Land Stewardship in Sonoma County
Enhancing biodiversity through land stewardship
Protecting the land is just the beginning—stewarding it allows nature to heal, grow, and flourish.
How Sonoma Land Trust cares for the land
Sonoma Land Trust stewards the land through science-based management and long-term conservation planning. Each property has a stewardship strategy with clear goals, tactics, and best practices designed to restore ecosystems, support wildlife, and ensure the land’s ecological health for generations to come.
What is Land Stewardship?
Land stewardship is the responsible care and management practices to sustain ecological, cultural, and community values over time. The term originates from the old English word stiweard—meaning “keeper” or “guardian”—and reflects the idea of humans acting as caretakers of the Earth, ensuring that land and natural resources are used wisely and protected for future generations.
Land stewardship can include everything from conducting scientific studies and monitoring properties to restoring missing processes, as well as maintaining good relationships with landowners and serving as a resource on land management issues.
Stewardship in Action
Sonoma Creek Baylands Restoration
The Sonoma Creek Baylands Strategy is a long-term vision to restore and reconnect over 10,000 acres of drain and dyked tidal wetlands. Restoring tidal marshes creates a resilient landscape that supports wildlife, absorbs floods, slows onshore waves, filters water, and stores carbon.
WHy We Monitor
Just as regular doctor’s visits checkups help us stay healthy, consistent monitoring keeps our landscapes thriving. By tracking the “vital signs” of nature—wildlife, vegetation, and water—we can detect serious warning indicators like sudden oak death, guide restoration decisions, and learn how ecosystems are responding over time.
Our collaborative efforts to protect communities
Our land stewardship efforts are also conducted as part of collaborative partnerships, including our role as one of six conservation organizations and land management agencies in the Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative. Together, we coordinate the care of 20,000 acres of land in the Sonoma Valley region, helping to increase resilience to wildfires and climate change, as well as maintain and improve overall ecosystem health.
