Storm-Watershed Café Public Input Meeting

Public Input Sought at “Storm-Watershed Café

The Russian River Watershed Association (RRWA) is hosting a 

“Storm-Watershed Café” on Thursday, January 26, from 10 a.m. 

to noon at the Foss Creek Community Center in Healdsburg (details below).

The purpose of the event, which is modeled on the popular World Café meetings, is to seek input on how to better educate Sonoma and Mendocino county residents on storm drain pollution prevention.

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Sonoma County Entrepreneurs Create Jobs - Their Own!

Want a Job?

MAKE one...

By Vesta Copestakes

Sounds easy - and quite honestly - it’s easier than you think. The key ingredients are motivation and self-discipline. Without those two elements you will fail. With them, you can do anything. I know…I’ve been self-employed most of my adult life.

Many people are creating their own businesses doing what they love. That’s key. There are some jobs - like sales - where money can be a big enough motivator to get you going every morning. But if money doesn’t get you excited beyond paying bills, you have to explore your heart to find what will give you the drive to push forward, day after day, until you succeed.

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SMART Train on Track for Train & Bike Trail

Photo of Cloverdale Depot - Northern Terminus
of SMART Train by Calder Frenaye-Hutcheson

SMART is on Track Now

By Ben Boyce

Accountable Development Coalition

This last week, a lively rally to support the SMART train and bike pathway drew over a hundred folks at the San Rafael city hall. We were there to celebrate the sale of nearly $200M in bonds that will permit construction to begin early next year, creating over 900 jobs.

The train has now left the station. For more than two decades the transit community has been working with local government to stand up a multi-modal, integrated transit system for the North Bay. The challenge of the 21st century will be to rationalize and regionalize our basic life-support systems: land, water, energy resources sustaining eco-systems, housing and transportation. SMART is the natural next step in building the transportation infra-structure for a sustainable future in the North Bay region.

  

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Sonoma County Coffee Shops

Before I delve into this article - I want to apologize to the coffee shops left out of the print edition. There's one thing about publishing that teaches you the Serenity Prayer to “accept the things I cannot change.” Once that file is sent off to the printer, there's no turning back! That's the beauty of the web. Here I can update this list as people send me corrections and additions. I have added comments and web sites - just let me know what you want added...and I will! Your comments are welcome.

In the mean time, please enjoy holding my paper edition in your hands...please support my advertisers so I can keep supporting our home with articles Written by Readers - and we'll all be happy! Enjoy this resource guide to Sonoma County Coffee Shops, and e-mail me with any corrections or additions: vesta@sonic.net.

Sonoma County Coffee Shops

By Vesta Copestakes

The smell of coffee has been part of my life since I was a small child. Back then it was percolated on the stove. The distinctive sound of water being drawn up the center tube, splashed into the glass bulb at the top of the percolator (fun to watch), then filtered through grounds in the basket – over and over and over - until someone decided it was done. We don’t torture coffee that way anymore. Preparing coffee has become quite sophisticated.

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Small Shops of Sonoma County 2011

Our 9th Annual 

Small Shops 

of Sonoma County

By Vesta Copestakes

I started publishing this annual Guide to Holiday Shopping primarily because I met so many wonderful shop keepers while out delivering my papers. At the time my distribution was strictly West County, so I took my time to drop a copy of the paper at stores I passed along my route. Some people were so warm and friendly they became friends over time.

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Sonoma County Pot Hole Activists Form Group

Pot Hole Activists

Citizens Group Forms to Fix Roads

Save Our Sonoma Roads (SOS Roads) is a group of Sonoma County citizens that has formed to advocate fixing city and county roads. The goal of SOS Roads is to persuade elected officials to adequately fund the restoration of county roads and city streets. Roads are vital to public safety, property values and economic well-being.

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Ceres Project Celebrates 100,000 Meals

100,000 meals

By Cathryn Couch

In teen chef Carly Fernandez words, “…volunteering at Ceres (is) a life-changing experience.” Carly joins dozens of other 13-18 year olds one afternoon each week volunteering in the kitchen of the Sebastopol-based Ceres Community Project. With guidance from adult mentors, they prepare nutrient rich meals for Sonoma County families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses.

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Sonoma County Vine Hill Vineyard Conversion

Loopholes & Bad Apples

By Stephen J. Fuller-Rowell

Jane E. Nielson, Ph.D.

Bulldozers scraped the trees off another parcel on Highway 116 north of Sebastopol in October for another vineyard. In a letter to West County newspapers, Supervisor Efren Carrillo expressed outrage at this flouting of environmental rules and regulations. Even as Chair of Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, there was little he could do to immediately halt this recent devastation, other than calling in the District Attorney after the fact.

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OCCUPY Sonoma County Movement

OCCUPY?

Why Not?

By Bill Wadsworth

Has the gridlock in Washington and Sacramento got you wondering if our democracy is functioning? Want to witness democracy really working? Roundup your mate and kids or, if single, all your friends and head down to the Santa Rosa City Hall. The time doesn’t matter. This democracy demonstration, Occupy Santa Rosa, is happening 24/7. Take your blankets and spend the night, which I did the first night and it’s a hoot, or just go for an hour or two. There were 900 Occupy rallies around the globe on October 15 and the Santa Rosa rally was the sixth largest turnout in the nation, just under 3,000.

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Schools of Hope Sonoma County

Hidden Epidemic

Schools of Hope Program Targets Core Life Skills

By Sylvia WynnLindeman
This is strictly an editorial comment but to me it seems that so many people in Sonoma County are living the most amazing of lives. Surrounded by artists, foodies, wine enthusiasts, and those who wax eloquent about sustainability, we enjoy the beauty of our environment, conduct our business and interact with friends who are “just a cut above” in terms of philosophical bent and education….

How’s this for a shocker, then?
In Sonoma County 54% of our third grade students are reading below grade level. Nearly 80% of third grade students who are also English Language Learners are reading below grade level.

Education is the cornerstone of individual community success. It is essential for finding and keeping a job with a livable wage and health benefits. Reading is a core building block of education and vital for mastering the skills necessary to thrive. Too many of our children are failing, and there is evidence of a wide achievement gap.

Research shows third-grade reading proficiency is a powerful predictor of later academic achievement. Children who have not mastered reading skills by this critical juncture continue to fall further behind in school and are much more susceptible to academic and behavior problems. Little wonder then that 25% of our students are not completing high school on time.

