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Since 1990, we’ve worked to increase appreciation and stewardship of Sonoma Valley’s natural heritage and create measurable benefits in areas of land, water, climate change and biodiversity. Supporting our work enables us to move us all towards a better future.

Who We Are

Sonoma Ecology Center works to address challenges related to water supply and quality, open space, rural character, biodiversity, energy, climate change, and a better quality of life for all residents.

Vision

We envision a future where people, land, water, and wildlife thrive.

Mission

Our mission is to work with our community to identify and lead actions that achieve and sustain ecological health in Sonoma Valley.

How can people, land, water, and wildlife thrive in a fire-adapted landscape?

Watch this video on how we keep people safer while supporting our environment.

Notice of Bid Solicitation

Sonoma Ecology Center is soliciting bids for construction of a floodplain restoration project on Sonoma Creek in Glen Ellen, CA. Minimum qualifications of past related experience are required, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation is encouraged in bid scoring criteria. The bidding period is from March 25, 2024 to April 26, 2024. Bid Documents may be requested via email to Steven Lee at steve@sonomaecologycenter.org, with cc to mattie@sonomaecologycenter.org.

Upcoming Events

Mar
28
Thu
Sugarloaf Volunteer Trail Crew @ Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Mar 28 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Sugarloaf Volunteer Trail Crew @ Sugarloaf Ridge State Park | Kenwood | California | United States

Volunteers play a crucial role at keeping Sugarloaf Ridge State Park open and accessible to all! Help Sugarloaf with trail restoration work by coming to our every-other-Thursday Volunteer Trail Crew. Activities include bridge and step construction, installing signs, clearing, lifting, carrying, and hiking.

Bring gloves, hat, and water that you can carry hands-free (i.e. a backpack). Wear long pants, boots or sturdy shoes and sunscreen. Long sleeves are recommended as poison oak is present. We have tools and trained crew leaders with tasks for all. Minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. We will provide tools, and if allowed, lunch.

If you are a current Sugarloaf volunteer, log onto Better Impact to sign up.
Not a Sugarloaf volunteer yet? RSVP to sugarloafvolunteer@sonomaecologycenter.org no later than the Sunday prior to the work day to ensure we have lunch for you.
First-time volunteers are welcomed and encouraged to formally join our volunteer program if they’d like to support us more frequently. Start here to become a volunteer.

Mar
29
Fri
Weekly California Native Plant Sale | Venta semanal de plantas nativas Californianas @ Native Plant Nursery at Sonoma Garden Park
Mar 29 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Weekly California Native Plant Sale | Venta semanal de plantas nativas Californianas @ Native Plant Nursery at Sonoma Garden Park | Sonoma | California | United States

[Español abajo]

We are selling a variety of California native plants to the public every Friday from 12:00-3:00 pm to help local gardeners create and maintain drought-tolerant and pollinator-friendly gardens and landscapes. Simply drop into our Native Plant Nursery. For questions, email our Native Plant Nursery Manager at hannah@sonomaecologycenter.org.

Our weekly plant sales will be cancelled October 6, 13, and 20, and November 24, 2023.

Sign up for our emailing list to stay updated on future events: sonomaecologycenter.org/newsletters-sign-up.

Venderemos una variedad de plantas nativas Californianas al público cada viernes de 12:00 a 3:00 pm para ayudar a jardineros locales a crear y mantener jardines y paisajes resistentes a la sequía y amigables a polinizadores. Simplemente acude a nuestro vivero de plantas nativas (ubicado dentro de Sonoma Garden Park). Si tienes preguntas, manda un email a nuestra gerente del vivero de plantas nativas por hannah@sonomaecologycenter.org.

Nuestra venta de plantas semanal en octubre 6, 13, y 20 se ha cancelado para prepararnos para nuestra venta estacional el 21 de octubre.

Inscríbete a nuestro boletín de noticias electrónico para estar al tanto de nuestros eventos futuros: sonomaecologycenter.org/newsletters-sign-up.

Mar
30
Sat
Garden Planning and Seed Sowing Party | Fiesta de siembra de semilla y planificación de jardín @ Sonoma Garden Park
Mar 30 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Garden Planning and Seed Sowing Party | Fiesta de siembra de semilla y planificación de jardín @ Sonoma Garden Park | Sonoma | California | United States

[Traducido al español abajo]

Back by popular demand…  join us for a Spring Seed Planting Workshop! Let’s propagate locally-grown, pollinator-friendly plants to sustain the earth and ourselves. We will gather at Sonoma Garden Park on March 30, 10:00 am-12:00 pm for a tour, talk, and plan for the future. Everyone can plant seeds in cups and leave with a collection of cuttings and plant starts for summer home gardens. Some seeds prefer direct sowing into the warm ground, others do best when started in cups. After this workshop, you’ll be able to accurately follow seed instructions to give your veggies and flowers the best beginnings.

Please wear comfortable shoes for uneven terrain. All supplies will be provided. If able, bring a trowel (hand shovel), a notebook, seeds for sharing,  a shoebox or paper bag and a phone or camera for pictures of seed packets.

This event is led by Julia Megna, Sonoma Ecology Center’s education project manager and owner of Florals and Decor by Julia and our dedicated volunteers. There is no charge for this outing, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.

There is no charge for this outing, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax. Sonoma Garden Park was protected by Ag + Open Space in November of 2011 for recreation and preservation of its natural resources, and learning classroom environment for agriculture field trips for nearby elementary schools through Sonoma Ecology Center’s “Growing Discovery” program. The 6-acre property, hidden in eastern Sonoma, is an incredible public park and working garden site in Sonoma Valley, home of a wide array of habitats alongside sustainably designed systems for both agriculture use and landscaping purposes.

