Living in California we can be a bit jumpy about fires, however now is the perfect time for them.  In late fall the temperatures are cooler,  humidity levels are higher, and fuels are still dry enough to ignite. Planned fires are a powerful tool that can be used to reduce wildfires, control invasive species and create greater ecological health in an area. Our friends at the Good Fire Alliance shared a BURN PILE GUIDE. (See PDF linked below.) It is full of tips and resources for building, permitting and extinguishing a burn pile in Sonoma County.  ​ ​Hope you enjoy, and pl ..read more

We were honored to be asked by the team at the Milo Baker California Native Plant Society chapter to help save a rare lily by pruning an oak at one of their preserves. We jumped at the opportunity to help out our local rare plants. Below are the kind words about the project from the CNPS crew ..read more

If it is late summer or early fall, this is a part of a natural process as an adaptation to our summer drought climate! Every year, coast redwoods undergo a process called cladoptosis, which is the shedding of whole shoots from the tree. The resulting carpet of brown needles can look alarming, but it is usually nothing to worry about. This process is a way for the tree to remove aging needles and prevent the overgrowth of lichen in the canopy. It is also one of the ways that redwoods cope with drought - in drier years the redwood will shed more shoots to reduce the amount of water the tree req ..read more

As spring arrives and the apple, quince and pear trees of Sonoma County bloom, fire blight can become a major issue. While spring is the peak season for fire blight, this continues through the summer! Fire blight (caused by the bacteria Erwinia amylovora) affects many plants in the Rosaceae family, but pear, quince and apple trees are particularly susceptible.  Spread: In the spring, fire blight spreads most easily when trees are blooming, daytime temperatures are between 75ºF and 85ºF and the weather is rainy or humid. Cankers on the trunk and branches of infected trees begin to ..read more

Merlin and Seamus volunteer each year to renest raptors with the Bird Rescue Center. Check out the video they created to highlight the renesting program ..read more

Does your property meet fire safety requirements for Sonoma County? ​Creating defensible space can help protect your home in the event of a fire. Sonoma County has defensible space requirements and is beginning to implement inspections on a small number of properties this year.  We can help you assess and reduce vegetative fire risks you may have on your property.  Reduce the risk of fire damage to your property by implementing the following:  -Cut grass to maximum height of four inches -Remove leaves, needles and other vegetation from roofs, gutters, decks, porches and other outside areas ..read more