easy to make the ask, and it’s up to potential donors to answer in a way that feels good to them. “It’s not about promising something ethereal,” Hafner says. “That’s not necessary with the Land Trust—it rests on its own accomplishments.” Still, for all his love for the earth, the heart of the work for Hafner is people. From board members to donors to Land Trust staff, “it’s wonderful to be around good people, at the top of their fields, who are doing the right thing and putting muscle behind what they believe,” he says.
He sees Sonoma Land Trust’s mission as an intergenerational collaboration, with older and younger generations working together to protect the landscapes that define Sonoma County. “All of us live in a place where people from all over the world come to visit because it’s so unusually beautiful,” he says. “I don’t take it for granted. I want to do my piece.”
Buena gente que retribuye
Es un día soleado en la zona rural de Santa Rosa cuando Scott Hafner, sonriente, recuerda los viajes de fin de semana de su infancia desde Berkeley hasta el rancho familiar en el condado de Sonoma, a veces para recoger peras y ciruelas, conducir un tractor y utilizar maquinaria pesada para arar un campo de 25 acres antes de la siembra. Podría ser un trabajo agotador, pero “a esa edad, solo te apetece vivir la aventura”, afirma.
La aventura de Hafner no terminó ahí: hoy en día, se ocupa del negocio familiar y es presidente de la junta directiva de Sonoma Land Trust, organización de la que es miembro desde 2001 y miembro de la junta desde 2017. Esa semilla de amor por la tierra se sembró durante su infancia cuando aprendió lo que significaba vivir en armonía con la tierra, cuidarla y disfrutar de sus recompensas. En 1967 sus padres compraron un rancho en Alexander Valley. Plantado entonces con árboles frutales, lo convirtieron en viñedos en la década de 1970, en el mismo período en que Alice Waters abrió su restaurante Chez Panisse y Robert Mondavi abrió su bodega tan conocida. Era una época de grandes cambios y oportunidades.
Al principio, las lecciones que Hafner aprendió en la granja familiar tenían más que ver con los clientes, los cultivos y el trabajo duro que con la conservación. De su padre (cuyo padre trabajaba para John Deere vendiendo maquinaria agrícola) Hafner heredó el aprecio por el entorno rural y bucólico, “y la vida honesta y sencilla del trabajo de la tierra”, dice. También pasaba los veranos haciendo senderismo en las montañas de la Sierra Nevada con sus padres y hermanos, lo que le inculcó un gran respeto por los hermosos paisajes y el mundo natural en general. Además, los padres de Hafner le dieron un sentido de responsabilidad de cuidar el mundo que le rodeaba. “Nos educaron con la idea de que siempre hay que dejar un sitio de acampar mejor de cómo lo encontraste”, comparte Hafner.
Ese principio —dejar las cosas mejor que antes— ha guiado a Hafner desde entonces. “Se aplica a un sitio de acampar”, dice, “pero también se aplica a la vida. Intentas mejorar tu comunidad más de cómo la encontraste”.
Los padres de Hafner encarnaban esa ética. Su madre, Mary Hafner, formó parte de la junta directiva de Sonoma Land Trust durante catorce años, hasta 2010. Ella ayudó a guiar a la organización a través de hitos importantes, por ejemplo, la protección de los promontorios Jenner Headlands, uno de los proyectos de conservación costera más grandes del norte de California. Su padre trabajó en información pública y ceremonias en la Universidad de California en Berkeley. Antes, era periodista. “Realmente admiraba a mis padres”, dice Hafner. “Me enseñaban con su ejemplo lo que significaba vivir con motivo y generosidad”. Cuando su madre se enfermó, ella le pidió que considerara la posibilidad de formar parte de la junta directiva de Sonoma Land Trust. “Estaba claro que era importante para ella”, cuenta Hafner. “Me lo pidió una vez más y le dije que, por supuesto, yo lo haría”.
Las décadas de trabajo voluntario de Hafner se centran en esa misma dedicación al servicio. Él y su marido, Bill Glenn, se vieron profundamente afectados por la epidemia del SIDA, ya que cuidaron de amigos durante ese trágico periodo. Hafner ha formado parte de las juntas directivas de la Fundación Horizons (Horizons Foundation), una fundación de la comunidad gay y lesbiana de San Francisco; del consejo de administración del Connecticut College, donde estudió; de un seminario en Berkeley; y de la Fundación para la Salud del Norte del Condado de Sonoma (Healthcare Foundation of Northern Sonoma County), que trabaja para abordar las desigualdades en materia de salud relacionadas con las divisiones socioeconómicas y raciales. El trabajo voluntario de Hafner ha sido muy variado, pero él dice que lo que une todo es “intentar hacer del mundo un lugar mejor”.
