Page 60 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2018

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, 707-833-5712, $8 parking
Aug 4 ~ - First Saturday Hike - Free hike and free parking for HPHP. 10-12p
Aug 4 ~ Creekside Health Hike - 1.1-mile (with optional .5-mile route extension mid-
hike) hike along the Sonoma Creek. 10a-12p, Meet at the Visitor Center
Aug 11 ~ Yoga Hike - Susan Topf’s balances a mix of hiking and gentle yoga postures, breath work and guided meditation. 9:30-12p, susan@buildyourpeace.com
Aug 11, 25 ~ Creekside Nature Hike - 1.4-mile nature hike along the Sonoma Creek. Starts at the visitors’ center. FREE
Aug 25~ ParkRx – Forest Therapy - Shinrin yoku originated in Japan and is gaining popularity in the United States for its health benefits. $0-$20, 9:30-12:30p
By Date
Thru Sep - Closed for the Summer Rehabilitation Project - Sonoma Overlook Trail. overlookmontini.org
Aug 1 ~ Russian River Chamber of Commerce Mixer - Tour the park, a land-mark watershed restoration project undertaken by Russian Riverkeeper. 5:30p-7:30p, Downtown Guerneville by the footbridge, Guerneville, 707-322-8304
Aug 3 ~ Armstrong Redwoods Docent Orientation - Mentoring and resource materials provided. 1-3p, Visitor Center, 17000 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville, 869-9177, stewardscr.org
Aug 4 ~ The Bird Rescue Center Open House ~ Meet resident Raptor Ambassadors. 10-1p, 3430 Chanate Road, our physical location is on County Farm Drive., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2473, birdres- cuecenter.org
Aug 11~ Second Saturday Fort Ross and Redwoods Interpretive Talk - Highlighting the Rotchev House (the oldest wooden building along this coast), FREE, 19005 Coast Hwy 1, Rotchev House, Fort Compound, Jenner, 707-847- 3437, fortross.org
Aug 11~ Second Saturday Redwoods Walk and Talk - 30 min. stroll in Stanley Spyra Memorial Grove. Fort Ross State Historic Park, 19005 Coast Hwy 1, Visitor Center, Jenner, 707-847-3437, fortross.org
Volunteering
Thru Dec 13 ~ 2nd Thursday Trail Crew
9a-1p, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, trailscouncil@sonic.net
LandPaths 618 4th St. Santa Rosa, outings@landpaths.org, 707-544-7284 Aug 11,18,20,26 ~ Andy’s Unity Park Community Garden Work Day - FREE, 10-1p,
Aug 12 ~ Vamos Afuera - Aventura en la Laguna - This event will be led in Spanish. FREE, Pre-register, 5:30p - 8:30p, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, 707-527-9277
Aug 26 ~ Full-Moon Exploration of Irwin Creek and Lower Stone Farm - Walk and picnic with LandPaths and Kevin Munroe, Laguna Foundation’s Executive Director. FREE, Pre-registration required, 5:30p-9p, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Heron Hall, Santa Rosa, 707-527-9277
Pepperwood Preserve 2130 Pepperwood Preserve Rd, Dwight Center, Santa Rosa, 707-591-9310, pepperwoodpreserve.org
Aug 4, Sept 8 ~ Volunteer Workday - Help with critical post-fire restoration work at Pepperwood! RSVP required, 8:30-12p,
Aug 25 ~ Geology of the Mayacamas - Learn the basic concepts of geology, earth history, the rock cycle, and how Pepperwood is representative of our region with a short presentation and outdoor exploration led by Rebecca Perlroth. $25-30, 9a-3p
Stewards of the Coast 17000 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville, 707-869-9177, stewardscr.org
Aug 1,8,15,22,29 ~ Wednesday Wellness Walks - Easy Walks to Enhance Physical & Mental Well-being. FREE, 10-11a , Meet at the Visitor’s Center
Aug 3 ~ Redwood Ed ~ Learn more about our magnificent Coast Redwoods. $20, 9a-11:30a, Armstrong Redwoods Volunteer Center
Aug 4,18 ~ Bat Walk and Talk - Learn more about this flying mammal. $20-$30, 7-9p, Armstrong Redwoods Volunteer Center
Aug 12 ~ Forest Bathing Walk ~ Explore the health benefits, science & history of this as we take a guided walk through ancient coastal redwoods. $20, 10-12p
Aug 18 ~ Pond Farm Docent Led Tours - Learn about the dreams and challenges of the Herr Family and Marguerite Wildenhain, the first woman master potter to graduate from the Bauhaus. $16- $20, 9:30-12p, Stewards Office
