Summer is here! From music and art to cleanups and stewardship, there’s something for everyone:

Aug. 8 & 9 - 53rd Annual Gravenstein Apple Fair / Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 10 a.m. - More info

Thursdays, ongoing (next: Aug. 13) - Friends of Fife Creek Volunteer Day, 2 p.m. - More info

3rd Saturday of every month (next: Aug. 15) - Santa Rosa Creek Cleanup, 10 a.m. - More info

Aug. 15 - LandPaths — Our True Nature Outdoor Festival / Bohemia Ecological Preserve, 11 a.m. - More info

Saturdays & Sundays, ongoing (next: Aug. 15 & 16) - Free Guided walks through Armstrong Redwoods / Guerneville, 10 a.m. - More info

Last Saturday of every month (next: Aug. 29) - Land Stewardship Saturdays with the Wildlife Conservancy / Jenner, 9:30 a.m. - More info

Sep. 19 - 40th Annual Russian River Watershed Cleanup, multiple locations - More info

Sep. 30 - Rick Steves: How to See the World / Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m. - More info

Oct. 3 - Russian Riverkeeper’s Ripp’n River Bash 2026 / Healdsburg, 5 p.m. - More info

Each summer, teens from across Sonoma County get to explore the Russian River watershed by kayak with LandPaths. Youth get away from screens and indoor living, spending three days on the river through a combination of camping and paddling under a blue Sonoma County sky.

"I've never kayaked before and I am definitely going to do it again!" said Sierra, a first-time Russian River Teen Trek participant. In partnership with Point Reyes Adventure Company, LandPaths' staff focus on cultivating resilience and leadership skills amongst teens ages 13 to 17, as they enjoy this special opportunity to explore the natural world while journeying downriver from Forestville to the Sonoma Coast in their own kayaks. Teens don't have to have any previous kayaking experience. The first day is spent on paddling basics with an emphasis on safe interaction with the Russian River. In addition, teens get to:

• Learn paddling basics and water safety

• Build confidence navigating their own kayak

• Study the rich flora and fauna of the river

• Camp along the river under the stars

• Strengthen teamwork through shared challenges and adventure

While some teens start off shaky and even worried about kayaking, they almost always end up filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment after the multi-day journey, which always involves pit stops for snacks, rock jumping, seeking out western pond turtles, great blue herons, river otters, double-crested cormorants, arboreal salamanders, and more! 

LandPaths is actively committed to making camp accessible for all youth, regardless of socioeconomic status, and maintains a robust, equitable scholarship program. Funding support from the California State Coastal Conservancy also helps make the Russian River Teen Trek possible. The Coastal Conservancy is a non-regulatory state agency that works with others along the California coast, in coastal watersheds, and in the San Francisco Bay Area to protect and restore coastal resources, help people get to and enjoy the coast, and enhance climate resilience. Its vision is a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future Californians.

LandPaths offers two weeks of river treks for teens at the beginning of summer. Paddle with Pride is offered the second week, which centers LGBTQIA+ youth and allies in recognition that through meaningful relationships with one another and the outdoors, teens can build community, experience brave spaces, and celebrate joy together on the water.

Have a teen who might want to sign up for the Russian River Teen Trek or Paddle with Pride with LandPaths in 2027? Or, want to find out how to support the program to ensure teens can continue connecting with the Russian River Watershed in a positive way? Click the button below to learn more!

• Leilani Clark,

  LandPaths Communications Manager

Agriculture as a Partner in Watershed Health: Mendocino County Resource Conservation District

Agriculture is deeply connected to the health of the Russian River Watershed. From vineyards and orchards to family farms and working lands, agricultural communities play an important role in protecting water resources, supporting biodiversity, and building climate resilience.

The Mendocino County Resource Conservation District works alongside landowners and local communities to support conservation practices that benefit both agricultural operations and the watershed. Through technical assistance, education, and collaborative projects, the organization helps land managers address challenges like water conservation, soil health, erosion, and habitat protection.

Healthy agricultural landscapes can serve as important partners in river restoration. Practices that improve soil health, reduce runoff, conserve water, and protect stream corridors can help keep waterways cleaner and support the ecosystems that depend on them. Agriculture is not separate from watershed health, it is an essential part of the conversation.

As the Russian River Confluence continues bringing together partners across Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, collaboration with agricultural communities will remain key to creating a resilient future for the river, the land, and the people who depend on both.

