UC ANR Forest Stewardship Workshop is coming to Sonoma County in partnership with the Sonoma Resource Conservation District (SRCD)! To learn more about the SRCD's work, we interviewed Community Engagement Specialist Patti Aaron, who has taken both the Forest Stewardship and Post-Fire Forest Resilience workshops.

Sonoma County has always been home to Patti Aaron. “There is a special spirit here,” she says. “The vast diversity of nature – from the ocean to the redwoods to the oak woodlands, and everything in between.” Having grown up in Sonoma County, Aaron has a deep connection to the land and brings a unique perspective to her role at the Sonoma County Resource Conservation District (SRCD).

As the Community Engagement Specialist, Aaron helps her community understand and implement forest management strategies. She connects landowners with SRCD resources and organizes neighborhoods to collaborate on grant applications. “Being of service to my community means everything to me,” she shares. “Many people here care about preserving the beauty and health of the County's natural environment and resources.”

In her previous career, Aaron worked at a federal water agency, so the transition to forestry required her to strengthen her understanding of forestry and fire management. To bridge that gap, she enrolled in the nine-week UC ANR Forest Stewardship Workshop series. The program not only expanded her technical knowledge but also provided practical insights into how to communicate with landowners about fire behavior. “I'm new to the fire world,” Aaron explains. “In the very first week, we learned how fire behaves, the history of the uses of fire, and fire suppression – that was a standout moment for me.” Aaron also completed UC ANR's Post-Fire Forest Resilience Workshop series, equipping her with tools to help Sonoma County landowners, especially those who have experienced wildfires in recent years, manage post-fire recovery.

Recovering from wildfire is no small task. Removing dead trees and invasive species is both costly and labor-intensive, creating significant barriers for many landowners. “I've been mostly working with landowners who have been impacted by wildfire.,” Aaron shares. “They're focused on dead tree removal and removing invasive species...but it's expensive and hard work.”

This is where Aaron's role becomes crucial. She encourages landowners to join community-level projects managed by the SRCD, which leverages grant funding to make stewardship efforts more attainable. One such project involved creating shaded fuel breaks in a neighborhood impacted by the 2020 Glass Fire. The area's narrow, two-lane roads and dense forest made it nearly impossible for individual landowners to manage on their own. By working together through the SRCD, these residents addressed wildfire risks more effectively and affordably.

Aaron shared her work at the SRCD doesn't stop at post-fire recovery. The organization also offers community workshops to promote forest health and educate residents about the benefits of “good fire,” which can counteract decades of fire suppression. Aaron has noticed an encouraging trend in recent years: a growing focus on supporting forest lands, both those already affected by wildfire and those at risk. “There is an increasing amount of attention and resources at all levels focused on forest lands impacted by wildfire and those in danger of being damaged by wildfire.” For Aaron, seeing every day how landowner participation and resource ability meet is a sign that there is indeed hope for the future of California's forests.

The UC ANR Forest Stewardship Workshop- Sonoma Cohort begins on January 21^st! Register for the nine-week series today at https://ucanr.edu/forestryworkshops.