News + Features

group of people hiking to the ocean

Staff Spotlight: Fraser Ross, Stewardship Specialist

Fraser Family

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 + Open Space since 2017. Prior, Fraser worked in tropical ecology …

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Beautiful 289-acre El Recreo property in Sonoma Valley protected for future generations

El Recreo photo

Conservation of vital greenbelt property ensures protection of water, wildlife, and local character SANTA ROSA, CA (June 23, 2022) – Through a vital partnership with the Bucklin, Tilt, and English families, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space is proud to announce the upcoming conservation of El Recreo – a beautiful, …

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Staff Spotlight: Cieara McKetchnie-Stanley, Administrative Assistant

Cieara at a hike

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 time. Read on below to learn more about Cieara’s work …

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Staff Spotlight: Amy Ricard, Community Resources Manager

Amy at Yosemite with kids

This month’s Staff Spotlight is on Amy Ricard, who was recently promoted to lead our newly formed Community Resources team! Amy was hired as a Community Relations Specialist in 2014 to oversee community engagement activities, and to develop and execute strategic online and offline communications and marketing plans to support …

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Staff Spotlight: Allison Schichtel, Senior Conservation Planner

Allison with her child

We’re back with another Staff Spotlight! This month we get to hear from Allison Schichtel, Senior Conservation Planner, who has a BS in Botany and Environmental Biology from Humboldt State University and a Master’s of Science degree in Geographic Information Science from San Diego State University. She has worked for …

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Local agroecology and a winter CSA

Red H Farm Caiti

Through our one-time Agricultural Support and Protection (ASAP) Emergency Matching Grant program, we’ve been supporting Red H Farm over the last year and a half as they adapted to the pandemic. Red H Farm, which was founded by Caiti Hachmyer in 2009, is a 1.2-acre agroecological farm located outside of …

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Staff Spotlight: Sheri Emerson, Stewardship Manager

Headshot of Sheri Emerson

This month, we’re checking in with Sheri Emerson, our Stewardship Manager, who oversees the stewardship of over 122,000 acres of land protected by Ag + Open Space. Sheri earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Sonoma State University, and her Master’s degree in Botany from the University of Maine. She …

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A radical farm and the power of local agriculture

Person in raincoat, crouching in a field and pulling green, leafy vegetables from dense rows of plants.

Radical Family Farms centers LGBTQIA+ mixed-Asian American heritage and culinary culture through the vegetables, herbs, meals and events produced on their farm. This 3-acre farm was founded in 2018 by Leslie Wiser and Sarah Deragon.It’s located in Sebastopol and, as the founders note, operates on unceded territory of the Coast …

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Staff Spotlight: Kim Batchelder, Vegetation Management Coordinator

man standing in a grass field

This month, we’re checking in with Kim Batchelder, the County’s Vegetation Management Coordinator. Kim has been with Ag + Open Space for over a decade, and recently moved into this role focused on the planning, development and implementation of funding and incentive opportunities for ecosystem health and wildfire mitigation through …

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Cordage-making and stewardship at Dogbane Preserve

Cordage making with four people

For centuries, Indigenous peoples have harvested the Dogbane plant for use in making cordage, nets, bags, and belts. With many years of community care, the Dogbane plant has thrived on the special three-acre, culturally-significant Dogbane Preserve in what is now northwest Santa Rosa.  Each year, Ag + Open Space partners …

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