Sonoma State University student Justin Brown (pictured above with Resource Ecologist Julianne Bradbury) and Modini Mayacamas Preserves biologist Sherry Adams chatted recently about our Ferguson Spring restoration project.

Justin:
I loved being in a foothill wetland environment promoting the growth of native plants. I was changing the landscape, including propagation and transplanting into the wetland. I loved working with the camera trap to capture wildlife in an area that I was restoring. Through creating the Plant Guide I really got to know the plants' global history, cultural uses, and removal methods. I will continue writing this guide, it's the coolest thing I've done, it's moved plants to the forefront of my life.

I came to ACR and let you...

Some will say to practice moderation in all things, but we have found a few exceptions to that rule. For instance, we never tire of hearing the inspiring stories of members of our North Bay community rising up to help each other recover from the devastating fires this past October; another example is the insatiable appetite of Audubon Canyon Ranch volunteers for pitching in to help protect and manage our preserves. At the Modini Mayacamas Preserves near Healdsburg, we have experienced both of those phenomenon in a concentrated burst as the Bouverie Stewards came to our aid over the past two weeks.

The Bouverie Stewards are a dedicated group that have lent their time, energy and manifold talents to stewardship projects of the Bouverie Preserve every Monday since 2007 but ever...

Thank you all. Everyone has been so supportive of our wildlife - our community. Thank you!

This is a very hard time for all of us, and it is no different for the mountain lions or other critters. The ACR Mountain Lion Project has 3 lions that have been monitored using GPS satellite collars in the Bennet Valley area. A preliminary observation suggests about 50% of optimal lion habitat across our study area has been burned. In the long-term this will be good with rejuvenation inviting opportunities, but for now it is likely hard for them. I wouldn't say they have been displaced so much as re-routed. I have observed movement of our GPS collared cats cruising through burned areas, as well as avoiding them. Because lion ranges are so extensive (up to 300 square miles for males), they...

The Modini Mayacamas Preserves Stewards are off to a victorious start in their effort to maintain trails, clear invasive species and complete long-range stewardship projects. In late summer, the volunteer crew convened on the Foss Road Trail high above Healdsburg to ready it for a full schedule of fall public hikes. They braved the fog AND the sun to clear out a few major roadblocks, trim the walking path and clip back the blackberry and poison oak.
A few weeks later, our intrepid team began a campaign to control the spread of non-native teasel that is invading our grasslands near Ferguson Spring.

Ongoing stewardship work performed by volunteers is vital for the long-term health of our preserves. To join us, see the next scheduled session for details:...