Wendy Eliot, Retired from Sonoma Land Trust

Since retiring, after 20 years of land conservation work with Sonoma Land Trust, I’ve traded my desk and computer for hiking shoes and a water bottle and have time to explore and reconnect with the places protected by the Ag + Open Space District and its many partners. Last month, on a foggy morning, I took a hike at Taylor Mountain Regional Park and happened on the new Colgan Highlands Trail. As the mist lifted, Santa Rosa emerged, spread out just below me, wildflowers shaded the hills in yellow, orange and purple, and distant green ridges led out toward the coast. Lots of folks were also enjoying this spring morning: runners, mountain bikers, and families; I wondered if they knew the stories behind this place. And I stood there feeling deeply grateful—for this mountain in the city, and for the people who stewarded this land for millennia and those who had the foresight to protect it.

Can you imagine Sonoma County without beloved parks like Taylor Mountain, Tolay Lake, Jenner Headlands, or the trails that wander through the Laguna de Santa Rosa? Imagine Sonoma County without the protected farmland along highway 1, the green spaces that circle our towns and cities, the community gardens and parks that enliven our communities, the watersheds and wildlands? These places support local agriculture, are homes for wildlife (even bears!), and strengthen our resilience to climate change.

Thirty-five years ago, Sonoma County voters made a remarkable choice. We agreed to tax ourselves to create the Ag + Open Space District, investing in our future with open space, parks, farms, forests, and trails that offer moments of peace, joy, and connection. Ag + Open Space is one of the best things we’ve done as a community!