Sounds and sights of stewardship 

A distant chainsaw. Freshly cut tree shoots on the trail. Tidy piles of branches arranged beneath oaks. A whisp of smoke from the hillside.   

Behind the sounds and sights of stewardship is the work of many hands — from landscape-scale processes of prescribed fire and grazing to smaller ones like hand-pulling invasive plants, lopping overeager tree sprouts, and skillfully stacking slash in burn piles. Staff, contractors, and stewards at Bouverie Preserve are the skillful hands and passionate hearts behind conservation to improve ecosystem health and increase resilience to wildfires and climate change. 

Tools of the trade 

“The Nuns Fire was a catalyst for new types of stewardship,” said Jen Potts, resource ecologist at Bouverie Preserve. According to Potts, the fire was a wake-up call that that the preserve’s forests were “overcrowded and full of dead fuel.”   

Droves of established plants and trees were consumed by the fire and some have come back with a fervor. Walking on the trail beside Stuart Creek, it’s clear that bay trees are thriving. Verdant sprouts blanket the ground and climb upslope, making opportunistic use of the open canopy and outcompeting vegetation that’s slower to return.  

“After the Nuns Fire, we are asking ourselves: ‘What are we managing for’” Potts said. “’What species and processes need support?’ Answering those questions helps us choose which stewardship tools to use to improve the resilience of our forests.”  

Funding as a driver 

Potts pointed out stewardship priorities at Bouverie can be determined by the funding that’s available. Before the Nuns Fire, using good fire for stewardship was already top of mind for Audubon Canyon Ranch and its partner organizations in Sonoma Valley. After the Nuns Fire, wildfire cleanup, fuels reduction, and prescribed burning was an emergent priority for Audubon Canyon Ranch to make the preserve more resilient to the effects of climate change and wildfire. CAL FIRE, State Office of Emergency Services, and private donor funding continue to be available to support these projects. 

We can’t do this work alone 

One challenge of using grant funds can be completing a project and using the funds within an allocated time frame. Meeting this challenge can mean the necessity and quick use of many skillful hands, including hired ones. 

“We deeply value our role as one of the contractors that Audubon Canyon Ranch trusts with implementing a wide variety of conservation projects,” said Steve Pye, owner of Spye General Engineering, a small business based in Petaluma.  

Pye and his crew of four full-time employees can be found at Audubon Canyon Ranch preserves and working with other local conservation organizations and agencies doing a variety stewardship. Most recently at Bouverie Preserve, his crew spent a few days on steep slopes above the canyon, traipsing through poison oak and overcrowded bay sprouts, and clearing around the bases of mature oak trees in preparation for a future broadcast burn. Pye shared, “We would not be working in support of good fire without the amazing mentorship and training of Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Fire Forward program.” 

Pye shared his passion for conservation work as a valuable industry that “deserves as much respect (and someday pay) as any white-collar occupations.” Pye reflected on his steadfast commitment to the future of local conservation work despite recent freezes in federal funding which have deeply impacted his work. “We’re still on the land doing what we believe in,” Pye said. “Working towards a healthier and more fire resilient landscape.”  

Magical tools 

Every week on Monday morning, a group of about a dozen volunteers show up at Bouverie Preserve. “The stewards are a magical tool,” said Potts. “They can do anything — build piles, burn piles, count newts, pull blackberries — whatever we need them to do, and it’s not grant dependent.” Amanda Botsford, Bouverie Preserve land steward who spearheads the stewardship days on Mondays, also lavished praise on the stewards describing them as “absolutely wonderful.”  

Generosity of time and skills 

“Think about 10 stewards showing up at Bouverie Preserve for an average of 40 weeks out of the year. That’s 400 person hours on the ground,” Potts reflected on the value of the weekly, year-round commitment of the stewards. This enables the staff at Bouverie Preserve to be flexible, plugging stewards into projects that arise on a weekly or even daily basis, whether it’s trail work, mending a fence, repairing a road, or clearing a hillside.  

A learning experience 

Mike Witkowski, a docent for 13 years and a steward for six, sees his steward work as vital for providing educational benefits for children on field trips. Cherie Blatt, a docent trainee and steward newcomer, is similarly inspired, “knowing that the work will help educate school children about science.” 

Potts shared that the stewards’ projects have become a valuable component of the education program. “We used to have this Disneyland effect on Mondays,” said Potts. She explained that there was a time at the preserve when the role of stewards was to primarily clean up the landscape for the school children during the week to see nature as tidy and well-groomed. “Now,” continued Potts, “we’re somewhat intentionally leaving things untidy. If we have burn piles going on a school day, we can teach kids about fuels reduction, thinning, and burning.”  

Hearts and hands 

The beauty of working outside and seeing the seasons change at Bouverie Preserve, the camaraderie of working together, and learning stewardship skills are central motivations for stewards to keep coming back week after week, year after year.  

For stewards, there is also an uplifting feeling of having a wider impact inspiring them to stay dedicated. As Marianna Riser, a steward of four years, shared, “The wildfire fire that burned through the area in 2017 devastated parts of the preserve. Our job is to make sure that next time it will not be as devastating.”  

Paul Schwarz, who has been volunteering for three years, expressed his dedication with, “It’s very satisfying to support care of the resources for the benefit of current visitors and future generations.” 

Conservation relies on thoughtful and evolving stewardship 

Your support helps Audubon Canyon Ranch steward the preserves to be more resilient to the effects of climate change and wildfire. Donate, become a member, or volunteer today.