Summer is upon us! If you’ve kept a garden or maintained a landscape here in Sonoma County, you know just how thirsty plants can get in the dry season. Luckily, many of the guiding principles for having a water-wise garden in our climate have the co-benefit of being fire-smart. Many folks are familiar with the […]
Growing a garden may seem mysterious to some, however by implementing a few tricks of the trade, you can grow the garden of your dreams. Here are six simple tips that will guide you along the way to success. It all starts with the soil. By simply increasing the health of your soil you are […]
The term “rain garden” may bring to mind images of tropical forests or elaborate garden water features. In reality, they are one of the easiest ways to improve your yard while protecting our creeks, streams and Russian River. They are also a great excuse to play in the garden. Rain gardens filter, infiltrate, and slow […]
While we socially distance and modify our daily routines to limit the spread of Coronavirus, individually celebrate Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary on April 22nd – the planet’s largest civic event by learning more about climate actions, conservation, our home watershed, and promoting a healthy, sustainable environment. What is Earth Day? Earth Day started on April […]
The COVID-19 pandemic will affect most events. Please check with the organizer or this blog regularly. Any updates will be posted as soon as they are available. Virtual Earth Action Week, April 20-26, 2020 Join the City of Sonoma’s virtual Earth Action Week at home! Even though we are sheltering-in-place, you can still participate in […]
It’s hard to imagine the Russian River without salmon or steelhead. These iconic fish were a major food supply for indigenous people and early settlers. They once gave the river the reputation as a world-renowned fly-fishing destination, are a critical link in the riparian food web – and are spectacularly beautiful. In the early 2000s, […]
The Monarch Butterfly One morning last summer, as I watched a pair of butterflies flying from bloom to bloom on a butterfly bush, I realized I hadn’t seen a Monarch Butterfly in years. I did some research and learned some distressing news. In January of 2019, the Xerces Society’s yearly census of the western monarch […]
America is a disposable nation. Each person, on average, produces more than 1,600 pounds of trash each year. In total, over 230 million tons of trash accumulates in landfills yearly in the United States. Growing up you have likely been taught to help reduce your waste by practicing the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. […]