Como presidente de la junta directiva de Sonoma Land Trust desde 2023, la función de Hafner incluye la recaudación de fondos, algo que él no considera una transacción sino una invitación a formar parte de algo significativo. Es una lección que aprendió observando cómo sus padres, así como su marido Bill, ayudaron a crecer y dirigir organizaciones locales. Para él, es fácil pedir la financiación. Los posibles donantes pueden responder de la forma que les parezca mejor. “No se trata de prometer algo etéreo”, dice Hafner. “Eso no es necesario con el Land Trust, ya que se basa en sus propios logros”. Aun así, a pesar de todo su amor por la tierra, el corazón del trabajo de Hafner es la gente. Desde los miembros de la junta directiva hasta los donantes y el personal de Sonoma Land Trust, “es maravilloso estar rodeado de buenas personas, líderes en sus campos, que hacen lo correcto y apoyan con fuerza lo que creen”, dice.
Considera que la misión de Sonoma Land Trust es una colaboración intergeneracional, en la que las generaciones mayores y las más jóvenes trabajan juntas para proteger los paisajes que definen el condado de Sonoma . “Todos vivimos en un lugar al que acuden personas de todo el mundo porque es extraordinariamente hermoso”, afirma. “No lo doy por sentado. Quiero aportar mi granito de arena”.
It’s never too late to do big things
When Bob and Eva began giving to Sonoma Land Trust in 2019, their donations were gestures of appreciation for the landscapes they loved. Over time, their connection deepened. In 2024, inspired by longtime supporters Dianne Brinson and Mark Radcliff’s matching gift challenge to grow the Legacy League, Bob and Eva decided to join the League themselves. A lunch with Dianne and Mark sparked conversations about generosity, community, and how one gift can inspire many others.
That led to a decision that reflects both courage and conviction: this Giving Tuesday, December 2, all gifts to Sonoma Land Trust will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to a $100,000 commitment from Bob and Eva.
Their story begins worlds away. Eva was born in Germany just after the start of World War II. She remembers the hardship of post-war life, when rebuilding meant resourcefulness and persistence. At 21 and equipped with four languages—German, English, French, and Spanish—she immigrated to California, living first with a cousin in Palo Alto who helped her get started in her new country.
Bob grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, studied physics at Duke University and later earned a Master’s of Engineering at the University of Utah. He came west for a job at Fairchild Semiconductor—the heart of Silicon Valley’s early high-tech boom—and met Eva at a folk-dancing event in Palo Alto. They started a family together and Bob’s work took them to Orange County, but seeking a more progressive environment and better air quality for their three small children, they moved north. Bob joined the Optical Coating Laboratory—the biggest employer in Santa Rosa at that time and Sonoma’s first high tech company—and the family settled in Santa Rosa’s Rincon Valley.
After retiring from engineering, Bob ran a landscape photography business, capturing the light and open spaces that make Sonoma County extraordinary. He has since retired from the business but still pursues photography as a personal passion.
The couple’s three grown children have chosen paths rooted in discovery and service. Their daughter Suzi has traveled extensively, including to volunteer in disaster zones around the world, and it was she who introduced them to Slovenia, where they recently began to split their time between living in Sonoma County and the capital city of Ljubljana. They fell in love with its walkable cities, friendly people, and thoughtful stewardship of land and community.
Bob and Eva believe that lasting change happens when generations work together to care for the places they love. Their Giving Tuesday match is a tribute to that belief and an invitation to others to join them in protecting Sonoma County’s lands and waterways for the future. In Bob and Eva’s own words:
“Before we move at least part-time to the tiny but verdant country of Slovenia, we want to share some of the bounty we have enjoyed by living in the Bay Area for 65 years. We feel it is of utmost importance to save as much of our wonderful landscape as possible from erratic and scattered development that is a one-way road for locking out public use. Sonoma Land Trust not only provides a means for acquiring valuable parcels for future public use but also has programs for getting folks onto these lands to sensitize them to their long-term public value. Hurray for this organization and its staff.”
We are grateful to Bob and Eva and hope you will consider joining them in their Giving Tuesday challenge!
Join the $1.8 Million End of Year Challenge — Building Toward Our 50th Anniversary!
As we approach our 50th anniversary in 2026, we’re reflecting on all we’ve accomplished together—and looking ahead to one of the most ambitious years in our history. To help us meet this moment, our Board of Directors has issued a $1.8 million End of Year Challenge to inspire the community to give generously before December 31. Every dollar you contribute will bring us closer to our goal and make our 50th year one of the most ambitious in our history.