What can we do in this era of bare bones funding and governmental downsizing?
One answer may rest in an innovative program launched a year ago when the United Way of the Wine Country partnered with the Volunteer Center, local school districts and several community organizations and - in an effort to stem this alarming trend – introduced Schools of Hope into the mix.

Schools of Hope is an early intervention model for children who are struggling with reading. The core components of the program include one-to-one literacy tutoring, volunteer recruitment and training, family engagement, and rigorous program evaluation.

Currently 46% of our third graders are reading at grade level. The Schools of Hope goal is to increase that percentage to 75% by 2015 and to 90% by 2020.

And this is where you come in.
Since its start up during the 2010-2011 school year, the Schools of Hope program has helped 180 students increase their reading proficiency through one-on-one tutoring in six Santa Rosa elementary schools. If this is an issue you’d like to help cure and you have as little as one hour per week to volunteer, you can make the difference in a child’s future.

Schools of Hope is currently preparing volunteers – from all walks of life - to provide 30 minute one-on-one tutoring sessions during the school day for the duration of the school year (October through the end of May). They ask that you commit to at least one tutoring session per week and in most cases, door-to-door time will be less than one hour.

Regardless of your background, the Schools of Hope Training Session will provide the basic skills that you need to be comfortable and effective as a tutor and your time availability will be matched with the needs of the participating school nearest you
.
Schools in the program provide activities and materials for you to use and do their best to provide the best possible setting for you to work with your student, whether it be the back of a classroom or the school library. In addition to help from the program’s School Site Coordinator, you will have the support of your school’s Principal and the opportunity to attend advanced training as the year progresses.

While you will not receive formal progress reports, as a tutor, you will be informally assessing the students progress through your activities. In addition, teachers may be able to share more information with you when needed to the extent that privacy laws allow.

Need to know more before you commit? No problem! Register for an orientation session today! Contact Barbara Fisher at the Sonoma County Volunteer Center at 707-573-3399 or bfisher@volunteernow.org. For more information visit www.unitedwaywinecountry.org.

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Lawsuit Filed of Jenner Estuary Project Approval

UpStream Matters

The Estuary is a culmination of everything upstream.…

By Brenda Adelman
Meandering 110 miles through Mendocino and Sonoma Counties’ scenic river valleys, the Russian River passes through a multitude of diverse habitats, even while it’s main channel and tributaries have been dewatered, dammed, channelized, stripped of gravel, timber, and riparian vegetation. The impacts are most obvious during drought periods when low flows highlight much of the resulting harm.

The river suffers from high temperatures, excessive sediment and nutrient pollution, and in some places, high bacterial counts. Excessive algae and invasive plant proliferation (especially Ludwigia) indicate extensive nutrient impairment coming from many different sources.

Thick sediments cloud the water in winter. And little is known about impacts from toxins, which are scarcely measured or regulated. It is only in the last forty years, after magnificent salmonid had survived for millennia, that they may now face their imminent demise as a result of the culmination of all these circumstances.

Exit to the Sea
The mouth of the Russian River at Jenner is the culmination of all that has happened upstream. Relatively little is known about its biological history but it has now become a focal point for a last ditch effort to save Steelhead salmon in what may be a futile and desperate attempt to find politically viable salmonid habitat improvement. (Most property owners along tributary streams are adamant about not having their water rights constrained. Dewatered streams are one of the largest contributors to loss of habitat, yet there is little political will to reverse this damage. This circumstance may be causing steelhead to spend more of their life span in the main Russian River where Chinook already reside.)

It is unlikely that the Estuary Project will compensate for the damage that has evolved upstream and in fact, as determined in the Estuary Project’s EIR, will itself cause additional water quality and other impairments!

In addition, project impacts to threatened Chinook have been virtually ignored. This threatened species inhabits the main river for much of the year and may be most impacted by the Estuary project and its need for low flow. All facets of the watershed are connected to everything else, and separating the Estuary from the rest of the river, as has been done with this project, is merely exacerbating the problem.

Estuary Management Project Approved!
The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) Board of Directors (Supervisors) approved the Estuary Management Project and certified its Environmental Impact Report on August 16, 2011, in spite of the submission of at least ten letters appealing for further review. Russian River Watershed Protection Committee (RRWPC) submitted a 21-page letter enumerating prior and new concerns about the project. There was no formal response to comments, but Directors discussed the project before the formal vote.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) staff literally threatened Supervisors with being in violation of the Endangered Species Act if they did not certify the EIR and approve the project immediately. They stated that sanctions would be taken against anyone opposing the project. Shirley Zane and Mike McGuire expressed strong reservations about taking this action without a more thorough review of new comments, but then both voted for certification.

By this action, Directors certified that no new information had been received to alter EIR findings, and thereby approved the document as written.

Immediately after certifying the document, SCWA staff submitted the Notice of Determination (indicating their action from earlier in the day) to the County Clerk. This immediately started the clock ticking on a lawsuit. Anyone wanting to file a petition challenging this action had until September 15, 2011, to do so.

RRWPC reluctantly files lawsuit challenging Estuary Management Project…….
On September 14, 2011, RRWPC filed a lawsuit against the Sonoma County Water Agency requesting that the Court rescind certification of the EIR and require revisions to and recirculation of the document. It was clear from many comments on the project that most people concerned about the river also support programs to save the fish, but almost none supported this specific project.

The mouth of the river is about the wildest part of the Sonoma Coast and is constantly shifting. This dynamism will make this project exceedingly difficult to maintain. Furthermore, there is no endpoint to this project, no goals, and no real definition of exactly what they are going to do or how many fish they will save. There are serious and admitted, but inadequately mitigated impacts to the seals, recreation and water quality. Furthermore, the project would cost at least $1 million a year at a time when government has limited funds
.
In the meantime, fishery agencies are doing little or nothing effectively to stop the draw down of flows by agriculture in the major fish spawning tributaries. Most fish advocates believe that this is where fish preservation efforts are most needed.

