The legacy of an early conservationist now provides a hands-on, open air laboratory for Sonoma State students, just a few miles up the mountainside from their campus.

Nathan Rank is a professor of Biology at Sonoma State University and has been Director of Fairfield Osborn Preserve since 2000. He received his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of California-Davis in 1990. His research interests focus on evolutionary ecology and population biology.

One of the benefits of having the Osborn Preserve nearby, says professor Rank, is that it provides a convenient way to observe seasonal changes within the same environment.

Fairfield Osborn Preserve was established by The Nature Conservancy in 1972 through the generosity of William and Joan Roth in honor of Joan's father, Fairfield Osborn. The Preserve was donated to Sonoma State University in 1997 for use as an educational and research site. In 2004, William and Joan Roth donated an additional 190 acres to the Preserve, nearly doubling its size, and including the scenic ridgeline of Sonoma Mountain.

 The Preserve occupies the upper slope at the center of the ridge (above) and is home to the headwaters and much of the watershed for Coleman Creek (below).

In addition  to the many grade school children who visit the Preserve each year, Rank explains that university students are also able to work on a considerable variety of research projects there.

Various hikes and other educational outings are offered at Fairfield Osborn Preserve. Information and registration forms can be found here .

Fairfield Osborn Preserve is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including the endangered California Red-legged Frog.

Using economic analysis as a tool for environmental protection is a core philosophy driving the Sebastopol-based Conservation Strategy Fund.

John Reid, President and founder of the Conservation Strategy Fund, explains how he sees economics as a tool for increasing overall human happiness  

The mission of Conservation Strategy Fund is to teach environmental organizations around the world how to use economics and strategic analysis to conserve nature.

Carbon credits may become a potent economic tool for poor countries with extensive forest resources, an approach that Sebastopol's Conservation Strategy Fund is helping to promote.

Part of CSF's educational work involves teaching their partners how to articulate the linkage between preserved resources and economic benefits.

Much more detailed information about CSF can be found in their annual reports, which are posted online here. There is also a listing of current and recent projects here.

 The possibility of a new wastewater discharge pipeline to the county's popular Steelhead Beach in Forestville (above)  has apparently been killed by cost considerations.

 The pipeline to the proposed Steelhead Beach discharge site would have run through the quiet corridor of Osprey trail (below). Photos courtesy West County Gazette.

Brenda Adelman of the Russian River Watershed Protection Committee contends that Santa Rosa could and should reduce the amount of water flowing into the treatment plant by moving more aggressively to repair leaking sewer pipes that allow rainwater to get in.

The USDA is preparing to adopt standards defnining exactly what can be labeled organically farmed fish. Not surprisingly, that's prompted a big debate behind the scenes.

 A typical "open pen" at a commercial salmon farm. These pens are usually arranged in larger groupings (such as the one shown in the photo below), linked by walkways that are used by the staff.

This commercial salmon fishing operation is in a deepwater cove off Lucas Bay, Alaska. Most of the world's salmon farming is done in the cold northern Pacific and Atlantic waters off North America.

Urvashi Rangun (right)  is a senior scientist and policy analyst for Consumer's Union, which is advocating for rigorous new standards for farmed seafood to be labled "organic."