Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month
At Sonoma Land Trust, our work is intrinsically tied to both the land and to our community. This month, as we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, we want to honor and recognize the rich cultural heritage, histories, and contributions of our family, friends, and neighbors from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
There are many celebrations throughout the county that you can participate in from art, to workshops, to talks. Sonoma State University has a robust list of events and resources including a “Queen of Mariachi” concert at the Green Music Center showcasing the mastery of Grammy® award winning singer, Aida Cuevas. At the end of the month, we look forward to honoring the Día de los Muertos tradition with festivals taking place throughout Sonoma County this month. Our neighbors in Windsor, Petaluma and Healdsburg are hosting large-scale celebrations which you can participate in and enjoy. Here is a list of those events with links for more information.
Saturday October 29, Windsor Town Green 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Click here for more information
Sunday October 2-October 29, in Petaluma at varying times and locations
Click here for more information
Sunday October 30, Healdsburg Plaza 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Click here for more information
Another way you can join us in celebrating Latinx Heritage Month with us is to join us on our upcoming facilitated hikes, Familias Al Aire Libre with Spanish & English Language interpretation.
Celebrando el Mes de la Herencia Latina
En Sonoma Land Trust, nuestro trabajo está intrínsecamente ligado tanto a la tierra como a nuestra comunidad. Este mes, al celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Latina, queremos honrar y reconocer la rica herencia cultural, las historias y las contribuciones de nuestros familiares, amigos y vecinos de México, el Caribe, Centro y Sudamérica. La Universidad Estatal de Sonoma tiene una lista robusta de eventos y recursos, incluyendo un concierto de la “Reina del Mariachi” en el Centro de Música Verde que muestra la maestría de la cantante ganadora del premio Grammy®, Aida Cuevas. A finales del mes, esperamos honrar la tradición del Día de los Muertos con festivales que tendrán lugar en todo el Condado de Sonoma. Nuestros vecinos de Windsor, Petaluma y Healdsburg están organizando celebraciones a gran escala en las que puedes participar y disfrutar. Aquí hay una lista de esos eventos con enlaces para obtener más información.
Sábado 29 de octubre, Windsor Town Green 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Para más información: https://www.diademuertoswindsor.org/diadelosmuertoswindsor
Domingo 2 de octubre – 29 de octubre, en Petaluma en diferentes horarios y lugares
Para más información: https://www.facebook.com/El-D%C3%ADa-de-los-Muertos-Petaluma-154451587898565
Domingo 30 de octubre, Healdsburg Plaza 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Para más información: https://www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/dia-de-los-muertos-healdsburg
New season of Bilingual Nature Walks
Sonoma Land Trust’s Familias al Aire Libre / Families Outdoors program is a bilingual program that brings families to our favorite places in nature each month with a Spanish-led tour.
Started in 2019 through a partnership with Vía Esperanza Centro de Educación in Southwest Santa Rosa, these outings are enjoyed by families with children of all ages as we visit a different park or preserve in Sonoma County from 10 am to 2 pm on the fourth Saturday of each month.
We provide transportation from our office in downtown Santa Rosa to our hiking destination and the event is free to everyone who joins. Programming is in Spanish with English interpretation.
This month we are excited to have our new bilingual Outings Guide, Tania Delgado, now leading this family program. Bring your kids or grandkids along and join us!
An Update from the Land
Meet the majestic Kestrel—a sign of renewal after fire
Driven by high winds, the Tubbs fire swept through our Live Oaks Ranch Preserve in October 2017. Though large, hot fires like this can damage ecosystems, thankfully, our native plants and animals have an incredible ability to persist and thrive. Since the fire, the community and Sonoma Land Trust staff and volunteers have worked diligently to manage the forest so the animals can return to their natural habitat.
