Thanks to you, we are entering the new year with hope and so much gratitude!
What began with several long-time community leaders banding together to make a significant matching gift of $100,000 (amazing and wonderful in and of itself!) turned into a ground swell of community support, allowing us to successfully meet their $100,000 Challenge, and surge past it by more than $78,000!
With donations still arriving, our exact total at this moment, including the initial matching gift, is $278,745. We are humbled.
We sincerely appreciate the generosity of our sustaining members as well as the many new donors who stepped forward to demonstrate their commitment to the health and resilience of the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
We know that climate change is the issue of our time. Because of you, we are ready to meet our local challenges head on!
We will keep you updated on our progress as well as opportunities to become more involved and an ever-closer part of our community.
|
|
Anne Morkill
Executive Director
|
|
Put my dollars to work to help fight climate change locally! |
|
Good Fire in Shone Forest |
|
As the new year kicks off, we want to celebrate our partnership with the Santa Rosa Junior College. Our involvement in their Wildfire Resilience Internship Program (WRP) at Shone Farm has been life-altering! Thank you to the student workforce, staff members, and local community members who contribute to its success.
Over the last six months at Shone Farm, ten student interns have received hands-on training and experience focused on three areas: fuel reduction in the wildland urban interface, invasive species management, and forest and grassland stewardship to enhance biodiversity and productivity of wildlife habitat. With outdoor experiences like these, students are given the opportunity to reinforce their classroom education as they learn how to interact with fire, in their local forest.
At the beginning of the Program, 31 acres of Shone Forest were designated as a potential prescribed fire burn unit. The area was selected based on its strategic placement as a fuel break, its unique and diverse habitats, and its representation of common local fuel types. Like many forests in Sonoma County, Shone Forest suffers from overly dense stands of trees, buildup of dead and downed woody material, heavy invasion from French broom, and encroachment of Doug Fir and Bay Laurel. Laguna Foundation Restoration Supervisors, Annie Madden and Asa Voight, have been working closely with SRJC staff to design an approach to stewarding the forest towards resiliency and ecosystem health that involves a robust learning experience for the SRJC students. So far, thanks to the interns, over a mile of shaded fuel breaks has been prepped, with hundreds of burn piles spanning the unit. Thanks to these efforts, native plant species once hidden by dense stands of French broom have been uncovered and are being stewarded once again.
Last month marked a milestone in the Wildfire Resilience Program. The interns put good fire back on the land during a number of “pile burn” workdays. Excitement is high amongst everyone involved in this unique work. And the people involved are many! The result we are seeing is a new cohort of land managers, fire practitioners, and community members building a relationship with their forest as they lead this necessary work. Some students involved with the program have already gained employment in local environmental organizations. The program continues to grow; in fact, it has doubled in size and is capturing the attention of people, agencies, and organizations from all over Sonoma County!
|
|
The Wildfire Resilience Program has proven to be a successful approach to developing a community-led movement in land stewardship and education. This coming spring, the SRJC will be welcoming 17 students back into the forest for another semester of hands-on learning. Here’s what one student had to say: “ … I was struck by the consistent feeling I had that tending a fire is familiar … It is comforting and is in fact an ancient part of what it means to be human. It was this opportunity to spend the day tending fire in the company of others that is my most cherished experience from our first burn day.” – Bill Basquin, Student Intern, SRJC WRP
We want to give a big thanks to News of the North Bay for visiting Shone Farm to talk to folks about the Wildfire Resilience Program. Check out their video here! |
|
New Art Exhibit in Heron Hall
"Conservation in Biodiversity"
Photography by Joshua Asel
|
In response to the prevalence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the opening reception for this show is on hold and will be announced soon.
We're excited to announce our new show "Conservation in Biodiversity" Photography by Joshua Asel, on display January 15 – April 29, 2022. Our gallery is currently open by appointment every Friday from 9am-noon. Please schedule an appointment by contacting Maggie Hart.
Since 2012, Joshua Asel has been working as an advocate to create visual communication stories that cover Threatened, Endangered, keystone, and bellwether species. California Condors, rare marine mammals, and coastal landscapes are all part of this small cross-section of Joshua's larger volume of internationally-recognized photographic work. All of the wildlife featured are benefactors of successful conservation efforts.
Joshua Asel is an award-winning photographer and certified Marine Ecology Naturalist with a photographic emphasis on coastal and marine habitats. He was recently accepted into the prestigious International League of Conservation Photographers, signed to Hakai Magazine as a photographer and writer, and is sponsored by Nikon USA. His awards include the 2016 California Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Top 20 in the 2019 NANPA (North American) Showcase. Joshua's publications also include National Geographic, Defenders of Wildlife, Alaska Airlines Magazine, The Press Democrat, and several scholarly articles, among others.
|
|
Wishing Happy Trails to Chris Kline |
Chris joined our Laguna team in January 2020 as Financial Administrator and she’s now ready to hit the trails for new adventures! Her interests have always been associated with natural resources. During her tenure, Chris made great strides in advancing our financial management in support of our restoration, conservation, and education program services. Chris will now be spending much of her free time outside hiking and horse-back riding experiencing nature and wildlife, and creating art and furniture inspired by nature’s beauty. She is looking forward to exploring new places and new crafts as well. We wish Chris many more happy miles on the trail! |
|
Our store is full of educational books, field guides, and children’s books, as well as nature-based posters and notecards. Offerings include local authors Obi Kaufmann and Greg Sarris, and local artists Molly Eckler and Dana Vallarino.
In the coming months we will be adding to our collection of impressive educational materials. We hope our newly enhanced online store will give you gift ideas throughout the year, allowing you to “give twice” as you shop local, while supporting the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation's mission at the same time!
|
|
Laguna Environmental Center Open
by Appointment Only
|
|
We were looking forward to fully re-opening our Laguna Environmental Center grounds to the public as the new year dawned. However, due to the current surge and highly transmissible Omicron variant, we want to continue ensuring the safety of our staff, volunteers, and you. Therefore, an appointment is still necessary if you wish to visit our office or grounds. We may also require proof of vaccination for certain events, so be sure to review your event registration. Please feel free to email us for more information. Thank you for your patience and continued support, and we wish you all a healthy and safe new year! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