Some specific concerns identified in the lawsuit include:
SCWA relied upon an inadequate project description by separating the Estuary Project from the annual Temporary Urgency Changes and Fish Flow Project and thereby failed to evaluate all potential impacts of entire project
.
SCWA failed to adequately disclose impacts to recreational users and the environment throughout the lower Russian River areas, including areas up to Vacation Beach. Impacts that were not addressed included: health and safety risks, bank erosion, water depth increase, loss of beach front areas, hazardous swimming conditions, degraded water quality impacts resulting from prolonging the presence of a lagoon, and increased presence of invasive species.

SCWA failed to adequately disclose impacts of low flow conditions resulting from Temporary Urgency Changes Orders and Fish Flow Project, including the potential of increased pollution levels of nutrients, mercury, heavy metals, bacteria, and temperature and potential impacts to Chinook salmon present in the river.

SCWA failed to adequately disclose the Project’s impacts on harbor seals and their conclusion that impacts to seals are less than significant with mitigation is not supported by substantial evidence
.
SCWA references to an undisclosed adaptive management plan improperly defers mitigation. The DEIR does not disclose the details comprising the Adaptive Management Plan. DEIR also refers to monitoring and updating of the plan, but does not inform decision makers what the plan is, what triggers plan implementation, and what monitoring would take place.

If you want to participate in this action
Please contact Brenda with questions at rrwpc@comcast.net or view our new website with photographs, Petition challenging project, RRWPC’s 21 page letter, our recent Estuary Brochure, and more at We would also appreciate contributions of any size to fund our effort. Checks may be made out to RRWPC and sent to P.O. Box 501, Guerneville, CA 95446. Or you can access PayPal at our website.

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Prepare Your Property 

For Winter Storms

By Barbara Landrith
Storms cause extensive damage to homes each year in California and the best time to prepare is now.  The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) recommends the following steps.

First - clean your gutters, including downspouts and drains.  Extensive water damage can be caused by blocked gutters and drains which force the water to find another path. Check to make sure they are clear and working properly.   Also, consider putting covers on your roof gutters to prevent leaves and other debris from clogging them. Rake your yard and remove any fallen leaves before a storm.

Remove damaged trees with cracked branches as well as healthy trees’ branches that overhang homes, driveways etc.  Likewise - trees that have shifted in the soil due to wind or burn damage and those with burned roots. Now unstable, these trees could fall or be blown against your home or windows.

Pick up branches, toys, furniture, patio umbrellas, bicycles and other items around the yard before storms arrive.  These items can be a hazard in high winds if picked up and thrown.  Cover and tie down patio furniture that needs to remain outside by anchoring it to something solid. 
Trees close to the home need to be trimmed or cut back.  Strong winds can cause gutter, roof and exterior home damage by forcibly whipping trees up against your home.

Check flowerbeds located against your home.  Do these flowerbeds have adequate drainage away from the house? Downspouts that empty into flowerbeds can cause the structure to flood in heavy rains. Consider adding channel drains to direct water away from the foundation.  Also, adding a layer of mulch will help prevent erosion by helping to break up rain drops before they hit the soil.
If you use a sump pump during excessive rain, consider what could happen in a power outage.  It may be time to add another drain to help water exit your property quickly.
 
Large trees can help protect your home and property from wind and rain. It is important however to trim them so that some wind can pass through thereby preventing high winds from pushing them over.  Large trees too close to a home, with shallow roots or which are unhealthy can cause serious damage and even loss of life if they fall on your home.  Do you have a tree that could be a possible danger in high winds?  If you are not sure, talk to an expert and/or consider getting it removed.

Last year many areas in California experienced weeks of heavy rains.  Examine how your house sits on your property.  Are you at the top of a hill or at the bottom?  Are you at risk for soil slippage underneath your house or a neighbor›s?   Is water or earth going to flow towards your home or away from it?  Now is the time to proactively prepare for excessive rain. Add an additional drain or get help if you are at risk for landslides or erosion.

In areas where protective plants are removed or destroyed, soil becomes vulnerable to erosion.  Soil erosion can happen very quickly in a heavy rain.  The most effective protective measures needed for your property are based on your soil type, slope grade, home location, weather, etc.  In some areas erosion control materials or mechanical control measures may need to be applied.  Contact your local CalTrans office or that of the forest service for guidelines.
   
Water flow is an important factor of any erosion plan.  Never underestimate the power of storm water and debris.  Evaluating the area and planning is a critical first step to protecting your property while improper or inadequate measures can aggravate potential problems.  If your home or business is on a slope, plan to capture and drain water to help prevent erosion.  Get help with erosion control or fire prevention landscaping by hiring a licensed professional specialized to that area.  Ask for references, insurance certificates and request to see their license.

Finally, be sure to check with your insurance company to make sure that your property is covered for storm damage and flood.  We recommend checking annually to assure that your home is covered for full replacement cost.  (Actual cash value is considered to be replacement cost minus depreciation.)

Proactive steps now can help prevent property damage later. For more information, call the CLCA (916 830-2780), e-mail (barbaralandrith@clca.org) or visit us online (www.clca.org)

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The JOY of Learning - Sonoma County Gazette

Summer is coming to a close and leaves are falling into - and filling - my gutters. Another year when I promise myself to put up gutter guards. All this means is that it’s time to switch our thinking to getting ready for winter wet and cold.

If you have school-age children, your energy focuses on getting them settled into another school year, or as in the case of my grand daughter - starting kindergarten. I miss all that because my daughter moved too far away for me to participate, but I can still clearly remember her first day of school. My parents came here to visit so they wouldn’t miss it. I wish I could do the same for Destiny...that’s her on the cover with the book we bought together when I was visiting this summer. It’s one of her favorites and my chance to share my love of insects with her.

I was fortunate to have a father who read to my sister and me every night before we went to bed when we were young. He started me out with the love of reading. It’s why I chose this month’s theme, The JOY of Learning.” I believe that the greatest gift you can offer a child is a passion for learning and the ability to read. These two skills carry a person into life with wide-open opportunities to explore new subjects.

Please follow the stories submitted by readers to inspired learning....ENJOY! ~ Vesta

LOOK What I Did!

Finding JOY in a Sense of Accomplishment

By Vesta Copestakes


Good Teacher...Bad Teacher
What makes teachers bad? They discourage the desire to learn. They fill children’s heads with so many rules they take the fun out of learning. They tell a child that they have no talent in the one thing that brings joy. They test and test and test until a kid doesn’t care any more about what s/he does or does not know.

