Archives: Events

Join Sonoma Land Trust and guides from the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance for a migratory bird walk! Shollenberger Park has received national recognition as an important birding site by the Audubon Society and, as part of the Petaluma Wetlands, was included on an international list of critical wetlands (Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance designation). This highlights its critical role in supporting migratory bird populations. This walk is ADA accessible on flat terrain. Bring your own binoculars or let us know if you’d like to borrow a pair. 

Level: Gentle 

Join Sonoma Land Trust and raptor guide Adrian Johnson for an exploration of the Sonoma Creek Baylands. We’ll explore this area near Skaggs Island with a focus on raptors and other birds. Situated in the heart of the Sonoma Creek Baylands, Camp 4 is a former tidal marsh which was diked and drained over 125 years ago for agriculture and is slated for restoration in the coming years. It sits between the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area. Camp 4 is nearly encircled by seven miles of tidal slough channels, making it an essential part of the broader wetland network which, when restored, will act as the most critical defense area against rising sea levels in the San Francisco Bay Area. The purchase of this 1,148-acre property in 2023 was made possible through a partnership between Sonoma Land Trust, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  

Level: Gentle 

Join Sonoma Land Trust and Ag + Open Space for a hike at Glen Oaks Ranch — an historic ranch located in Sonoma Valley near Glen Ellen. We’ll take a look at some of the early blooming wildflowers, and observe the regrowth post-2017 fires. 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 

Glen Oaks was protected in 2001 by Ag + Open Space for recreation and preservation of its natural resources. This event is free and made possible by Sonoma County taxpayers, who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.   

Join Sonoma Land Trust and raptor guide Adrian Johnson for an exploration of the Sonoma Creek Baylands. We’ll explore this area near Skaggs Island with a focus on raptors and other birds. Situated in the heart of the Sonoma Creek Baylands, Camp 4 is a former tidal marsh which was diked and drained over 125 years ago for agriculture and is slated for restoration in the coming years. It sits between the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area. Camp 4 is nearly encircled by seven miles of tidal slough channels, making it an essential part of the broader wetland network which, when restored, will act as the most critical defense area against rising sea levels in the San Francisco Bay Area. The purchase of this 1,148-acre property in 2023 was made possible through a partnership between Sonoma Land Trust, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  

Level: Gentle 

Únase a Sonoma Land Trust para una caminata familiar bilingüe por el Sendero del Arroyo Roseland. Este arroyo atraviesa la zona de Roseland en la parte suroeste de Santa Rosa, y continúa a través de hábitats con piscinas vernales y de tierras altas. El camino ofrece vistas panorámicas de la llanura de Santa Rosa. Nos reunimos en el Parque Pear Blossom y desde allí caminamos por el sendero del arroyo de Roseland, junto a una reserva de Salamandras tigre de california. Vamos a aprender sobre las necesidades únicas de las Salamandras tigre de california. La caminata es aproximadamente 2 millas en total. Después de la caminata, haremos un picnic en el parque. 

Nivel: Suave 

Join Sonoma Land Trust for a bilingual family walk along the Roseland Creek Trail. This creek traverses the Roseland area of Southwest Santa Rosa and continues through vernal pool and upland habitat, offering open views across the Santa Rosa Plain. We’ll meet at Pear Blossom Park and from there walk down the Roseland Creek Trail next to a California Tiger Salamander preserve. We’ll learn about the tiger salamanders’ unique habitat needs. The walk will be about 2 miles in total. After the walk we’ll picnic together in the park. 

Level: Gentle 

Join Sonoma Land Trust and Ag + Open Space for a leisurely walk on the Dickson Trail at the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. We’ll observe the current tidal marsh restoration area at the former Dickson Ranch in comparison to the older tidal marsh restoration at the Sonoma Baylands as we walk along the levee trail that separates the two.

Level: Gentle

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.

Join Sonoma Land Trust for a walk at Glen Oaks Ranch — an historic ranch 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: Gentle to 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.

Acompañe a Sonoma Land Trust para dar un paseo por Glen Oaks Ranch, un rancho histórico situado en el valle de Sonoma, cerca de Glen Ellen. Esta reserva de 234 acres fue donada a Sonoma Land Trust en 2001. Sonoma County Ag + Open Space tiene una servidumbre de conservación en esta tierra, que designa tres zonas de conservación – histórico, la agricultura y para siempre salvaje. Esta caminata es de aproximadamente 3 millas con un desnivel de 300 pies.

