We hope you have been able to see the flower blooms this spring. It's true that the guided hikes have been flying out the door like hotcakes and the earliest blooms have begun to close, but there are plenty more that are just getting started. April is a splendid month for flowers. If you are interested in bringing some of it home, to build a native blooming landscape in your backyard, Sonoma Ecology Center will be hosting a native plant sale on April 2nd (more info below).
Another great resource is Sonoma Land Trust's Wild About Wildflowers pamphlet, a beautiful guide to the common native wildflowers of Sonoma County.
There are more walks and events coming up around Sonoma Mountain. Keep your eyes on the Jack London Park events page. We are also looking forward to the Natural History Hikes led by SSU Naturalists that will be starting up on April 2. (More info below)
You can always find links to events and more information on our social media sites or at www.sonomamountain.org
Sonoma Mountain Developmental Center Update
Permit Sonoma hasn't seemed to have budged from its proposed 900-1000 units slated for the property at the former Sonoma Developmental Center. SMP remains highly engaged and concerned for both the preservation of this very important junction of the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor and in creating affordable housing for people in our community. Board members have been attending and organizing meetings, and writing letters and articles. Most recently Arthur Dawson published this beautifully written article, The value of local knowledge at SDC in the Sonoma Index-Tribune
Comments recently closed pertaining to the scope and content of the in-progress EIR (due for release in June), but comments are open for another week regarding policies and procedures. Click here to learn more. Another way to add your voice is to write to the editorial department at your local paper, particularly the Press Democrat, after their recent article At Sonoma Developmental Center, a tension between housing, open-space needs. Correspondence doesn't need to be long, just hit one or two points, for instance: "Yes we need affordable housing, but not more market-rate housing or a hotel," or "Open space and biodiversity is critical to addressing the future of our planet. Massive development at SDC exacerbates the climate crisis."
Native Plant Sale Sonoma Garden Park April 2nd, 9am - 12pm.
Sonoma Ecology Center hosts a native plant sale at Sonoma Garden Park offering hundreds of California native plants that are well adapted to our summer-dry climate and that will brighten up the garden, provide habitat for wildlife, and support important pollinators such as the monarch butterfly. The selection will feature plants for both sun and shade, and knowledgeable staff and volunteers will assist with plant selection.
19996 7th St. in Sonoma
Fairfield Osborn Preserve Natural History Hikes April 2nd - May 7th, 10am - 2pm
Take advantage of the healing powers of nature while exploring diverse ecosystems on Sonoma Mountain. SSU Naturalists lead tours of this university education and research site and give you insights into the ways we can work together to restore regional landscapes
"If the poem is thin, it is likely so not because the poet does not know enough words, but because he or she has not stood long enough among the flowers - has not seen them in any fresh, exciting, and vivid way. ~ Mary Oliver
You can help us protect and preserve recreation and open space on the Mountain; all it takes is a small donation.
t resource is Sonoma Land Trust's 
If you hadn't seen it already, or need some inspiration, check out 
