• Saturday, April 17: Maxwell Farms Regional Parks Stewardship. Earth Day creek cleanup. Contact Mallory with questions 343-5221 or maldavenport@comcast.net
• Thursday, March 18th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
• Saturday, March 27th: Hood Mountain Regional Park

April

• Saturday, April 3rd: Hood Mountain Regional Park
• Thursday, April 8th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
• Tuesday, April 27th: Hood Mountain Regional Park

May

• Tuesday, May 4th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
• Thursday, May 13th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
• Saturday, May 22nd: Hood Mountain Regional Park

June

• Saturday, June 5th – National Trail Day: Hood Mountain Regional Park

Hood Mountain workdays notes from Dave Chalk: All workdays are from 9am to 1pm. Most of the upcoming workdays will focus on finishing off the Merganser pond backpacking sites. Once those are completed we will move up and over the mountain to the second backpacking site located at Azalea Creek. This backpacking site has been around since the 1970s but hasn’t been open to the public since the 80s. It won’t need anywhere near the work put into Merganser. It’s basically all set to go with just a couple of workdays needed to spruce it up. Contact John Ryan (565-3356) for more information.

Directions: Meet in the Pythian Road parking lot (1450 Pythian Road) for all Hood Mountain workdays.

May

• Saturday, May 1 & 8: Creekside Trail maintenance, Shiloh Regional Park. In the first part of this two-day project, we’ll rebuild a steep and entrenched section, as well as several other problem areas. On our second day at Shiloh, we plan to build a causeway on the upper approach to the bridge to reduce erosion and make the trail more usable year round. Workday will be from 9am to 2pm. Meet at Shiloh parking lot, 5750 Faught Road, Windsor, CA. Contact Tim Mayer for more information or to sign up.
• Saturday, May 15: Helen Putnam Regional Park. Tread maintenance and improvements on Savannah Trail (or other trail TBD). Workday will be from 9am to 2pm. Meet at the parking lot on Chileno Valley Rd. Contact Tim Mayer for more information or to sign up.
  
• Sunday, May 16: Little Black Mountain Celebration: Save the date for a hike and trail celebration on Little Black Mountain, a Sonoma Land Trust property near Cazadero. Be one of the first to explore the trail (recently upgraded by SCTC) to the “Lone Antler Lookout” and experience the unfolding panoramic vista of Sonoma County’s beyond. This is special event open to SCTC and SLT members — a perk since this property is generally not open to the public. For more information or to sign-up, please email Sonoma Land Trust

June

• Saturday & Sunday, June 6 & 7: Pickin’ at the Point 2010. We return to Salt Point for a weekend project. We expect to work on the Stump Beach Trail and more. Free camping available for all volunteers — additional details TBA. Contact Rob Helms to sign up or for more info.
• Sunday, June 12: Americorp Trail, Sebastopol’s Laguna de Santa Rosa Preserve. Clear blackberries, willow and debris to reopen this trail near downtown Sebastopol. Details TBA. Contact Geoffrey Skinner to sign up for more info.

• Registration – 6am
• Food service – evening
• Rest stop – couple of shifts during the day
• Beer/waste monitoring (with Ken Wells)
• Clean up

A portion of the proceeds for refreshments goes to the Trails Council — if we can put together enough volunteers to help out, so your service will directly support our programs. Please contact volunteer@bikemonkey.net to sign up or for questions. See the race page for additional event details

The goal is 150 minutes per week (that’s just 30 minutes a day, five days a week!).

Sign up so we know what community you are from and can enter you in weekly drawing for cool iWALK stuff! By participating, you’ll have fun and increase your fitness level!

The walk begins at the Sebastopol Plaza (Petaluma Ave. and McKinley St.) at 9am. Wear comfortable shoes, a hat, and bring water, sunscreen and a snack. Heavy rain cancels. After the walk some of the group may wish to have lunch at a Sebastopol restaurant.  Leader for this walk is Geoffrey Skinner (blog author).

This walk is part of a series of walks around the City of Sebastopol — and one of many walks throughout Sonoma County now listed on the iWalk Sonoma website. iWalk Sonoma is a project of Healthy Sonoma 2020.

For more information, please contact Geoffrey Skinner

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=105731890193058886264.00047eb7b0dc162eb4b6b&ll=38.404135,-122.827578&spn=0.013202,0.023539&t=h&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

The County is particularly interested because it would jump-start a long-dormant plan to convert the abandoned Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad route from Bloomfield Road in Sebastopol to Petaluma into an 11-mile long recreational trail. When the rail corridor was abandoned in the 1980s, the rights of way reverted to the original (or subsequent) owners of properties along the way. Many sections would have to be purchased or alternatives found, but one of the main barriers has been the lack of connection at the Sebastopol end. Deedler’s route runs from Bloomfield Road north to the Rodota Trail along the edge of the city; he has spoken with all the property owners along the way and found them nearly all to be receptive to considering rights-of-way for a trail. This trail would make a direct connection with the proposed Sebastopol-Petaluma trail and, with the Rodota and SMART Train corridor trail, would create a grand loop for commuting and recreational outings.

Deedler and his group, Sebastopol Trail Makers, would like to see an additional route — largely off-street — paralleling Bodega Ave. to connect the Rodota Trail to the schools on Watertrough Road, to the west of the City. The two trails could be connected by route curving around to the south of town to create a local loop approximately 7 miles long. If the Deedler’s plans come to fruition, they will significantly bolster Sebastopol’s reputation for bike-friendliness.