Nivel: Suave a Moderado

Este evento es gratuito y es posible gracias a los votantes del condado de Sonoma, que financian el trabajo de Ag + Open Space con un impuesto sobre las ventas de un cuarto de céntimo.

Join Sonoma Land Trust and Ag + Open Space for a leisurely walk on the Dickson Trail at the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. We’ll observe the current tidal marsh restoration area at the former Dickson Ranch in comparison to the older tidal marsh restoration at the Sonoma Baylands as we walk along the levee trail that separates the two.    

Level: Gentle    

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.   

Únase a Sonoma Land Trust y Ag + Open Space para dar un tranquilo paseo por el sendero Dickson Trail en el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de la Bahía de San Pablo. Observaremos la zona de restauración de marismas en el antiguo rancho Dickson, en comparación con la antigua restauración de marismas en Sonoma Baylands, mientras caminamos por el sendero del dique que separa ambos lugares.   

Nivel: Suave   

Esto evento es gratuito y es posible gracias a los votantes del condado de Sonoma, que financian el trabajo de Ag + Open Space con un impuesto sobre las ventas de un cuarto de centavo.  

Did you know bats can eat their body weight in insects every night?

Join us for our free Language of the Land webinar with NorCal Bats Founder Corky Quirk where we’ll learn all about Northern California bats. She will take us into the fascinating world of these remarkable flying mammals, exploring their unique adaptations, the secrets of their daily—and nightly—lives, and how they hold up healthy ecosystems and even entire systems of agriculture. Bats are at risk, though, and she’ll discuss the challenges bats face today. And, a special treat: there will be live bats joining the webinar you’ll get to see up close!

Spanish interpretation will be available.

Mary Jean (Corky) Quirk is the founder of NorCal Bats, an organization that provides care for injured bats and educational programs for libraries, school, nature programs, fairs and other events throughout the region. Corky has been working intensely with native bats since 2004 and has educated thousands of people. She works with injured and orphaned bats, returning them to the wild and keeps a captive colony of non-releasable bats for use in education. She is permitted through the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife and the USDA. Corky also is responsible for maintaining www.norcalbats.org . She is also an experienced environmental educator who got her start with Camp Fire Boys and Girls.  She has an undergraduate degree in natural resource planning and interpretation from Humboldt State University. She teaches three days a week at Yolo Basin Foundation, a wetland educationprogram in the Sacramento Valley, in addition to her work with bats.

El lenguaje de la tierra: murciélagos del norte de California

¿Sabías que los murciélagos pueden comer cada noche su peso corporal en insectos?

Acompáñanos en nuestro seminario web gratuito sobre El lenguaje de la tierra el miércoles 18 de febrero a las 7 p. m. con Corky Quirk, fundadora de NorCal Bats, donde aprenderemos todo sobre los murciélagos del norte de California. Nos adentrará en el fascinante mundo de estos extraordinarios mamíferos voladores, explorando sus singulares adaptaciones, los secretos de su vida diurna y nocturna, y cómo sostienen ecosistemas sanos e incluso sistemas agrícolas enteros. Sin embargo, los murciélagos están en peligro, y ella hablará de los retos a los que se enfrentan hoy en día. Y, un regalo especial: habrá murciélagos vivos que participarán en el seminario web y que podrás ver de cerca.

Habrá interpretación al español.

Mary Jean (Corky) Quirk es fundadora de NorCal Bats, organización que proporciona cuidados a murciélagos heridos y programas educativos para bibliotecas, escuelas, programas de naturaleza, ferias y otros eventos en toda la región. Desde 2004, Corky trabaja intensamente con murciélagos autóctonos y ha brindado educación a miles de personas. Ella trabaja con murciélagos heridos y huérfanos, devolviéndolos a la naturaleza, además de mantener una colonia cautiva de murciélagos que no pueden ser liberados para su uso con fines educativos. Está autorizada por el Departamento de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de California y el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA). Además, Corky es responsable del mantenimiento del sitio www.norcalbats.org . También es una experimentada educadora medioambiental que se inició en el Camp Fire Boys and Girls. Es licenciada en planificación e interpretación de recursos naturales por la Universidad Estatal Cal Poly Humboldt. Imparte clases tres días a la semana en Yolo Basin Foundation, un programa educativo sobre humedales en el valle de Sacramento, además de su trabajo con murciélagos.

Discover the most unique and intriguing landscape in Sonoma County — The Cedars! Join us on a virtual exploration of this remote corner of our county harboring unexpected red rock canyons, ultra-alkaline springs and plants found nowhere else on earth.