This beautiful American Kestrel, which is about the same size and shape of a Mourning Dove, though with a larger head, is an example of how wildlife can return after a fire. The photo was taken at the Live Oaks Ranch Preserve, which is just a few miles away from Laufenburg Ranch in Calistoga, nestled at the foot of Mount St. Helena.
While some areas of Live Oaks Ranch’s 572 acres burned at a high intensity, it is now as stunning as before, with habitats ranging from oak woodlands, to mixed Douglas fir and hardwood forests. Since the fire, we have been focused on the management and renewal of a healthy forest, including the upgrading of a bridge over Bidwell Creek so that the steelhead trout can migrate upstream. The thriving plants, and the return of this kestrel, are signs of the resilience and strength of our forests.
We look forward to continuing the restoration work and to contributing to the safety of native wildlife and richness of the local biodiversity. This majestic American Kestrel was a reminder to all of us of why we do the work that we do!
Conozca Al Majestuoso Cernícalo - un signo de renovación tras el incendio
El incendio de Tubbs, provocado por los fuertes vientos, arrasó nuestra reserva de Live Oaks Ranch en octubre de 2017. Aunque los incendios grandes y cálidos como este pueden dañar los ecosistemas, afortunadamente, nuestras plantas y animales nativos tienen una capacidad increíble para persistir y prosperar. Desde el incendio, la comunidad y el personal y los voluntarios de Sonoma Land Trust han trabajado con diligencia para gestionar el bosque de manera que los animales puedan volver a su hábitat natural.
Este hermoso cernícalo americano, que tiene el mismo tamaño y forma que una paloma de luto, aunque con una cabeza más grande, es un ejemplo de cómo la fauna puede volver después de un incendio. La foto fue tomada en el Live Oaks Ranch Preserve, que se encuentra a pocos kilómetros del Laufenburg Ranch en Calistoga, enclavado a los pies del Monte Santa Helena.
Aunque algunas zonas de los 572 acres del rancho Live Oaks se quemaron con gran intensidad, ahora es tan impresionante como antes, con hábitats que van desde bosques de robles hasta bosques mixtos de abeto Douglas y de madera dura. Desde el incendio, nos hemos centrado en la gestión y la renovación de un bosque sano, incluida la mejora de un puente sobre el arroyo Bidwell para que las truchas de cabeza de acero puedan migrar río arriba.Las plantas florecientes, y el regreso de este cernícalo, son signos de la resistencia y la fuerza de nuestros bosques.
Esperamos seguir con los trabajos de restauración y contribuir a la seguridad de la fauna autóctona y a la riqueza de la biodiversidad local. Este majestuoso cernícalo americano nos recuerda a todos por qué hacemos el trabajo que hacemos.
Create a connection to your community—locating your watershed with a click
World Rivers Day, celebrated on September 25, highlights this vital natural resource and encourages sustainable stewardship of rivers around the world. Many Sonoma County rivers, including the Sonoma Creek and the Petaluma River, drain to 40,000 acres of San Pablo Bay wetlands (learn about our Baylands restoration project here), and make up our region’s invaluable watershed.
Learning about your local watershed can be helpful in understanding this precious resource and its integral role in your community. Water is life and a watershed provides the essential element that allows communities like ours to thrive. When it is jeopardized, so is everything else around it.
Do you know where your watershed is? Finding it is easy with this fun map, click here and then type in your address! When you find it, explore further. Check the box next to Russian River to see if your watershed is part of the larger Russian River drainage or if joins Petaluma River and drains to the wetlands of San Pablo Bay.
Want to explore the wetlands and learn about our restoration efforts in Sears Point? Join us as we celebrate this natural resource on Oct 1, with our Bay Day Marsh Walk.
Crea una conexión con tu comunidad: localiza tu cuenca con un clic
El Día Mundial de los Ríos, que se celebra el 25 de septiembre, pone de relieve este recurso natural vital y fomenta la gestión sostenible de los ríos en todo el mundo. Muchos ríos del condado de Sonoma, como el Sonoma Creek y el río Petaluma, drenan hacia 40.000 acres de humedales de la bahía de San Pablo (conozca nuestro proyecto de restauración de Baylands aquí), y conforman la inestimable cuenca hidrográfica de nuestra región.
