Page 60 - Sonoma County Gazette - May 2019

County to “Deal” with Updating
Our Tree Ordinance
By Larry Hansen and Kimberly Burr
When trees are growing, it is good for all of us who live on planet earth. That is why Forest Unlimited plants hundreds of trees every year (33,000 to date with the help of hundreds of volunteers).
Growth is Good?
Visit SonomaCountyGazette.com for ONGOING Volunteer opportunities and far more details than we can fit in print!
Do Good - Meet Good People!
In addition, Forest Unlimited recently led a local effort to reduce the number of trees that are cut down in Sonoma County. Hundreds of people from
all over the county signed the petition to update the very industry friendly County tree protection policies.
May 1 - Dec 31 ~ Luther Burbank Experiment Farm in Sebastopol ~ Call for Volunteers Our mission is to keep the legacy of Luther Burbank alive.
May 11 ~ Stewardship Workday at the Fitch Mountain Preserve ~ Maintain the trails, preserve natural resources, meet new people. Reg. req’d. Free, 9a-1p, Fitch Mountain Preserve,
Growing Up to Drawn-Down
As a result, on April 16th, a majority of the Free, Wed 9a-12p, , 7781 Bodega Ave,
Board of Supervisors directed Permit Sonoma Sebastopol, 707-829-2916, wschsgrf.org 908 Chanticleer Way, Healdsburg,
to update this ordinance. This directive should be finalized June 6th.
May 1 - May 18 ~ New Volunteer Orientation ~ Join our team and help us care for injured and orphaned baby songbirds. Free, Native Songbird Care & Conservation, 8050 Elphick Rd, Sebastopol, 707-484- 6502, nativesongbirdcare.org, info@ nativesongbirdcare.org
May 1 - May 16 ~ Teach Children How to SWIM ~ We teach you how to teach basic swim lessons. You just need to enjoy working withkids. FREE, Ivs Pool, 7400 Willow St,, Sebastopol, 707- 823-7341, Greg Jacobs, ivespool.org/, gjacobs48@gmail.com
May 3 - May 16 ~ Stewardship Workday
landpaths.z2systems.com
Local initiatives like these can lead
to larger initiatives despite the federal government’s inability to get on board the movement to save the planet, its wildlife, and vulnerable communities.
May 17 ~ Stewardship Workday at Bohemia Ecological Preserve ~ Day of Stewardship at the stunning 1,000- acre Preserve. Reg. req’d. Free, 9a-1p, Bohemia Ecological Preserve, 6773 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental, landpaths. z2systems.com
May 18 ~ May - Sebastopol City Hall and Library Landscape Garden Day ~ Volunteer program in Sebastopol to give our model landscape site some consistent love. Free, 10a-12p, Sebastopol City Hall and Library Landscape, 7140 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol, dailyacts.org
May 22 ~ Stewardship Workday at the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve Several projects to remove invasive species within the preserve. Registration required. 9a-1p, Healdsburg Ridge Preserve Arabian Way trailhead, Healdsburg, landpaths. z2systems.com/np/clients/landpaths/ event.jsp?event=1816
May 25 ~ General Volunteers in Parks Orientation ~ Meet Steward of the Coast and Redwoods program coordinators & learn about the perks of volunteering! Free, 10a-12p, Armstrong Redwoods Volunteer Center/Stewards Office, 17000 Armstrong Woods Rd, Guerneville, 707-869-9177, stewardscr. org, kat@stewardscr.org
May 25 ~ May - Pocket Park Garden Day ~ Monthly volunteer program in Cotati to give our model landscape site some consistent love. Free, 10a-12p, Pocket Park Food Forest, Intersection of LaSalle & Lorretto Ave, Cotati, dailyacts.org
May 25 ~ Trail Building Workday at the Riddell Preserve ~ Installing new trails to be used for LandPaths educational & outings programs. Reg. req’d Free, 9a-1p, City Corporation Yard, 550 Westside Rd, Healdsburg, landpaths.z2systems.com
Jun 3 ~ A Matter of Balance Volunteer Coach Training ~ Help older adults improve balance and reduce the risk of falls and injuries from falling. Free, 8:30a-5p, County of Sonoma Human Services Dept Adult & Aging Division, 3725 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707- 565-5936, sonomacounty.ca.gov/, mob@ schsd.org
We are hopeful that the effort will eliminate a large loop hole for development in wooded areas that currently allows ripping out of oak woodlands without any environmental analysis.
