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Napa Open Space District Newsletter
October, 2026
| | Caring for the Land, Preparing for Fire | | Our newest fuels crew has four legs and a big appetite. Goats recently grazed down dry grass and brush on District land near Lake Berryessa Estates. Simple, effective, and (we’d argue) the cutest fire prevention around. | | |
There’s an awful lot of work that goes into caring for public land, and some of the most important parts can be the easiest to miss. For our entire twenty years, fire prevention has been part of how we manage the places we protect. It doesn’t come with ribbon cuttings or fanfare. Instead it looks like felling dead trees, pulling invasive plants, thinning brush, putting good fire back on the land, and planning for the long haul.
When a property becomes public open space, it comes with a commitment to on-going care. Here’s a look at how that work has grown right alongside the District itself.
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Hand Tools and Hard Work
For much of our history, fire prevention has meant a small but tireless staff working day in and day out, often alongside volunteers with work gloves and loppers. Our staff plan and lead these projects, and every volunteer who joins in multiplies what a small team can get done. Together, we’ve removed dead and dying trees, cleared the ladder fuels that would otherwise allow a ground fire climb into the canopy, and kept access roads open so crews can get in when it counts.
One of our longest-running opponents is French broom. It’s a "pretty" yellow-flowered shrub that spreads aggressively, crowds out native plants, and burns hot and fast. Volunteer groups, including crews from local wineries, have spent countless days with us pulling it out by the root, one stubborn plant at a time.
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Volunteers from Opus One Winery doing battle with French broom in 2023. | | At Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, volunteers have also built shaded fuel breaks near the yurts. They thinned the understory but left the larger trees standing, so the cool, shady canopy slows regrowth. The result is a forest that’s safer and still beautiful. | | |
Stronger Together
As the District has grown, so have our partnerships and the scale of the work. The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation has done fuels management work on several of our properties. Their Hogback Mountain fire break atop Mount Veeder runs along District land and is a major piece of community safety for that area. Meanwhile, a large grant with the Napa County Resource Conservation District funded significant forest management and invasive species removal at Moore Creek Park.
| | Fire Crews performing a prescribed burn at Woodbury Preserve in 2026. | | This summer brought our most visible fire work yet: a three-day prescribed burn of more than 250 acres on the Woodbury Preserve in Pope Valley. It was planned with the Land Trust of Napa County and carried out by CAL FIRE. Burns like this clear out the fuel an unplanned wildfire would feed on, while knocking back invasives and making room for native plants. This one also gave CAL FIRE a sizable buffer next to the Berryessa Estates community, which has faced serious wildfire risk in recent years. Expect to see more “good fire” like this in the years ahead. | | Building on our work at Moore Creek, we recently partnered with Napa RCD on a Forest Management Plan for the park. Think of it as a roadmap: it lays out everything we can and should be doing there, from thinning overgrown stands to tackling invasive species. It sets priorities so the work happens in the right order and in the right places, keeping that landscape healthy for decades to come. We’re now working with RCD to pursue grants to put it into action. | | |
Planning for the Long Haul
There’s no single fix for wildfire risk. Good fire prevention means using the right combination of long-term planning and tools: hand crews, volunteers, grazing, fuel breaks, and prescribed fire-- each suited to the landscape in front of it. Just as important are the partners who bring their own expertise and resources to the table. Much of what you’ve read here was made possible through grants, partnerships, and a good dose of creativity, which is how a small district with limited funding has gotten so much done over twenty years.
Fire prevention is one of those jobs that often goes unseen without making headlines, but you’ll find it all around once you know where to look. We’re grateful to the partners, volunteers, and (yes) goats who’ve helped along the way, and we’ll keep you posted as the work continues.
| | Baaack and Forth in the Open Space District | | |
A Banner Event
New Suscol Headwaters Access Trail Now Open
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After more than a decade of planning and hard work, the southern entrance to Suscol Headwaters Park is officially open!
In October, we formally dedicated the new access trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail segments. Together they create 11 miles of continuous Ridge Trail through Suscol Headwaters Park and Skyline Wilderness Park.
NOSD staff were joined by the Bay Area Ridge Trail, local elected officials and supporters, and many of the partner organizations and trail builders who helped make this a reality.
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The rainy weather couldn’t dampen the excitement. Supervisor Belia Ramos, Ridge Trail Executive Director Kirsten Tobey, and NOSD Director Barry Christian each spoke to how projects like this make outdoor recreation more accessible to everyone in Napa County.
Just minutes from American Canyon and the City of Napa, the new entrance gives folks a chance to Go Outside and Play right in their own backyard.
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Location and Entrances:
Southern entrance: 1700 North Kelly Rd (Google Map)
Northern entrance: Via Skyline Wilderness Park
(Google Map of Suscol Headwaters gate entrance)
Park Hours:
Sunrise to Sunset (currently 7am-6pm)
Parking Details:
$6 per car for day use at either entrance (Southern entrance or Skyline Park)
Skyline Park annual passes are accepted at this parking lot. Please display the annual pass on your dashboard when parking.
