Protected Lands

Archives for “News Articles”

Our Impact

  • A bounty for all at this Petaluma community farm

    November 17, 2022

    Petaluma Bounty, a community farm and program of Petaluma People Services Center, works to create a thriving local food system with healthy food for everyone through collaboration, education, and promoting self-reliance. As the COVID-19 pandemic began, we recognized there was …

  • Staff Spotlight: Julie Mefferd, Administrative and Fiscal Services Manager

    November 17, 2022

    In our November Staff Spotlight, we get to hear from Julie Mefferd, our Administrative and Fiscal Services Manager. Julie has worked in public service for more than 20 years, and prior to joining Ag + Open Space in 2019 she …

  • Wildfire preparation at Calabazas Creek

    October 27, 2022

    Southeast of Santa Rosa, the upcoming Calabazas Creek Regional Park and Open Space Preserve is 1,290 acres of forests, grasslands, and creeks nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains. Although we transferred this property to Regional Parks in 2021, we’re in a …

  • Staff Spotlight: Marina Montes, Stewardship Specialist

    October 27, 2022

    In this month’s Staff Spotlight, we caught up with Marina Montes, who was recently promoted from Stewardship Technician to Stewardship Specialist! Marina grew up in the East Bay and spent many weekends and holidays exploring the natural world through camping, …

  • Remote monitoring: A new way to “visit” conserved lands

    September 28, 2022

    Conservation easements run with the land forever. As the easement holder, Ag + Open Space works with landowners to ensure the conservation values defined by the easement – agriculture, habitats, watersheds, and more – remain healthy and thriving. To support …

  • Staff Spotlight: Mary Chambers, Agricultural Specialist

    September 28, 2022

    In our latest Staff Spotlight, we chatted with Mary Chambers, our Agricultural Specialist. Mary grew up in the East Bay, hiking, camping, and eating as many fruits as possible at her hometown farmers market. She studied agriculture at Stanford University and …

  • Restoration and growth at Oken

    August 23, 2022

    We have inspiring news from Oken, one of the greenbelt properties we own and manage in southeast Santa Rosa! Greenbelts are open space lands that act as community separators to limit urban sprawl, to retain the rural and open character …

  • Strengthening our local ag community 

    July 28, 2022

    We’re back with more ASAP Emergency Matching Grant program updates! Read on to hear about how we supported the development of CAFF’s Small Farm Tech Hub, which offered technical support to local ag producers, and how our funds helped Lennie …

  • Staff Spotlight: Fraser Ross, Stewardship Specialist

    July 28, 2022

    This month we’re catching up with Fraser Ross, one of our Stewardship Specialists, to hear more about his work at Ag + Open Space. Fraser moved to Sonoma County from Scotland in 2014 and has been working with Ag + …

  • Staff Spotlight: Cieara McKetchnie-Stanley, Administrative Assistant

    June 23, 2022

    For this month’s Staff Spotlight, we’re checking in with Cieara McKetchnie-Stanley, one of our Administrative Aides. Cieara joined Ag + Open Space in 2019, and has a degree in technical theater and design. She also loves painting in her free …