News + Features

group of people hiking to the ocean

Promoting Pollinators on Working Lands

Bee on a raspberry

Flowers, and bees, and crops, oh my! Whether it’s a farm, a ranch, or even your urban backyard garden, pollinators – and encouraging the habitats that attract and sustain them – are integral to agricultural operations, biodiversity, pest control, and so much more. To put into perspective the importance of …

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Vegetation Management across the County

A group of people in yellow fire safety jackets and hardhats clearing vegetation by hand and with prescribed fire.

Following the 2020 wildfire season, which included the devastating Glass Fire, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors established the Sonoma County Vegetation Management Grant Program to provide resources and grant funding for vegetation management in areas at high risk of wildfire.  In its four grant funding cycles, the Vegetation Management …

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Press Release: Upcoming prescribed burn at Ag + Open Space’s Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve

Hills covered in forest on Saddle Mountain

SANTA ROSA, CA (June 6, 2025) – On or after June 9th, CAL FIRE will be assisting Sonoma County Ag + Open Space with a grassland prescribed burn at Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve. The burn may be delayed if weather, air quality, or resource availability warrant. All CAL FIRE prescribed burns …

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Crane Creek Trail Connection Gets Underway

Speaker talking at a podium

Many will remember the iconic words, “If you build it, they will come.” In the case of the Crane Creek Regional Park Expansion and Copeland Creek Trail Extension project, it’s more like, “If they come, we will build it.” A project that has been in the works for over 15 …

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Southeast Greenway Project Honored for Land Acquisition Success

Greenway Panorama

We’re proud to celebrate a major milestone in the journey of the Southeast Greenway – a project that just received the Merit Award for Acquisition from the California Council of the American Society of Landscape Architects! This prestigious award recognizes the collaborative efforts that have brought this transformative project closer to reality, with Ag …

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Press Release: New Community Park coming to the Mark West Area

Ribbon cutting, May 2024 | Credit: Sonoma Land Trust

SANTA ROSA, CA (April 7, 2025)  – Ag + Open Space, Sonoma Land Trust (SLT), and the Mark West Area Community Fund (MWACF) are proud to announce the final step in the purchase of the soon-to-be Mark West Area Community Park. The 1-acre property is located on Old Redwood Highway, …

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Remembering Sue Jackson: A Legacy of Excellence and Laughter

Sue Jackson

Sue Jackson was more than just an exceptional administrator—she was a cornerstone of Ag + Open Space, a fierce advocate for her colleagues, and a source of endless laughter and support. She first joined our staff in 2009, bringing with her a meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment …

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35th Anniversary Reflection: Don McEnhill

Photo of Don McEnhill wear a tan hat, blue shirts, and sunglasses on his hat. He's looking to the left ands smiling.

Don McEnhill Deputy Director, Russian Riverkeeper  My day job is working for Russian Riverkeeper, which works to protect and restore our watershed environment for the benefit of current and future generations. For much of the past 25 years we’ve worked to reduce pollution and habitat destruction in the watershed. One of the things I …

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Caring for Jenner Headlands Preserve

Jenner Headlands

Jenner Headlands Preserve is a stunner – with over 5,600 acres of coastal prairie, oak and redwood forests, and views that truly awe and inspire. Running for 2.5 miles along the Pacific Coast Highway, the Headlands is part of the historical lands of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, and …

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Vegetation Management Plans are cool!

Ag + Open Space staff removing an invasive species at Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve.

While planning may not sound like the most exciting endeavor, it’s an essential step in caring for conserved lands. Early conservationists focused their plans on leaving the land alone as a response to less-than-ideal land management techniques like aggressive forestry, land conversion, and fire suppression. But over time it’s become …

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