Here’s a little tale about a student who was discouraged when she was a child and later triumphed as an adult. That’s what I want to accomplish here. Get over it. The teacher was WRONG!

Annie’s story…
I was in the 3rd grade and every Friday, an “art teacher” came to our classroom, drew something on the chalkboard and ordered us to copy EXACTLY what was on the board. Those who didn’t succeed were struck with her ruler on the hands.

One day she stopped at my desk and screamed in anger “ You will NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER (3 “evers”) be able to do ANY art! You are the WORST student I have ever had!”....followed by the requisite blows. The tragedy was that I BELEIVED HER for 50 years!

Then one day my friend Terry Dolan Magill, a wonderful watercolor artist and teacher said “hey Annie---let’s go paint!” Out of my mouth burst from my inner-most soul....”Oh NO, I can’t paint! I’ll NEVER be able to paint!”

Terry calmly said “bullshit,” led me outside her home in Valley Ford, handed me a brush, paints, water, and paper, and said “PAINT”! So I did.

My biggest regrets are that I avoided any opportunity to experience the joys of making art for all those years, and also realizing how many children had been hurt by such cruel teaching.
My biggest JOY lies with having hit the ground running at a late age and I absolutely revel in the privilege of turning “non-artists” into artists How wonderful that is!

Silence the Criticism
When people tell me they can’t write, I tell them to get the teacher off your shoulder. Write like you talk...forget all the rules about grammar, etc.. What you want is to give your heart and your head free reign,…you can edit later.

And that’s what the best writing teacher I ever had instructed me...“stream-of-consciousness” she called it. Unfettered by thinking about WHAT you are doing WHILE you are doing it. Silence every person who ever told you you can’t do something - including yourself! and just do it.

Inspiring Teachers
The best teachers are ones who get you excited about learning. In the land of words, reading teaches best. The more you read, the better you write because you experience over and over how sentences communicate well. Lucky people are those who learned to read & never stopped reading for fun.

 Annie Murphy Springer is one of those inspiring teachers…she knows what it’s like to be shut down and what it feels like to be set free. Her water color students are often people who never touched a paint brush in their lives and Annie makes them believe they can create art.

Whether it’s writing, creating art, playing music, building, gardening, crossing a line you were once afraid to approach...you gain a sense of “Look what I did!” even if there’s no one around to see. The biggest challenge is starting. Once you’ve begun you wonder what took you so long.

Annie has classes all the time and is starting a series at the Sonoma County Museum starting September 14. Jenn runs classes in her store constantly and has parties to warm people into the concept...try it...you’ll like it.

“I keep those paintings I did in Annie’s class as a wonderful reminder of that experience. When I look at my crude work, I remember and feel the pleasure of doing it.” ~ Linda Curry

Annie Murphy Springer 
The Wonders of Watercolor
anniems@sonic.net
(707) 876 3211
anniemurphyspringer.com

Another inspiring teacher is Jen Balletto of Glass Fusion Studio in Sebastopol. Her students glow with a sense of accomplishment and take the thing they made home with them, use it in their daily lives and feel that thrill of accomplishment over and over.

“So much fun learning. It is a totally mesmerizing experience, and the social aspect is precious. The ability to start a creative venture that leads into more with the passion growing is fantastic.” ~ Linny

Jen Balletto
Glassfusion Studio
6906 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol
707.829.3855 • glassfusionstudio.com

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Sonoma's Recycled Water Storage Project

By Brad Sherwood
The Sonoma County Water Agency which manages the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District will increase recycled water storage capacity by constructing the Reservoir 5 Project (north of and adjacent to the District’s treatment plant located at 22675 8th Street East, Sonoma, CA. Reservoir 5 will expand the District’s recycled water storage by 37 million gallons – the District currently stores approximately 200 million gallons in four existing storage reservoirs. This increased capacity is necessary to enhance the District’s ability to utilize recycled water for irrigation purposes.

Reservoir 5 will cost $2.3 million and is being financed by $600,000 in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding through the North Bay Water Reuse Authority (Authority). The Authority includes five local agencies in the North San Pablo Bay region, including the Water Agency, formed to put recycled water to its broadest and most beneficial use. The remaining $1.3 million is financed through the District’s Capital Improvement Plan. Construction activities began earlier this month and Reservoir 5 is slated for completion in December 2011. Ford Construction of Lodi, CA was selected to construct Reservoir 5 and it is estimated to create 10 jobs during the construction phase.


During the dry weather months of May through October, the District currently provides recycled water to users including vineyards, dairies, and pasturelands. The existing users are located in the southern end of Sonoma Valley, southeast of Schellville in the Carneros region. The District currently has four recycled water reservoirs that store recycled water until it can be used for irrigation.

Benefits
Reservoir 5’s additional 37 million gallons provides operational flexibility and irrigation capacity which will allow the District to continue to:
• Reduce the discharge of treated wastewater into Schell Slough and San Pablo Bay
• Provide recycled water in compliance with federal and state regulations
• Offset peak water demand in Sonoma Valley
• Offset groundwater use for potable or agricultural purposes that may be stressing aquifer conditions in some areas of Sonoma Valley

www.sonomacountywater.org/r5

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Sebastopol Students Lead Us to Connect

By Lucas Oshun
Global Student Embassy (GSE) is now beginning our fourth year of youth leadership and grassroots international relations. As a director of programs, I am continuously inspired by the commitment of students, teachers and community members who volunteer their time. The energy and determination participants of all ages bring to GSE projects in California, Tanzania, and Ecuador shows us that we are tapping into something real. We support each other’s goals, and we accomplish a lot.

Please join us on Saturday, November 5 at 6:30 pm at the Sebastopol Community Center for dinner, live music and a silent auction. This is Global Student Embassy’s fourth annual benefit event. We greatly appreciate your support and interest in our mission!

Local to International
Sonoma County: GSE will launch its Environmental Action and Youth Leadership Program this fall, in partnership with the Sonoma Land Trust and local Sonoma County Resource Conservation Districts (RCD). The program will provide hands-on experiences for Windsor, Sebastopol, and other Sonoma County high school students in habitat restoration work and organic gardening projects.

Marin County: This fall, we will work with students at Sir Francis Drake and Redwood High Schools cultivating ecological literacy through school garden projects and native habitat restoration. Students at both high schools will also participate in bimonthly meetings to prepare for the winter visit of international students from Ecuador and Tanzania. Visiting students will stay at the homes of GSE students and partner on projects designed by Marin GSE participants.

