“A field trip to the Gualala River is wonderful on so many levels. My students learn about flora and fauna in the watershed, and it gives them a closer look at the local ecosystem. I deeply value hands-on learning experiences for my students, and I can't think of a better experience than the Kids in Kayaks program provides.” —Celeste Linker, Horicon Elementary School, Annapolis

For 32 years, Redwood Coast Land Conservancy has connected people to coastal nature. With programs like Kids in Kayaks, a new generation is learning about the beauty of the Gualala River watershed and developing a deeper understanding of why it’s so important to protect it.

In 2024, we’ve made great progress on our mission to preserve, restore, and share the natural wonders of coastal southern Mendocino and northern Sonoma Counties. On a walk through Mill Bend Preserve, you’ll see two new public trails winding through the uplands where we’ve removed several tons of Jubata grass, Scotch broom, and other invasive plants. We’ve fully restored the Gualala Cemetery and we’re in the final stages of researching the backgrounds of those buried there. We take great pride in protecting and maintaining the Gualala Bluff Trail, Cooks Beach, and Hearn Gulch. These spectacular sites showcase nature’s grandeur, and our efforts make them more accessible. And on any given week, you might see community members cleaning up a trail, tabling a local event, or attending a bird walk.

We are also excited to welcome new additions to our staff this year! Sophia Pisciotta is now leading our native plants restoration efforts and Rachel Gagnon recently joined to expand RCLC’s community outreach and engagement. And we just hired a restoration technician to advance on-the-ground habitat improvements at the Preserve.

Our vision for the future is ambitious. Advancing progress at Mill Bend Preserve will continue to be a top priority, with grant-funded restoration already in full swing. We’re collaborating with science and technical experts at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to restore salmonid habitats. And we’re working with our environmental consulting team to design a public access plan to highlight the Preserve’s natural features, including a raised walkway and viewing platform above the estuary.

We are also exploring new land and easement acquisitions in the 300-square-mile Gualala River watershed, looking for opportunities to preserve native habitats, restore those that may have been degraded, and deliver new ways for the public to enjoy and learn from the natural world.

If it sounds like we’re gearing up for big things, it’s because we are. We all know the threats posed by climate change. A heating climate threatens both environmental and human health. As a land trust, our job is to protect and sometimes assist in the repair of nature. But to fully realize this vision, we need your support.

This is one of the few times each year when we ask for your financial help. While we advance our project work by pursuing public grants, there is much they do not pay for. Even with our corps of committed volunteers, there are many underlying costs that require us to call on you for donor support. We simply can’t do our work without you.



With your gift, we can preserve, restore, and share this unique landscape for future generations.

With gratitude,