MPAs are the MVPs of ocean conservation
A Big Deal for a Big Ocean!
Last month, the High Seas Treaty—a global agreement to protect marine biodiversity in international waters—secured its final signature and will become binding international law early next year. This is a major milestone for ocean conservation. Since its proposal in 2023, sixty countries have ratified the treaty, which creates a system to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters. MPAs are a big deal here in California, too. Along with protected lands, MPAs are central to achieving our 30×30 goal of conserving 30 percent of our land and waters by 2030. Currently, 26% of the land and 21% of the waters have been protected in California, and there is an urgency to increase the pace and scale to meet this goal.
California’s coast is one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. Thanks to coastal upwelling—cool, nutrient-rich waters rising from the deep—our coast swims with life, from migrating whales and seabirds to kelp forests that anchor entire ecosystems. These coastlines are iconic, continuing to inspire songs, novels, and films. They’re also among the most productive ecosystems on the planet. But they are increasingly stressed by climate change, offshore drilling, trawling, pollution, and overfishing.
Ocean Protection and Land Protection are One
Early observers along this coast described seas so crowded with sardines they seemed to boil, abalone stacked thick on rocky reefs, and fish so large that fishermen’s nets heaved under the weight. Indigenous peoples lived along these shores for over 10,000 years, and under their care and stewardship of the land, the underwater world thrived. Today, the contrast is sobering. Many of those once-common “trophy” fish are scarce. All West Coast species of abalone, including Northern California’s red abalone, are at risk of extinction. The mighty kelp forests have been reduced to a fraction of their historic range and an overpopulation of purple sea urchins blankets the ocean floor in a desert-like “barren”.
What happens on land doesn’t stay on land
Runoff from farms and cities flows into rivers and bays, carrying pollutants that influence the health of coasts and oceans. Sometimes, toxic waste created on land gets directly dumped into the ocean. Microplastics have made their way to the bottom of the sea. Wetlands have been largely destroyed and can no longer filter the tidal waters or provide marshy habitats for young wildlife to grow. We’ve created this situation, and now the ocean needs our help.
Here in Sonoma County, this isn’t abstract. And, we are fortunate that two of the five Fish and Game Commissioners guiding the future of California’s MPA network reside in our community. The choices they and their colleagues make will directly affect local waters, fisheries, and coastal towns.
124 Marine Protected Areas—and Growing Stronger
A little more than a decade ago, California created a statewide network of 124 MPAs. Together, they cover about one-sixth of state waters, but less than 10 percent are strongly protected and allow commercial fishing and other disruptive activities. However, it’s well-documented that in those refuges, ecosystems recover, and marine life thrives. These benefits are known to extend beyond the boundaries of protected areas as well. Fish grow larger, live longer, and reproduce more successfully—especially the so-called BOFFFs, big, old, fat, fertile females that give birth to the future of their species (yes, this is a technical term used in science!).
The MPA network is still young. After its first decade, agencies completed a review in 2022 and are now weighing new petitions from Tribes, scientists, and community groups to either strengthen or weaken protections.
MPAs and 30×30
California has pledged to conserve 30 percent of its lands and waters by 2030, and expanding and fortifying California’s ocean protections is crucial to meeting that goal. Yet the Ocean Protection Council’s draft Roadmap raises concerns. By counting “lightly” protected areas toward 30×30, it would roll back requirements to strengthen National Marine Sanctuaries and even include zones that still allow trawling or carry oil pipelines.
At last month’s Ocean Protection Council meeting, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and advocates continued to express their concerns that the Tribal pathway—the process by which tribally led or co-managed areas can count toward California’s 30×30 conservation goals—does not include evaluation criteria to ensure biodiversity outcomes. There were also critiques that the lookback provision, which allows OPC to remove areas that are not meeting biodiversity goals, is too weak. The science is clear that fully and highly protected areas best sustain biodiversity and resilience. Keeping California’s standard high would not only help the oceans, it would also set a positive precedent for other jurisdictions to do the same. Considering California’s global reputation as an environmental leader, the ramifications could ripple across the globe, benefitting all of our ocean, from the near-shore to the high seas.
What Does Sonoma Land Trust Have to Do with It?