Ecuador: We’ve just returned from Bahia de Caraquez, where students from California and Ecuador dove into a number of projects with great enthusiasm and openess towards one another. Together we worked on GSE’s reforestation project, put our energy into caring for two organic gardens at local high schools and designed a workshop series, in Spanish, on gardening. Students also built a greenhouse to support ongoing germination of native species for reforestation with the goal of producing 3,000 new seedlings for the 2012 planting season.

Tanzania: GSE Tanzania began this summer’s exchange program with a stay in a Maasai community outside the Morogoro city limits. The experience was life changing; we learned so much from these folks whose culture is so different from our own. Together we established a library, planted a fruit orchard and painted a mural representing the value and beauty of education. We connected with one another on so many levels. We all were grateful and felt deeply rewarded to have been welcomed so kindly into this amazing community.

In Morogoro we reconnected with our friends at Kilakala and Mzumbe Secondary Schools to continue work on the projects we began during our 2010 exchange. At Kilakala, students built a greenhouse and created art signs to use as educational tools, depicting the process of grafting, tree planting, compost-making, and maintaining tree health. We worked to upgrade Mzumbe’s poultry project by building a garden that will complement its mini-farm. Manure from the chickens will fertilize the garden, and produce grown in the adjacent garden will provide nutrients for the chickens. Students worked together to install efficient drip irrigation, a practice that is uncommon in Tanzania. We are eager to hear progress on these projects!

We have many local volunteer opportunities to work with students and community members on restoration projects and gardens, as well as contributing to our annual exchange in January and February when visiting students are here in Sonoma County.

To get involved: please contact us at globalstudentembassy@gmail.com. Donations can be made online at globalstudentembassy.org.

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Russian River Estuary EIR - Biological Opinions

Below are two OPINIONS on the Environmental Impact Report (EIR)and Biological Opinion (BO) on closing the Russian River Estuary at Jenner to restore fish habitat. Both are intelligent and considered, scientific and comprehensive. Please read BOTH to form and EDUCATED perspective on this subject. Our water use and fish habitat are very much wrapped up in this action designed to restore the Russian River to a more habitat-friendly environment for fish...and hopefully humans as well.

Estuary Project Final EIR Released! 

By Brenda Adelman
The Estuary Project Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was released on July 28, 2011. This is the project that plans to close the mouth of the river every summer to supposedly provide Steelhead habitat for the threatened fish. While it is incredibly important to do everything we can to save the fish, those of us who have studied the proposal believe this project will cause more harm than good.

Fishery agencies should focus on keeping adequate flows in the tributaries in the winter spawning season; they should focus on improving temperature conditions in the entire watershed year round; they should find ways to eliminate toxics (especially copper discharged in the treated sewage) and preventing the accumulation of nutrients as evidenced by pervasive and excessive algae blooms. They should work on stopping illegal water diversions and support programs to foster cooler water temperatures with the restoration of riparian habitat. All of these are critical watershed problems that negatively impact the fish.

Furthermore, for the last three years, Sonoma County Water Agency has attempted and failed to make this project work. Ocean forces determine when the mouth will close for the first time, which is the trigger for outlet channels to be constructed, and usually there are few closures until mid or late September. The hope that the mouth will close early on in the summer season has not materialized.

Other problems with this project (As of the time of writing this article, we have not seen the final document because it was released so close to the paper’s deadline; we don’t know and can’t comment on how they have responded to our concerns.):

- The project impacts are separated into two EIRs and the studies for the changes to Decision 1610 (low flow) are very relevant to this project but are not being considered as part of this process;

- The project relies on lowering river flows for its implementation, but does not adequately address resulting water quality impacts past Duncans Mills, even though the water will back up as far as Vacation Beach;

- The closing will back up water in Monte Rio area to cover beaches, increase stagnant water and possibly create health and safety issues on lower river beaches;

- The project calls for closing the mouth most of the summer, but allows for breaching when a very few buildings are threatened with flood; the impact on recreation, water quality issues, and other concerns when this happens, has not been adequately addressed;

- There are no goalpost measures to determine whether the project has succeeded in saving fish;
There is no trial period after which the project can be abandoned if it does not work and/or causes harm;

- The project will heavily impact recreational use of the State Parks beach at the mouth of the Russian River, one of the most popular areas on the Sonoma County Coast,

- The project will affect migratory birds and seal haul out area and may cause the abandonment of the Jenner haul out area by harbor seals, who are easily disturbed.

These are some of the reasons why most Russian River stakeholders and Russian River Watershed Protection Committee oppose approval of this project at this time.

The Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency (Supervisors) will certify this Final EIR and select the project at their meeting on August 16, 2011, at 10 AM at the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers at 575 Administration Dr. in Santa Rosa. We hope many of you will attend.

While Supervisors are not required to respond to comments, if you oppose this project or have concerns, you should let decision makers know. You can email your protests (or support) to Supervisor Efren Carrillo at ecarrillo@sonoma-county.org or his staff, Susan Upchurch at supchurc@sonoma-county.org

You can view Final EIR at local libraries in Guerneville and Occidental or obtain at their website at www.sonomacountywater.org/estuary-eir. Call agency at 547-1900 for a CD of the document available for $5.

Finally, please support Brenda Adelman and RRCSD in our effort to address the problems with this project. We need your help and also financial contributions. (If a legal challenge is to occur, it must take place within 30 days of project selection. ) We welcome sign ups to our mailing and email lists. Please send contact information to rrwpc@comcast.net if you want to stay informed.

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By Dr. Bill Hearn
National Marine Fisheries Service
In two weeks, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will deliberate on Sonoma County Water Agency’s (SCWA) Environmental Impact Report that concerns managing the Russian River estuary as a closed lagoon. SCWA’s EIR is part of a response to a biological opinion issued in 2008 by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

That opinion found that flood control and water supply management of the Russian River during the past several decades has contributed substantively to the decline of steelhead and coho salmon. In a lengthy June 2010 article in this paper, I explained why restoration of the Russian River estuary to a more dynamic natural system is so important for the rebound of steelhead in this watershed (see http://sonomacountygazette.com/wcg201006_index.html). 