Strengthening Connections: July Confluence Meeting Recap

On July 28, the Russian River Confluence brought together partners from across the watershed to reflect on shared priorities, strengthen relationships, and explore opportunities for collaboration. Across breakout discussions, one theme stood out: meaningful progress comes from connecting people, projects, and ideas across the region.

Participants shared that the upcoming October convening (October 29, 2026) is an opportunity to reconnect after a busy season of individual projects, better understand each other’s work, and identify ways to support one another. Many highlighted the importance of breaking down organizational silos, strengthening connections between the Confluence and R3MP, supporting research and workforce development opportunities, and ensuring regional efforts are coordinated to maximize impact.

Partners also shared updates on projects underway throughout the watershed, including expanding water conservation efforts through Rain Catchers in Your Neighborhood, transforming turf into native habitat, advancing Copeland Creek as a living lab, supporting salmon recovery and habitat restoration, exploring groundwater recharge opportunities, and preparing for future Proposition 4 funding opportunities.

Beyond the work itself, participants reflected on the personal journeys that brought them to the Russian River Watershed. While many came from different places and backgrounds, a shared appreciation for this landscape and a commitment to protecting it connected the group.

As Confluence member Julian Cohen shared, “Healthy relationships lead to a healthy watershed.” The October convening will continue building those relationships, creating space for collaboration, shared learning, and collective action toward a resilient future.

Celebrating Hana’s Fellowship Journey with the Confluence

After a year of learning, growing, and connecting with an incredible community, I am wrapping up my California Climate Action Corps fellowship with Conservation Works. It has been an honor to support the Russian River Confluence and Respect Russian River campaigns while helping share the stories of the people, places, and projects that make this watershed so special.

Throughout my fellowship, I had the opportunity to grow the Russian River Confluence through newsletters, social media, storytelling, and community outreach. I supported the Respect Russian River campaign by creating communications materials, sharing ways for residents and visitors to care for the river, and helping build a stronger connection between our communities and the watershed we all depend on.

One of the most purposeful parts of my fellowship was helping launch the Friends of Johnson Park docent program in Fort Bragg, supporting stewardship events, and working alongside partners throughout Sonoma and Mendocino counties. These projects reminded me that conservation is built through relationships, shared stories, and people coming together to care for the places they love.

As I wrap up this chapter, I am incredibly grateful for the community that welcomed me and the people who made this experience so special. I will miss working alongside Oona, TJ, Mike, and Lily, whose mentorship, encouragement, and friendship made this fellowship such a meaningful experience. I am leaving with so much appreciation for the Conservation Works team, our partners, and every volunteer and community member who continues to show up for the Russian River.

As I look ahead, I am searching for media and communications opportunities in the conservation and environmental space where I can continue using storytelling to connect people with the natural world. Outside of conservation work, you can find me photographing weddings, pet sitting, and exploring the landscapes that continue to inspire me.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Russian River Confluence, Respect Russian River, and the work of Conservation Works. It has been a privilege to be a small part of this community, and I cannot wait to see all the ways this watershed continues to be cared for and celebrated.

• Hana

Russian River Stewardship Calendar: Support Local!

Keep up with our stewardship calendar! This month, our focus is: Support Local.

Stewardship is also about supporting the people and small businesses that make the Russian River watershed a vibrant place to live, work, and explore. Every dollar spent locally helps strengthen our communities, supports local jobs, and reduces the environmental impacts of long-distance shipping.

This month, consider grabbing a coffee from Flying Goat Coffee in Healdsburg or Lightwave Coffee & Kitchen in Monte Rio, enjoying a meal at Boon Eat + Drink in Guerneville or Cape Fear Café in Duncans Mills, browsing the shelves at Guerneville 5 & 10, shopping at Oliver's Market, or visiting a family-owned winery like Porter-Bass Winery or Russian River Vineyards. You can also support local farmers by stopping by a neighborhood farmers market or purchasing produce grown right here in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

Choosing local is one small action that makes a lasting impact. By investing in the businesses and organizations that call the watershed home, you're helping build a resilient local economy while protecting the places we love.

Respecting the Russian River is part of everyday life in the watershed. These monthly stewardship tips highlight simple, practical ways to care for the river and the places we all share throughout the year.

Questions or Comments? Reach out to info@russianriverconfluence.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @RussianRiverConfluence!