SONOMA LAND TRUST RIDERS’ GUIDE Conservation Easements

Sonoma Land Trust currently holds 44 conservation

easements protecting 7,000 acres throughout
Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, six of which
GranFondo cyclists will ride by today!
Jenner Headlands Preserve

Wait, what is a conservation easement?

Pole Mountain and the
Jenner Headlands
As you ride along the remarkable Sonoma Coast
today, you might notice a bronze gate that reads
“Jenner Headlands Preserve.” That’s the entrance to
the newly public Pole Mountain/Jenner Headlands
Preserves, a “gateway” to some of the most stunning
hiking trails along the coast! Nowhere else can one
find such a rigorous and rewarding hiking
experience from the shores of the Pacific to the
summit of Pole Mountain at 2,204 feet. The Jenner
Headlands features 14 miles of trails — including a
half-mile ADA trail with a spectacular coast overlook
and a five-mile coastal loop trail. Intrepid and fit
adventure-seeking hikers are drawn to the “Sea to
Sky” Trail, scaling from the coastal bluffs of the
Jenner Headlands to the summit of Pole Mountain,
a 15-mile round trip ascent with over 3,600 feet of
elevation gain — strenuous, yes, but well worth the
360-degree views.
Get directions, a trail map and more on our website:
sonomalandtrust.org.
Please note: Currently, Pole Mountain is our only preserve open
to the public. You can access our private properties by signing
up for On the Land outings. Get the schedule on our website.
Freezeout Redwoods
Along your ride today, you’ll be surrounded by
towering redwood trees. John Steinbeck once
described these ancient trees as “ambassadors from
another time.” Redwoods of California have
captivated humans as long as we have lived here, but
according to Save the Redwoods League, only five
percent of the original old-growth coastal redwood
forest endures, leaving most of the remaining
redwood acreage across the state comprised of
second- and third-growth trees — redwoods that
have regrown after a recent harvest. With our
redwood forests both younger and dwindling, it is
vital to protect their ecosystems when we can. In
1992, we protected Freezeout Redwoods, an 89-acre
property near Duncans’ Mills, to spare this unique
redwood habitat from future logging, subdivision
and development.
We’re glad you asked! A conservation easement is a
voluntary and permanent legal agreement between a
landowner and a land trust that keeps the land in
private ownership while protecting key natural
resources forever. These agreements permanently
limit specific uses of a property while retaining many
of the landowner’s private property rights. This
conservation tool is used to protect some of Sonoma
County’s most unique and sensitive landscapes.
Why should I care about conserving the land?
In Sonoma County, it’s all about the land. Sonoma
Land Trust believes that the land is the heart of the
community, and that when our land is healthy, our
community is healthy. Our county is one of the most
beautiful and biologically diverse counties in the
United States. The lands you ride through today are
the lands we believe should be enjoyed by our
community and protected for future generations.
From acquiring land and conservation easements to
restoring land and the natural properties on which
we depend, to protecting land for wildlife and
recreation, Sonoma Land Trust works tirelessly to
find ways to preserve the beauty and vitality of
Sonoma County.

About Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust believes land is the foundation of our economy and our
community’s health and well-being. Since 1976, Sonoma Land Trust has protected
more than 50,000 acres of scenic, natural, agricultural and open land for future
generations, and is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. As a
nonprofit organization, the Land Trust depends on the support of individuals who
believe the land is worth protecting.  Please join us today!

For more information, please visit sonomalandtrust.org.

#ProtectThePicture

Bohemia Ranch
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