Outings & Events

Glen Oaks Ranch Walk

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.   

Language of the Land: Bats of Northern California

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.

Petaluma Wetlands Alliance Guided Migratory Bird Walk

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 

ADA Accessible

2/28 Raptors at Camp 4 – Postponed from 2/15

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 

Familias al Aire Libre: Piscinas Primaverales del Monte Sonoma

Únase a Sonoma Land Trust y Espacios Abiertos y Agrícolas en sus excursiones familiares y bilingües. Este mes de febrero iremos a Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools para escuchar el canto de los pájaros y a admirar piscinas vernales que dan luz a flores de poco común. Esta salida es gratuita, dirigida en español, y está diseñada con actividades para toda la familia: padres, abuelos, hijos y nietos. ¡Hay transporte disponible!   

Nivel: Suave   

Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools fue protegido por Espacios Abiertos y Agrícolas en 2023 para su uso recreativo y la preservación de sus recursos naturales. Este evento es gratuito y es posible gracias a los votantes del condado de Sonoma, que financian la labor de Espacios Abiertos y Agrícolas (Ag+ Open Space) con un impuesto sobre las ventas de un cuarto de céntimo. 

Join Sonoma Land Trust and Open and Ag+ Open Space on their bilingual family excursions. This February, we will visit Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools to listen to birdsongs and admire vernal pools that give life to rare flowers. This outing is free, conducted bilingually, and designed with activities for the whole family: parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren. Transportation is available!    

Level: Gentle 

Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools was protected by Ag+ Open Space in 2023 for recreational use and the preservation of its natural resources. This event is free and made possible by Sonoma County voters, who fund the work of Agricultural and Open Spaces (Ag+ Open Space) with a quarter-cent sales tax. 

Vernal Pools Walk

Join Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma County Ag + Open Space for a walk at the Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools. This 174-acre preserve protects rare and threatened plant species and conserves a significant portion of a wildlife corridor. We will walk through the oak woodlands and meadows to see the vernal pools and enjoy the beauty of this ecological preserve. The Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools property was acquired by Sonoma Land Trust in March of 2023. As a partner in the project, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space holds a conservation easement on the property. Additional funding partners include the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the California Natural Resources Agency. This land protection will ensure the ongoing health of the property’s natural features, including two rare vernal pools, mature oak woodlands, intact grasslands, and portions of Yulupa Creek. 

Level: Moderate 

Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools was protected in 2003 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. 

Sears Point Marsh Walk

Join Sonoma Land Trust and Friends of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge for a leisurely walk on the Dickson Trail. We’ll observe the 10-year-old current tidal marsh restoration area at the former Dickson Ranch in comparison to the 30-year-old tidal marsh restoration at the Sonoma Baylands as we walk along the levee trail that separates the two. 

Level: Gentle 

Raptors at Camp 4

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 

Glen Oaks Ranch Walk

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.   

Familias al Aire Libre: Caminata de flores silvestre

Cada primavera, Sears Point Ranch presenta una gran variedad de flores silvestres en las estribaciones de Cougar Mountain. Únase a Sonoma Land Trust para dar un paseo por los pastizales y a descubrir los múltiples colores que cubren las laderas. Haremos una parada para almorzar en un punto con unas vistas impresionantes de la bahía de San Pablo. Esta ruta de senderismo tiene una longitud aproximada de 1.5 millas y un desnivel de 300 pies. 

Nivel: Moderado  

Sears Point Ranch hosts an abundance of wildflowers on the foothills of Cougar Mountain each spring. Join Sonoma Land Trust for a walk through the pasture lands and discover the many colors that cover the hillsides. We’ll stop for lunch at an amazing vista point with views across the San Pablo Bay. This hike is approximately 1.5 miles with a 300-foot elevation gain. 

Level: Moderate 

Sears Point Wildflowers

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: Moderate 

Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival

Climate Ready Cotati Fair

ADA Accessible