Meet LandPaths - Sharing Our Love Of Nature Every Step Of The Way

Colaborando con LandPaths - ¡Apoye a Nuestros Programas!

Cada año LandPaths se dedica a crear oportunidades para acercar a la gente a la tierra - através de programas educacionales, paseos y excursiones diversas y divertidas, oportunidades para voluntarios, eventos comunitarios, administración medioambiental, un jardín comunitario y ¡mucho más!  La gran mayoría de nuestros programas son gratis, y ¡los realizamos através de la generosidad de personas como USTED!

¡Agradecemos mucho su colaboración!

Para hacer una donación por cheque, favor de mandársela a:

LandPaths
PO Box 4648
Santa Rosa CA 95402

Para hacerlo con su tarjeta de crédito llámenos al 707-544-7284 x11 y ¡todo lo podemos procesar aquí en la oficina!

O si prefiere, puede procesarla usted solo en el Internet, pero la información es en ingles:

Hacer una Donación a LandPaths

Como sea, lo agradecemos MUCHO y hasta el 31 de diciembre su donación se doble por la generosidad de un donante quien nos dono ¡50 MIL dólares para animar a la gente a hacer donaciones!  Por cada dólar que recibimos de ustedes el donante nos donará otro dólar, hasta $50 mil.  Que WOW.  Haga su donación hoy para asegurar que se doble de esta manera y ¡GRACIAS!

LandPaths is happy to announce a new position and the hiring of Jean F. Marquardt as Director of Development.  Jean returns to Sonoma County after a 15-year career of nonprofit development in New Mexico at the Taos Center for the Arts and Santa Fe Indian Market. She was the former executive director at the Sonoma County Bar Association. She has over 30 years of fundraising in major gifts, planned giving and corporate giving.

"I am totally enthralled with the mission of LandPaths as I see it as the bridge between our connection to the land and our personal and civic growth," states Jean. The mission of LandPaths is "to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County".  By providing access to public lands and educational programs for our community and youth, LandPaths creates ways for people to experience the beauty in Sonoma County.

Our work involves stewardship activities, education, outings, hikes and ecological research. By hiring a development director, LandPaths will seek support for youth nature education programs, Bayer Farm, stewardship and public outings to benefit all people in our community.

For more information, contact Jean at (707) 544-7284 x 24 or jean@landpaths.org.

The first time I met David Yearsley he was pulling up to the Petaluma Marina - otherwise known as a collection of docks, weathered but loved watercraft of all sizes and a boat ramp squeezed practically beneath Highway 101's expanse over the Petaluma River - in a green motor launch with a hand outstretched. In the other he cradled a pipe that clearly fit his hand well.

"You must be Craig, or is it Greg, from LandPaths?" I was the relatively new (4 years in the job at that point) Director of LandPaths, and he part of the Riverkeepers Alliance, a national coalition inspired in part by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his work on the Hudson. The handshake was made, from boat up towards dock, and LandPaths had met the Petaluma Riverkeeper. I knew from the outset that I was clearly the visitor and he was going to size me up as whether I would be friend or foe!

Over the next few years "Dave" and LandPaths convened a number of river cleanups, explorations of the river channel proper and the side backwaters - or sloughs as they are more accurately defined - from the hulls of kayaks and canoes. Dave simply intuited that the dozens of folks under LandPaths' leadership coming to explore the land their tax dollars had protected by way of our County's Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District weren't there to motor or even sail, as fun as those things could be, but to apply sweat to paddle and propel themselves through his dominions.

As we got to know each other, paddling from the Marina oftentimes or Papa's Taverna off Lakeville Highway on other occasions, I got to know the Dave by knowing the river. Not flashy but substantive, a varied landscape of shiny cruisers and sunken wrecks, spartina grass choking some channels (which volunteers pulled out from their kayaks) and great expanses of wide, Mississippi style muddy water where a "flying boat" landed once next to a group of us. In his thigh-high mud boots, jeans and felt green shami shirts he was the real deal. I took to referring to him as a "marsh monkey" the way he adroitly hopped from boat to mud to tule patch while often dragging a kayak or even paddler who had gotten stuck in the mire.

