Help Sugarloaf with trail restoration work. Work includes bridge and step construction, installing signs, clearing, lifting, carrying and hiking. Bring gloves, hat, and water that you can carry hands-free (i.e. bring a backpack).Wear long pants, boots or sturdy shoes and sunscreen. Poison oak is present, so long sleeves are suggested. We have tools and trained crew leaders with tasks for all. Those under 18 years old must be accompanied by a responsible adult. We will provide tools, food and beverages. If you are a current State Parks volunteer, signup in vicnet. If you are an SEC volunteer, sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4aaca62ca3ff2-sugarloaf1

Choose your own adventure! Part of our Hiking for Fitness program, these free, moderate-to-strenuous group hikes are geared to keep you motivated through the cold season. No RSVP needed, but parking fees apply. Maintenance Hikes are every second and fourth Saturday.

Join founder of the Mycelium Project and Sonoma Ecology Center naturalist Jonny Ehlers along with Restoration manager and native plant expert Jason Mills on an exploration through the Calabazas Creek Open Space Preserve. Located on Nunns Canyon Road, the preserve is near the epicenter of the 2017 Nunns Fire. The preserve is only accessible to the public on guided outings, and is known for its stunning vistas, open meadows, waterfalls, and oak woodlands. Calabazas Creek provides hikers with a multitude of microclimates as well as a rigorous hike.

The Calabazas Creek Open Space Preserve was protected by Ag + Open Space in October of 2004 for recreation and preservation of its natural resources, including the stretch of Calabazas Creek that cascades down the canyon. The 1,290-acre property, overlooking the Valley of the Moon, is one of the most exquisite natural sites in Sonoma Valley, containing a wide array of habitats and breathtaking vistas.

This is a strenuous hike with substantial elevation gain, on established trails. Please bring water and lunch, and be prepared for that day’s weather. There is a shallow water crossing. The hike will go on in light rain, but heavy rain will cancel the outing. There is no charge for this outing, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of  Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.

REGISTER TODAY! Reservations are required online by 5pm on Weds, Dec 12, 2019. Directions and day-of contact information will be emailed upon registration. For more information or questions, contact Tony Passantino at (707) 996-0712, ext. 124 or Tony@sonomaecologycenter.org.

As part of our bilingual Senderos series, we will make something beautiful from nature to decorate your home or give as a gift!

Sonoma Ecology Center hosts its wreath-making workshop at Sonoma Garden Park on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Using all local greenery and forest findings, you will learn techniques to bundle and loop, creating original rings of beauty. An ancient tradition, wreaths make the perfect winter welcome at an entrance, or as holiday centerpiece or wall decoration. Whether yours is a traditional evergreen wreath or a New Year “hoop of hope,” its intention will shine through. 

This bilingual event for all ages is led by Julia Megna, SEC’s Education Project Manager and owner of Hundred Acre Greenery, and Alma Shaw, SEC’s Senderos Naturales coordinator. 

Sonoma Garden Park was protected by Ag + Open Space in November of 2011 for recreation and preservation of its natural resources and for its learning classroom environment for agriculture field trips for nearby elementary schools through Sonoma Ecology Center’s “Growing Discovery” program. The 6-acre property, nestled in eastern Sonoma, is an incredible public park and working garden site in Sonoma Valley, containing a wide array of habitats alongside sustainably designed systems for both agriculture use and landscaping purposes.

There is no charge for this outing, which is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who fund the work of  Ag + Open Space with a quarter-cent sales tax.