fall 2009 sonoma land trust newsletter

8/3/2019 Fall 2009 Sonoma Land Trust Newsletter

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Lad Trst lahs $18 ll apag

t alrat lad srvat

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation gives $6 million

by Sheri Cardo

Sonoma County — one million acres o dramatic coastline, redwood or-est, rich armland and lie-giving waterways. When escrow closes on the Jenner Headlands later this year, the Sonoma Land rust will have pro-tected more than 25,000 highly sought-ater acres in its 33-year tenure,including unique and threatened landscapes such as the top o SonomaMountain, the Estero Americano Preserve, the Gateway property in theCedars and the wide-ranging Sonoma Baylands, an environmentally precarious landscape once proposed or a casino.

And, yet, we still have a long way to go to ensure that we, our children

and our grandchildren have the benet o ample open space to sustainuture generations and other species that share the land with us. SonomaCounty is an unusually large and diverse county with only 15 percent o the land permanently protected thus ar, compared to 59 percent o Marin and 38 percent o San Mateo Counties. When you add the actthat the population o our county is expected to nearly double by 2040

Volume 34, No. 2

Fall/Winter 2009 Newsletter

Ja Shlz ffrs

$2 ll athg gft

Longtime Sonoma Land rustenthusiast Jean Schulz is showingher support or the Redwoods tothe Bay campaign by donating$2 million that must be matched,dollar or dollar, thus doubling

the impact o each git. Go topage 2 to read why Jean is makingthis extraordinary contributionand then accept her challenge tomake this land protection cam-paign a reality.

T O P R O T E C T T H E L A N D F O R E V E R

(Continued on page 3)

Last year’s acquisition of Sonoma Mountain Ranch shows how nimbly the Land Trust can move

to secure a purchase contract thanks to our Land Protection Fund. Photo by Sheri Cardo.

PATRICK KINCAID



Wh w arBard f Drtrs

Mark Jacobsen, chair, Robert Brent,Hall Cushman, Mary Haner, Kirsten LindquistPete Mattson, Johanna Patri, Harry Richardson, Peter Rogers, Maggie Salenger,

Allison Sanord, om Simone,David Smith, Kathy ierney,Denny Van Ness, Carol Williams

Staff Executive Director: Ralph Benson

AcquiSiTionS TeAm

Conservation Director: Wendy Eliot Acquisitions Director: Amy ChesnutBaylands Program Manager: John Brosnan

Jenner Headlands Project Manager:Brook Edwards

Project Assistant: enley Wurglitz

STeWARDSHiP TeAm

Stewardship Director: Bob NealeEasement Program & GIS Manager:

Georgiana HaleStewardship Project Manager: ony NelsonStewardship Project Manager: Shanti Wright

DeVeLoPmenT & mARKeTinG TeAm

Development Director: Beverly ScottlandDonor Relations Director: Reta LockertPublic Relations & Marketing Ocer: Sheri CardoMembership & Development Manager:

Stacey Kauman

FinAnce & ADminiSTRATion TeAm

Finance & Administration Director: Lois Downy

Oce Manager: Dale CarrollSLT mssTe Sonoma Land rust protects the scenic,natural, agricultural and open landscapes o Sonoma County or the benet o thecommunity and uture generations by:• Developing long-term land protection

strategies;• Promoting private and public unding or

land and conservation;• Acquiring land and conservation easements;• Practicing stewardship, including the

restoration o conservation properties; and• Promoting a sense o place and a land ethic

through activities, education and outreach.

ctatSheri Cardo, Managing EditorSonoma Land rust966 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404(707) 526-6930 Fax (707) [email protected]

www.sonomalandtrust.org

2 Fall 2009 • Volume 34, No. 2

Dear Friend,

I love Sonoma County or its natural places — the rugged coastline,ancient oaks and redwoods, the golden hillsides, the ertile armland …Tis place we call home is truly spectacular. And it needs our protectionmore than ever. We have a wonderul opportunity now to work with theSonoma Land rust to protect some o our special places.

For 25 years, I have supported the Sonoma Land rust and have person-ally observed the vital role it plays in protecting the open and wild landsthat dene our county. Tat is why I have pledged a $2 million matchinggift to the Land rust’s $18 million campaign: Redwoods to the Bay:Saving Sonoma County’s Signature Landscapes . I will match your git,dollar or dollar, up to $2 million.

