Two environmental trusts, the Sonoma Land Trust and Save the Redwoods League, recently announced their plan to purchase and conserve the 1,517-acre Monte Rio Redwoods Expansion property in Sonoma County.

An environmental advocacy group, the Power in Nature Coalition, praised the effort to protect Monte Rio Redwoods as “a significant conservation achievement, securing a vital piece of the ecological puzzle that enhances regional wildlife connectivity, safeguards endangered species and strengthens climate resilience in Northern California.”

This acquisition, surrounded on three sides by protected lands, will connect over 22,000 acres of contiguous habitat, linking conservation areas across Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin Counties.

“The Monte Rio Redwoods expansion is a cornerstone of regional conservation efforts,” said Eamon O’Byrne, executive director of Sonoma Land Trust. “It connects to thousands of acres of conserved lands, unifying decades of hard work and commitments we have made to protecting natural resources, habitat for threatened species and wildlife corridors for a healthy community. We are thrilled to join Save the Redwoods League and our partners on this milestone project.”

The Monte Rio Redwoods Project directly supports California’s “30x30” initiative by protecting 1,517 acres of vital forest and watershed lands.

The initiative has a goal of conserving at least 30% of the Earth’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.

In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom committed California to the 30×30 goal, and in 2023, that goal became state law.

“California is making strong progress towards 30×30, but millions of acres still must be conserved in less than five years,” said Power in Nature in a press release. “Preserving the state’s lands and coastal waters will help address the impacts of climate change, protect animal and plant species at risk for extinction, and expand access to nature for Californians.”

Monte Rio Redwoods is home to diverse ecosystems, including coastal redwood and Douglas-fir forests, a few coastal redwood old growth trees older than 1,000 years old, riparian habitats, and critical headwaters that feed the lower Russian River watershed.

The property supports several federally and state-listed species, including the northern spotted owl, coho salmon, steelhead trout, foothill yellow-legged frog, and western bumblebee. Its protection is essential for maintaining water quality, preserving spawning grounds, and ensuring the long-term health of the region’s wildlife.

The property is home to the headwaters of three key Russian River tributaries—Dutch Bill Creek, Willow Creek, and Freezeout Creek—each essential to the survival of endangered fish species. In total, 3.6 miles of pristine streams feed into the Russian River and ensure high water quality. These creeks provide critical spawning habitat for steelhead trout and coho salmon, both of which have suffered dramatic population declines in California.

“The Monte Rio Redwoods property fills a crucial missing piece in Northern California’s conservation landscape,” according to the environmental coalition. The latest acquisition connects existing parks and preserves—including Monte Rio Redwoods Regional Park, Sonoma Coast State Park, Jenner Headlands Preserve, and Bohemia Ranch Ecological Preserve—creating a seamless protected corridor from the Russian River to the Pacific Ocean. It also ensures future opportunities for hiking, biking, and outdoor recreation, with the potential for a 20-mile trail system linking Monte Rio to the coast.

The project also allows future management strategies that reduce fire risk while promoting ecological restoration.

“This is an opportunity to restore the recovering redwood forest, setting it on a trajectory toward old-growth form and function, maximizing its carbon storage potential, and increasing climate resilience,” the coalition said.

Monte Rio Redwoods Expansion is within the traditional lands of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, as well as the Southern Pomo territory of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

Power In Nature is a statewide coalition of community groups, environmental and conservation organizations, land trusts, indigenous organizations, and tribal members dedicated to advancing California’s 30x30 commitment. The Power In Nature coalition has identified nearly 100 potential 30x30 projects across the state and works on a broad range of issues, including biodiversity protection, climate resilience, equity, recreation, outdoor access, and social justice.