Along with his wonderful wife Betty, Dave interpreted, cleaned up and advocated for the Petaluma River like no one in recent memory. Picnics were laid out, "string music" was most often made and great plans were unveiled for McNear Peninsula, a fallen barn here or a small cabin on piers lost in the folds of the sloughs.

Not long after we met, and the same year we crossed paths in Yosemite at a music festival and ended up playing late into the night, Dave had dropped a favorite pipe in some tall grass near the edge of the river on one particular river cleanup. While car batteries, auto tires and small hillocks of Styrofoam were being offloaded into a dumpster by kayakers - yes kayakers with full sized auto tires strapped to their decks that had been extricated from the muck at low tide - Dave turned his back on the spot he had lost his pipe and gave it up for lost. As my dear wife, Lee, knows I loathe giving up on lost items that are within a few steps and alluding capture owing to camouflage or diminishing daylight.

"Where'd you lose it" I asked after Dave had lamented his hopeless effort. "Oh, back over here..." he paced over twenty feet away as if rationalizing a chance to look one last time. I took an interest in this effort and told him we had to do it, as we searched on our knees. With the sound of large items being tossed into the dumpster from the trash cleanup efforts earlier in the day we crawled in our mud boots through the grass at Alman Marsh in what was only a 30 square foot area. "Is this it?" I asked with a wry smile as I raised a beautiful wood and hand-polished-to-glass-smoothness pipe aloft from my kneeling position. Dave lit up, "that's it!"

While the past several years have afforded me increasingly less time to be out with my fellow community members in the field and on flotillas with Dave and Betty on their beloved, "Petaloo," I have watched their efforts with great interest at McNear Peninsula (the barn to be renamed in Dave's honor) and up and down the river. So it was with sadness that I heard earlier this year of Dave's health turn with a cancer that came on with a tide that simply refused to turn and ebb.

DMY passed away on Labor Day, and a beautiful ‘sacred fire' was lit for him and tended by hundreds of friends day and night over the course of the next four days after he died at dawn. All this took place by the river, and mutual friend and musician Andy Rogers and I were fortunate to attend the final evening's fire in order to play a few tunes in Dave's honor with some other fine friends and musicians that loved Dave the father, grandfather, husband, brother, keeper of the river and its subtle beauties so easy to overlook. The tunes were a mix of joy and melancholy, and if spirits dwell a time in this earth it's unlikely that the marsh monkey himself wasn't there mixed with the marine layer chill as strains of Guthrie and Prine, Leadbelly and Alvin drifted with the smoke out over the River.

Dave's lesson in life, like his straight-forward acoustic music and passion for the river - at least per my recollection - is quite simple, it's finding that place that you connect with (some of us refer to it as a "sense of place") and allowing it to shape you as you shape it. Dave did this for the benefit of the river as a wild ecosystem and as a place for people to celebrate and to "come down home to." Unlike his favored pipe, Dave of the Petaluma River won't be coming our way again now that we've lost him. Finding that place to make our stand, to advocate for, to dig our heels in and treat with respect and share with others, however, is something we can - and should all - take from the example of Dave's life.

For more reflections on David Yearsley, visit Friends of the Petaluma River webpage

Craig Anderson
LandPaths Executive Director

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT | Printable PDF here

Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Position Summary

LandPaths is seeking a self-motivated, energetic, and creative individual who excels in a fast- paced creative environment and thinks both strategically and logistically. The Communications Coordinator provides assistance with many communication and outreach efforts for the organization. Reporting to the Communications Director and working closely with the Development Director and other senior staff, the Communications Coordinator will assist with structuring and implementing an integrated community engagement and public relations program.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Overall:
• Enhance and improve public understanding of LandPaths' mission, programs, and impact-telling our story.
• Work with staff to further develop a comprehensive communication and outreach program that effectively communicates LandPaths' mission, goals, and impact to new markets and diverse audiences.