Please see the Suscol Headwaters web page for park rules, details, and trail map.
| | Last Call for Ridge Trail Service Day | | |
November 7th is just around the corner, and we have a fun day in the forest planned for this year’s annual Ridge Trail Service Day!
This year’s project is one of many volunteer work sites along the Ridge Trail, and ours will be at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. We’ll head out together to tackle trail improvements and maintenance on the Spring Trail.
Only a few spots are left, so if you’d like to join us, now’s the time! RSVP using the button below.
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NOSD Directors and staff joined the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in October to celebrate the return of the museum’s iconic sheep after a ten-year hiatus. It was a return to the roots of di Rosa’s mission celebrating Art + Nature.
The event also celebrated the partnership between di Rosa, the Napa Open Space District, and the Land Trust of Napa County, which looks ahead to a future publicly accessible hiking trail to Milliken Peak.
It’s a fitting match: a place that has long celebrated art and nature, and a partnership working to open more of that natural landscape to everyone. We’ll share more as the Milliken Peak trail project moves forward.
| | Supervisor Joelle Gallagher, NOSD Director Brad Wagenknecht, and Land Trust Philanthropy Officer Kimberly Howard spoke about the excitement around this community partnership. Di Rosa’s supporters and donors also raised funds to help carry the museum into its next chapter. | | Rock and Roll (Again. . . and Again) | | |
The NOSD volunteer crew seems to be perfecting their rockwork skills lately. They were back at it at Suscol Headwaters Park this past month!
The group got deep in the mud to build a durable, sustainable crossing over a seasonal seep, where water flows just below the surface. The result keeps the trail passable (with clean boots and wheels) for everyone exploring the brand-new access trail we just celebrated.
Water and erosion are among the biggest challenges we face in designing and maintaining trails. Crossings like this one are laborious and complicated to build, but they help keep our trails passable and enjoyable for all.
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We had before pics too, but decided to focus on the after. Suffice it to say, these excellent people dealt with some truly nasty items and still came away smiling. | | |
Our Favorite Garbage Collectors
A local group of climbers led by Bea Asuncion took charge of the trash situation at Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. As many of you know, there’s little infrastructure at the parking lot, and unfortunately, a few inconsiderate folks treat it as their occasional dumping ground. This intrepid group tackled the grossest of the gross (we don't need to go into details. . .) and came away claiming it was fun.
If you’re looking for some inspiring people who care about the common good, look no further. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a place to dump hundreds of old FasTrak statements, please find the nearest blue bin…
Have we mentioned that we love our volunteers?!
| | If you'd like to join our growing group of climbers, ultra-runners, trail angels, and all-around good people who really care for their parks, please sign-up to volunteer with us. | | |
Building a Park(ing Lot)
You might be surprised how much goes into designing and building a trailhead parking lot!
Once the contractors finished the lot itself, NOSD staff and volunteers added the infrastructure that makes a trailhead welcoming.
The crew set up a kiosk, picnic table, and parking machine to make your visits more comfortable, with more improvements planned as Suscol Headwaters continues to evolve. Be sure to stop by and check it out next time you’re headed for the trail!
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Hike to Yoga - November 7
It’s your last chance for tree pose in the park in 2026! Join us for the final Hike to Yoga of the year and get some zen and exercise in the woods. No RSVP needed. Just show up at the Redwood Trailhead at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park at 10am with your yoga mat! $10 day use/parking fee.
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Eco Fitness Hike - November 14
Sponsored by the Napa Valley State Parks Association, this class is complimentary for NVSPA members, with a $10 day use/parking fee for non-members. EcoFitness Hikes start at 9:00am on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Redwood Trailhead.
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3rd Saturday Hike - November 21
In November we'll explore our local waterway, Ritchey Creek, that connects us to the Napa River, San Pablo Bay, and out to the Pacific Ocean. Martin Perales from Napa RCD will be our guide for this watershed-themed hike!
Details at: NapaOutdoors.org/3rdSaturdayHike
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Green Friday - November 27
What better way to burn off the Thanksgiving calories than a nice long walk in nature? Green Friday is a tradition around here and you can enjoy half off day use fees at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park if you use the the top secret phrase "Green Friday" at the kiosk when you check in on the 27th!
Details at: NapaOutdoors.org/events
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Leaf the Work to Us
With a little help from you of course.
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Autumn is one of the best times to get outside, and behind every trail, view, and park is a lot of quiet work - much of it made possible by donations from folks like you.
This fall, consider becoming a ReLeaf Napa Fund member, making a one-time gift, or dropping something in a trailside donation box. However it comes, your support helps us keep growing parks for people.
Your donations help us to protect more open spaces, build more trails, and help more people Go Outside and Play countywide!
| | Your donations help us to protect more open spaces, build more trails, and help more people Go Outside and Play countywide! | | The Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District is funded in part by the generous support of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. | | | | |
