Earth Day view from Sonoma Ecology Center

By Richard Dale, Sonoma Ecology Center executive director —

There’s a soft greenness over our corner of the world this time of year, a flush of life in the grasses now in seed and the late wildflowers, a ripeness that heralds a turn of seasons from spring to summer. If I could make a wish for our community this 52nd Earth Day, it would be that we see in this ripeness of the natural world, a mirror for the ripeness of this moment in the human world, especially in our community. There is, in the giant waves of change all around us, from pandemic to climate to economy, a chance to guide some changes that could benefit our Valley and the world for generations to come.

One wave of change is related to something hard for most of us to notice, biodiversity. We’re losing species around the world, including in our region, faster than ever—a quarter of all known species are at risk of extinction in the next few decades. But because we’re not closely connected to nature, we mostly miss these one-by-one losses, or the implied disaster. We rely on this web of life for our very existence. Unravelling it this fast will have unknown impacts to pollination, pollution and waste cycling, predator control, and a host of other services we need just to live, and especially to live well.

We can help make a difference, by creating habitat in our yards and beyond, and by protecting and managing open spaces with biodiversity in mind. For example, we could work to finish protecting the hillside backdrop of Sonoma, to establish a protected area in the hills above the Springs community, and to set aside areas of our own landscape, whether patio or whole hillside, for nature. Imagine our entire Valley committed to this cause, a sanctuary, a place where biodiversity thrives, instead of just another place where it fades away.

Another wave is climate change. This needs less of an introduction. Wind, heat, drought, and massive storms are everywhere, including now in our remarkable home. Wildfire, flooding, damage to food systems, sea level rise, political stress and refugees, are likewise widespread. Our children deserve to hate us, knowing this was coming and doing so little. But we can still act. One game-changing shift could be to create a climate solutions center at the former SDC campus.

This could be a partnership of government, business, academia, and the community, working together to create solutions at speed and scale that could save our future. It could be part of a novel community that modeled how to live with nature and wildlife, how to use water many times over and build back groundwater, how to house people affordably and provide jobs, how to integrate transit so well that cars are not needed, scaled to fit our beautiful Valley without overwhelming it, but still inviting the best minds to come together for the future. This could be the true legacy we offer, something more than words to show we care.

There’s still another wave to consider. We live in a beautiful, human-scale valley that brings people together. Trends in communication, transportation, economy, housing, and other forces, drive people apart. But in our Valley, at least when we’re out in it, scale tends to bring us together. Markets, fireworks, festivals, the myriad of events that happen here a lot, along with school, sports, shopping, and other regular features of life, bring us face to face frequently. That’s a huge asset. Familiarity may breed contempt, but it also brings opportunities for communication, and over the years because of this, we’ve faced and solved a lot of problems together.

We can build on this, and model solutions that show that when we come together, we can do, and have done, amazing things. Issues like housing, mental health, our children’s future, transportation, and more, can find solutions if we are willing to work across sectors and positions toward common interests. Sonoma Valley Collaborative is an excellent example of this. This Earth Day, with so much at stake, we and our world need examples of connection leading to solutions, more than ever. Let’s recommit to the value of our connection.

This message was posted to the Sonoma Ecology Center website