Land Trust of Santa Cruz County

06/18/2026

Meet Pedro and your new pocket of nature to explore in Santa Cruz! 🌿

Pedro stewards the trails Antonelli Pond on the westside. He keeps the new native plant gardens healthy, the trails safe and clean, and welcomes visitors who come to explore.

He has a keen eye, and can point out the shrubs where you can always spot red-winged blackbirds and the willow tunnel that feels straight out of The Lord of the Rings.

Pedro hopes people see Antonelli Pond as a third space where they can reconnect with nature.

He sees people walk the paths everyday and schools come for field trips, and wants everyone to feel welcome to do the same.

Antonelli is free to explore, a great place to have a conversation with a friend, or just take some time away in nature that is close to home.

If you visit and spot something that needs attention, please feel free to let Pedro know. He would also love to hear about what you discover while at the pond!

📍The two trail heads at Antonelli Pond start between Natural Bridges Drive and Shaffer Road on Delaware Ave in Santa Cruz and are a little less than a mile long.

Come for a walk or a roll on the ADA trails! 🥾🚲♿️

06/17/2026

Stewarding the Watsonville Slough 🌊🌿

The Land Trust's Director of Land Stewardship Matt Timmer presented on the process of restoring the Watsonville Slough Farm from weedy retired ag land to a wetland and willow haven at the Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Network Science and Stewardship Symposium!

This is "Matt Timmer" by SCMSN on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

06/16/2026

Need some encouragement of hope? Sarah Newkirk, Executive Director at the Land Trust recently spread some hope at the Homeless Garden Project's screening of “The Hope” about Jane Goodall’s time in Gombe, Tanzania and her mission to inspire hope through conservation.

Read Sarah's remarks!
https://landtrustsantacruz.org/articles/choosing-hope/

06/08/2026

Groundwater sustainability is critical to the Pajaro Valley’s farming economy and to protecting our coastal region from seawater intrusion.

The Pajaro Valley Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (PV MLRP) is a regional collaboration focused on how land use transitions on portions of least viable irrigated ag lands can advance groundwater sustainability, support farming, restore habitat, and reduce flood risk.

On Wednesday, June 10, your input will help shape what comes next. Join the community dialogue on current partner-led projects (College Lake, conservation easements, habitat restoration, regional flood management) and share your priorities for the outcomes and benefits you most want to see from projects in the future.

📅 Wednesday, June 10
🕓 4:30–6:30 PM
📍 Raíces y Cariño, Watsonville
🌳 Free food, free fruit tree, kids' activities

Please RSVP: https://forms.gle/8436wJPQDNU7UVn39
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La sostenibilidad de las aguas subterráneas es fundamental para la economía agrícola del Valle de Pájaro y para proteger nuestra región costera de la intrusión de agua salada.

El Programa de Reutilización de Tierras de Múltiples Beneficios del Valle de Pájaro (PV MLRP) es una colaboración regional centrada en cómo las transiciones de uso de tierra en porciones de tierras agrícolas irrigadas pueden avanzar la sostenibilidad de las aguas subterráneas, apoyar la agricultura, restaurar hábitats, y reducir el riesgo de inundaciones.

El martes 10 de junio, su opinión ayudará a dar forma a lo que viene. Participe en el diálogo comunitario sobre los proyectos actuales liderados por socios (College Lake, acuerdos de conservación, restauración de hábitats, manejo regional de inundaciones) y comparta sus prioridades para los resultados y beneficios que más desea ver de proyectos en el futuro.

📅 Martes, 10 de junio
🕓 4:30–6:30 PM
📍 Raíces y Cariño, Watsonville
🌳 Comida gratis, árbol frutal gratis, actividades para niños

RSVP: https://forms.gle/8436wJPQDNU7UVn39

06/08/2026

UC Santa Cruz Master student Eric Medina has been doing research for the Land Trust to support planning decisions for habitat restoration and agricultural runoff as a part of the Pajaro Estuary Restoration program at Beach Ranch!

Reach more about his findings:
https://landtrustsantacruz.org/articles/ucsc-student-eric-medina-can-wraps-up-fellowship-at-the-land-trust/

06/05/2026

The algo is bringing you your regularly scheduled birding content!
 
The Land Trust will start to build 5.5 miles of trails at the Watsonville Slough Farm in the next year so everyone can come see the birds, and this amazing slough system! We are excited to have elevated boardwalks over the sloughs, viewing platforms, and interpretive signs in English and Spanish!
 
Todays’s birds at the Watsonville Slough Farm:
🪶 northern mockingbird
🪶 house finch
🪶 mallard
🪶 couble-crested cormorant
🪶 barn swallow
🪶 hooded oriole
 
Which Land Trust property do you want to see birding at next??

Plus would love to see someone get a clear photo of a swallow, starting to think it’s not ✨ possible ✨

06/02/2026

This is your sign to touch grass this weekend

And bones
And feathers at the Land Trust’s First Friday! 🌱🦴🪶🌸

Interns from the UCSC Genesys, Audrey, and Zara have been putting together an exhibit filled with wildlife and native plants that can be found on the Land Trust’s protected properties for you to explore!

The Norris Center has over 130,000 specimens of plants, fungi, lichens, insects, and vertebrates. They also teach field-based classes, support hands-on internships, and mentor students to be future environmental leaders and teachers, and build lasting communities and professional networks.

Come with all of your questions about Santa Cruz County’s plants and animals and start the weekend off exploring something new!

🗓️ June 5
📍 911 Center St, Santa Cruz
🕐 5-8pm

Bring your nature nerd ~vibes~ 🤗🌸🍄

06/02/2026

Come volunteer with the Land Trust at Glenwood Open Space in Scotts Valley for National Trails Day this Saturday with Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship! https://secure.everyaction.com/Zu7rVNTcIEG1Tnj3zBaB2Q2

06/01/2026

The Land Trust hosted an environmental professional networking event at our office in April to provide opportunities to connect with folks working in environmental conservation in Santa Cruz County!

https://landtrustsantacruz.org/articles/environmental-professional-networking-event-provides-opportunity-to-connect/

05/29/2026

Meet Gus! The caretaker at the Byrne-Milliron Forest in Corralitos! 🌲🌲🌲
 
If you’ve never been before, we highly recommend checking it out for your next weekend hike. The trails wind through the redwood forest and have magical surprises for you to discover along the way ✨
 
Gus is there maintaining the trails every week. If you spot him, please ask him about snakes, bugs, or anything else that crawls around the forest floor, he will literally love that and probably take you on a personal tour.
 
We also have a sick lunch spot rec for after your hike, drop a comment if you want to know what it is!