Online Communication:
• Coordinate weekly eNews schedule and develop workflow schedule for gathering content from program directors.
• Grow LandPaths social media presence.
• Solicit content from program directors and assist in developing content that highlight the accomplishments and major events related to program activities.
• Oversee content for www.LandPaths.org, including blogs and online Outings Calendar.
• Develop video as a technique for telling LandPaths story.
• Integrate technologies that can be used to effectively share stories, videos, presentations, photos and other content.

Collateral Materials & Media:
• Help create and maintain print and digital portfolios of organization and individual program materials and media.
• Consult on content and design of collateral materials.
• Assist with press releases and community relations as needed.

Qualifications:
• Excellent organization, writing and oral communication skills.
• Bilingual / bicultural desirable.
• Minimum three years experience in visual media and/or communications.
• Strong skills and experience with digital media and the internet, knowledge of content management and integrated systems.
• Demonstrated graphic skills including photography and videography.
• Proficiency with desktop publishing/page layout/photo/video editing software highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.

Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience; minimum 10 hours per week.

To Apply: Interested applicants should send a BRIEF AND SPECIFIC cover letter and resume, by Friday., Sept. 30, 2011 to: LandPaths ~ attn Jonathan - jonathan@LandPaths.org

About LandPaths
LandPaths is a Sonoma County-based nonprofit organization "dedicated to fostering a love of the land through public access, stewardship and environmental education programs" (our mission) on preserved lands. LandPaths staff and volunteers work with public agencies, community groups, individuals and other nonprofits in order to accomplish this mission. LandPaths includes 15 staff, 6 board members and scores of core volunteers. More info at www.LandPaths.org. 

What an amazing summer for Owl Camp!  We’re back from three packed weeks of laughter, creativity, & outdoor adventure.  This was the second year for LandPaths nature based summer camp and it just keeps getting better.

“This was the greatest day ever!”  ~Ella Elk age 6

 We hiked to the top of “Buzzard’s Roost” exploring under rocks and logs, finding critters along the way.  We learned how to make walking sticks & birdhouses with volunteer Richard “Mapache” Baril, bows & arrows, gourd rattles and dream-catchers.  And what would camp be without fort building in the redwoods?  We had some budding architects at camp this year.

“I hope I’m not sick during Owl Camp! Can we do four weeks next year?” ~Mushroom-Bear Jack, age 6 

Each Wednesday was garden day.  With the help of our wonderful volunteer, Mountain-lion Megan, the campers harvested & cooked their own snack from our organic garden.  And of course, the weed pulling races were a blast! 

“How do I become an Owl Camp counselor-in-training?”  ~Brent age 10 

 Canoe day was a big favorite for all the kids. Many of the campers had never been in boats before and fell in love with the pond.  The highlights included canoe races, hundreds of beautifully colored dragonflies, and an otter sighting. 

“This is swimtastic!”  ~Riley Redwood age 7

 A new addition to Owl Camp this year was a weekly visit from the Bird Rescue Center. We met a Great-Horned owl named Jazz, a Red-tailed hawk named Star, a Barn Owl, and a screech owl with attitude. By the end of week three, those campers who had seen the birds before were experts, hands shooting into the air to answer the other camper's questions. Thank you Bird Rescue Center for visiting camp this year! 

A special thanks to:
Tina Hannon, J. Cochran , Nancy & Bob Aita , John Dolinsek & Kathy Kent, The Sunrise Rotary club, Patrick Emery, Gary Abreim, Wendy Born, Susan Head, Alicia Nourse, Iris Moore, Erin Moilanen, Patricia Currie, and Kay Ashbrook for donating to our Owl Camp Scholarship Fund allowing for many kids to attend camp - some for the first time! 

