Sonoma garden lovers frequently thank Audubon Canyon Ranch for Glen Ellen’s Bouverie Preserve, one of the most beautiful conservation areas in the entire county. Now it seems that ACR is spreading the knowledge, teaching a handful of Sonoma Valley High School students how to restore eight acres of oak woodlands.
The initiative is part of a program called Gathering to Restore Oak Woodlands (GROW). Participating students are enrolled in the Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship (SLEWS) program at Sonoma Valley High.
Other groups involved in the effort include the Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation District and the Center for Land-Based Learning.
The California Department of Transportation provided funding for the endeavor.
According to Paula Maxfield, a spokesperson for Audubon Canyon Ranch, the restoration effort entered its second phase last week, when students met with local conservation professionals to learn more about developing irrigation systems.
The experts also chatted with students about the importance of building nest boxes to attract native birds such as blue birds and tree swallows.
Overall, the GROW project revolves around repatriating oak seedlings hatched from local acorns. Maxfield notes that since the project began in December 2009, more than 400 hand-gathered acorns have been planted at two sites in Bouverie Preserve with the help of Sonoma Valley High School students.
Later this month, the project will be open to the public. Audubon Canyon Ranch is hosting a Project GROW workday at Bouverie Preserve on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
A hot lunch will be provided to all volunteers. Check it out.
Pingback: Sonoma County’s Awesome Parks – Inside Sonoma