Tis is not a git I make lightly. I am rankly worried about the ongoingdevelopment pressures on our lands and about our need to preserve large

open spaces, like the Jenner Headlands. I want our grandchildren andtheir children to be able to enjoy the same stunning vistas that you and Itreasure today.

ogether with the Sonoma Land rust, we can help determine whatSonoma County will look like in 10, 25 or 100 years. We can choose tokeep our landscapes intact, enjoy miles o new trails, save endangered wildlie, and protect our creeks and rivers.

I am excited about this opportunity and urge you to make a generous gittoday so that I may match your contribution. Let’s give our children open

space in which to dream about their utures.

Sincerely,

Printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

Fr th dsk f Ja Sh



and we don’t know as yet what theimpacts o climate change will be,you’ll understand why we mustquicken our step.

From now through the end o 2010, the Sonoma Land rust willraise $18 million to strategically

protect and connect our remaininglarge open spaces. Redwoods to the Bay : Saving Sonoma County’sSignature Landscapes is an ambi-tious campaign and the timing o itis more important than ever. Whilesubstantial public unding wasexpected to be available or land con-servation thanks to the 2006 passageo Caliornia’s Proposition 84 andlocal Measure F reauthorizing the

Sonoma County Agricultural Preser-vation and Open Space District, theeconomic conditions we now acehave radically altered the picture.

Te state budget shortall and thedrop in the Open Space District’ssales tax revenues means that publicagencies cannot respond as quickly

to market opportunities. Tisthreatens to erode our ability to saveland. As a non-governmental agency,the Sonoma Land rust is capable o responding quickly to marketprospects and proactively pursuingtargeted properties. Te key factor

that has enabled the Sonoma Land rust to play this role has always been private donations .

Despite, or because o, the reces-sion, there continue to be opportu-nities, but we do not have adequateprivate unding to respond to thesenew market opportunities. Impor-tant properties are slipping away dueto a lack o money.

“Tis is no time to pull back,”

says Ralph Benson, SL executivedirector. “Te Redwoods to the Bay campaign will enable us to continueand even ramp up our eforts toprotect the landscapes we love thatdene Sonoma County.”

Grd ad Btty mrFdat trbts$6 llo jumpstart Redwoods to the Bay , the Gordon and Betty MooreFoundation, the world’s largestoundation ocused on environ-

mental conservation and science, iscontributing a very generous leadgit o $6 million, or one third o thecampaign total. Funding the acquisi-tion o irreplaceable Bay Area landsis a major ocus o the Foundation, which also supported SL’s purchaseo olay Creek Ranch in 2007 andthe Baylands properties in 2004.

“Te Sonoma Land rust has aproven track record o collabora-

tion that allows them to leveragelocal dollars and bring in additionalunding or land conservation,” saysGary Knoblock, program ocero the Gordon and Betty MooreFoundation. “For this reason, theFoundation wanted to be involvedbecause we have condence that this

The Redwoods to the Bay campaign will help ensure that our county’s remaining redwood forests aren’t fragmented any further. Photo by Amy Chesnut.

TO PROTECT THE LAND FOREVER 3

Lad Trst lahs $18 ll apag (Continued from page 1)




campaign will successully ensure theacquisition and stewardship o the Jenner Headlands and other largetracts o land throughout the county.”

What wll th apag

aplsh?Redwoods to the Bay: Saving Sonoma County’s Signature Land-scapes will protect the spectacu-lar 5,630-acre Jenner Headlands,supplement the Land ProtectionFund that enables SL to movequickly to secure key properties,develop a Conservation Easementand Stewardship Fund to maintainthe increasing number o properties

that SL manages and protects, andenhance SL’s recreational and en-vironmental education program thatconnects people to the land — thushelping to ensure that an environ-mental ethic will inspire current andsubsequent generations.

Tis campaign will also help us

deal with the unpredictable impactsrom climate change. We don’t yetknow how global warming will a-ect us and our ellow species on thissmall piece o the planet. However, we do know that the prudent course

o action is to protect the land, let-ting our open spaces perorm theirecological services and provide plantand animal species with a bufer toadapt to a changing environment.