Thru Dec 27 ~ 4th Thursday Trail Crew
329 Anteeo Way, Santa Rosa.
9-1p, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, john@ sonomaecologycenter.org
Aug 2,4 ~ Volunteer Patrol Orientations Sonoma County Open Space - Steward and protect picturesque properties. Aug 2, 9:30-12p, Aug 4, 9-12p, , sonomaopenspace.org/get-involved/ volunteer-patrol
Laguna Environmental Center 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa, Pre-registration required for classes. 707-527-9277, lagunafoundation.org,
Aug 18 ~ Early Birds - A leisurely stroll along the Santa Rosa Creek Trail where we will discover patterns of bird behavior, communication and habitat. $10, Pre- register, 7:30a-10:30a
Aug 23 ~ Albatross Film Screening - A powerful visual journey into the heart of an astonishingly symbolic environmental tragedy. FREE, Pr-eregister, 7p-9p,
Sep 7 ~ Native Plant Garden Volunteer Day
FREE, 9-12p, Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa, 707- 527-9277, lagunafoundation.org,
Ongoing ~ Sonoma Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District 707-565-7366, sonomaopenspace.org/
Sheep Graze the Laguna Trail
Robert Ferguson Observatory $8 parking fee, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, rfo.org
Aug 9 ~ What’s Up? - Tour the observatory and atend a talk about prominent objects that are viewable that night. $10-$15, 8p Aug 11 ~ Public Star Party - Presentations on astronomical topics are given in the classroom throughout the course of the evening. $3, Under 18 FREE, 8-12a
Aug 11 ~ Public Solar Viewing - Solar telescopes are set up so you can safely look at and listen to our favorite star, the Sun. $ 11-3p
Regional parks use livestock to control invasive weeds
Sonoma County Regional Parks has recruited some assistance for fire prevention and invasive species removal: sheep. A flock of sheep will spend the next five weeks grazing along the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail near Sebastopol, removing dry vegetation and non-native plant species.
“Grazing reduces the use of pesticides and need to mow,” said Regional Parks Natural Resources Manager Hattie Brown. “It also helps restore the wetlands to their natural state and keeps the sheep well-fed doing what they instinctively do best.”
Grazing also reduces wildfire risk by clearing excess vegetation, promotes plant viability, and supports local agriculture. Regional Parks uses grazing at several parks, including Helen Putnam, Tolay Lake, Taylor Mountain, and Crane Creek.
For the Laguna, grazing is part of a larger plan to encourage natural resources to flourish on site. The invasive perennial pepperweed and reed canary grass are both found in the Laguna. Through this program, sheep will eat the invasive species, and their presence also will help break up the thatch that accumulates on the soil surface.
Regional Parks partnered with the city of Santa Rosa, the city of Sebastopol, the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Sonoma County Water Agency, and Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, to bring grazing to the popular trail that connects Highway 12 to Occidental Road, just east of Sebastopol. The sheep will be in the area through late August, 2018 and the project is supported by the Sonoma Regional Parks Foundation and the Sonoma County Water Agency. For more information, email Natural Resources Manager Hattie Brown at hattie.brown@sonoma-county.org.
60 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/18
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