Aprender sobre su cuenca hidrográfica local puede ser útil para entender este precioso recurso y su papel integral en su comunidad. El agua es vida y la cuenca hidrográfica es el elemento esencial que permite que comunidades como la nuestra prosperen. Cuando se pone en peligro, también lo hace todo lo que la rodea.
¿Sabes dónde está tu cuenca? Encontrarla es fácil con este divertido mapa, visita: https://bit.ly/3DMC8dBand y escribe tu dirección.
Cuando la encuentres, explora más. Marca la casilla junto a Russian River para ver si tu cuenca forma parte de la cuenca más grande del Russian River o si se une al Petaluma River y desemboca en los humedales de la bahía de San Pablo.
¿Quieres explorar los humedales y conocer nuestros esfuerzos de restauración en Sears Point? Únase a nosotros para celebrar este recurso natural el 1 de octubre, con nuestro Paseo por los Pantanos del Día de la Bahía conocido como “Bay Day Marsh Walk”.
Welcoming New Staff
Tania Delgado, outings guide:
Tania’s passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm is what makes her a perfect fit for our bilingual outings guide role. She is excited about sharing her love for the outdoors and connecting community members to the natural world. She was first introduced to Sonoma Land Trust as an intern of the Outings Program in 2019. Born in Acapulco, Mexico, Tania is a first-generation college graduate who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography, Environment and Planning with a focus in Environmental Systems from Sonoma State University. You can often find Tania hiking trails, kayaking, and camping throughout the diverse landscapes of Sonoma County and beyond.
Keri Akemi-Hernandez, land acquisition project manager (San Pablo Baylands):
Keri supports the work and efforts of the acquisitions team in the San Pablo Baylands with a primary focus in the areas of conservation, restoration, and cultural preservation. She has a background in real estate in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and is an experienced professional in project management and consulting. She is passionate about advocating for the needs of our most vulnerable communities and demonstrates her commitment via multiple leadership roles within the North Bay. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, biking, creating art, dancing and cooking.
Advocacy in Action
Adapting to Sea Level Rise – Advocating for the elevated SR 37 causeway
Every day, commuters sit in traffic on State Route 37 (SR 37), alongside the Baylands that represent a key part of the planet’s ecosystem. Made up of marshes and ponds that support millions of waterfowl who stop to rest and forage before they continue their journey on the Pacific Flyway, these Baylands are a vital part of a migratory corridor that extends from the Arctic tundra to South American wetlands. Due to this, the Sonoma Land Trust and our partners have prioritized the San Pablo Baylands for acquisition, protection, and restoration.
Now, after decades of neglect, and in the face of the very real threat of climate change driven flooding, Caltrans and other transportation authorities have agreed on a solution to fix SR 37: the construction of an elevated causeway with limited embankments, along the current SR 37 corridor.
Caltrans recently announced the results of the SR 37 Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL Study). This integrated planning study encompasses the entire SR 37 corridor and incorporates environmental considerations early in the transportation planning process. The study builds upon past studies and alternatives assessments and solicited input from environmental organizations, such as the San Pablo Baylands group, as part of its three technical working groups (design, traffic, and environmental), through numerous meetings and requests for written feedback.
While Caltrans and partners have agreed on an ultimate project for SR 37, there is still no clear pathway to fund the planning and construction of the elevated causeway. Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and the county congestion management agencies are planning to implement interim projects to address congestion and flooding issues until the ultimate project can be built.
We are urging the governor and the legislature to allocate a significant amount of funding to begin planning and implementing the elevated causeway. A new elevated causeway will provide protection from floods and sea level rise and create opportunities for wetland restoration and reestablished hydrologic connection to the Bay.