Te majority o the campaign willbe designated or the Land ProtectionFund, which will target signicantproperties in these ve conservationregions:

nrth cast / RdwdsIt is vitally important to keep ourmagnicent coastal properties andredwood orestland rom being ur-ther ragmented. Te orest’s ecologi-cal unction as an intact ecosystem ismore important than ever in light o the anticipated consequences rom

climate change. SL seeks to acquirelands and work with landowners onthe North Coast to prevent orest-land conversion and create carbonsinks to sequester greenhouse gasemissions rom the atmosphere. Te Jenner Headlands and the CedarsConservation Region are two areasalready identied or protection andstewardship in this region. Plans areunderway to open the Jenner Head-lands to public use and to develop asaer 2.5-mile segment o the Cali-ornia Coastal rail.

Wst ctyTe coastal grasslands and orests o the West County region extend romSL’s Estero Americano Preserve atthe southern tip o the county to the Jenner Headlands at the mouth o the Russian River. We will work toexpand the protected lands at theocean’s edge, link the watersheds o the Estero Americano and SalmonCreek through a network o protect-ed arms and ranches, and increase

public access. In the Pitkin Marsh/ Atascadero Creek area, we willcontinue our work to protect theremaining marsh and wetlandcomplexes representing a singularopportunity to preserve and enhancethe biological richness, anadromoussh streams and rare plant commu-nities o Sonoma County.

Sa Baylads

Te purchase and ongoing res-toration o much o the SonomaBaylands is one o the Land rust’sgreatest success stories. We haveprotected most o the southern tip oSonoma County — some 5,000-plusacres. Tis region requires an ongo-ing program that includes perma-

The campaign will focus on making key conservation purchases within these ve regions.



nent conservation and restorationo a complete 2,300-acre naturalreshwater-to-saltmarsh ecosystem.Funding is also needed to completethe Baylands Pavilion at Sears PointRanch, to construct up to six mileso new trails, and or stewardshipactivities at the nearby 1,700-acreolay Creek Ranch.

Sa Vally &Sa mtaLike Sonoma Mountain Ranch, which was purchased at the end o 2008, many other properties onSonoma Mountain require perma-nent protection. Te top prioritiesor this region are to purchase landthat will protect the wildlie corridor

and expand trail access between Annadel and Jack London State Parks,

to expand the trail and habitat corri-dor around Sugarloa Ridge State Parkand Beltane Ranch, and to restoreSL’s historic Glen Oaks Ranch sothat it can continue to be used orenvironmental education, specialevents and community gatherings.

nrth cty/mayaaas

Remarkable opportunities abound tolink large, protected lands in thisscenic part o the county that in-cludes armland, oak woodlands,orests, grasslands, wetlands, wildliehabitat and the Bidwell Creek corri-dor. Currently, 80 percent o the areais in private ownership, so there isstill much work that can be donethrough land purchases and conser-vation easements. SL’s Lauenburg

Ranch, currently being organically armed, is also in this region. Tecampaign includes stewardship andurther restoration o the ranch sothat it can serve as a ocal point orenvironmental education, commu-nity events and scientic research.


The Land Trust has protected more than 5,000 acres along San Pablo Bay, once the site of a proposed casino, now the site of a vast wetlands restoration

project. Photo by Stephen Joseph Photography.

The Baylands Pavilion will be constructed next year. Rendition by Olle Lundberg.




Pbl ass, stwardshpad astsTe campaign also includes und-ing or public access, environmentaleducation, land stewardship andconservation easement - protection.Te Land rust currently owns ve

nature preserves and 10 additionalproperties, and holds 35 conservationeasements, altogether encompassingnearly 20,000 acres. As landholdingsincrease, so do stewardship responsi-bilities. And as the Land rust takeson more conservation easements, sodoes the responsibility and cost o

enorcing them. Funding to meetunoreseen legal challenges, care orprotected land into perpetuity, andget people out on these protectedlands is crucial.

“Engaging people with the landto instill a sense o place, provid-ing environmental education anddeveloping the next generation o young conservationists are all criticalto our community’s quality o lie,”

says Benson. “Tis initiative will ocuson creating new trails, increasing thenumber o public outings, providingage-appropriate environmental edu-cation opportunities, and bringingmore people to the very special landsthat are protected by the SonomaLand rust.”

