Archives for “News Articles”
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Adapting youth environmental education to the virtual world
May 27, 2021
Adapting youth environmental education to the virtual world Just a couple weeks after Sonoma County began to Shelter-in-Place, Ag + Open Space signed contracts with six outstanding local public outings and youth education providers – Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, …
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Saddle Mountain welcomes exciting wildflower bloom after wildfire
April 22, 2021
Saddle Mountain welcomes exciting wildflower bloom after wildfire Our Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve is home to an incredible variety of plants and wildlife, including the critically endangered Clara Hunt’s milkvetch – an itty-bitty purple and white flower. Those found …
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Stewarding our lands and expanding urban open space
April 15, 2021
Stewarding our lands and expanding urban open space At the heart of all we do are our protected lands, or properties we’ve protected with conservation easements. From public parks to private properties in every corner of the county, our easements …
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Post-fire renewal on Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve
March 24, 2021
Post-fire renewal on Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve An update from Monica Delmartini, Ag + Open Space Stewardship Specialist With spring officially just around the corner, we’re seeing some beautiful signs of post-fire renewal at our Saddle Mountain Open Space …
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On-the-ground updates from our Stewardship team
February 24, 2021
On-the-ground updates from our Stewardship team We thought it was well overdue to check in with our Stewardship staff, who work each day to care for our protected lands. From wildfire recovery to grazing, our Stewardship team has stayed busy …
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Leveraging outside funds for local farms
February 22, 2021
We access state and federal funding sources to stretch our sales tax dollars. Most recently, we’ve garnered funds from the following sources: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, we have brought in $11.5 million …
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Thinking (+ conserving) outside the box
February 22, 2021
Keeping agriculture thriving in Sonoma County has myriad benefits, including providing local food security, protecting groundwater basins, avoiding urban sprawl, retaining scenic beauty and the county’s rural character, and protecting biological diversity and wildlife habitat. Agriculture in our region is …
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A year in review: Highlights from 2020
January 27, 2021
A year in review: Highlights from 2020 As we reflect on the last year we find ourselves full of gratitude for our amazing Sonoma County community. Every day, we strive to thank you all through our work – protecting the …
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Resilience lessons on our protected lands
December 29, 2020
Resilience lessons on our protected lands After the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fires, Ag + Open Space led a study to evaluate how those wildfires impacted vegetation within burn zones. Since then, we’ve been honored to share the findings with local government …
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Pryor Ranch and the impacts of the Walbridge Fire
November 30, 2020
Pryor Ranch and the impacts of the Walbridge Fire As wildfire season winds down and we transition to winter, we are reflecting on what we can learn from this year’s fires as we continue our preparedness and resiliency work. As …