The next step is a feasibility study. Regional Parks wants to cover the entire length from Petaluma to Sebastopol, though most of the focus would likely be on the stretch between Bloomfield and the Rodota Trail due to the large number of private parcels involved; south of Bloomfield on the old Petaluma & Santa Rosa RR right-of-way should be less problematic. Regional Parks had an option to apply for funding for the feasibility study this year, but since a major project in Sonoma Valley was already underway, they decided to wait until the next funding cycle. Although the Sebastopol Trail Maker are eager to get underway, the delay will likely make for a stronger case next year.

Hikers on a fundraising 5-mile hike from the start at Spring Lake to Lake Ilsanjo followed the runners, traveling by way of the recent Trails Council project on Spring Creek trail.

The organizers have posted many photos and other information on the race website.

Today, Feb. 23, 2010, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, acting as the District’s Board of Directors, approved five contracts totaling $391,360 to prepare for the construction of the North Slope Ridge trail on Sonoma Mountain, and to assist the District with other trail development projects at the Montini and Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserves.

“Sonoma Mountain now joins the ring of Bay Area summits that provide public access,” said Valerie Brown, First District Supervisor. “State, County and District-protected properties will be linked together by a multi-use trail that allows the community to enjoy 5,500 acres of contiguous open space.”

The agreements include services from Sonoma County Regional Parks Department for construction management of park improvements, the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council (BARTC) for trail planning and construction oversight, and the Conservation Corps North Bay for trail construction and stewardship tasks such as invasive plant control and fire abatement. Additional contracted services include engineering, surveying, and permitting work that must occur prior to construction. Construction is expected to begin early this summer and be substantially completed by late fall.

“This project will help provide local youth with meaningful work and new perspectives,” said Gary Miltimore, Sonoma County Program Director of the Conservation Corps North Bay. “They will be working alongside people that are passionate about providing safe, yet exhilarating, public access to Sonoma County’s richest natural resources.”

The proposed multi-use trail will traverse four District-protected properties, totaling approximately 454 acres and a public investment of more than $12 million, the 84-acre Sonoma Mountain Woodlands parcel owned by Regional Parks, and the approximately 1,400-acre Jack London State Historic Park. The $1.4 million construction project encompasses access road improvements, a parking area, and a 4.25-mile trail that will total approximately nine miles of trail from the proposed trailhead at Jacobs Ranch on Sonoma Mountain to the Hayfields trailhead at Jack London State Historic Park and add to the larger Bay Area Ridge Trail.

“The North Slope Sonoma Mountain Ridge Trail will be a treasured link in the visionary 550-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail,” said Janet McBride, BARTC Executive Director. “We are thrilled that trail construction is poised to begin—this is the happy result of many years of passionate, persistent efforts among many partners.”

The California Coastal Conservancy has supported the preservation of, and access to, Sonoma Mountain by providing a total of $2,385,000 in grant funding for planning, land acquisition, and public access improvements. The Coastal Conservancy was able to release $341,666 of a $575,000 grant frozen by the State to begin the construction.

“There is no better place to experience the spectacular beauty of Sonoma County than its namesake mountain,” said Maxene Spellman, project manager for the State Coastal Conservancy. “The new trail will lead hikers into the quiet intimacy of nature and offer majestic views that take in much of the North Bay’s awe-inspiring landscape.”

“This project once again demonstrates the significance of partnerships in our land conservation efforts,” said Bill Keene, General Manager of the District. “Our combined teamwork in funding, planning, and implementing this project will provide needed jobs, public access, and protection of diverse wildlife habitats and sensitive natural resources.”

–Source: Sonoma Land Trust

Trail Center crew leader training, Feb. 20, 2010

This past week’s volunteer crew leader training was a series of firsts. The training was San Mateo County Parks first crew leader training and was the Trail Center’s first sponsored training since 2004. By all accounts the training was a success.

On the night of Thursday, Feb 18, we had about 10 crew leader trainees, and on Saturday, Feb 20, we had 8 trainees. Thursday’s session included overviews, trail standards, a day in the life of a
crew leader, and safety. My Thursday highlight was Scott’s Joe Crew Leader session where he channeled Geoffrey Skinner and described a fictional trail day where “Joe Crew Leader” was strong in enthusiasm but weak in self awareness and people skills.

On Saturday, we focused on putting our learning to the test. We started the day with the rituals of the trail day and then broke into three, rotating groups that focused on drainage, tread, and
brushing/trail maintenance. The weather cooperated since it did not rain until later on Saturday afternoon.

Through both the classroom and field sessions, the instruction concentrated on the three objectives of a trail day: 1) safety, 2) having fun, and 3) building quality trails.

Next Saturday, Feb 27 from 9:00 am to noon will be an optional crew leader training session. We need to finalize the agenda, but we will probably focus on building drainage structures.

The training came together through the efforts of many. I’d like to thank the following:

• Coastal Conservancy for their grant that helped make the training possible (and the quality sandwiches and shirts).
• Geoffrey Skinner, former Trail Center president, and the Sonoma County Trails Council for allowing us to leverage SCTC training materials.
• Carla Schoof, the SMCP volunteer coordinator, for organizing the effort for the SMCP.
• San Mateo Park rangers who participated in the Thursday and
• Saturday sessions, especially David Vasquez who participated in both sessions.
• Trail Center projects team including Scott Heeschen, Dave Croker, Dave Taylor, and Hank Magnuski for their work in preparation and instruction.

I learned a lot from the sessions including how to make the next one even better.

Here’s the link for pictures from the Saturday practical session.

Tool demonstrations

The 8th Annual Park Advocacy Day (PAD) will take place on March 8th in Sacramento from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

Visit the California State Parks Foundation website to sign up for PAD 2010.

Registration required by February 19th.

Also email stewards@mcn.org to let the Stewards know that you plan to attend and they will work out carpooling for this important and empowering event. Training is provided and you will mentor with other experienced advocates. Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet with legislators in person!

Park Advocacy Day 2009