Space limitations prevent my repeating that science-based explanation beyond a brief summary (see estuary fact box). However, it is worth emphasizing that with the construction of three major dams and reservoirs (Lake Pillsbury (1921); Lake Mendocino (1959); and Lake Sonoma (1981)), in normal water years summer flows in the Russian River have been about seven times higher than natural.

To accommodate these high flows, SCWA has been managing water levels to avoid property flooding in Jenner by breaching the sand barrier beach that periodically forms due to ocean wave action.

Until only recently, this beach management practice had been done without concern for impacts to natural processes that create highly important steelhead and salmon habitats. With issuance of the biological opinion, SCWA is now working to manage the water levels (i.e., breach the barrier beach) in a manner that helps avoid washing away beach sands at the river mouth. This needs to be done regardless of flow levels during summer.

Changing Our System
The biological opinion dictates that two separate actions are needed to create a lagoon ecosystem that would approximate summer conditions before the construction of the major reservoirs affecting the river. Summer flow needs to be better managed and the barrier beach management practices need to be modified. Early monitoring by SCWA indicates that management of the estuary as a closed lagoon can be achieved if approached using this two-tiered method.

Some have expressed concerns regarding these efforts to substantially improve rearing habitat for steelhead and salmon and restore the Russian River’s estuarine ecosystem. Concerns generally fall into three areas: impacts to boating, water quality, and seal displacement at the river’s mouth. Some parties also feel that the river has been changed by numerous contemporary developments; so there is no sense in trying to restore natural ecosystem functions. Some also feel that NMFS is too focused on salmon and not concerned with other species.

The Federal Endangered Species Act specifically states, “The purposes of this Act are to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be preserved …”

We cannot protect and restore endangered and threatened species, and numerous other species depleted by habitat degradation solely through artificial rearing and stocking practices.

Habitats must be restored if we are to reestablish healthy sport fisheries for steelhead and ensure the survival of endangered salmon species for the benefit of future generations.

NMFS also has responsibility to promote healthy populations of harbor seals, and thankfully the population is stable and healthy and is not threatened with extinction. The formation of a closed estuarine lagoon during most summers will create beach conditions similar to those that supported healthy harbor seal populations for hundreds of years.

Records of the Fort Ross Settlers (1830s) and a geologist’s report from 1913 document that the Russian River estuary formed a closed lagoon during summer months. Management of the estuary as a closed lagoon during most summer months will alter the beach’s contours, and thus seals will likely distribute themselves differently. Some may disperse away from the river’s mouth. However, continued patrolling by those who keep pedestrian traffic and dogs away from seals and new requirements for seal monitoring by SCWA will help ensure the viability of Sonoma County’s seal populations.

Impacts of Closing the Lagoon
Restoring the estuary to a closed lagoon in summer requires steadfast efforts to manage and conserve beach sands to promote a shallow outlet stream across the surface of the beach. This effort is not dependent on SCWA’s control of inflows; indeed, efforts to conserve beach sand during breaching practices must be done months before inflows are low enough for SCWA to control. Nevertheless, concerns about the restoration of natural estuarine lagoon processes often focus on the effects of lower flows on the river.

The inconvenient truth is that Sonoma County has enjoyed the benefits of a large transfer of water from the Eel River for nearly a century without regard for the impacts of this transfer of flow on the salmon and steelhead runs in the Russian River or the Eel River watershed. Nowhere else along the coast of California are rivers discharging highly elevated, artificial flows (over 100 cubic feet per second) of potable freshwater to the ocean during summer with resulting impacts to endangered and threatened species.

Efforts to manage the estuary as a closed lagoon will not destroy boating opportunities during the summer. The very elevated summer flows due to sustained dam releases have been great for kayaking, and no doubt, river boating experience increases with flow – up to a point. Yet summer boating in the Russian River can likely be preserved by identifying a flow that minimizes the need for boaters to drag their boats through shallow riffles.

Preliminary evaluations indicate that a flow in the range of 75 to 90 cfs at Hacienda Bridge creates such conditions, and that this is probably within the range of flows needed to support a closed lagoon in Jenner. Note that 75 to 90 cfs is still roughly three times higher than summer flows prior to construction of the major dams. Moreover, depths along many miles of the lower river are maintained almost entirely by the summer dams at Johnson and Vacation Beaches.

Concern that water quality will deteriorate if summer flows decline from about 190 cfs to 90 cfs is based on the reasonable assumption that pollutants are concentrated by lower flows. It also stems from the degraded water quality observed in 2009 when an extreme water shortage forced a 35 cfs minimum flow. Contaminants, nutrients, and pathogens are in the river. Urban waste treatment facilities do not discharge to the river between mid-May and October 1.

However, faulty septic systems as well as human and animal contact periodically cause high levels of pathogens under both normal (125 cfs minimum) and dry year (85 cfs minimum) summer flows. Flushing pollution to the ocean with highly elevated, artificial flows harms listed steelhead, is contrary to rational water management policy, and is no way to treat the ocean. Dilution is not the solution to pollution, especially in a climate where it doesn’t rain for five months of the year. Pollution from faulty septic systems and other sources must be stopped at their source.

Recovering wild steelhead and salmon will require the restoration and protection of extensive amounts of stream habitat that have been degraded by domestic and agricultural water diversions, simplification of stream channels, and sedimentation from roads and diverse activities adjacent to streams.

Given the profound value of estuarine lagoons as rearing habitat for salmonids in central California, it only makes sense to restore the natural ecosystem functions of the river’s estuary. Pumping seven times the natural summer flow through the lower river and washing huge amounts of beach sand away from the river’s mouth through old breaching practices are no more sensible or sustainable than the reckless use of fossil fuels and other activities causing “inconvenient truths.”

We can maintain water quality, sustain kayaking and the seal populations, and achieve recovery of steelhead and salmon in the Russian River.

Russian River Estuary Facts

- The climate along California’s central coast produces a predictable “drought” lasting five months or longer every year. Here, stream flows naturally drop to very low levels by early fall.

- Where rivers flow into the ocean, wave action typically forms barrier beaches across river mouths, so that rivers become naturally cut off from the ocean. When separated from the ocean by a barrier beach, the most downstream segment of the river forms a freshwater or somewhat salty (brackish) lagoon that can provide extremely important nursery habitat for juvenile steelhead. The water quality dynamics of these lagoons are complex and dependent on inflow, geology, and ocean processes.

