Emblazoned with a mountain peak logo, workers can be seen trekking through Laufenberg Ranch, an 180-acre land reserve dedicated to preserving biodiversity. Less than 50 miles away, workers with the same logo can be seen setting up wildlife cameras at Pole Mountain, another land preserve that is nearly 250-acres in size. These are just two of the areas protected by the Sonoma Land Trust, one of the largest conservation and land management agencies in the US, but across the nearly 58,000 acres of land they protect, the Land Trust’s dedication to conservation is clear.
Sonoma Land Trust is a non-profit organization that was established in 1976, and their goal since their founding has been to preserve Sonoma County’s diverse environment forever. From stewarding land to providing educational programs, the Land Trust has worked tirelessly to maintain the beauty of the Sonoma region and ensure that future generations have biodiverse land to enjoy. Some of their stewardship projects include saving and maintaining the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor, creating a park greenway in southeast Santa Rosa, protecting the San Pablo Baylands during future Highway 37 redesigns, as well as many more.
Beyond just stewardship though, the Sonoma Land Trust also works to encourage youth to love and be involved in the outdoors. The Conservation Council, among other programs, is an example of this, where 26 teenagers from around Sonoma County are accepted to conduct research and learn about the fundamentals of conservation. One member, Xavier Mendez, stated, “I’m really interested in conservation sciences, it’s something that’s always intrigued me. So, when I saw this program I jumped on it because it was something that I haven’t seen before and it’s something I’m interested in.”
The leader of this program is Mirella Ramos, the Bilingual Youth Programs Coordinator for the Land Trust. As they said:
“Programs like this are important for young people because sometimes it’s harder to actually build community in schools, to have adults that are willing to listen to you and see you as leaders and see you as the young adults that you are. I believe that when you guys are given responsibility, you’re able to meet that challenge. And for me, working with teens, I don’t see you as kids, I see you as young adults, because you’re able to take on responsibilities and grow as people, and programs like this allow you to have that opportunity, along with opportunities that can help you advance in your education or in whatever kind of work you want to do in the future.”
In the end, “what you should take away from this program is that you’re able to do whatever you put your minds to,” says Mirella. Whether it be research, leadership, or simply opportunities to be outdoors, the Sonoma Land Trust offers it all through the Conservation Council. And through this program, teenagers across Sonoma County have the opportunity to become more confident and learn about the beauty of nature.