Sonoma County has 55 miles of coastline, encompassing rich ecosystems and vibrant communities. Over the past 50 years, we’ve helped protect more than 7,000 acres along the coast, including parks and natural lands like Jenner Headlands, Pole Mountain, Red Hill, and Estero Americano. Access to these coastal lands is important for human communities, too. The Sonoma Coast State Beach is the most popular state park in California, with millions of annual visitors.
Sonoma Land Trust is a member of the Power in Nature coalition of nearly 300 groups (including conservation NGOs, land trusts, Tribes, and community organizations), and together they push for strong, durable protections for MPAs. Because nature has no hard borders, land and ocean are inextricably intertwined on this one Earth, and the health of one improves the health of the other.
How You Can Help
The California Fish and Game Commission is reviewing proposals that will shape the future of our MPAs. Your voice matters:
- Stay informed. Learn about California’s MPAs and current proposals.
- Speak up. Share your perspective directly with the Fish and Game Commission and the Ocean Protection Council by submitting a letter or giving a comment at a public meeting, or join local groups like the Sonoma MPA Collaborative to advocate for strong protections.
- Support conservation. Back Sonoma Land Trust and partners like the Tribal Marine Stewards Network and NRDC to protect both land and sea.
The ocean’s biggest celebrity sparks hope
If you’ve ever dipped your toes in the ocean world, you know the name Dr. Sylvia Earle. Dubbed “Her Deepness,” she has logged more than 7,000 hours underwater, led over 100 expeditions, and smashed every boundary that once told women they didn’t belong in marine science. She’s an icon, a rebel, and at 90 still one of the loudest voices rallying us to protect the ocean.
So when Sylvia Earle’s organization, Mission Blue, points its spotlight at a place and calls it a “Hope Spot”, people listen. And the newest one is right here in Sonoma County’s backyard: the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, connecting with the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and existing Hope Spot, just beyond the Golden Gate.
Hope Spot? What’s That?
Hope Spots are special marine areas identified by Mission Blue for protection and restoration as they are critical to the health of the planet. Think of them as the marine equivalent of UNESCO World Heritage sites or national parks—places of ecological importance that inspire both protection and pride. There are more than 150 Hope Spots around the world, from the Maldives to the Galápagos. Now the nutrient-rich waters off Northern California are officially part of the list.
It’s not that these places weren’t already protected; both are federally designated sanctuaries. The Greater Farallones was created in 1981, originally to protect seabird colonies, and Cordell Bank was added in 1989. But the Hope Spot designation brings something different: global recognition, storytelling power, and a rallying cry for stronger protections in an era of climate change (and denial).
Why Now?
Until recently, only the Greater Farallones was recognized as a Hope Spot. This year, Mission Blue extended the designation to include Cordell Bank, a spectacular submerged mountain west of Bodega Bay that’s a bountiful feasting ground for everything from plankton to humpback whales. Together, the two sanctuaries encompass more than 4,500 square miles of the Pacific Ocean’s California Current, a rich stretch of Pacific waters where deep-sea nutrients rise to feed an abundance of marine life.
Just like on land, the size of contiguous protected area in the ocean matters. The California Current, the marine engine that drives life along this coast, is one of just four major upwelling zones on Earth, and its productivity is staggering! Seasonal winds pull nutrients from the deep, feeding explosive plankton blooms that sustain fish, seabirds, seals, sharks, and endangered leatherback sea turtles. Marine scientists call the California Current the Serengeti of the Sea for the way its powerful upwellings create a migratory superhighway, drawing in huge numbers of creatures up and down the food chain, much like Africa’s rich plains draw herds of wildebeests, zebras, lions, and more as they follow seasonal rains across the plains.
Hope inspires action
Science is a key part of any conservation decision, but it’s not the only one. To borrow from a quote widely attributed to another famed ocean advocate and explorer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, we only protect what we love. Hope Spots are about inspiration as much as science. The sanctuaries off Sonoma County’s coast are extraordinary for their biodiversity, but they’re also reminders of nature’s beauty and wonder, and the interconnectedness of all life on Earth, from land to sea.
