Page 16 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2017

Building on a Community Vision: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Launches Vital Lands Initiative
In 1990, through the foresight of community leaders and thoughtful citizens, Sonoma County voters approved the creation of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District and a quarter-cent
sales tax that provides funding for land conservation, including planning, acquisition, and stewardship of the region’s working, natural, and scenic open space lands.
Over two and a half decades later, the District is one of the leading farmland and open space preservation programs in the nation with a mission to preserve the best of Sonoma County’s agricultural and natural resources. In 2015, the District celebrated
25 years of preserving the region’s agricultural heritage by protecting working
farms and ranches, and maintaining the health and beauty of the county through the conservation of scenic hillsides, greenbelts, and natural resource lands.
Every inch of land left to its natural state to nurture creatures, clean our air and recharge our watersheds is our insurance for the future of this planet....our home.
General Manager Bill
Keene has been with the District for nine years. “While we are proud of
our accomplishments, our most important successes are yet to come,” says Keene. “As we look ahead to the next 15 years, we face exceptional challenges
– population growth, escalating land values, drought, increased pressure on farmland, open space, and wildlife habitat, and the growing impacts of climate change.”
Blueprint for a Green Future
With these multiple challenges in mind, the District is embarking on the Vital Lands Initiative, a comprehensive plan that will guide the organization’s work for the next 15 years. The Vital Lands Initiative will use the best available science, data and technical information to identify and develop robust strategies for prioritizing conservation goals in the areas of agricultural protection, natural resources, scenic views and greenbelt areas, recreation and public access, and urban open space within communities.
A collaborative process, the Vital Lands Initiative will seek input from the entire community through public meetings,
technical workshops, stakeholder interviews, polling, community event outreach, and online channels such as the District’s website, social media networks, and e-newsletter.
VISIONS cont’d on page 17
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