Supporters of Natomas Open Space, you have another opportunity to voice your concern. Thursday May 22, at 5:30, New City Hall, 915 I St., the City Planning and Design Review Commission will hear this project.

As we begin 2025, the Conservation Committee has made the decision to develop a Conservation Strategic Plan. This planning document will be used to set priorities, identify short term and long term actions, and ensure we are working with and collaborating with other stakeholders that at least partially share our mission.

In 2020, the fire season in the western United States reached unprecedented levels. There were 116 fires active in September consuming nearly 5,145,230 acres with 80% of this footprint (4,093,795 acres from 68 fires) occurring within California, Oregon, and Washington.

September is one of my favorite months in the Central Valley. We start to see some cooler weather and a taste of fall. For birders, it also marks a time when some of our early migrants start to show up.

As Conservation Chair, I want to kick off a column highlighting some of our conservation efforts. In December 2023, I took on the role of Conservation Chair and developed a Conservation Committee.

In Natomas, farmland is an essential habitat for threatened species, providing habitat for a variety of birds within the Pacific Flyway. But now, a number of development projects are proposed on that farmland.