“Thank you for helping us come to camp.  I liked swimming in the creek and canoeing in the pond.  I made a dream-catcher and found turkey & goose feathers.”  ~Love, Dani age 5 

Thank you to the amazing volunteers who came to play with us at camp: Matt “Madrone” Lopez, Richard “Mapache” Baril, Randy “Raccoon” Urry, “Tall Dude” Jim Moir, “Lizard” Liz Landreth, Lani "Leaf", Samantha “Salamander”, “Mountain Lion” Megan Wilson, Wendy Quintana,  Kathy “Caterpillar” Laffan, “Jurassic” John Branscome, and Jim Weathers for his beautiful photographs!
 
And thank you to all of the parents & friends who donated crafting supplies, Linda & Tom Hauk for loaning us canoes, The Sunrise Rotary Club for the gift of compost, and Jim & Betty Doerksen for sharing your amazing land with us!

 

Again, thank you to everyone who made Owl Camp such an amazing experience this year! We're already looking forward to next year - hope you are too! 
-Justin, Bree, Meg, Heather and the rest of the LandPaths crew

p.s. Camp sessions filled up fast this year. If you'd like to be the first to know about Own Camp 2012 (and lots of other fun LandPaths activities), sign up for our weekly eNews here. 

Tucked away in the hills just east of Sonoma State University is a 128 acre regional park that’s perfect for a quick afternoon escape. My wife and I headed out the other day for a quick afternoon hike. Getting to Crane Creek was easy as we travelled Petaluma Hill Road south past SSU and followed the signs to the park.

When we arrived we headed to the picnic tables to enjoy our lunch before heading out to check out the park. It was here that I had my only negative experience with the park. Within seconds of sitting down I felt something crawling up my leg. When I looked down I found a large tick climbing my calf. I quickly removed it and moved up onto the table to finish lunch. Happily it was the only tick we came across while we were out there though we heard from others on the trail they had all run into them as well.

After lunch we headed out into the park for our short hike. We decided to take the Fiddleneck trail and quickly found ourselves overlooking the south Santa Rosa plain. The park sits above the plain in the rolling hills so as you crest a hill it often opens to a spectacular view of the plain. On days like when we were there, you could also see the fog starting to fall over the hills in the distance filling in the valley below. It was because of that fog that a cool breeze chilled the air slightly but once we were hiking it was a refreshing feel.

From our view of the plain we descended into an oak grassland. The trail was well defined but the grass on either side has grown up waist high and changed to that California gold color I’ve come to love. We stopped briefly to watch a raptor hover above the adjacent field awaiting the small movement of the grass as a rodent moved through. We watched as he abruptly dropped from the sky and hit the ground only to come up empty and start the process over again.

There were still a few wildflowers growing along the sides of the trail but nothing compared to what the peak season is supposed to be like. We followed the Fiddleneck Trail to the Northern Loop cut off and through an old stand of Oak Trees. We then crossed a dried creek bed and headed up to the base of a hill where an ocean of grass swayed. You could watch as the breeze hit one end of the field and slowly pushed its way across to the other side.

We headed up the hill and to our best view of the hike. Sunset Trail overlook would be the perfect place to watch the sunset. It rises above the rest of the park and offers the best views west out onto Rohnert Park and north to Santa Rosa or south back across the park. We paused for a view at the top to enjoy the view with another couple and their large German Shepherd (yes dogs are allowed here). After our pause we headed back down the trail and finished our circuit around the park and to the car. All told it took us about an hour and was just over 2 miles.

If you are in the Rohnert Park area and need a quick connection with the land this is a great spot to head to. Oh, and I almost forgot, for those disc golfers out there it also offers a full 18 hole course. I’ve never tried the sport before so I can’t say what kind of difficulty it is, but the scenery doesn’t get much better. So head on out and enjoy Crane Creek Regional Park.

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Backyard Adventures are a series of posts written by LandPaths to encourage Sonoma County residents to explore their own backyards.

    Ivan Chang is an indispensable volunteer for us here at LandPaths, and we appreciate all the ways in which he embraces and enhances our mission and community!  In the video below you have the opportunity to see him in action as the lead coordinator for the Summer Free Lunch Program, held at Bayer Farm throughout the summer in partnership with the Redwood Empire Food Bank and St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Services Department.  In it he talks about how he came to LandPaths, his interest in volunteering and his future goals, and also highlights some of the great aspects of this incredible program that is held five days a week all summer long at Bayer Farm!

