The Importance of Trail Stewards

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Filed under Stewardship, Trail Maintenance

Today I was reminded why it’s important to have people dedicated to hiking our trails and doing all of the various jobs required to keep them well cared for and safe to use. Hiking along the Rattlesnake Cuttoff Trail, from the Montini property to the Overlook, I was surprised to see a tree across the trail (see pic).  I was surprised, as I didn’t recall any storm or high winds recently. But there it was anyway. I immediately took a picture and sent it off to the Chair of our stewards group, Joanna Kemper, who will work with the City of Sonoma to have it removed.

On my way back, I pulled out my handy Leatherman knife, which has a fairly good saw blade, and hacked off enough branches so at least the trail could be used until the City could come in with their chainsaw (see pic). This is, of course, just one of many jobs that we volunteer stewards perform.

For example, Fred Allebach is very active in various physical trail maintenance activities such as cutting drainage channels to make sure water flows off the trail as soon as possible. Lynn Clary has been known to hike his battery-powered Sawzall saw up the trail to take care of an overhanging limb. We likely all pick up trash when we see it.

Speaking of which, what do you think is the most-encountered piece of trash? Beer cans? Nope. Coffee cups? Close, but no cigar. It’s facial tissues. Yep, the hands-down favorite discarded item of trail hikers. And just think of it — I get to pick it up and put it in my pocket. So…yeah. Please don’t throw things on the trail. Just don’t.

We do other things too, such as raising money to do trail work that we can’t do ourselves, soliciting donations for building benches, pulling invasive non-native plant species, cutting back poison oak, and leading school trips. But it’s a labor of love, as we all love the trails and the properties they traverse. And we know that many others do too.

We’re Done for the Season

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Filed under Invasive Species, Spring, Stewardship, Summer

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that we have been fighting a multi-year fight against invasive weeds. One of them that is both prevalent and absolutely ready to take over every meadow it encounters is the Yellow Star Thistle (YST). We have been working to eradicate it from the Overlook (for at least the last five years) and the Montini (for at least the last three) properties.

As of today, I can report that this year’s campaign is over, and we have triumphed. Last year we found three additional areas that we had not previously been pulling. This year we found an additional one. We cleared them all.

But better than that, we saw this year that areas we had been pulling for several years were now either clear or nearly so. So each year it gets easier and easier to fight it. It has now been reduced so far that basically one person working from May thru July can control it. And subsequent years will be even easier.

I don’t mean to denigrate the threat. Even the new meadow that was discovered this year on the Overlook property meant an additional 8 1/2 bags (see photo, which isn’t all of it) of YST was dragged off the property. But we are seriously seeing progress, and that is worth noting.

But we are also expanding our scope. This year we started tackling the Italian Thistle, which in this wet year had become rampant along the trail. We focused on the trail, and largely removed it, but it also exists in a lot of places off-trail. It remains a challenge. On the Montini property it is so prevalent that it seems unassailable. This is depressing, especially when you know that it will only get worse.

But if you feel inspired by this post, let me know. You won’t be called upon until next May. I have large contractor’s debris bags to hold the spiny plants, and can give advice on how to pull them without serious danger. The only other thing you might need is a glove. And we can make it a group outing that might even have food and/or drink involved.

But be forewarned — if you start on this path, it can easily lead to an obsession. I know this for a fact.

Hiking is for your good health

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Filed under Hiking

A simple walk in nature shows measurable health benefits, physicians say – so much so that a new nationwide initiative called “ParkRx for Health” has doctors literally writing prescriptions for walks in the great outdoors.

ParkRx is a collaborative program between health-care providers and park professionals designed to improve the well-being of Sonoma County’s residents through regular exercise, fresh air and closeness with nature. Through the program, local health care professionals “prescribe” low-impact outdoor activities, such as nature walks.

Participating health care providers include Sonoma Valley Hospital plus Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and St. Joseph Health (Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital).

The Sonoma Overlook Trail is one of the featured hiking trails in the ParkRx program. We love hiking the Overlook Trail for our good health. . .hike to the top and celebrate your good health. . . .like this hiker!

For more information about the ParkRx program, go to http://parkrx-sonomacounty.org/about/

Fencing Volunteer Project at Montini Preserve

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Filed under Stewardship

Sonoma Ecology Center is setting up deer friendly fencing at Montini Preserve to allow for the continuation of historic grazing on the property. Bill Montinis herd will be let out for some seasonal low-impact grazing to help keep our Oak Woodlands healthy and remove some of the non-native grasses within the park. The grazing will help to reduce invasive species and wildfire fuel loads in the park.

We are looking for extra hands to work with SEC Restoration staff on the installation. Open workdays every Wednesday and Friday from 8-12:00pm starting July 19 through August 4th or until the fence is complete. Volunteers will meet the crew in the morning at 8:00am by the Montini Water Tanks and do work nearby at the Spotted fawn trail. Bring a waterbottle and sunscreen and some good boots, staff will provide all the tools and training.

Many hands makes light work! Come out and join us for a day (or 3!)

We’re Winning!

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Filed under Invasive Species, Plant Life, Seasons, Stewardship, Summer, Yellow Star Thistle

endofseasonFor the last five years we have been trying to eradicate the Yellow Star Thistle (YST) from the Sonoma Overlook Trail. For the the last three years we’ve also been trying to do the same for the Montini Preserve. Today I ranged all over the SOT upper meadows and emerged with about half a bag of YST. This is a great improvement, and demonstrates that our campaign is making a difference. There is now so little on the Overlook that searching for it may almost be a waste of time, so now I will switch to the Montini, which is likely to still have serious infestations of YST.

This year we also started tackling the purple thistle, which has overrun the Montini but hasn’t yet done so on the Overlook. We focused on getting it off the sides of the trail, as that is a primary way that it spreads. Next year we will begin earlier in the year fighting the purple (YST comes on later in Spring than the purple).

If you want to help out, let me know. I have contractor bags and the only other things you need are a glove and persistence.