For more information about the interim projects, please see the ABC 7 News piece and the Marin Independent Journal article
Recent Webinars Now Online
Language of the Land: Bringing Nature Home. with Doug Tallamy
Did you know that how we landscape a yard affects nature far beyond our property lines? Watch our September Language of the Land presentation by Douglas Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, to learn how the small actions we take as individuals can make a big environmental impact. Tallamy discusses how native plants best support local wildlife and provides tips on how to simultaneously garden and benefit local ecosystems.
Language of the Land: Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative
The Wildlands Collaborative is a group of six conservation landowners that work together on creating more fire-resilient landscapes in Sonoma Valley. In this presentation, Monica Delmartini of Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, Naftali Moed of California State Parks, and Joe Plaugher of Sonoma Land Trust, discuss the tools collaboratives use on their lands. The presentation covers how management tools are used to create fire resilient landscapes and how to recover from past wildfires, manage for future fires, and contribute to scientific research for additional learning.
Upcoming Events
Bay Day Marsh Walk
Oct 1 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Celebrate Bay Day with Sonoma Land Trust and take a walk on the San Pablo Bay. We’ll observe the marsh restoration area at the former Dickson Ranch.
There is no charge for this event, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.
Pole Mountain Hike
Oct 2 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Join Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma County Ag + Open Space for a guided hike up the north side of Pole Mountain. We’ll hike through the forest of the Little Black Mountain Preserve to reach the 2,204-foot summit for amazing 360-degree views of the Sonoma Coast and beyond. This is a 6-mile round-trip hike with a 1,000-foot elevation gain.
There is no charge for this event, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.
Glen Oaks Ranch Walk
Oct 15 from 10 am – 2 pm
Join Sonoma Land Trust for a hike at Glen Oaks Ranch, a historic property located in Sonoma Valley near Glen Ellen. This 234-acre preserve was donated to Sonoma Land Trust in 2001. Sonoma County Ag + Open Space holds a conservation easement on this land, which designates three conservation zones — historic, agriculture and forever wild. This hike is approximately 3 miles with a 300-foot elevation gain.
Level: Moderate
There is no charge for this event, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.
Raptor walk with Larry Broderick
Oct 16 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Jenner Hawk Overlook is the spot to view the fall migration of raptors as they soar on the hillside updrafts along the Sonoma Coast. From there, Certified Naturalist Larry Broderick will introduce you to bird spotting and identification on location. We will walk approximately 4.5 miles with about 800 feet in elevation gain.
There is no charge for this event, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.
In the News
Sonoma Developmental Center takes another step ahead
Although the future of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) remains uncertain, Sonoma County has proposed building a significant number of homes on the property. While Sonoma Land Trust supports the housing component, there is a special importance that is near and dear to our heart: protecting the wildlife corridor. Executive Director Eamon O’Bryne’s was quoted: “As everybody, I think, knows, roads and wildlife corridors do not mix”. – San Francisco Chronicle.
Visit our News Room to learn more
A Force for Nature Campaign
Donor Spotlight – Judy Scotchmoor and Roland Gangloff recently made a generous gift through their retirement account using a required minimum distribution (RMD). Judy has served on the Sonoma Land Trust board for six years providing her wisdom and passion for this work and we are so grateful for the many ways she and Roland support Sonoma Land Trust.
“We are fortunate that retirement allows even more time to explore and enjoy the beauties of Sonoma County – time to connect with nature, calm anxieties, and breathe. We feel replenished after a stroll at the Baylands, a hike at Jenner Headlands, or a kayak on the river – all lands protected by Sonoma Land Trust and open to everyone. A donation from our annual RMD is a small thank you for such an enormous gift to all of us.” – Judy and Roland
RMD’s allow people to make donations up to $100,000, tax-free once they reach 70 1/2 years old. Please consult your tax advisor for guidance. Contact Shannon Nichols at shannon@sonomalandtrust.org for more information.