California’s salmon, steelhead, and other species are vitally dependent on the ecological integrity of dozens of streams and rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean along the state’s coastline. Over the years, the construction of roads, bridges, and other structures has created permanent barriers to fish movement, resulting in habitat fragmentation and a vast reduction of available habitat for spawning and rearing.

Get to know the trail stewards at Jenner Headlands Preserve in Sonoma County.

We have crossed into the darker, quieter, and more reflective time of year, and we have taken the opportunity to recount the gifts and challenges, often one and the same, that 2023 presented. Human fortitude, teamwork, and the importance of water are what come to mind.

As you walk our trails this summer, and in the coming years, we encourage you to take note of the developing forest, and the various size and structure of redwoods in different treatment areas. In time, the redwoods of the Jenner Headlands Preserve will begin to resemble the towering giants of the past, providing habitat for numerous species and inspiring awe in the hearts of our visitors.

Read on to learn how The Wildlands Conservancy and its partners are working diligently to restore coast redwood forests at Jenner Headlands Preserve.

We’re celebrating spring on the Sonoma Coast! While the calendar marks March 22 as the start of spring, the forest floor and coastal grasslands have their own calendar. Certainly this year, as you may have noticed, spring came even earlier than usual. Douglas iris and the hookedspur violet, reliable harbingers of springtime at Jenner Headlands Preserve, were seen blooming as early as November, months ahead of their typical February bloom time. Lucky for us all, they are still vibrantly dotting the hillsides along the Raptor Ridge and Sea to Sky Trails and it is not too late to see them.

Spring is a special time of year on the Sonoma Coast, teeming with life and inviting exploration.

At The Wildlands Conservancy’s Jenner Headlands Preserve, osprey have returned, soaring over the coastal prairie as they fish the Russian River. Breeding songbirds, too, are returning to the landscape: swallows, red-winged blackbirds, and lazuli buntings have all been spotted. Not to be left out of the spring soiree…