As Dr. Earle puts it: “There is hope in the resilience of this cold water environment and even greater vigilance in protective measures are called for. Putting a healthy ocean at the heart of decision making is essential so that effective protection of coastal marine carbon cycles, sinks, and reservoirs can help mitigate the effects of climate change and support biodiversity.”
To learn more about this Hope Spot designation, check out this story map from Mission Blue.
La mayor celebridad del océano despierta esperanza
Si alguna vez has sumergido los pies en el mundo del océano, entonces conoces el nombre de la Dra. Sylvia Earle. Apodada “Her Deepness” (en inglés, Su Profundidad), ha pasado más de 7.000 horas bajo el agua, ha liderado más de 100 expediciones y ha derribado todas las barreras que alguna vez les dijeron a las mujeres que no pertenecían a la ciencia marina. Es un ícono, una rebelde y, a sus 90 años, sigue siendo una de las voces más firmes que inspiran a proteger el océano.
Por eso, cuando la organización de Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue, dirige su atención a un lugar y lo declara un “Lugar de Esperanza”, la gente escucha. Y el más reciente está justo aquí, en el propio patio trasero del condado de Sonoma: el Santuario Marino Nacional Cordell Bank, que se conecta con el Santuario Marino Nacional Greater Farallones —ya designado anteriormente como Lugar de Esperanza— justo más allá del Golden Gate.
¿Qué es un Lugar de Esperanza?
Los Lugares de Esperanza son áreas marinas especiales identificadas por Mission Blue para su protección y restauración, ya que son esenciales para la salud del planeta. Piensa en ellos como el equivalente marino de los lugares de Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO o de los parques nacionales: lugares de importancia ecológica que inspiran tanto protección como orgullo. En todo el mundo existen más de 150 Lugares de Esperanza, desde las Maldivas hasta las Galápagos. Ahora, las aguas ricas en nutrientes frente al norte de California forman parte oficialmente de esa lista.
No es que estos lugares no estuvieran ya protegidos; ambos son santuarios designados a nivel federal. El Greater Farallones se creó en 1981, originalmente para proteger las colonias de aves marinas, y Cordell Bank se agregó en 1989. Sin embargo, la designación como Lugar de Esperanza aporta algo distinto: reconocimiento global, poder narrativo y un llamado colectivo a reforzar la protección en una era de cambio climático (y negación).
¿Por qué ahora?
Hasta hace poco, solo el Greater Farallones estaba reconocido como Lugar de Esperanza. Este año, Mission Blue amplió la designación para incluir Cordell Bank, una espectacular montaña submarina al oeste de Bodega Bay que sirve como un abundante terreno de alimentación para todo tipo de vida, desde el plancton hasta las ballenas jorobadas. Juntos, los dos santuarios abarcan más de 4.500 millas cuadradas de la Corriente de California en el océano Pacífico, una rica franja de aguas donde los nutrientes de las profundidades emergen para alimentar una gran abundancia de vida marina.
Al igual que en tierra, el tamaño de las áreas marinas protegidas contiguas es importante. La Corriente de California, el motor marino que impulsa la vida a lo largo de esta costa, es una de las únicas cuatro grandes zonas de surgencia en la Tierra, ¡y su productividad es asombrosa! Los vientos estacionales arrastran nutrientes desde las profundidades, generando explosivas floraciones de plancton que sustentan peces, aves marinas, focas, tiburones y tortugas laúd en peligro de extinción. Los científicos marinos llaman a la Corriente de California el Serengueti del Mar por la manera en que sus poderosas surgencias crean una supercarretera migratoria que atrae enormes cantidades de criaturas a lo largo de la cadena alimenticia, de la misma forma en que las fértiles llanuras africanas atraen manadas de ñus, cebras, leones y más animales que siguen las lluvias estacionales.
La esperanza inspira acción
La ciencia es una parte clave de cualquier decisión de conservación, pero no es la única. Parafraseando una cita ampliamente atribuida a otro célebre defensor y explorador del océano, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, solo se protege lo que se ama. Los Lugares de Esperanza se tratan tanto de inspiración como de ciencia. Los santuarios frente a la costa del condado de Sonoma son extraordinarios por su biodiversidad, pero también son recordatorios de la belleza y el asombro de la naturaleza, y de la interconexión de toda la vida en la Tierra, desde la tierra hasta el mar.
