May 27, 2023
Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/27/2023
9:30 am-12:00 pm
Location
Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve
Categories
Date: Postponed. A new date will be shared soon. For questions, Monica Delmartini at monica.delmartini@sonoma-county.org >>
Time: TBD
Location: Directions and further details provided after registration
Join us on Saturday, May 27 for a volunteer orientation, and become a Volunteer Patroller and help us care for Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve. Joining the Volunteer Patrol is a great way for you to discover this beautiful place, while helping Ag + Open Space staff protect and care for the natural resources on the property. Once trained, Volunteer Patrollers may hike the preserve whenever they wish on their own time and are responsible for submitting a brief online report to Ag + Open Space after each visit.
To become a Volunteer Patroller, you must participate in an orientation and sign a liability waiver. The orientation is roughly 2.5 hours and includes about 45 minutes to cover the nuts and bolts of volunteering, share some information about the preserve, and review maps, trails, and hazards. The orientation will be followed by a 1.5-hour round-trip hike to Saddle Mountain summit, with time for a snack or lunch at the top. The hike portion is optional but highly recommended!
Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve is a 960-acre preserve purchased by Ag + Open Space in 2006. It is located on the eastern boundary of Santa Rosa and lies primarily within the Mark West Creek watershed. Alpine, Weeks, and Van Buren creeks, which run through the property, feed into Mark West Creek where Coho salmon and steelhead swim. The preserve includes a mix of oak woodlands, hardwood/conifer forests, chaparral, and grasslands, with fantastic views across the Mark West Creek watershed and Santa Rosa Plain. Through a State Coastal Conservancy grant, Ag + Open Space has developed and is implementing a management plan that addresses forest restoration, fuels management, rare plant protections, enhancement and stewardship of native habitats, invasive species management, and maintenance of the road network.
To register for the orientation, please email Monica Delmartini, the preserve manager at monica.delmartini@sonoma-county.org.