Growing Climate And Community Resilience Through Native Plants
This blog article by Sonoma Ecology Center's GrizzlyCorps Fellow, Faith Shortridge, was originally published on grizzlycorps.org under the title 'Native Plants Are Our Friends' on April 7, 2026.A cart of California native plants for sale, arranged by Faith. If you...
Remembering Hannah Aclufi
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Hannah Ronit Aclufi's passing. Hannah was a beloved member of the Sonoma Ecology Center community, and her presence will always be felt at Sonoma Garden Park, where she managed the Sonoma Native Plant Nursery alongside...
Welcoming Spring at Sonoma Garden Park
Photo by Melania MahoneyThere is an Edenic feel to Sonoma Garden Park this time of year: fruit trees are a wash of vibrant pink and white blooms, birds are chattering, and there is a lush greenness in every direction. The landscape feels poised on the cusp of renewal,...
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Spring Wildflower Report
Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii), photo courtesy of Jim Webb. Wildflowers start to bloom along the trails at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park as early as January, hinting at the promise of spring! Now retired from the United States Forest Service (USFS), Jim Webb lends...
Planting the Seeds of Stewardship at Stoneman Elementary School—an Update on the Green Schoolyards Project
Evan Jones of CAL FIRE assists students of Stoneman Elementary School in blending soil, compost, and biochar to amend the tree and shrub plantings. Photo by Raymond Baltar.The Green Schoolyards Project continues to move from vision to reality, with visible progress...
City of Sonoma General Plan Update—Talking Points from Sonoma Ecology Center and Our Partners
Sonoma Valley residents have a chance to influence the City of Sonoma’s General Plan for the next 20 years, before the public comment period closes on February 18, 2026. The General Plan controls how land can be used, how streets and trails develop over time, how many...
Honoring a Legacy of Service at Nathanson Creek Preserve: Community Comes Together for MLK Day Event
Photo by Melania MahoneyOn a warm and bright Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a group of 17 volunteers and 6 Sonoma Ecology staff members came out for a day of service to help clean up Nathanson Creek. The crew worked hard throughout the day removing trash and clearing...
Meet Mickey Abate, Sonoma Ecology Center’s New Environmental Educator
Mickey Abate joined Sonoma Ecology Center as an Environmental Educator in October, 2025.Rooted in Sonoma Valley and shaped by a lifelong relationship with its ecology, Mickey Abate brings both local insight and reflective curiosity to her new role as Environmental...
Caring for Our Creeks Through Community-Based Stewardship
Photo by Austin NobleOn a crisp November Saturday, volunteers fanned out along several Sonoma Creek access points for a Watershed-Wide Creek Cleanup, answering a timely call to action as the first winter rains approached. With storms on the horizon and floodwaters...
Meet Josh Zupan, Sonoma Ecology Center’s New Restoration Technician
Josh Zupan joined Sonoma Ecology Center as a Restoration Technician in November, 2025. Sonoma Ecology Center is excited to welcome Restoration Technician Josh Zupan! Hailing from the Sierra Foothills by way of Nevada City, Josh brings both a strong field background...
Finding Your Footing in Environmentalism: SEC Board Member Ava Castro Reflects on Her Time as an EnviroLeader
Sonoma Ecology Center Board Member and EnviroLeaders Alumna Ava Castro. Photo courtesy of Daily Acts.For nearly two decades, the EnviroLeaders program—launched by Sonoma Ecology Center in 2008—has been a hands-on gateway for Sonoma Valley teens to explore...
Celebrating One Year of SEC’s Gear Lending Library, and the Youth Campouts it’s Made Possible
Photo by Christie ClarkThis November marked the one-year anniversary of Sonoma Ecology Center’s outdoor gear lending library at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park—a community resource we are deeply proud of. The library was created to expand environmental education and...
Reflecting on 2025 at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Through the Lens of Sugarloaf’s Volunteer Community
Lynn Pelletier welcomes fellow Sugarloaf Volunteer Eric Beckman across the finish line at the Annual Headwaters to Headwaters Hike in April 2025. Photo courtesy of Austin Noble.As 2025 draws to a close, we want to highlight the vibrant community of volunteers that...
Meet Sonoma Ecology Center’s Senderos Naturales Program Assistant, Mario Coronado | Conoce al Asistente del Programa Senderos Naturales del Sonoma Ecology Center, Mario Coronado
Sonoma Ecology Center's new Senderos Naturales Program Assistant, Mario Coronado, at one of the program's bilingual family campouts. Photo by Alma Shaw. | El nuevo Asistente del Programa Senderos Naturales de Sonoma Ecology Center, Mario Coronado, en uno de los...
Serious New Threat to Sonoma’s Oak Trees
Photo by Alma ShawSonoma’s native oak trees, a defining feature of our landscape and cultural heritage, are in critical danger due to the rapid spread of the Mediterranean oak borer, a small invasive beetle. Please read the following update from Sonoma Ecology...
Notes From the Field: Watershed Update from SEC’s Senior Scientist, Steven Lee
When he's not leading watershed health monitoring, conducting sediment analysis, and penning research reports, Sonoma Ecology Center Senior Scientist and Research Program Manager Steven Lee (left) can be found rolling up his sleeves and removing debris from our local...
Meet Sonoma Ecology Center’s GrizzlyCorps Fellow, Faith Shortridge
Sonoma Ecology Center's new GrizzlyCorps Fellow, Faith Shortridge, at the Kenneth S. Norris Rancho Marino Reserve, a University of California natural reserve on the central coast where she studied Monterey pines.Sonoma Ecology Center is excited to introduce Faith...
Just Because School is Back in Session, Doesn’t Mean the Adventures Have to End!
Photo by Kristen RussellIt’s a busy season, with back to school and back to a full load of schedules and activities, but Daylight Savings doesn’t end until November 2nd, so there’s still plenty of time left to take advantage of Sonoma’s beautiful long evenings. Enjoy...
Educators Prepare for Back to School Season with Gear Lending Library Training, Expanding Outdoor Access for Sonoma Valley Youth
Left to right: Tony Passantino (Sonoma Ecology Center), Emma Melendy (Sonoma Ecology Center), Dana Ngo (Teravana), Erik Sorensen (Teravana), Destiny Teasley (Teravana), Carlos Rivas (Sonoma Land Trust), and Rachel Halloway (Sugarloaf Ridge State Park) gather at...
Summer Camp 2025 Wrap-Up: How Mentorship Shapes the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders
Photo by Austin Noble At Sonoma Ecology Center’s Summer Science Camps, mentorship doesn’t just happen—it thrives amidst storytelling, creek explorations, and STEAM projects like making sundials and nature journaling. With campers spanning four to five years in age...