- Researchers found that a disproportionately large number of returning adult steelhead are reared for extended periods in these “closed lagoons” compared to the survival and return of adults that were reared mainly in headwater tributaries. The ocean survival of lagoon-reared steelhead is higher because the juveniles grow quicker and larger in the biologically rich lagoon environment.

- Prior to three major dams and the Eel River diversion at Potter Valley, summer flows in the lower river were about 20 to 30 cfs; less in some years.

- Recent historic summer flows have generally been about 180 to 220 cfs in most years.

- Because inflows are so high, the water backs up behind the beach, threatens flooding, and thus requires SCWA to breach the beach. The result: a tidal, unstable environment that is more salty, shallower than a lagoon, and a relatively poor quality habitat for rearing salmonids.

- The river’s coho salmon population is now nearly locally extinct, but for small returns due largely from a well-managed hatchery stocking program; the entire geographical unit of coho salmon between the Mattole River and Santa Cruz is endangered with extinction.

- The river’s steelhead populations are part of a geographic unit that is threatened with extinction. The river’s wild steelhead run is a small remnant of what it was 50 years ago.

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Treating Addiction in Sonoma County

Michael Spielman, MFT
The Drug Abuse Alternatives Center
The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as national health care reform requires private insurance plans to include mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment beginning in 2014.

• Nearly 1 in 5 Californa adults suffers from a mental disorder, about 1 in 25 has signs of a serious mental illness and nearly 1 in 10 abuses or is dependent on illicit drugs or alcohol

• It is estimated that 40,000 teen and adults in Sonoma County have an alcohol or other drug problem yet currently little funding is available for treatment

• Alcohol and other drug treatment providers in Sonoma County (funded by Sonoma County only) provide services to approximately 5,000 people per year at a cost of approximately $10 million

• Sonoma County will spend over $47 million in general fund dollars in 2011/2012 to run the jail system

• An estimated 70% of jail inmates in Sonoma County have substance abuse problems (primarily alcohol or methamphetamine) that underlie their criminal behavior

• Every $1 invested in treatment saves $7 in legal, medical and social costs
Federal and state lawmakers are trying to address gaps in behavioral health insurance either by mandating coverage or requiring parity. Parity laws require insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorders to be equal to or better than the insurance already provided for other medical and surgical benefits, including maximum lifetime benefits, co-payments, and deductibles.

Implications for Medi-Cal clients ~ For all Medi-Cal health plans, national health care reform expands coverage for mental health and substance use disorders and required coverage for these services.

Implications for California ~ The new benefits will extend to poor and uninsured Californian’s ~ such as the homeless, ex-offenders, unemployed and others who today have little access to effective SUD treatment. In California, 6 million individuals who were previously uninsured will receive basic medical benefits.

Over the next several years, Californian’s will most likely see major cuts to direct funding for some SUD treatment programs and facilities, while health care reform increases public and private insurance coverage for substance use disorders. The result will shift outpatient SUD treatment from stand-alone treatment centers to integrated services in health care settings, and from fee-for-service programs to accountable care organizations capable of demonstrating cost efficiency and quality effectiveness.

Implications for Sonoma County ~ Sonoma County spends a large percentage of its general fund dollars on the criminal justice system and a smaller percentage for alcohol and drug treatment. The shift in responsibility from the state to the counties for treatement and funding is going to be played out over the next few years.

According to the Sonoma County Indicators 2011 Unabridged Edition from the Economic Development Board, 12% of the population, or 57,000 people living in Sonoma County in 2009 did not have medical insurance.

To learn more about the how the Healthcare Reform will affect Sonoma County you are invited to attend our Understanding Addiction: Moving Towards an Integrated System of Care on September 27, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm.

Understanding Addiction Workshop 
Morning Session 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Integration of Behavioral Health Services Into Primary Care Settings
The SUD treatment and recovery workforce will need to learn additional skills to navigate a much broader primary health, substance use disorder, and mental health care system. This presentation will examine key components of the Health Care Reform and how SUD treatment practitioners can alter their practices to be most responsive. Questions and concerns practitioners may have regarding health care reform will be addressed, and several specific models and strategies for providing integrated behavioral health and primary health services will be presented.
Understanding Addiction Workshop Afternoon Session 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Treating the Whole Person:
Integrating Care for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders
This presentation will provide an overview of the unique treatment needs of persons who present with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. The importance of providing integrated services that address both conditions simultaneously will be described. Lastly, participants will learn about specific strategies for screening, assessment, brief intervention, and referral to more intensive treatment and intervention. There will be a Special Panel discussion highlighting local service providers.
Who should attend: Health, social service, criminal justice and human resource professionals, addiction counselors, public officials, educators, community leaders and other interested individuals.

3 to 6 Continuing Education Credits (CE) are available for RN’s, Psych Techs, MFT’s, LCSW’s, Addiction Counselors & Attorneys ~ Cost $39.95 for the morning or afternoon sessions or $74.95 for all day/both sessions

For more information and a sign-up form see www.daacinfo.org (Events – Workshop) or call (707) 571-2233 ext. 369. To contact Michael Spielman, MFT DAAC Executive Director, call (707) 571-2233 ext. 308 or mspielman@daacmail.org.

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Sonoma County Bike Ride Round-Up

By Sandra Lupien
BikeSonoma
We humans are largely social animals. Of course we need plenty of time to ourselves, but most of us love getting out with our people and making new friends. Participating in group bicycle rides or races is a great way to meet new people, get outside, get exercise, and have a great time. Whether you’re looking for a family ride about town, a fundraiser Century (100 mile) ride, or a wild mountain bike race, Sonoma County offers a grand array of opportunities to get out there and pedal together. Here’s a l’il roundup of what’s coming up in late summer and early Fall.


1. “Lycra-free” Family-friendly
Want to ride about at a leisurely pace that is inclusive for people of all levels of experience? For the following rides, no fancy bikes or special bike clothes are needed. Just your bike and you. Helmets are required by law for everyone under 18 years of age; we recommend them for everyone.