    What there isn’t room to highlight in the video is all of the other ways in which Ivan supports LandPaths and the community by getting involved and – in the mark of a true leader – bringing others in to get involved as well.  It has been a true pleasure to work with this dynamic young man.  He doesn’t just volunteer, he brings others to volunteer with him.  He doesn’t just show up, he pitches in.  And he never is content to sit on his laurels, but is always looking for the next experience or challenge to tackle.  His volunteer work with LandPaths is extensive, ranging from coordinating teens on projects at Bayer Farm to serving on the Bayer Farm Park Planning Steering Committee, from helping with outreach and day-of logistics for Spanish-language Taylor Mountain Permit Orientations to helping to lead a campout in the pouring rain, and always with a sense of humor.  He is currently taking a week off of work to attend a National Leadership Training held by Gamaliel International, a community organizing foundation that we at LandPaths are affiliated with as part of the North Bay Organizing Project, in order to expand his skills and effectiveness at community organizing even further.

    We could not be more proud of this incredible volunteer, or more thrilled to have our work be one of his outlets for building a stronger community!  Thank you Ivan, for your help, your wisdom, your wit and your time.  Your impact on LandPaths, and the community at large, is significant and valued tremendously!

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   El joven Ivan Chang es un voluntario indispensable para nosotros aquí en LandPaths, y ¡le agradecemos por todas las maneras en que sus acciones personifican y aumentan nuestra misión y comunidad!  En el video que sale abajo, usted tiene la oportunidad de verlo en acción como el coordinador principal para el Programa de Almuerzos Gratis del Verano, que se realiza en Bayer Farm durante todo el verano, en sociedad con el Redwood Empire Food Bank y St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Services Department.  En el video Ivan habla sobre como llegó a nosotros en LandPaths, su interés en el voluntariado y sus metas futuras y también destaca algunas de los aspectos claves de este programa increíble que ¡toma lugar en Bayer Farm cinco días de la semana por todo el verano!

    Lo que no alcanza a incluir en el video son todas las otras maneras en que Ivan apoya a LandPaths y a la comunidad a través de involucrarse y – como hace un verdadero líder – llevar a otros para poder involucrarse también.  Ha sido un verdadero placer a trabajar con este joven dinámico.  No sólo se hace voluntario, lleva otros a ayudar también.  No sólo llega, pero es siempre echando una mano.  Y él nunca se siente satisfecho con lo que ya ha hecho, más bien es siempre en busca de la próxima experiencia o reto para enfrentar.  Sus trabajos voluntarios con LandPaths son extensos, extendiendo de ayudando a jóvenes con proyectos en Bayer Farm a sirviendo en la mesa directiva para la planificación del parque, de apoyando con el alcance y realización de una orientación para Taylor Mountain en español a ayudando con un campamento en la plena lluvia, y siempre con un sentido de humor.  Actualmente está tomando un descanso de su trabajo por una semana entera para asistir a un Entrenamiento de Liderazgo Nacional con Gamaliel Internacional, una fundación que se dedica a la organización de comunidades, y con quienes estamos afiliados a través del Proyecto Organizativo del Norte de la Bahia, para poder amplificar aun más sus habilidades y potencial para organizar en la comunidad.

    No podríamos sentir más orgullo de este voluntario increíble, o sentir más entusiasmados a que nuestro trabajo sirve como manera para que él pueda construir una comunidad más fuerte.  Gracias Ivan, por tu apoyo, tu sabiduría, tu humor y tu tiempo.  ¡Tu impacto en LandPaths, y en toda la comunidad, es significante y de gran valor!

This summer IOOBY is experiencing some changes. We welcome a new staff member Jackrabbit Justin, as LandPaths Assistant Education Director. Justin hails from Arkansas, and most recently from Tennessee. He brings years of teaching about the environment to various age groups, from elementary to high school students. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has enjoyed working with the Hispanic community in Tennessee as an interpreter. We are excited to have him join the LP team, bringing his knowledge and enthusiasm for kids and the outdoors to our beautiful county. Please welcome him to the LandPaths community.

