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Yesterday was a day of wonder and magic for West County: the kind of day that sets the stage for centuries of future wonder and magic.
After years of dedicated effort, we finalized the public funding and acquisition of the Monte Rio Redwoods Expansion—1,517 acres of redwood forest and headwater streams now protected forever. This isn’t just a conservation success. It’s an act of long-term stewardship: preserving habitat, safeguarding water, and strengthening the climate resilience of our region.
It’s not every day we get to celebrate something so meaningful. This gorgeously untamed, precious wild land will continue to shelter wildlife, filter our creeks, and offer future generations a place to explore, reflect, and connect with the natural world. The work to protect it has been years in the making. I’m deeply grateful to all the partners and advocates who helped bring it across the finish line. We would not have been able to get here without the tireless work of Regional Parks, Save the Redwoods League, the Ag Preservation & Open Space District, the Gianni Cycling Association, and of course the willingness of the seller, Mendocino Redwoods Company. (As an aside: this acquisition means that the Gianni Cycling Association, which previously had to limit the number of members at the property owner’s request, will no longer have a limit on the number of members! We’ll include a message from Tom — AKA Snap — Gonnella in a future newsletter, sharing more info about the club and how you can roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty helping care for this land.)
Yesterday was also a powerful reminder of who we are as a county. The Board adopted a resolution commemorating Juneteenth, honoring Black freedom and the end of slavery in America, and also celebrating the 55th annual Martin Luther King Juneteenth Community Festival in Santa Rosa. (That festival will be held Saturday, June 14th, at Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa.)
We also proudly adopted a resolution proclaiming June 2025 as Pride Month in Sonoma County, continuing a tradition that began over 30 years ago. This year’s proclamation goes beyond symbolism. It’s a recommitment to love, inclusion, and the ongoing work of justice. Pride is joy, but it’s also remembrance. It’s about honoring the resilience of our LGBTQIA2S+ community, especially those we’ve lost, and lifting up the local organizations who continue to fight for equity and dignity every single day.
I’m proud to represent the Lower Russian River, which has a long history as a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community. We’re lucky to have many community champions and non-profits in West County who stand up, loud and proud, to fight for LGBTQ+ rights and care. And we’re not just proud in June… we’re proud 24/7/365. (In 2017, we raised the Pride flag permanently in Guerneville. And we’re looking forward to the Russian River Pride celebration in a few months, on September 20th.)
Whether it’s protecting land, affirming love, celebrating freedom, or supporting our neighbors, yesterday was about showing up—for the planet, for each other, and for the future.
You’ll find more on the Monte Rio Redwoods below (including a poem I wrote about it), along with updates on community safety, creative public outreach through the EPIC campaign in Guerneville, and new funding opportunities for local open space projects.
And a quick reminder: today is the final day to nominate someone for the 2025 Sonoma County Spirit Awards. The Commission on the Status of Women is looking for local leaders who are making a difference for women and girls—people who lead with integrity, stand up for equity, and help build a more inclusive future. If you know someone doing this work quietly and powerfully in our community, now’s the time to make sure they’re recognized.
Thanks, as always, for being part of this journey.
Lynda
| | Monte Rio Redwoods Acquired
A key piece of the conservation puzzle!
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At the June 3 meeting, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District approved final agreements to secure 1,517 acres of redwood forest and headwater streams just west of Monte Rio. This acquisition, championed by Supervisor Lynda Hopkins since her first term, is the culmination of a years-long effort to protect one of the most visually iconic landscapes in the Fifth District.
The Monte Rio Redwoods Expansion connects over 22,000 acres of conserved land stretching from the Bohemian Highway to the Sonoma Coast, including Sonoma Coast State Park, Wright Hill Ranch, and the Jenner Headlands. Supervisor Hopkins has long described the expansion as a "key piece of the puzzle" in creating a contiguous landscape of open space across west Sonoma County. As Tom “Snap” Gonnella of the Gianni Cycling Association put it, “We built more than trails. We built a community rooted in connection, respect for the land, and a shared love for cycling and nature.”
The transaction was made possible through a three-way partnership between the County of Sonoma, Save the Redwoods League, and the Wildlife Conservation Board. We also owe thanks to the Gianni Cycling Association, an all-volunteer nonprofit. They have long served as the stewards of this location —creating community, providing education on responsible trail use, and designing, building, and maintaining sustainable trail systems.
We look forward to continued engagement as we protect the land for future generations.
| | Some of the many people who made this happen | | | |
Monte Rio Redwoods
By Lynda Hopkins
This will take a lifetime, my six-year-old son says,
As though that is a very long time.