De regreso por demanda popular…¡acompáñanos en un taller de siembra de semilla! Propagaremos plantas amigables a los polinizadores cultivadas localmente para sostener ambos a la tierra y a nosotros. Nos reuniremos en Sonoma Garden Park el 30 de marzo de 10:00 am a 12:00 pm para un paseo, charla, y planearemos para el futuro. Todos podrán sembrar semillas en contenedores y llevar a casa una colección de cortes de tallos y plantitas para tu jardín. Algunas semillas prefieren ser sembradas directamente en la tierra cálida, algunas se desarrollan mejor en contenedores. Después de este taller, podras seguir instrucciones al pie en los paquetes de semillas para asegurar el mejor empiezo para tus flores, hortalizas, y verduras.

Por favor viste calzado cómodo para terreno desparejo. Todos los materiales serán proporcionados. Si es posible, trae una palita de jardín, una libreta, algo con que escribir, una caja de zapatos vacía o una bolsa de papel, y un teléfono celular con capacidad para tomar fotografías o una cámara para tomar fotos de los paquetes de semillas.

Este evento es liderado por Julia Megna, gerente del proyecto de Educación de Sonoma Ecology Center y dueña de “Florals and Decor by Julia”, Alma Shaw, coordinadora del programa Senderos Naturales para Sonoma Ecology Center, y nuestros dedicados voluntarios. No hay costo para este taller, el cual es posible por los electores del Condado de Sonoma, quienes financian el trabajo de Ag + Open Space con un impuesto de ventas de un cuarto de centavo.

No hay costo para este taller, el cual es posible por los electores del Condado de Sonoma, quienes financian el trabajo de Ag + Open Space con un impuesto de ventas de un cuarto de centavo. Sonoma Garden Park fué protegido por Ag + Open Space en noviembre del 2011 con propósitos recreativos y de preservación de sus recursos naturales, y como aula de aprendizaje ambiental para salidas al campo por escuelas primarias a través del programa “Growing Discovery” de Sonoma Ecology Center. La propiedad de seis acres, escondida en el este de Sonoma, es un parque público increíble y jardín de demostración en el Valle de Sonoma, hogar a una amplia gama de hábitats junto a sistemas diseñados sosteniblemente para propósitos agrícolas y paisajistas.

Introduction to Backpacking Course @ Robert Ferguson Observatory
Mar 30 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Introduction to Backpacking Course @ Robert Ferguson Observatory | Kenwood | California | United States

Update 3/28, 12:00 pm: This event has been postponed; future date TBD.

Join Sugarloaf docents Inga Aksamit and Andy Westbom for a three-hour course covering basics and examining gear.  There will be examples of all the gear needed. No actual hiking is involved in this instructional session. The goal is to introduce participants to modern, lightweight backpacking strategies. We’ll touch on topics such as: equipment, trip planning, navigation, food, water treatment, common problems in the backcountry and how to avoid them. You don’t need a heavy pack to enjoy a wilderness experience.

If you’ve never backpacked, or it’s been decades, this is for you! There will be tips for all—from backpacking with children to considerations for seniors. Both Inga and Andy are experienced guides in the Sierra and beyond.

Tickets are $15-$20 sliding scale for general audiences, $7.5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds), Sugarloaf members and Sugarloaf volunteers. Meet at the Observatory classroom. Bring a pen and notebook, water, and your questions. Parking fees apply.

Ease of access: the Robert Ferguson Observatory is located within Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. There is one van-designated parking spot and although not ADA or van-designated, there is more parking adjacent to the Observatory/group camp and at the White Barn lot. The observatory has a wooden ramp from the designated parking space to the main level deck. Inside the classroom, seating is fluid and mobile. There is an accessible stall in the bathroom inside the building and an accessible porta-potty at the group camp (directly outside the observatory). 

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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.

Apr
5
Fri
Blooms & Birds @ Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Apr 5 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Blooms & Birds @ Sugarloaf Ridge State Park | Kenwood | California | United States

CA Naturalist Carolyn Greene leads this wildflower hike along Lower Bald Mountain Trail through mixed evergreen forest and chaparral. Enjoy the warming spring sun, the variety of colors, shapes, scents, and arrangements peeking through the vegetation, as well as the added bonus of whatever birds cross our path.

Tickets are $10-$15 sliding scale for adults, $5 for students, youth, Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf volunteers, and free for children under 12. Meet at the White Barn. Wear hiking shoes, layers appropriate for weather, bring at least a quart of water, sun protection, a camera, and a wildflower or bird guide if you have it. Parking fees apply. Heavy rain cancels.

Ease of access: The main parking lot has one van-accessible parking space and an accessible vault toilet. There is no running water in this area. The Lower Bald Mountain trailhead beginning from the main parking lot is a single-track dirt and gravel trail of approximately one mile in length and 500 ft of elevation gain. It has narrow sections with steps and switchbacks, as well as some wider sections in full sun exposure. Stern Trail is a roughly-paved fireroad with a few steep areas of loose gravel. It is about a mile in length, with the second half of the mile being flatter and sunny.

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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar of events.

2023 Impact Report

 

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The Ecology Blog

Sugarloaf Volunteer’s iNaturalist Observation Featured in Academic Journal

Sugarloaf Volunteer’s iNaturalist Observation Featured in Academic Journal

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park has long been more than just a park. Managed by Sonoma Ecology Center, Sugarloaf is a community gathering space where nature enthusiasts, researchers, and citizen scientists can come together and learn about and contribute to our understanding of the natural world. Galen Freed-Wilhelm, a Sugarloaf volunteer and an avid participant of citizen science, made an observation of a new scorpion species on iNaturalist that was featured in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal called ZooKeys.

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