Another change at IOOBY this summer is that Bree Bird is pregnant. Thanks right folks, I’m expecting my first baby in November. If you know me, you know I love kids and I am so excited about becoming a mom. My baby (and belly) are growing steadily and I look forward to introducing the little one to the LandPaths community in winter. My husband, baby-to-be, two joyous dogs, and I will be taking a road trip this summer to check out the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, the 50th state for yours truly to visit; then I will have been to them all! Wishing you a fantastic summer filled with outdoor adventures.  –Bree Bird

 

IOOBY Summary 2010-11

Stewardship

IOOBY held 31 stewardship days this year. All kinds of projects were undertaken to help take care of the land. Students removed non-native plants, planted native plants, protected native tree saplings with tree protecting tubes, planted veggies and flowers at our farm, cleaned bird boxes and collected data on what they found inside, created and distributed fliers to neighbors detailing their stewardship project, created and hung up beautiful creek flags about their stewardship projects for neighbors to see.

Total results for the year from IOOBY students, parents, teachers, and volunteer stewardship include:

• 658 natives planted
• 200 farm veggies and flowers planted
• 140 education fliers distributed
• 91 Creek flags created and displayed
• 65 Native saplings protected
• 56 Bird boxes cleaned
• 55 Non-natives removed including fennel plants, dozens of teasel,
• 2 cubic yards each of lemon balm, English Ivy, and Himalayan Blackberry removed
• 1 cubic yard of French broom removed
• 1 new IOOBY staff member!

Program Highlights

• Alexander Valley students pulled a cubic yard of broom, removed 20 fennel plants and roots, dug out dozens of teasel roots, and distributed over 60 fliers to the neighbors informing them of their experiences at Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve.
• Two classes of Brook Hill 6th graders planted 39 native riparian plants along Matanzas Creek across from their school and created more than a dozen creek flags to let neighbors know about the project.
• With Windsor High’s help Cali Calemecac 6th graders planted 150 native redwood understory plants and removed two cubic yards of non-native, invasive Lemon balm at Riverfront Park.
• Doyle Park planted 38 native plants, removed 2 cubic yards of English ivy, and created two dozen creek flags to let neighbors know about the project along Matanzas Creek.
• Flowery planted 199 native grass plugs at Glen Oaks Ranch!
• Helen Lehman cleaned out and recorded data on many of the 33 bird boxes at the Doerksen’s Ranchero Mark West. They also protected more than 35 native saplings on the property. While protecting the trees, they also took time to name them.
• Hidden Valley cleaned out and recorded data on many of the 33 bird boxes at the Doerksen’s Ranchero Mark West. They also protected more than 30 native saplings on the property. While protecting the trees, they also took time to name them.
• Kawana removed 35 non-native fennel plants along Colgan Creek. They also planted 8 native riparian plants and created 10 creek flags.
• Lincoln 3rd graders planted 50 redwood sorrel at the Doerksen’s Ranchero Mark West.
• Lincoln 4th graders removed 1 cubic yard of non-native blackberries and planted 21 native plants at Poppy Creek.
• Live Oak planted 60 native plants at Ellis Creek/Petaluma Marsh.
• River Montessori planted 40 native plants at Ellis Creek/Petaluma Marsh.
• Roseland and Sheppard stewarded Bayer Farm, planting hundreds of veggies, flowers and native plants, tending the compost, harvesting ripe food, and creating delicious farm cooked meals. “I hauled 22 wheelbarrows full of mulch. Now I’m tired and I want to take a nap.” –Jon Jay
• Steele Lane 3rd graders distributed more than 80 fliers to neighbors telling them about Poppy Creek and their planting project. They planted 23 native plants and removed 1 cubic yard of non-native blackberry. They also created 30 creek flags to share with the neighbors about their efforts to steward Poppy Creek.
• SunRidge 5th graders cleaned out 23 bird boxes at the Laguna Uplands and recorded data
• on what they found inside. They also created 15 creek flags to share with their school the work they did to help take care of the Laguna Uplands.