Even large developments are currently
asked only to partially mitigate the complete
loss of mature trees. Continuing the failed
“mitigation” approach - planting baby trees at Riddell Preserve ~ LandPaths will
to replace mature trees and woodlands of 50, 100, and 200 year old trees in the age of climate change, is a recipe for disaster.
Many may be surprised to learn that between 2007 and 2013, approximately 950-acres of woodlands were permanently destroyed in Sonoma County. Currently more large vineyards are planned in oak woodlands, and recently approximately 100 more acres of oaks stood helpless as bulldozers rumbled toward them. Many more acres of climate-saving woodlands face the same fate. The County’s industry-friendly rules do nothing to protect the trees.
As we all can appreciate, trees grow very slowly. The tree stocks we have need to be properly valued and safeguarded by this generation’s land use agencies as a major part of the draw down solution - that is, drawing down the carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that are disrupting our planet’s essential balance.
provide necessary tools - Free, 9a-1p, City Corporation Yard, 550 Westside Rd, Healdsburg, landpaths.z2systems.com
May 4 ~ Canine Conservation Corps - Explore, Learn & Restore ~ Learn about natural history of our area while picking up trash and pruning. Reg. req’d. Free, 9a-1p, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 500 Ragle Rd, Sebastopol, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov
May 4 ~ The Grove of Old Trees Stewardship Workday ~ Ensuring this wild space continues to be a healthy & flourishing habitat. Registration required. Free, 9a-1p, , Occidental, landpaths.z2systems.com
May 4 ~ Volunteer Workday ~ We need your help with critical post-fire restoration work at Pepperwood! Free, 9a-12p, Pepperwood Preserve, 2130 Pepperwood Preserve, Santa Rosa, sshinn@pepperwoodpreserve.org
May 8 ~ Spring Stewardship Workday at Rancho Mark West ~ We will be removing several invasive species near the pond at the preserve. Free, 9a-1p, Rancho Mark West, 7125 St. Helena Road, Santa Rosa, landpaths.z2systems.com
May 9 ~ Tourism Cares Volunteer Opportunity - Spring Lake Regional Park ~ Largest volunteer event of the year. Free, 9a-12p, Spring Lake Regional Park, 5585 Newanga Ave, Santa Rosa, signup.com
Trees No Match for Bulldozers.
Forest Unlimited has been planting Redwoods for over 20 years with the help of our many enthusiastic volunteers, young families, grand parents, and students. That means many of the 33,000 two-year old redwoods planted
are now established and starting to mature. It is absolutely crazy that land use agencies might bide their time, do nothing to restrain tree removal, and continue to permit vast tree removal activities that undermine the people’s work on climate and watershed restoration. We are working to encourage agencies to follow the science - an approach some describe as bold. In these surreal times, acting logically is often to act heroically.
We are so grateful to all who supported and worked on this effort including the three female county Supervisors, who by their vote, on this first step
will help bring the County’s tree policies into the new world that is the 21st century. Protecting trees is fundamental to a new greener approach that we yearn for and for which we will continue to work.
Please stay tuned as we move forward and attempt to craft a 21st century policy that acknowledges the important role of trees and a policy that can withstand the immense pressure to cut trees down.
May 10 ~ May - Cavanagh Garden Day
And finally, please join Forest Unlimited this June 8th to celebrate this important step forward at our annual Dinner Under the Redwoods. Early bird opportunities until May 15th. Go to Forestunlimited.org for all the details.
~ Monthly volunteer program in Petaluma to give our model landscapes site some consistent love. Free, 10a-12p, Cavanagh Center Food Forest, 426 8th St, Petaluma, dailyacts.org
60 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 5/19