A note from your outgoing editor
After this issue I am hanging up my hat as editor for Solano Land Trust newsletters. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to bring you stories about the people and places associated with the land trust for 17 years.
When I moved to Solano County 21 years ago from San Francisco where multiple hikes were a quick car ride away, I asked my husband, “Where can we hike?” Even though we were surrounded by beautiful country here, all he could suggest at the time was Rockville Hills Regional Park and Rush Ranch. Solano Land Trust has changed that.
My initial introduction to Solano Land Trust came through Rush Ranch where I was a docent and board member for the Rush Ranch Educational Council.
In the time I have worked with Solano Land Trust I was witness to, and wrote about, many landmark accomplishments such as:
• Saving Lynch Canyon from becoming a garbage dump. I well remember opening day with the color guard kicking off the ceremony on a cold foggy morning.
• Attending a Solano Land Trust board meeting when Michael Muir made his successful pitch to adopt Rush Ranch as Access Adventure’s headquarters. I have watched his organization grow and make many improvements at Rush Ranch through the years.
• Embracing the inclusion of Rush Ranch as a San Francisco Estuarine Research Reserve site. With funding from the State Coastal Conservancy, the old ranch house was torn down and replaced by the Nature Center with its native plant garden.
• Creating a spectacular new open space park, recently renamed Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi.
Thanks to Solano Land Trust, our hiking options in Solano County have improved significantly. In addition to Rush Ranch and Jepson Prairie, we now have Lynch Canyon, the King-Swett Ranches, and Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi.
The favorite part of my job as editor and writer has been to learn from all the passionate people associated with the land trust and to share their knowledge with you. I have walked the trails with docents, learned about bluebirds and birds of prey, and watched the awe on kids’ faces as they learned about pickleweed and cattail fluff.
One of my favorite memories comes from a visit to Grabish Farms, when Amy Grabish called, “Piglets!” and five of them bounded for their food dish.
I am leaving my post to focus on other writing projects. In addition to editing and writing for Solano Land Trust, I have written for Smithsonian and other national publications, and am a frequent contributor to the Bay Area Monitor and Estuary News. I am the author of Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California’s First Poet Laureate, and my current book in progress is about author Jack London’s lifelong relationship with the San Francisco Bay. You can learn more about my work here.
I am leaving you in good hands. Samuel Adams is a talented writer who is passionate about the work of Solano Land Trust. I trust he will enjoy sharing stories of the land as much as I have.
See you on the trails.