Como explica la Dra. Earle: “Hay esperanza en la resiliencia de este entorno de aguas frías, y se requiere una vigilancia aún mayor en las medidas de protección. Poner un océano saludable en el centro de la toma de decisiones es esencial para que la protección efectiva de los ciclos, sumideros y reservorios de carbono marino costero pueda ayudar a mitigar los efectos del cambio climático y a apoyar la biodiversidad”.
Para obtener más información sobre esta designación de Lugar de Esperanza, consulte este mapa interactivo de Mission Blue.
Our own MPA: Estero Americano
The road out to the Sonoma Coast north of San Francisco is surrounded by rolling hills dotted with dairy cows. The area is a popular tourist destination, famous for its natural beauty and locally sourced culinary delights. As travelers make their way out to the rugged coastline sampling the cheeses, oysters, and wines the area is known for, it’s easy to miss the many rural roads that branch off the main highway. Hidden down one of these roads, behind the pastoral hills, is a unique coastal feature called Estero Americano State Marine Recreational Management Area (SMRMA).
Sonoma Land Trust’s Estero Americano Preserve is part of California’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network, the largest ecologically connected MPA Network in the world. Although the MPAs are managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) as a statewide, interconnected network, exploring individual sites through a more localized lens can reveal what makes the state’s MPAs so special.
Estero Americano SMRMA is one of those special places, winding a watery path through farmland and coastal prairie out to the Pacific Ocean. Estero Americano SMRMA is a coastal estuary, one of the key habitats protected by the MPA Network. Coastal estuaries are unique in California and represent an important connection at the land-sea interface. Estuaries provide critical nursery habitat for many species such as starry flounder and rock crab, and give migrating birds a safe place to rest and feed on their long journeys.
Estero Americano’s shoreline also harbors pickleweed and underwater meadows of eelgrass, two essential plants that play multiple roles in the estuary environment. Pickleweed provides vegetation above the high tide line for shore birds and other animals that seek refuge from the rising tides. Eelgrass, a marine plant, improves habitat quality by filtering water, stabilizing sediment, sequestering carbon, and boosting biodiversity through sheltering marine species.
Estero Americano is small, protecting about a tenth of a square mile of estuarine waters with a maximum depth of 10 feet, but its ecological importance far outweighs its tiny footprint. Sonoma Land Trust and their land acquisition partners have preserved key lands around Estero Americano to prevent coastal development from creeping in and altering the landscape and ecosystem. Sonoma Land Trust has managed a 127-acre nature preserve around the Estero Americano since 1997, providing a base for collaborations with partner groups for grassland research, restoration, and water-quality monitoring.
The best way for the public to access the preserve and waters is through events regularly hosted by Sonoma Land Trust. “The estuary and surrounding uplands are an oasis for sensitive wildlife,” said Shanti Edwards, Sonoma Land Trust’s Sonoma Coast Program Manager. “The interplay between the coastal prairie and tidal estuary creates a rich, biodiverse ecotone that supports dynamic food webs and undisturbed habitats that help species living in the preserve thrive.” Edwards has spotted river otters fluidly moving between land and sea, foraging for prey, and raptors nesting in nearby stands of trees and patrolling the estuary and uplands. Native bunchgrasses and flowers blanket the landscape where the hills meet the estuary, fringed by lush wetlands and marsh vegetation.
Managing such a diverse ecosystem sometimes comes with diverse challenges. The land around the estuary has historically been used for ranching and potato farming, which has taken a toll on native species, water quality, and the terrain around the estuary. Sonoma Land Trust aims to strike a balance between working lands and resource conservation and has worked with a multitude of partner groups to assess, manage, and monitor the health of the soil, native flora, and nesting bird populations. “We are demonstrating that by using conservation grazing practices, working lands and conservation can share a compatible vision,” said Edwards.
Striking this balance between human uses and conservation goals is an important part of managing California’s MPA Network on both a local and statewide level. It has been at the forefront of CDFW’s adaptive management priorities since the first Decadal Management Review and MPA Network evaluation was completed in 2023. MPAs that strengthen the connection between land and sea, like Estero Americano SMRMA, will be critical for shaping management strategies that promote a sustainable future for our coast.
