About LandPaths

LandPaths is an environmental education and conservation leader with the mission to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County. We believe everyone should have access to the awe and inspiration of nature.

Annually, we engage thousands of participants like you in joyful, caring, and transformative relationship with the land. We do this mainly through creative outings led in both English and Spanish, environmental education, nature camps, and people-powered land stewardship of local open spaces.

Land Acknowledgement

Our community gardens, office, and preserves throughout Sonoma County are located on the ancestral homelands of the Southern Pomo, Coast Miwok, Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, and Mishewal people, past, present, and future. We recognize them as the first people and the first stewards of this land.

Initiatives

Rooting Youth in Nature

LandPaths significantly reduces the barriers and expands opportunities to get outside so that more youth are able to experience wonder, joy, awe, belonging, and connection in nature.

Branching Out Conservation for Everyone

LandPaths expands the amount of people in Sonoma County who benefit from healthy land, understand the value of nature, and cultivate a sense of wanting to care for the land that gives so much back to us.

Community Care

Growing Community with Nature

Wildfires, flooding, and other challenges have dramatically increased globally and locally because of human-caused climate change. Reciprocal and joyful relationships between people and the land is a solution to climate disruption. From volunteer land stewardship days to community gatherings in local open spaces, you’ll find a range of creative, impactful opportunities to participate with LandPaths and make a difference.

Featured Outings

Fruit Pruning Workshop at Bayer Farm~ Taller de poda de árboles frutales

  • Day/Día: Saturday, January 18; sábado, 18 de enero
  • Time/Hora: 10am – 12pm
  • Place/Lugar: Bayer Farm, 1550 West Avenue, Santa Rosa
  • Cost/Costo: Free; Gratis

Are you interested in learning how to prune the fruit trees around your home or neighborhood? Then join LandPaths for a free Fruit Tree Pruning workshop with garden specialist Jonathan Bravo! The workday begins at 9am and the workshop begins at 10am in the garden. PLease bring your own shears, loopers, sealers, tapes, and pruning knifes, if you have them. We’ll also have limited tools available at the garden for you to use. Bring your lunch and a drink and stay to have lunch afterwards in our beautiful community garden! All levels welcome!
¿Estás interesado en aprender a podar los árboles frutales que hay alrededor de tu casa o vecindario? ¡Entonces únete a LandPaths para un taller gratuito de poda de árboles frutales con el líder del jardín Jonathan Bravo! La jornada laboral comienza a las 9 a. m. y el taller comienza a las 10 a. m. en el jardín. Trae tus propias tijeras, cortadores de bucles, selladores, cintas y cuchillos de podar, si los tienes. También tendremos herramientas limitadas disponibles en el jardín para que las uses. ¡Trae tu almuerzo y una bebida y quédate a almorzar después en nuestro hermoso jardín comunitario! ¡Todos los niveles son bienvenidos!

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Garden Day at Ocean Song Preserve

  • Day: Sunday, January 19
  • Time: 10:30 – 3:30pm (if you stay for the hike)
  • Place: Ocean Song Preserve, Occidental
  • Led by volunteer Jan Lochner

The pollinator and habitat garden at Ocean Song/Myers is a truly magical place. You are invited to experience the land as you help tend the garden, which is home to dozens of plant and animal species!
Activities depend on the season, and might include pruning, mulching, mowing or other seasonal needs. Your abilities will guide the task!  Volunteer land stewardship days like this are the best way to experience Ocean Song Preserve, which is closed to public access.

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Winter Hike at Lafferty Ranch

  • Day: Saturday, January 25
  • Time: 9am – 11:30am
  • Place: Lafferty Ranch, Petaluma
  • Pre-registration is required for this free hike.

January usually brings green grass and full creeks to the Lafferty Ranch Open Space on upper Sonoma Mountain. Join docent Larry Modell, a long-time advocate for public open space, to explore this unique property and discuss its future.
This 270-acre property is the only publicly-owned land on the west side of Sonoma Mountain. Under contract with the City of Petaluma, Landpaths has been leading hikes on the land to introduce groups to its history and natural features since the summer of 2022. The hiking terrain ranges from broad, gentle meadows to steep challenging hillsides with a narrow path.

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Vamos Afuera: Buscando Hongos en Riddell Preserve

  • Día: domingo, 26 de enero
  • Hora: 9am – 3pm
  • Lugar: Riddell Preserve con transportatión por Bayer Farm en Santa rosa

Para esta aventura, exploraremos la hermosa Preserva de Riddell, disfrutaremos de los madroños especiales, buscaremos hongos para aprender más de ellos y así saber cuales se pueden comer y cuáles debemos evitar y luego disfrutaremos de un almuerzo juntos.

¡Traiga a toda la familia para aprender sobre el maravilloso mundo de los hongos!

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Stories + News

Stories of Impact

Reflections on the Queer Forestry and Fire Program

November 26, 2024

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The closest sound to me is my handsaw cutting through the wood of a small Douglas fir tree, the next sound the wind bustling in the canopy overhead and through the tall dried grasses surrounding me, more distant the sounds of laughter and conversation from those working around me, beyond that the consistent call of the foghorn from the bay. These sounds surround me as I work in the Ocean Song grassland, homeland of the southern Pomo, alongside the twenty-five other individuals who participated in the Queer Forestry and Fire Program. These are the sounds of community, connection, and care for the land and each other that we created in this program. 

What Happens Now? A Letter from Executive Director Craig Anderson to Friends of LandPaths

November 14, 2024

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The results of the U.S. presidential election, one week ago, sent shockwaves through our community, neighborhoods, and families. It makes a person pause, and it certainly should. At a time when it seemed there was momentum to move ahead, for many people what seems a U-turn has emerged, surrounding us. Click one of the tags above to read the entire post.

Community Gardens Internship  

November 11, 2024

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Are you interested in learning all about what it takes to run a successful community garden? Consider becoming a community garden intern with LandPaths! Bayer Farm, Santa Rosa’s Roseland neighborhood, and Jeff Bodwin Community Garden, in southwest Santa Rosa, together contain 120 garden plots adopted out to community members in addition to a teaching garden for students to learn about growing food and nutrition. The internship is offered on a part-time basis, unpaid, up to 20 hours per week, with an option of work in exchange for course credit. Click on one of the tags above to learn more.

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