MOUNTAINS + MOLEHILLS
  • Blog
  • About
  • Our People
  • Contact

a Sonoma Land Trust stewardship blog

Mountains + Molehills focuses on the adventures of the Sonoma Land Trust stewardship crew, and the day-to-day challenges and blessings that they face. The daily schedule of each crew member may involve working with power shovels, connecting with landowners, hiking around the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor, building habitat for burrowing owls, avoiding skunks, trooping through poison oak, and so much more. Every day is an adventure, and we hope to share those adventures with you!

planting at Sears Point

1/21/2016

1 Comment

 

by Julian Meisler

​8 AM
January 19, 2016
 
It’s raining hard at Sears Point. Over three-quarters of an inch has fallen since midnight and it will keep coming down for the next several hours. Winds are steady out of the southeast. It’s likely to get worse before it gets better. Maybe it’s not a nice day for a hike — but it’s a perfect day for planting.
​
Three years of construction have left a lot of disturbed and bare ground here. Although much of the nearly 1,000 acres is now under the influence of saltwater and largely safe from weed invasions, some 60 acres of bare ground sit at or higher than the upper limits of the tides. These acreages must be actively planted — if not, we risk large-scale invasion by a variety of non-native plants, including perennial pepperweed, stinkwort, yellow star thistle, New Zealand spinach and ice plant.
 
Fortunately, we have a plan. We’re using a multi-year approach of native seeding, traditional farming and hand/harvesting/installation to plant the levee. The last part is muddy work, especially this time of year, but someone has to do it. Those people, lately, have been Steve Pye and Vita Rodriguez, part-time stewardship assistants with Sonoma Land Trust. Steve and Vita are harvesting existing populations of vigorous colonizers, such as creeping wild rye and saltgrass, and then planting bits and pieces (plugs and rhizomes) into the levee. We anticipate that these plants will spread rapidly over the coming years and augment what has already been seeded and planted. 
​
Picture
Vita Rodriguez with plugs of creeping wild rye ready for planting.
​If this sounds like fun to you, look for upcoming volunteer opportunities with Sonoma Land Trust. Some days will be spent harvesting — during others, we’ll do some planting. We will also have opportunities to plant in locations accessible only by kayak, open to experienced kayakers with their own boats. Dates are to be determined.
​
Picture
Kayakers investigating bare ground ripe for planting at Sears Point.
1 Comment
Margaret Spaulding
1/22/2016 07:27:47 pm

Love this blog and love this update on Sears Pt. And love mud.

Great volunteer opportunity and another chance to involve our community in the work of SLT.

Again, bravo and thanks for all you do.

Rain on!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    about us

    Sonoma Land Trust is a local nonprofit based in Santa Rosa, CA, that conserves scenic, natural, agricultural and open lands in Sonoma County for the benefit of the community and future generations. This blog focuses on SLT's stewardship team, whose members do hands-on work to directly protect, restore, and safeguard the land for generations to come.

    subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Give Now

    archives

    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

    categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Our People
  • Contact