News + Features

group of people hiking to the ocean

Digging deep into soil health best practices

A group of people sitting in a circle, some on the ground and some in chairs. They are talking to one another and listening.

How often do you think about soil? At Ag + Open Space, it’s part of our work to support our easement landowners in caring for their land, so our Stewardship team is always looking for ways to learn more that they can then share. While we already know healthy soils …

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Staff spotlight: Mary Thayer, Executive Secretary

Mary Thayer

Mary is  a California native who graduated from Madison High School in San Diego and attended college in San Bernardino and Sacramento before graduating with an AA degree from Santa Rosa Junior College. Mary now lives in Rohnert Park, and has four children, three of which live in Sonoma County. …

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Ag + Open Space and Sonoma Water purchase Mark West Wikiup Preserve for conservation

Mark West Wikiup landscape photo

SANTA ROSA, CA – Today, Ag + Open Space and Sonoma Water are announcing the purchase of the 30-acre Mark West Wikiup Preserve in the Larkfield-Wikiup area of Santa Rosa. Home to half-a-mile of Mark West Creek, oaks, riparian habitat, and grassy open space in a residential neighborhood, conservation of …

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Lorri Duckworth remembered

Lorri Duckworth

We at Ag + Open Space are profoundly saddened by the recent passing of long-time farmer and community advocate, Lorri Duckworth. As some of our most well-known easement landowners, Lorri, her husband Oscar, and their children have been inspirational in their passion for agriculture and the importance of connecting our …

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Partnering for the Future: Our New Connections program pilot

Students kayaking at Riverfront Park

At the heart of Ag + Open Space’s commitment to both the land and the future are growing relationships with the communities and organizations who share a common mission. Ag + Open Space, in partnership with several local nonprofit partners, is not only dedicated to preserving the diverse agricultural, natural …

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Wildlife Cameras and the Importance of Wildlife Corridors

Bobcat in camera footage

Recently, we embarked on an exciting endeavor at our Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve – to start gathering footage of our dedication to conservation with the installation of a wildlife camera. Positioned strategically within the preserve, our camera has become a silent sentinel, capturing the comings and goings of the …

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Staff spotlight: Catherine Iantosca, Senior Stewardship Specialist

Catherine and a man in front of water

Catherine grew up in Santa Rosa and studied environmental science at Sonoma State and UC Santa Barbara. She has worked with Ag + Open Space for 6 years, originally as a Stewardship Technician and currently as a Senior Stewardship Specialist. In her free time Catherine enjoys cooking, hiking and cycling, …

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Staff spotlight: Olivia Fiori (she/her), Acquisition Specialist

Photo of Olivia Fiori

Prior to working at Ag + Open Space, Olivia worked at The Conservation Fund for nearly 9 years, where she focused on sustainable timber harvesting, forest monitoring, wildlife management (including working with northern spotted owls), archaeological surveys, erosion control and maintenance, and more, including on one of our conservation easements …

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Stewarding the land with “good fire” at Haroutunian South

A pile of dry vegetation burns in the background

The Haroutunian South property is a greenbelt – an open space property that acts as community separator between Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park. Purchased by Ag + Open Space in 1995, the property is home to  an old orchard, vernal pools, California tiger salamander, as well as the endangered plants …

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Press Release: Ag + Open Space launching re-envisioned Matching Grant Program to increase access, equity, and transparency

Riverkeeper Park

SANTA ROSA, CA (March 5, 2024) – Today, the Ag + Open Space Board of Directors approved the re-envisioned Matching Grant Program, a two-year pilot including an updated application process and resources set to go live on March 25th.  Now known as the Community Spaces Matching Grant Program, applications during …

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