Adapted from a post by Sara Worden, CDFW Environmental Scientist
Celebrating Member Appreciation Day
Celebration and Reflection at Member Appreciation Day
On September 20, Sonoma Land Trust welcomed supporters to Member Appreciation Day at Glen Oaks Ranch Preserve — a special opportunity to celebrate the remarkable impact we’ve made together in protecting Sonoma County’s treasured landscapes.
The day began with morning yoga at the barn ruins, as well as a cross-preserve hike that explored both Glen Oaks Ranch and neighboring Bouverie Preserve. Guests also enjoyed guided tours of the historic Glen Oaks Ranch mansion, allowing members to step back in time. The afternoon concluded with a festive gathering — complete with seasonal food and hand-pressed apple cider, community connections, and lively performances by Melody Yan Fusion Music and the Bloomfield Bluegrass Band.
This day was more than a celebration — it was a reflection of what your generosity makes possible. Together, we are ensuring that places like Glen Oaks Ranch are protected not just for today, but for generations to come.
We extend our gratitude to our partners at Audubon Canyon Ranch (now All Hands Ecology) and the Sonoma Valley Historical Society, whose collaboration made this day even more special. And above all, we thank you—our dedicated members and donors. Your continued support empowers Sonoma Land Trust to conserve the lands that inspire us all.
October 9 is DAF Day
Tackle Urgent Issues Today with your DAF or another Tax-Smart Gift
On October 9 we celebrate Donor Advised Funds as a valuable tool for donors to maximize their philanthropy. When you make a generous grant from your DAF, you put your philanthropic dollars to work addressing urgent challenges like biodiversity loss and climate change.
Sonoma Land Trust has new tools that make giving through your DAF and other tax-smart options like giving appreciated stock or making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA super easy! Visit our Tax Smart Giving Page today to make a gift.
Invest in solutions that preserve our stunning landscapes and protect the delicate balance of nature.
News
Welcome new interns!
We’re thrilled to welcome our 2025–2026 intern cohort! All seven interns are local students who come to us through our partnerships with Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University. Six will serve as Outings Interns through May, learning how to safely guide community hikes while sharing the incredible work of Sonoma Land Trust. Be sure to sign up for a hike so you can meet them on the trail! One intern will support conservation easement monitoring this fall, gaining hands-on field experience and building skills in creating monitoring reports. We’re excited to have such a talented group of students, each bringing their own unique perspective to our work.
Left to right, top to bottom: Axel Avila, Hannah Bireschi, Iris Gentry, Julian Goldberg, Sophia Nguyen, Rae Veraflor, Elizabeth Moreno
Free Language of the Land Webinars
Language of the Land: Life in the North Bay for Mountain Lions
Mountain lions in the North Bay live a fragile existence, precariously trying to survive in a densely human-inhabited landscape. This talk will explore what has been learnt from almost 10 years of studying these elusive and iconic American top-carnivores, and how one goes about coexisting with them. Join Dr. Quinton Martins, large cat expert and Principal Investigator for the Living with Lions Project to learn more about these charismatic cats.
Language of the Land: The Sonoma Coast from the Surface to the Seafloor
Have you ever looked west off the Sonoma Coast and pondered all that water and what lies beneath the surface? The ocean waters bordering and offshore of the Sonoma Coast are globally significant for the tremendous amount of biodiversity they support. Gaining protections as National Marine Sanctuaries in the 1980s, these precious and vital ocean habitats are still being discovered today. Jennifer Stock, education and outreach coordinator for NOAA’s Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, participated in underwater exploration of the deepwater habitats off the Sonoma Coast in 2017 and 2019. Using photographs from those journeys, she shares an overview of these sanctuaries and take us on a virtual tour of the seafloor to as deep as 10,000 feet. Check out this LotL to learn more.
Free outings
Join Sonoma Land Trust out in nature this fall! We’ll be gathering on the Southeast Greenway to share our stories together, hiking to the top of Pole Mountain, walking along the tidal marsh at Sears Point, and so much more!
To learn more and register for October’s free outings, visit: Sonoma Land Trust Hosted Outings And Events – Join Us On The Land