marzo 29, 2022
Posted in: News Articles
Este mes, nos comunicaremos con Sheri Emerson, nuestra administradora de administración, quien supervisa la administración de más de 122,000 acres de tierra protegida por Ag + Open Space. Sheri obtuvo su licenciatura en Biología de la Universidad Estatal de Sonoma y su Maestría en Botánica de la Universidad de Maine. Está certificada como Científica Profesional de Humedales por la Sociedad Internacional de Científicos de Humedales, con experiencia profesional en la ecología y restauración de ecosistemas de agua dulce, estuarios y humedales marinos. ¡Sigue leyendo para saber más sobre el trabajo de Sheri, e incluso sobre su golosina congelada favorita!
What’s your favorite Sonoma County place to get outside and why?
I love to get out to the Sonoma Coast to check out the tidepools, walk along the beaches, and hike along the coastal bluffs. There’s so much life and energy at that place where the land meets the sea – I love that transition.
What’s one fact, statistic, or interesting tidbit about land conservation that you enjoy sharing with others?
Protecting and restoring wetlands is key to addressing climate change. Wetlands comprise only 7% of the earth’s land surface, but store 33% of the world’s terrestrial carbon. Coastal mangroves store four times more carbon than neighboring rainforests! Healthy wetlands increase our resilience to drought, floods, and wildfire, and support more biodiversity than forests. Unfortunately more than a third of global wetlands have disappeared since the 1970s… that’s within my own lifetime! It is shocking. So we have a ton more work to do to conserve and restore wetlands.
What’s your proudest moment working in land conservation and why?
One day I was picking up a sandwich on my lunch break to take back to the office – I was in the midst of an intense project, so I was a bit distracted. The woman at the register asked where I worked. When I said the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, she brightened and said, “Oh! You are the ones that saved Taylor Mountain!” And suddenly everything came into focus and I thought, wow, I guess she’s right!
El trabajo de Ag + Open Space brinda beneficios reales a todos en nuestra comunidad. Tal vez le guste caminar o andar en bicicleta o observar aves en Taylor, o simplemente piense que es un hermoso telón de fondo panorámico para Santa Rosa. Tal vez le guste comprar carne de res producida localmente que puede provenir de las vacas que pastan allí. Tal vez aprecies el aire y el agua limpios, o la protección contra inundaciones o incendios forestales. Nuestro trabajo hace todas estas cosas, y estoy orgulloso de poder ser parte de él.
What compelled you to pick a career in land conservation?
As a kid growing up in the Bay Area, I really enjoyed time spent outdoors and learning about the natural history of local habitats, especially oak woodlands and the coast. School trips to regional and state parks, Yosemite National Park, and family visits to Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay all added to the sense that we are so incredibly lucky to live here amongst such natural beauty. I wanted to learn as much as I could about these special places, and do whatever I could to protect them.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor and why?
Cherry Garcia – it’s been part of both the celebrations and the heartaches over the years. I also like mint chip, and coffee, but my favorite is still Cherry Garcia.