While we prepare to celebrate five decades of conservation, the challenges facing our lands and waters are more urgent than ever. Steep declines in biodiversity, development pressures, and the accelerating impacts of climate change—from devastating wildfires to sea-level rise—threaten the very landscapes that define Sonoma County.
But together, we can turn the tide. Your support today helps move our priority initiatives for the coming year forward:
In 2026, we’re embarking on a visionary effort to connect 22,000 contiguous acres from Jenner through Bodega Bay and inland to Monte Rio. At the heart of this effort is Osprey Hill Ranch, a 365-acre property located just five miles north of Bodega Bay. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to preserve an extraordinary landscape for people and wildlife alike.
Next year we’re continuing our work in the Baylands. After just closing Camp 5, a key piece of our 10,000-acre vision, we’re embarking on the next crucial phase: restoration. Through our Sonoma Creek Baylands Strategy, we’re restoring thousands of acres of former farmland into vibrant, tidal wetlands. This project is the second largest of its kind on the San Francisco Bay, and we need your support to make it a reality.
Sonoma Land Trust has been instrumental in conserving the Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway. In the coming year, this site will serve as a living classroom where people can see how parks and open space foster well-being, connection, and hope. The Land Trust will bring students, families, and community groups to the Greenway for hands-on experiences that inspire environmental stewardship.
This is our moment. With your support, we can meet the $1.8 million End of Year Challenge, strengthen our most critical conservation projects, and ensure that our 50th anniversary year sets the stage for an even more resilient and connected Sonoma County.
Make a Tax-Smart Gift and Help Unlock Our Year-End Challenge
There’s never been a more meaningful—or more advantageous—time to support Sonoma Land Trust. Thanks to generous community members like you, 2025 has already been a remarkable year for protecting the lands that make Sonoma County extraordinary. From restoring critical wildlife habitat and advancing climate-resilient conservation to advocating for statewide policies that safeguard our region’s future, your support is making a lasting difference for the places we all love.
As we look toward year-end, consider making a tax-smart gift that can maximize your impact and help us reach our $1.8 million Year-End Challenge by December 31. With significant federal tax law changes coming in 2026, certain charitable gifts offer especially strong benefits this year—allowing you to protect more land and potentially reduce your tax burden.
Many supporters are choosing to give in ways that go beyond cash, including:
Appreciated Stock or Mutual Funds – Avoid capital gains taxes and receive a charitable deduction for the full value of your gift.
IRA Charitable Contributions – If you were born in 1954 or earlier, a Qualified Charitable Distribution can lower your taxable income and may count toward your Required Minimum Distribution.
Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Grants – Recommend a grant from funds already set aside for charity—no additional out-of-pocket cost required.
We encourage you to consult your financial advisor or reach out to us to find out how making a particularly generous gift in 2025 may be beneficial to you. Help us ensure a thriving future for Sonoma County’s lands for generations to come.
Graton’s new town square ushers in a new era of gathering for the local community
Exciting news! After years of organizing and community collaboration, the Graton Community Services District (GCSD) has officially completed acquisition of the Graton Town Square property. It was the last undeveloped parcel in downtown Graton. Last year, Sonoma Land Trust donated $25,000 to the effort.
“At Sonoma Land Trust, we believe everyone deserves access to nature close to home,” says John McCaull, Land Acquisition Director. “Providing financial support for this new urban gathering space in Graton brings our Nature Nearby vision to life—connecting people with the outdoors, restoring green space, and strengthening the bond between healthy communities and healthy landscapes.”
Learn about coexisting with mountain lions from Dr. Quinton Martins, large cat expert and Principal Investigator for the Living with Lions Project, in our most recent Language of the Land. Cougar, puma, panther, catamount, painter, wildcat—aka mountain lions, America’s top carnivores, are called by many names, reflecting their widespread presence across the country. Dr. Martins shares what he has learned from almost 10 years of studying these elusive and charismatic cats.
Join Sonoma Land Trust out in nature this fall! We’ll be hiking to the top of Pole Mountain, walking along the tidal marsh at Sears Point, and more!
Many of these outings are in partnership with Sonoma County Ag + Open Space.
Staff recommendation
Supporting Our Neighbors This Season
As the holidays approach, we’re reminded how deeply connected we all are to the land—and to one another. This year, many local families may experience disruptions in essential benefits, putting extra strain on households.
In times like these, it’s our local food organizations that step up, making sure everyone has something nourishing on the table. We encourage those who are able to consider supporting these community partners:
- Farm to Pantry – working to recover and share fresh, locally grown produce with neighbors in need.
- Food For Thought – providing nutrition services to those living with serious medical conditions.
- Redwood Empire Food Bank – distributing healthy food to thousands of families across Sonoma County.
Together, we can support our neighbors and help make sure that everyone in our community has food on the table this holiday season.