Single-use, disposable plastics are a problem. We don’t know what we can recycle and what we can’t. We see the impact in our oceans and our streams and we want to be responsible consumers. Learn from our experts about ways you can help reduce the problem. Read more below, and watch recorded event here: Plastics: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Research, March 7, 2024

Join Jessica Carew Kraft, California naturalist and author of Why We Need to Be Wild for an adventurous wild wander. Nature is always making a map for us, and the land is full of clues and signs. We will learn and practice techniques for reading the landscape used by wildlife trackers and all of our ancestors to forage and navigate. If you've ever wondered about how humans survived and thrived in wild environments, or questioned how to keep yourself from getting lost without using GPS, this afternoon excursion will give you more knowledge and the confidence to safely wander off the beaten path. Expand your perception of subtle signs in nature so that you can "read" trees, water paths, shadows, animal signs, and several species of edible plants. Kraft will also share her personal story of learning the skills of rewilding depicted in her book. 

Join members of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority in a volunteer service day to keep the natural areas on our campus biodiverse and beautiful! SSU's native plant and butterfly gardens are important links along the Copeland Creek Corridor that includes the garden classroom, emanating from high on Sonoma Mountain, connecting Fairfield Osborn Preserve to the lower portions of the Russian River watershed. The actions that happen here affect everything downstream. Come get “Environmentally Ready” with us by not only caring for these precious spaces that provide solace for students and the local community, but also learning about the valuable educational, research and restoration work taking place here.

As part of the "Rising Waters" initiative, this Year 3 public results workshop and Year 4 kickoff meeting presents the findings of student research projects on the challenging intersection of environmental and social factors that impact water quality, and presents an opportunity for discussion of planned future work. Rising Waters is a multi-year initiative between SSU and community leaders to study and identify potential solutions surrounding the nexus of water quality and homelessness in Sonoma County. The initiative engages SSU students in collecting information needed to identify new solutions, and engages community leaders to implement those, reducing bacteria/pathogens and trash in waterways. It establishes as its measure of success engaging students and faculty in meaningful improvement in water-related sustainability and resilience challenges of the North Bay. Join us to learn and provide input on how these results can be used to take action in our community, with the goal of finding new solutions that benefit people experiencing homelessness and ensure high water quality for everyone. Watch recorded event here: Rising Waters: Researching Water Quality & Homelessness, January 30, 2024

Geology is the study of the Earth, its composition, history and physical processes. Sonoma State University’s Geology Instructor Nicole Myers will share about the geology of Sonoma County, including Sonoma Mountain. How have tectonic, seismic, and volcanic events formed the rocks, valleys, and mountains around us? We will explore Osborn Preserve to learn about geologic processes and climatic trends that comprise the natural forces of Sonoma County, including wildfires, floods and earthquakes.