Volunteers

This year IOOBY had 516 volunteers come out on IOOBY field days. These volunteers donated more than 3,096 hours of their time to the IOOBY program, mentoring Sonoma County students about nature. This is 528 more volunteer hours for IOOBY than last year! We are so grateful to you all for your dedication to teaching students the wonders of the outdoors!  We would especially like to recognize our ever dedicated volunteers: Johnny Junco, Duck Dave, Dragonfly Dave, Lizard Liz, Kathy Caterpillar, Randy Raccoon, Matt Madrone, Mary Manzanita, Peregrine Pat, Laura Flora, Cougar Kyle, Puma Pat, Mountain Lion Marta, Ginger George, Dani Dirt, Eva Evergreen, Lani Leaf and Sean Scorpion! Thank you thank you thank you!

Quotes
“Thank you for taking us to Ranchero Mark West. It was so fun I though I was going to blow up. I like the parts when we went looking for fish and other lake animals and lizards”. Your friend, Jesse, IOOBY 3rd grader

“I’m really glad I chose to join LandPaths because I was able to learn about and see a variety of habitats I would have never known about.  I also think it’s really rewarding to see our new plants thriving and taking back the riparian habitat at Riverfront Park.  After working with and teaching younger students, I feel a lot better about public speaking and am more comfortable giving presentations.  Joining LandPaths was a very beneficial experience, and I can’t help but look after the environment more than ever.”
–Kevin Kingsnake, IOOBY high school student

‘This year in LandPaths was awesome.  Working with the kids was really fun.  I remember doing the same thing when I went to Cali.  Coming to Riverfront Park every other Friday was soothing, even if it was pouring rain outside.  I have learned a lot about the outdoors and this makes me want to travel and be outdoors all of the time.  This park is beautiful!”  -Tyler Tarantula, IOOBY high school student


Partners

IOOBY would like to thank our many partners, who make IOOBY possible. Partners include: the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, the Sonoma County Community Foundation, the Dean Witter Foundation, the Medtronic Foundation, the Sonoma Valley Fund, Calpine, Save the Redwoods League, donations from individual LandPaths supporters, the City of Santa Rosa Creek Stewardship Program, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Sonoma Land Trust, the City of Petaluma and the Ellis Creek Treatment Facility, STRAW of PRBO, the Laguna Foundation, the Doerksens, and all of the Sonoma County teachers and staff we work with.

 

The folks from Calpine (you know the ones that run the Geysers renewable energy project up in the Mayacamas) recently reached out to us looking for an Earth Day event for their employees. We instantly thought of the Ranchero Mark West - a place where Calpine could continue the long running restoration efforts carried out by the owners, LandPaths IOOBY students, and others.  

They met us out at the Ranchero in the morning ready to get their hands dirty. We all spent some time planting rhododendrons and redwood sorrel near Mark West Creek before heading back to the barn for a lunch of salmon tacos. After lunch everyone headed out for a walking tour of the property. It was a great day and we really appreciate all the Calpine employees (especially Danielle, Brian, Jill and Bruce) who helped make this possible!  We're already looking forward to growing the effort next year!

If you have a business or an organization that would like to lend a hand stewarding one of our local parks, farms, or open spaces, please feel free to send an email to jonathan@landpaths.org. 

(thanks to Jim and Betty Doerksen for sharing their amazing property and to Justin Whitaker for this fantastic video!) 

A couple weeks ago Assemblymember Allen's staff came out to Ranchero Markwest to hear from Craig about LandPath's plans for the property and to take a little tour. We all jumped into the old pickup truck, a few in the front and the rest in the back and took off on a driving tour of the property.

We bumped around checking out the property finally getting out at the top to take in the vista from Buzzards Roost and talk to them about the dreams for the property. We really appreciate the interest and great conversations we had with Mr. Allen's staff and look forward to having you out to other properties in the future!