Page 10 - Sonoma County Gazatte May 2017

VITAL LANDS cont’d from page 1
The Sonoma County Vital Lands Initiative isa comprehensive planning process that will guide work through 2031 and beyond – and they are seeking public input. Thee-newsletter provides information about Vital Lands Initiative meetings, events and opportunities for you to share your ideas and recommendations.
If you can, please attend workshops on agriculture, natural resources and recreation on open space and stay in touch through this website:
www.sonomaopenspace.org/vital-lands-thematic-workshops
SAVE THESE DATES!
Vital Lands Initiative Community Meetings 6 to 8 pm
May 16: Greenbelts & Community Separators | 9:00am – 12:00pm, Steele Lane Community Center — DeMeo Room, 415 Steele Ln, Santa Rosa
May 17: Agriculture | 9:00am – 12:00pm, Steele Lane Community Center — DeMeo Room, 415 Steele Ln, Santa Rosa
May 23: Natural Resources | 9:00am – 12:00pm Finley Community Center — Cypress Room, 2060 W College Ave, Santa Rosa
May 25: Recreation & Urban Open Space | 9:00am – 12:00pm Finley Community Center — Cypress Room, 2060 W College Ave, Santa Rosa
Earlier this spring, the District held a series of community meetings around the county asking the community to share their thoughts and ideas for the future of land conservation in Sonoma County, and the work of the District in particular. This feedback will be incorporated into a draft plan to be shared with the public for review via a second round of public meetings in late summer or early fall. If you’re interested, you can review some of the materials presented, as well as the transcribed community input, from those meetings at the website above.
In May, the series of thematic workshops explore several areas in more depth. Experts and stakeholders (local citizens) provide detailed feedback on priorities, threats and strategies focused specifically on the following themes: natural resources; agriculture; greenbelts, community separators and scenic lands; and recreation and urban open space.
The goals of the workshops are to:
• Share and build upon the feedback received at the community meetings
• Gain a deeper understanding of threats posed to each thematic area
• Brainstorm strategies and land conservation solutions to ensure long-term
protection in each thematic area
These workshops are open to EVERYONE. Getting your early input on the
Vital Lands Initiative is important. We view these workshops as a critical step in gathering the right information about how to shape our work for the next 15 years and beyond, and we hope you will help us with this process.
10 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 5/17