What a year! As we enter the season of hope and renewal — the end of one year and the beginning of the next — I’m spending too much time reading the news. 

The news isn’t great. Our animals are disappearing — giraffes and coho and lions and fishers. Climate change is all around us — we see it in the weather and in the tides. Political systems seem stretched beyond capacity around the world. It’s a distressing way to enter the season of hope and joy.

I read all this and put down my iPhone feeling powerless and glum. My dog gives a tail wag and I grab my coat and head outside. The sky is clearing from this welcome rain and a little sunlight shines through the yellow leaves of a maple tree. Walking towards the park, I wave to a neighbor, smile, check the creek running under the bridge — any steelhead? And I walk. Walking through the oak woodlands has been my tonic for years. The fresh rain smell wafts around me, my step lightens, Abbie the dog runs after the ball. By the end of my walk, my disposition had greatly improved. I was chilled on my cheeks and nose, but warm in my heart. 

I felt better. Nature makes me feel better. I’m so grateful to live here in Northern California surrounded by the spectacular drama of nature, grateful to be living and working in communities that appreciate the natural world. That gives me courage, gives me hope, and helps remind me not to give up or give in. ​

If you’re familiar with Sonoma Land Trust, you’ve probably heard of our work to protect the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor, a band of habitat linking the Marin Coast to the Blue Ridge-Berryessa region in eastern Napa County and only three-quarters of a mile wide in some parts. This narrow strip of land is critically important. It serves as cover, easy passage, a source of food and water, and breeding habitat for Sonoma Valley’s wildlife — including mountain lions.

Mountain lions aren’t just cool to look at — they play an indispensable role in maintaining the biodiversity and stability of the Sonoma Valley ecosystem. The health of a mountain lion population can also give us insights on how wildlife in general can move between habitat areas as they need large ranges (anywhere from 10 to 370 square miles!) to survive — and if a mountain lion can survive in fragmented habitats, perhaps other species can too.

P2, the one-year-old daughter of P1, was captured and collared near Annadel State Park on November 13 and released at the capture site.

Both lions were in great health. P1 is between 8 and 10 years old, weighs about 96 pounds and is 6 feet from head to tail. P2, a juvenile, weighs 70 pounds.
​
The importance of this work will have far-reaching impacts. ”This project is going to yield invaluable data for conservation efforts, not just locally, but throughout California,” said ACR executive director John Petersen to the Press Democrat — and we’re proud of the role Sonoma Land Trust in playing in saving the habitat that these lions call home.

​Sources: Audubon Canyon Ranch
Press Democrat
 
To find out more about how you can help protect the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor, visit sonomalandtrust.org or read about it here.