Those of us who have seen friends come and go,
Those of us who have loved other creatures
Know lifetimes are unfairly assigned,
The lives of the good ones — and dogs — being too short,
The lives of mosquitoes and their ilk, perhaps, too long.
Sometimes we judge a creature’s worth by its lifetime
As though shorter lives have less meaning.
But maybe it’s just difficult to relate across the different scales of lives.
What are we to a redwood tree?
A gnat, a rabbit, a dog?
Because their scale is so vast and they are so silent
And we move so much faster and talk so much more
We assume they have no wisdom.
We know things, so we think that trees do not.
But as I stand in the mossy gap where a stump used to be
Surrounded by a ring of tall young trees older than me,
I think it is more that they know differently.
One cannot possibly live a thousand years, resprout, and not learn.
And so I like to think that one day,
One thousand years from now
The summer fog will burn off by mid-day
and the sun will filter through the limbs
Of a grand old tree continuing to grow in this forest.
It will know, in some way, that it is here because of us.
It will know as only redwoods can,
With their intertwined roots and mycorrhizal sharing,
That those human beings with their short lives and their buzz saws have gone.
Oh the humans still come, to be sure.
But this is a different time for all future sproutlings,
For these days — these millennia —
The humans only walk, and talk, and listen.
| | Pride and Progress in Sonoma County | | |
Yesterday the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors proudly adopted a resolution proclaiming June 2025 as Pride Month in Sonoma County. It’s a tradition that dates back over three decades. Since 1992, the County has officially celebrated Pride each June, honoring the resilience, joy, and contributions of our LGBTQIA2S+ community.
This year, the Board’s resolution is a call to action, to remembrance, and to love. At a time when fear and hate are on the rise across the country, Sonoma County continues to affirm that LGBTQIA2S+ rights are human rights. And as we honor Pride Month, we also acknowledge the painful history that shaped this movement: the AIDS crisis that devastated our community in the 1980s, when Sonoma County had one of the highest case rates in California. The ripple effects of those losses are still with us, but so too is the legacy of care, courage, and community that carried us through.
In the words of the resolution, “our pride and progress is here.” It is here - in the voices of young people still fighting for visibility, in the memories of those lost too soon, and in the strength of those who dared to imagine a future where love is not a liability. We honor the transgender community, still disproportionately impacted by violence, suicide, and discrimination. And we lift up the work of local organizations that continue to show up, day in and day out, for Sonoma County’s LGBTQIA2S+ residents: Positive Images, Amor Para Todos, Face2Face, the Arlene Francis Center, and many others named in the resolution who are the heart of this effort.
Fifty-six years after the Stonewall Riots led by Marsha P. Johnson and other Black and Brown trans activists, we are still marching, still fighting, and still celebrating. Pride is a protest, but it is also a party. It is the joy of being unapologetically who you are. It is the knowledge that no one should ever be afraid to love, or be loved.
So, if you see a rainbow flag flying this month, and if you see it flying year-round in downtown Guerneville, remember that it’s more than a flag. It’s a message. A promise. A statement that in Sonoma County, we choose love over hate, community over cruelty, and inclusion over indifference.
Happy Pride, Sonoma County. We are here. We are joyful. And we are proud.
| | Images above from the 2017 raising of Guerneville's year-round pride flag. | | |
While the weather forecast looks favorable for Saturday’s sport fishing opener of the ocean salmon fishery, we all know how quickly conditions can shift along our coast—especially in June. Mariners should stay alert and be well-prepared before heading out on the water.
Please take a moment to review the boating safety flyer below, check out the Sonoma County Sheriff's Boater Safety page, and visit the official California Ocean Salmon Fishery page for up-to-date regulations and resources.
Stay safe, and good luck out there!
| | EPIC Public Art with a Message | | |
Starting June 6, visitors strolling down Main Street in Guerneville will be greeted by some unexpected faces — otters, turtles, herons and frogs, all clutching discarded plastic bottles, food wrappers, and other bits of litter. But this isn’t just whimsical art. It’s part of the EPIC Campaign — “Every Piece Inspires Change” — a creative public awareness effort led by Sonoma County’s Stormwater Program, designed to highlight the serious issue of pollution in our waterways.
Following successful activations in Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Windsor, and Ukiah, the Guerneville installation aims to shine a spotlight on the Russian River and how trash makes its way from our streets to our streams. The whimsical-yet-sobering images, displayed in local storefronts and along public walkways, are accompanied by QR codes that link viewers to interactive resources and videos, inviting them to learn how even small actions — like properly disposing of a wrapper — can help protect the watershed.