$10.3 ll alradygarrd fr apagRedwoods to the Bay is an $18million campaign — $10.3 millionhas already been pledged. Along withthe $6 million lead git rom theGordon and Betty Moore Founda-tion, an additional $2.3 million has

been raised rom SL board mem-bers, individuals, oundations andbusinesses. Te $2 million matchinggit rom local philanthropist JeanSchulz leaves $7.7 million to be raisedby 2010.”

O the $18 million, 74 percent o the unds will be allocated to landpurchase and protection, 13 percentto land stewardship and conservationeasement protection, six percent to

public access, recreation and envi-ronmental education, and approxi-mately seven percent to operations.

“Redwoods to the Bay will keepSonoma County’s exquisite land-scapes intact, develop a network o protected lands, preserve our ruralcharacter, enhance recreational andEnjoying the Jenner Headlands.

Photo by Amy Chesnut.

Wildower hikes out at the Baylands have become an annual Land Trust tradition. Photo by Patrick Kincaid.




Hlp s t th $2 ll athg gft frJa Shlz:

Please select a donation level and help us meet the $2 millionmatching git rom Jean Schulz:

$1,000 Name listed in the Redwood Forest Circle

$2,500 Name listed in the Wildlife habitat Circle$5,000 Name listed in the Coastal Prairie Circle

$10,000 Name listed in the Sonoma Coast Circle

Please call Beverly Scottland at (707) 526-6930 ext. 108 or [email protected] or inormation on these or higher recog-nition levels, or i you would like to make a donation o stock.

The Cedars Conservation Region is like no other place on Earth and is a priority for protection. Photo by Stephen Joseph Photography.

educational opportunities and, mostimportantly, create a legacy o openlands or generations to enjoy andcherish,” says Benson. “Now is thetime to orge the connections betweenproperties and between individualsthat will secure the stunning signa-ture landscapes o our county once

and or all.”

Y a hlp dd You can help decide what our county will look and be like in the uture by using the enclosed envelope to sendin your donation to Redwoods tothe Bay: Saving Sonoma County’s Signature Landscapes . For additionalinormation about this “groundsav-

ing” campaign, or to make a donationonline, please visit our Web site:

www.sonomalandtrust.org. I youhave questions about Redwoods tothe Bay , please call Beverly Scottlandat (707) 526-6830, ext. 108.

Sheri Cardo is the SLT public relations and marketing ofcer.

$18 Million

CAMPAIGN GOAL

$8 Million

$1 Million

$2 Million

$4 Million

$6 Million

$10.3 Million

$12.3 Million

$14 Million

$16 Million

$18 Million



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PAID

Prit #201

Ptaa, CA 966 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95404

www.sonomalandtrust.org

T O P R O T E C T T H E L A N D F O R E V E R

Familiar with the adage, Good things

take time? We remind ourselves o this every time a new hurdle arisesin our path to purchase the JennerHeadlands. We are still on our way to successully closing the JennerHeadlands project by the end o the year, but the path to doing so isconstantly shiting due to the $16million unding gap let by the state’sunding reeze.

As we secure loan unds to bridgethe gap, new relationships are beingorged and old riends are continu-ing to lend their assistance and sup-

port. Recently, on a beautiul Sunday aternoon, SL executive directorRalph Benson and acquisitionsdirector Amy Chesnut hosted a visitto the Headlands or Fith DistrictSupervisor Eren Carrillo, a strongsupporter o the project.

We also had the pleasure o accompanying Caliornia Assem-blymember Wes Chesbro, and BillKeene and Maria Cipriani o the

Open Space District, on a tour o West County conservation projects. Assemblymember Chesbro wasamong the early supporters o the

Jenner Headlands project and reiter-ated his enthusiasm or it.

We continue to work very closely with our ederal, state, local andprivate unders — NOAA, USFWS,Caliornia Coastal Conservancy, Wildlie Conservation Board, OpenSpace District and the Gordon andBetty Moore Foundation — andlook orward to closing the transac-tion at the end o the year.

Brook Edwards is SLT’s Jenner Headlands project manager.

What’s happg wth th Jr Hadlads?

by Brook Edwards

Views from the Jenner Headlands. Photos by Beth Robinson.

fall 2009 sonoma land trust newsletter

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