Daily Acts Ride to “Create Fermented Foods and Brews” Workshop – Saturday, August 13
BikeSonoma is partnering with Daily Acts (www.dailyacts.org) bike with you to this great workshop in Santa Rosa. Leave your car at home and ride with fellow workshop participants who, like you, are excited to learn how to make sauerkraut, kombucha, and mead! Meet-up spots will be determined based on where interested riders live. Riders will depart at about 1:30 p.m. The workshop starts at 3:00. Ride may include stops to pick blackberries. You must sign up for the workshop at www.dailyacts.org (fee applies).

“Ride About Town” from the Northern California Bicycle Expo, Saturday August 20, Santa Rosa City Hall
The Northern California Bicycle Expo is your destination for all things bike including the “Ride About Town.” This 10 mile jaunt is a chance for you and your family to rub handlebars with elected officials, community leaders , and your neighbors while enjoying a leisurely pedal around town. BikeSonoma Executive Director, Gary Helfrich, leads the ride, which highlights trails and bike lanes. Bring the kids! Meet at Santa Rosa City Hall in the D Street Parking lot at 8:30 a.m. for a riders-only free continental breakfast provided by Whole Foods Market Coddingtown. Ride departs promptly at 9:00a.m. Afterward, enjoy the Expo, which features bike (used and new) vendors, great exhibits, live music and performance, kids’ activities, food, beer, and more. www.BikeSonoma.org/BikeExpo.html.

“Graton Day Ride” Saturday September 24, Graton at the old fire station
The Graton Day Festival is a classic in this West County Hamlet. Let’s celebrate with a bike ride! Meet up at high noon at the old fire station on Ross Road and I’ll lead you in a lovely and casual pedal around town and along the West County Trail. What better way to meet your neighbors? We’ll return to Graton as the festival is getting underway. Contact me for more information.

Transition Sonoma/350.org “Moving Planet Ride” Saturday, September 24, Sonoma
At press time, BikeSonoma and Transition Cotati are working out the details of this ride to create a buzz around 350 – that’s the parts per million carbon dioxide scientists say is the safe limit for humanity. We’ll ride a friendly 10-mile route in Sonoma and the Valley, ending at the Vintage Festival on the Sonoma Plaza. All details to be determined; if you’d like to be in the loop contact me.

2. Fundraiser Century Rides
A century is a 100 mile, one-day bike ride; you ride your own pace, stopping at food- and beverage-stocked rest-stops at intervals along the way. A century is an awesome way to experience our rolling hills and coastline on your bike -- with the support of a dedicated crew. There are medics, support drivers on the route if you need your bike fixed or need to be picked up, and lots of great food. Most centuries feature at least two shorter routes (usually about 65 miles and 30 miles), so if a 100 mile ride seems too daunting, you can still enjoy a beautiful route. Century rides have become a popular way to raise funds for various causes, and Sonoma County is an understandably popular place to hold them. Check out these rides:

“Tour d’Organics” Sunday, August 14, Sebastopol Community Center
Tour d’Organics is a benefit for Sebastopol Community Center and Organic Athlete. This beautiful ride takes you through West County, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley and Bloomfield, and features rest stops at beautiful organic farms, and 100% vegan meals. Choose your route:
100, 65, 35, or 16 miles. Register:
http://www.seb.org/event/250477-2011-tour-d-organics.

“Holstein 100” Saturday, August 20, Petaluma High School
The Holstein 100 begins and ends at Petaluma High School and most of the route is in Marin County. The ride, a fundraiser for West Marin Senior Services, features 100 and 65 mile routes. Or, if you choose the 30 or 15 mile, you can make it to Santa Rosa in time to enjoy the Northern California Bicycle Expo (see above). Register for the Holstein at www.wmss.org/holstein.


Tour de Fuzz Saturday, September 10, Santa Rosa, Ursuline High School
The Sonoma County Road Dogs, bike club of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa Police Department’s Blueline Cycling, and Sonoma County’s Red Peloton are team up to sponsor the“Tour de Fuzz.” Proceeds benefit the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Service of Sonoma County, and the ride features 100, 62, and 34 mile routes. Register: www.sonomalawchaplains.org

Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge GranFondo Saturday, October 1, Santa Rosa, Finley Community Center. Sonoma County’s largest organized ride, Santa Rosa-based champion cyclist Levi Leipheimer’s GranFondo is a real beauty – and a real challenge. The Gran route (100 miles) is full, but you can still register for the very challenging Medio Fondo (65 miles) or the Piccolo Fondo (35 miles). This ride draws people from around the world, including celebrities like actor Patrick Dempsey. Register: www.levisgranfondo.com.

3. Cycling Clubs
If you’re looking to train for long rides, or just ride with nice people on a regular basis, a cycling club might be for you! Clubs offer regular rides, and most classify their rides by terrain and level of rider experience. Some clubs require riders to pay annual dues (which usually means great perks throughout the year), and some are more casual. Here are a few:

Santa Rosa Cycling Club – www.srcc.com – This club offers many weekly rides for everyone from beginner to expert, and hosts the annual Wine Country Century (in May)

HillJillys – Women. Bikes. Fun.
That’s this club’s slogan. They offer road and mountain bike rides.
www.hillyjillys.com.

Sonoma Valley Cyclists – Offers Wednesday and Saturday rides in beautiful Sonoma Valley.
www.sonomavalleycyclists.org.

Petaluma Wheelmen – Don’t let the name fool you, this club isn’t just for men. It’s been around since 1895! www.petalumawheelmen.org

4. Bike Racing
If you’re an experienced cyclist or an athlete who likes a little friendly competition, bike racing might be just the ticket. Sonoma County has plenty of opportunities to race, and if you’re into Mountain Bike Racing, Bike Monkey is your resource. Bike Monkey hosts tons of great races throughout the year, including the recent Annadel race, a wintertime Cyclocross series, and the following monster of a race:

SoNoMás Saturday, August 27, Lake Sonoma.
This endurance mountain bike race is 35 miles and not for the faint of heart. An oh-so-subtle hint from the ride organizers about just how challenging the ride is: there’s no beginners category. Register at Bike Monkey: www.BikeMonkey.net.

So, if you’re ready to ride, there are many options for you to do so in excellent company. And if you’d like to ride on your own, plan your route using BikeSonoma’s fabulous Sonoma County Bike Map, available at bike shops and book stores throughout Sonoma County, and at our website.



Happy pedaling!
www.BikeSonoma.org
707-545-0153

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