Take advantage of the healing powers of nature while exploring diverse ecosystems on Sonoma Mountain. SSU Naturalists will lead you on a tour of this university education and research site, and give you insights into the ways we can work together to restore regional landscapes. Activities will be subject to change based on the most recent guidance about COVID safety. 

Northern California wildfires have changed – becoming more frequent, hotter and bigger – and are changing the face and fabric of Northern California. They are causing people to move out of fire-prone areas, to work at hardening their homes and to seek ways to protect their land by mitigating the risk and intensity of fire. Geared toward small and large landowners, this program will show you some of the steps you can take, depending upon the type of forest you have on your land, to mitigate the severity and duration of a wildfire. Learn about tools and techniques from a diverse group of forestry experts anxious to share their knowledge so you can gain skills to help you become environmentally ready.

Learn all about the strange and mysterious lives of dragonflies, or Anisopterans. They are an ancient and highly adapted insect that can help us “read” and better understand the natural landscapes around us. Their combined aquatic and terrestrial life-cycles make them a unique indicator of habitat type and wetland diversity. We’ll use their complex physiology, life-cycle and fascinating behaviors as a window into ecosystem health. We’ll also learn how to find, ID, attract and study them in our neighborhoods. Kevin will share dozens of close-up photos from over 20 years of leading programs and studying dragonflies in California, Virginia and New York. Watch recorded event here: Deep Dive: Dragonflies as Bioindicators March 17, 2022

Will our power and water services hold up under perilous circumstances? In order to be resilient, critical infrastructure & services are fully integrated, distributed, and redundant. At this event, we'll hear about work being done to make these services reliable during extreme events. This is the sixth event in the 2021-22 North Bay Forward "Building Resilience" monthly speaker series, a year-long conversation to increase community collaboration on resilience to climate change. Watch recorded event here: Building Resilience: Critical Services During Extreme Events, March 9, 2022

Plants provide food, medicine, shelter, dyes, oils, resins, fibers, gyms, soaps, waxes, latex, tannins and more. Join us to learn about the interrelations between humans and plants at the Osborn Preserve! We will use our senses to explore the various aspects of regional plants and learn about the various practical uses.

Curiosity in nature supports a deeper understanding of the natural world. Join us to discover, celebrate and develop the free spirit of nature inquiry on Sonoma Mountain. We will explore Osborn Preserve’s hidden secrets through the process of inquiry. Where are amphibians hiding, what various colors of fungus can be found, what senses can we use to observe plants? Learn how outdoor inquiry can transform your daily life, as well as how it can give children hands-on experience of what they study in school.

Bring experts into your classroom and give students a window into the process of scientific and creative inquiry. Join us for an informal chat with researchers and artists contributing to the field of Conservation Biology in California, Florida and Massachusetts. Find out who they are, how they got interested in their fields, and the questions and goals they address. Instructor Guide and Event Resources available. Watch recorded event here: Live from the Field: Conservation through Art & Science, February 14, 2022

To be resilient, critical infrastructure and that in high-risk areas must be retrofitted to minimize impacts of extreme events like fire, flood, drought and heat. At this event, we identify projects being undertaken to harden essential infrastructure in our area. This is the fifth event in the 2021-22 North Bay Forward "Building Resilience" monthly speaker series, a year-long conversation to increase community collaboration on resilience to climate change. Watch recorded event here: Building Resilience: Preparing Infrastructure February 9, 2022