Sonoma County Greenbelts: Climate Resilience in Your Backyard

Sonoma County Greenbelts: Climate Resilience in Your Backyard

November 3, 2021

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Date/Time
Date(s) - 11/03/2021
5:00 pm-6:30 pm

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Sonoma County Greenbelts: Climate Resilience in Your Backyard

Date: Wednesday, November 3
Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Location: Virtual
Sign up for this free event here >>

What is a “greenbelt” and where are they in Sonoma County? Why are they important to the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed? Join us at the intersection of policy, land protection and people for an engaging panel discussion with three local environmental and conservation organizations. Learn from local leaders and experts on the role of greenbelts in increasing climate resilience in Sonoma County, upcoming legislation protecting these important landscapes, and plans for current and future management of the protected lands you know and love.

About the Panelists

Sarah Cardona is the Deputy Director at Greenbelt Alliance. Sarah leads climate policy and advocacy initiatives, drawing from her prior experiences planning and implementing mitigation and adaptation solutions at international, regional, and local levels. Previously, Sarah managed regional environmental planning efforts in stormwater management, climate resilience, and natural asset management for the Metropolitan Planning Council based in Chicago. She fostered innovative solutions, regional collaboration, and equitable local community engagement, approaches she is passionate to apply in advancing climate-smart development and resiliency across the Bay Area.

Sheri Emerson serves as the Stewardship Manager for the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space). She currently oversees the stewardship of over 122,000 acres of land protected by Ag + Open Space to permanently preserve productive agricultural land, healthy watersheds, functional ecosystems and biodiversity, scenic landscapes and greenbelts, and to provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities for Sonoma County residents and visitors. Ms. Emerson earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Sonoma State University, and her Master’s degree in Botany from the University of Maine. She is certified as a Professional Wetland Scientist by the International Society of Wetland Scientists, with professional experience in the ecology and restoration of freshwater, estuarine, and marine wetland ecosystems.

Anne Morkill is the Executive Director of the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. She has worked in wildlife conservation for more than three decades, including 24 years as a wildlife biologist and refuge manager with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System in Colorado, Alaska, Florida, and California, and six years as a wildlife biologist with the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska. She was most recently the manager of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex which includes seven National Wildlife Refuges in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas and the Farallon Islands. She received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University and a M.S. in Zoology from the University of Wyoming. Anne became the Laguna Foundation’s Executive Director in March of 2020.

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.

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