Outings & Events

Live Oaks Ranch Wildflower Walk

Live Oaks Ranch is a 572-acre property in the foothills of Mt. St. Helena which contain the headwaters of Bidwell Creek. Many species of oak trees cover the hillsides and rolling meadows hold bountiful displays of wildflowers each spring. Take a walk with us and discover what is in bloom! 

Level: Gentle

Live Oaks Ranch es una propiedad de 572 acres situada en las estribaciones de la montaña St. Helena, donde nace el arroyo Bidwell. Varias especies de robles cubren las laderas y las praderas dan abundantes muestras de flores silvestres cada primavera. Dé un paseo con nosotros y descubra lo que hay que encontrar esta primavera. 

Nivel: Suave

Sears Point Marsh Walk

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 them.   

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.   

Acompañé a Sonoma Land Trust y Ag + Open Space en un paseo tranquilo por el sendero Dickson en el Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de la Bahía de San Pablo. Observaremos la zona actual de restauración de marismas mareales en el antiguo rancho Dickson en comparación con la restauración de marismas mareales más antigua en Sonoma Baylands mientras caminamos por el sendero del dique que las separa.   

Nivel: Suave   

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. 

Cougar Mountain Wildflower Walk

Springtime in the Sears Point uplands brings a display of yellow violets, pink checkerbloom, blue lupines, and many other wildflowers. Join us for a walk across the foothills of Cougar Mountain to see these wildflower meadows up close while enjoying the vistas across San Pablo Bay.

This leisurely walk is about 1 mile with about 200 feet in elevation gain, across grasslands grazed by cattle.

Level: Gentle

La primavera en las tierras altas de Sears Point trae un despliegue de violetas amarillas, flores rosas, altramuces azules y muchas otras flores silvestres. Acompáñenos en un paseo por las estribaciones de Cougar Mountain para ver de cerca estos prados de flores silvestres mientras disfruta de las vistas de la bahía de San Pablo. Este paseo tranquilo es de aproximadamente 1 milla con unos 200 pies de desnivel, a través de pastizales pastoreados por el ganado. 

Nivel: Suave

Community in Nature: Forest Bathing April 9

Forest Bathing with Jenny Harrow-Keeler

A guided forest bathing session is a mindfulness-based practice that invites participants to slow down and connect deeply with nature. Led by a trained guide in nature, this practice involves a series of sensory invitations to engage sight, sound, touch, smell, and even taste. Participants are encouraged to move at a relaxed pace, savoring the details of their surroundings while practicing presence and mindfulness. The experience fosters a sense of connection not only with nature but also with others. Unlike a hike, forest bathing is not about reaching a destination but about immersing oneself in the healing atmosphere of the natural world.

The benefits of guided forest therapy are both profound and well-documented. Physically, it can lower stress hormones, reduce blood pressure, and boost immune function. Mentally and emotionally, the practice supports stress reduction, enhances mood, and promotes a sense of calm and clarity. Being guided ensures a structured experience that deepens these benefits, as the guide offers tailored invitations that help participants focus and tune into their senses. Whether in a group or alone, forest therapy creates an opportunity to recharge, reconnect, and nurture overall well-being in a way that feels restorative and accessible.

Jenny Harrow-Keeler is a certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide with a Master’s in Integrative Health Studies, where she wrote her thesis on the practice of forest bathing. She is the founder of EcoWisdom and the co-founder and executive director of the local non-profit Integrative Healers Action Network, supporting trauma-informed care for communities impacted by climate disasters. With over seven years of guiding forest therapy experiences, Jenny’s mission is to help people remember their innate relationship to the natural world, using it to foster healing, clarity, and resilience for both individual and collective healing.

What to Bring

• Comfortable walking shoes
• Layers of clothing
• A small backpack
• A water bottle
• A sun hat (if needed)
• A small blanket to sit on
• If you have mobility issues, please bring a small chair or let us know so we can provide one for you.

We will be seated for half of the experience, followed by some very slow, gentle walking. This is not a traditional hike but a sensory-based immersion in nature.

Beginning Birding at Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools

Beginning Bird Walks with Teresa and Miles Tuffli 

Join Teresa and Miles Tuffli for a spring birding walk at Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools! With spring comes an increase in noticeable bird activity as many birds are singing and pairing up for their breeding cycle. We’ll slowly meander through the lush oak woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and riparian corridors of the property in order to take in the lovely bird life surrounding us. 
 
Don’t be shy if you’ve never birded before, that’s what we’re here for!  All experience levels are welcome and beginners are especially encouraged. We’ll have a limited number of binoculars to borrow. 

We’ll start with a tutorial on using binoculars and an introductory discussion about birding. As we explore the area, stopping frequently to enjoy the birds we encounter, we’ll discuss a variety of topics such as: techniques for locating birds, what sorts of details to notice when observing a bird, species identification, bird vocalizations, and bird behavior and habitats. 

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.   