“This campaign is about stewardship,” says Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. “The Russian River is the heart of our community — ecologically, economically, and spiritually. The EPIC Campaign is a way to wake people up through creativity, and remind us that keeping trash out of our creeks starts with each of us.”
The Guerneville installation also includes new stormwater capture devices and structural improvements in high-litter zones — turning art into action. With state mandates requiring full trash capture compliance by 2030, education and infrastructure are key. EPIC brings both.
To learn more, visit www.streetstocreeks.org. And the next time you spot a turtle holding a soda can, take a moment to ask yourself: what can I do to keep our river clean?
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Ag + Open Space's Community Spaces Matching Grant Program
Now Open on a Rolling Basis
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Great news for open space advocates! Ag + Open Space’s Community Spaces Matching Grant Program is now open on a rolling basis—meaning you can apply anytime. This permanent shift, approved by the Board of Directors on May 6, 2025, allows for greater flexibility and access to funding for community-driven parks, trails, gardens, and conservation projects.
Since 1994, the program has invested over $50 million in neighborhood-focused spaces like Windsor Town Green, Bayer Farm, and Riverkeeper Stewardship Park in Guerneville. The goal? To bring open space where it’s needed most—right into the heart of our cities and communities.
Thinking of applying? Here’s how to get started:
- Connect early: Email Pamela Swan, Grants Coordinator, at matchinggrant@sonoma-county.org to discuss your project idea.
- Review the guidelines: Make sure your project aligns with program goals.
- Complete a pre-application: This helps assess readiness and determine if technical assistance is needed.
- Watch the info session: Though recorded for a previous round, the same guidelines still apply, but the program no longer includes application deadlines.
All program materials are available in both English and Spanish. Staff are happy to support you at every step.
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Inflation Underway at
Russian River Dam near Forestville
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As of May 29, the annual process of inflating the rubber dam near Forestville is underway. This seasonal operation supports the drinking water supply for over 600,000 residents in Sonoma and Marin counties. Once fully inflated, typically within two weeks depending on river flow, the dam creates a pool that helps recharge groundwater, naturally filtering water through sand and gravel before delivery to the public.
Located just downstream of Wohler Bridge, the dam includes a fish ladder to allow safe passage for migrating salmon and steelhead. Boaters are required to portage around the dam, and fishing is prohibited within 250 feet upstream and downstream. Please respect posted signs and steer clear of the area during this operation.
| | Last Call: Nominate a Changemaker for the 2025 Sonoma County Spirit Award! | | |
Do you know someone who’s making a difference for women and girls in Sonoma County? Today’s your last chance to submit a nomination for the 2025 Sonoma County Spirit Award! Now in its fifth year, this award honors five local leaders who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion—amplifying the voices of those often marginalized by race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, or economic barriers.
Help the Commission on the Status of Women celebrate those creating lasting change in our community. Nominations close tonight, June 4!
| | Upcoming Meetings & Events | | | | |
Guerneville Plaza Re-Design
Monday, June 9
5-7 PM
16390 Main Street
Help shape the future of Guerneville Plaza
We want to hear from local merchants. Join us for a collaborative brainstorm discussion to share your priorities, ideas, and aspirations for the redesign of Guerneville Plaza. Merchant input is essential as we begin this exciting process.
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Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council
Thursday, June 12, 2025
5:30 PM
West County Services Center (former B of A building)
16390 Main Street, Guerneville
Main topic: Sonoma County General Plan Update - reflections from the first phase of public engagement and next steps.
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Community Coffee / Cafecito Comunitario
Monday, June 16, 8 - 9 AM
West County Services Center
16390 Main Street, Guerneville
District 5 invites you to drop in to our "Cafecito Comunitario" on the third Monday each month. You don't have to stay; you can just stop by to visit with D5 staff, enjoy a delicious pastry and coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; then go about your day. Everyone is welcome; we look forward to seeing you!
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Join Us for an Afternoon of Ideas with Project 100!
Saturday, June 21, 2025
10 AM to 2 PM
Guerneville Elementary School
This fun, hands-on event brings together families, community members, and local organizations to share ideas and take action to support young children. Enjoy arts and crafts, free lunch, childcare, and more—see details below!
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Fifth District Supervisor Lynda Hopkins | County of Sonoma | 707-565-2241
Lynda.Hopkins@sonoma-county.org
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