Caminata de aves para principiantes con Teresa y Miles Tuffli 

Acompañe a Teresa y Miles Tuffli en un paseo de primavera para observar aves en Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools. La primavera aumenta la actividad de las aves, ya que muchas cantan y se emparejan para su ciclo reproductivo. Recorreremos lentamente los lujosos bosques de robles, las praderas, los humedales y los corredores ribereños de la propiedad para observar la hermosa avifauna que nos rodea. 

No se apene si nunca ha observado aves, ¡para eso estamos aquí!  Todos los niveles de experiencia son bienvenidos y se anima especialmente a los principiantes. Tendremos un número limitado de prismáticos para prestar. 

Comenzaremos con un tutorial sobre el uso de prismáticos y una discusión introductoria sobre la observación de aves. Mientras exploramos la región, deteniéndonos con frecuencia para disfrutar de las aves que encontremos, hablaremos de diversos temas como: técnicas para localizar aves, en qué tipo de detalles fijarse al observar un ave, identificación de especies, vocalizaciones de las aves y comportamiento y hábitats de las aves.  

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. 

Community in Nature: Sound Healing April 16

Sound Healing with Amelia Belle and Bob Rudorf

Through the use of crystal sound bowls and other powerful instruments, enriched by the natural sounds of the environment, Amelia and Bob will guide you on a transformational journey, offering you a deeper connection to nature, the Earth, and community. As you settle into a safe and serene environment, you’ll be led through soothing sound frequencies that promote a deep sense of calm and tranquility. The sound vibrations from the crystal sound bowls move through the body and remove unwanted patterns, calm the nervous system, bring the body into coherence, and help us settle into a deep level of gratitude for all that we have and are.

Amelia and Bob have been using sound and guiding meditations as a way of transformation for more than a decade. Amelia and Bob have spent the past 20 years together, collecting tools to help ease and harmonize the awakening of others. Their years of experience with a variety of energy healing techniques—including shiatsu, breathwork, yoga, meditation, and mindful living—are what make their work with individuals and groups so powerful. The intention with this work is to empower others to discover the Joy, Happiness, and Abundance of well-being available to us all.

Community in Nature: Gentle Yoga April 23

Community in Nature: Wellness Wednesdays at the future Southeast Greenway Park

Pre-registration required: space is limited

Join Sonoma Land Trust at the future Southeast Greenway park for a series of free Wellness Wednesday activities: yoga, sound healing, and forest bathing. Take time to relax outdoors in nature, utilizing guided techniques to let go of the stress and anxiety that disrupt our health and well-being. Regain a sense of balance and peace while enjoying the outdoors in community.

Gentle Yoga with Devorah Blum

In her fun, gentle class, Devorah teaches healthy ways to stretch, strengthen, and balance in the yoga poses. Devorah’s depth of understanding of the postures, along with her attentiveness, compassion, and sensitive guidance, allow her to inspire and nurture each student, specific to their abilities and limitations. Her soothing voice and use of restorative poses help students finish class feeling deeply relaxed.

Devorah began to study yoga in 1975, becoming a dedicated student of Iyengar Yoga at an early age. She studied with senior Iyengar teachers around the world, including BKS Iyengar and his family in India. Learn more about her yoga classes at http://www.yogastudioganesha.com/

What to Wear
It is important to wear comfortable clothes when practicing yoga. Although there is a variety of fancy yoga apparel to choose from on the market, you can also simply wear shorts and a t-shirt. You should have access to bare feet, so footless tights are more appropriate than ones with feet. It is nice to wear layers in case you get too warm or too cold. When you come to the session, please refrain from perfume, cologne, strongly scented lotions, or anything that has a lingering scent.

What to Bring
There is nothing you need to bring to your first session except an empty stomach and an open mind. We have yoga mats and other supplies for you to borrow. If you become a regular student or yoga practitioner, we recommend buying your own mat for your personal practice.

Familias al Aire Libre en Jenner Headlands Preserve

Acompañe a Sonoma Land Trust y Ag+ OS para el paseo mensual llamado Familias al Aire Libre, los paseos son dirigidas en español, gratuitas, con actividades diseñadas para toda la familia. Vamos a manejar juntos a Jenner Headlands Preserve en busca de flores silvestres autóctonas que crecen en tierra serpentina.    

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 the Sonoma Land Trust and Ag+ OS for our monthly Familias al Aire Libre outings. They are led in Spanish with translations to English provided as needed, free of charge, and have activities curated for the whole family to enjoy. We will be carpooling to Jenner Headlands Preserve in search of native wildflowers growing in serpentine soil. 

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.   

Little Black Mountain to Pole Mountain Hike

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. 

Level: Strenuous 

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 y a Sonoma County Ag+ Open Space a una excursión guiada a la cara norte de Pole Mountain. Caminaremos por el bosque de la Reserva de Little Black Mountain hasta llegar a la cima de 2,204 pies para disfrutar una increíble vista de 360 grados de la costa de Sonoma y más allá. Es una caminata de 6 millas ida y vuelta, con un desnivel de 1,000 pies. 

Nivel: Arduo 

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 centavo.