Volume 15, no. 1 December, 2015
This year’s Journal highlights the Gifts from the Mountain artists, visionaries and spiritual Arthur Dawson leaders connected with Sonoma Mountain. “Mountains are fountains of men de Ropp conducted research as well as of rivers…” on cancer, mental illness and psychoactive plant substances. —John Muir Inside A scientist with a deeply spiritual Sonoma Mountain is not the tallest SDC Update side, de Ropp studied with the mountain in the region, but it has Ouspenskys, who were disciples of Remembering Bill Kortum a unique pull on the human spirit. Turkish mystic Gurdjieff. Eventually Since the beginning of human drawn to California, de Ropp Mountain Wildlife time it has been a focal point bought property on Sonoma of creation stories. In the recent Mountain in 1961 and devoted West Slope News past the mountain has attracted himself to writing and teaching. Setting up a community dedicated Valley of the Moon Alliance many visionaries, artists, and spiritual leaders; inspired people to self-sufficiency, he believed Ten Ways to Save Water who see the world from unusual humanity’s environmental and perspectives. spiritual crises had to be faced with New Trails body, mind and spirit. De Ropp The mountain’s most famous penned his most influential books, resident, of course, was Jack The Master Game and Warrior’s London, who’s powerful stories Way, while living on the mountain. The first peoples of southern pulled him up from poverty. Another, Church of the Earth, Sonoma county, the Coast Settling on Sonoma Mountain was, detailed his experiences creating Miwok, placed oona-pa’is perhaps, a personal symbol of how a community. De Ropp died while — Sonoma Mountain — at much he had risen in the world. ocean kayaking in 1987. the center of the world, London earned fame as a writer, imagining its summit as After a spiritual experience as an island in the primordial but he was also a social activist a young man, James Swallow ocean at the beginning of who spoke for the common people time. became a traveling preacher. and regarded his Beauty Ranch Around 1940, shortly after he and Geologists tell a similar story as an agricultural experiment that his family arrived in the area, his —that Sonoma Mountain’s could change the world. children discovered a property layers of volcanic and sedimentary rock, pushed Robert de Ropp moved here for sale on the upward by tectonic forces, long after London’s time. An mountain . It had a rose from the depths of a accomplished biochemist, de breathtaking view shallow sea. but no access from Ropp later became well known in Sonoma Mountain the sixties counterculture, a man Road far below. who had “something urgent to say Swallow bought it, to anyone on a transformational built a house and path.” Like London, he had a single-handedly put difficult early life and by age twelve in a one-mile access was fending for himself. Earning road. a doctorate in Plant Physiology, continued on page 4
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org Remembering Bill Kortum nearly 800 acres of undeveloped Ted Eliot Letter lands. SMP, SLT, Supervisor Gorin, and many county agencies will from the Bill Kortum, longtime member of continue to work to make this Sonoma Mountain Preservation’s Chair happen. The orchard part of SDC steering committee, died on was transferred to Jack London, December 20, 2014. He is not just with SMP’s help, 13 years ago, so missed; he is irreplaceable. we know it can be done! Bill was Sonoma County’s Other Challenges environmental conscience. In SDC Update his work to preserve the beauty Meg Beeler The other big challenges are and natural resources of the the various local event permit County he was always softly It is challenging to avoid frustration applications and changes pending spoken and strongly persistent. His accomplishments are legendary with the State’s response to our with the county on Sonoma and include his roles in preventing community concerns about SDC. Mountain: Belden Barns on Sonoma a nuclear power plant’s being Countless hours of community Mountain Road, Tolay Springs on built on Bodega Head in the 1960s, testimony, visioning, coalition- the old Roche property north of getting the California Coastal building, parent organizing, and Sonoma Raceway, CA Equestrian Conservancy approved by the ideas for transitional uses have Park & Event Center at SDC, the voters in 1972, helping establish barely been acknowledged in Kroloff property on the west side, the Sonoma County Agricultural the DDS’ Plan for the Closure of and Heritage Roads. SMP receives Preservation and Open Space Sonoma Developmental Center and monitors permit applications, District in 1990, and founding submitted to the State legislature in and we are following closely the Sonoma County Conservation October 2015 (find it at:www.dds. neighborhood and county-wide Action in 1991. There is a Kortum ca.gov) groups working for sustainable trail on the County’s coast. He was policies regarding events and a longtime Board member of the Sonoma Land Trust. The good news: it is quite clear consumer-related “agricultural” that the State values the site’s use. Bill always admitted that he had open space and habitat lands. The failures as well as successes. And State’s Closure Plan states: “The Be Engaged! he left unfinished efforts to arrange Administration and the Department public access to Petaluma’s recognize the SDC property’s You can help by donating on Lafferty Park and to establish scenic incredible natural resources, historic our website or with the enclosed “heritage roads”, which would not importance and value to our envelope, following us on permit commercial activity. service delivery system. It is not the FaceBook, coming to our quarterly His countless friends and admirers intention of the State to declare meetings, and continuing to help are doing all they can to emulate SDC’s property as surplus, but preserve the scenic, agricultural Bill as they work on these and other and natural resources of Sonoma instead to work with the community environmental issues that confront Mountain. We’ve been at it for over to identify how the property can the County. And they are in best be utilized.” 22 years! close touch with his wonderful and beloved widow, Lucy, who shares You’ll notice that the enclosed The California Dept. of General his goals for our beautiful county. Services has also made it clear envelope asks for your email that the state’s preference is to address. In the long run, we are continue to own the entire SDC looking at distributing the Journal property after closure of the electronically and notifying you Developmental Center. In the quickly when broad community long-term, we are still aiming for input and support is needed. no-cost transfers to Jack London SP and County Regional Parks for the
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org Mountain Wildlife: Another finding is that Camera Tracking the “pinch point”—the narrow point between Information & photos provided by Sonoma and Stuart Tony Nelson, Sonoma Land Trust Creeks—doesn’t have constraints: You’ve seen the deer and turkeys the underpasses are on Sonoma Mountain. You may really important to have been lucky enough to see a wildlife crossing. This, fox or bobcat. But have you seen a in turn, means that porcupine? animals who need a The grid of remote monitoring large territory have it, cameras on the mountain—placed and can pass to and more habitat corridors, and by Sonoma Land Trust to give us from Sonoma Mountain and the extending clearer and stronger documented information on the Mayacamas with relative ease. protections to them. wildlife that lives here, and where The remote cameras extend from they roam—have captured that Fairfield-Osborne on the west side A third impact is on road, porcupine, along with ongoing of Sonoma Mountain, through the bridge, and overpass design. data to help us learn more about Valley at SDC and the Regional CalTrans requested the SLT our wildlife corridors. The corridors Park, and across to the Mayacamas, report, and will hopefully are critical for the future of wildlife ridge to ridge. The roadkill surveys at incorporate the findings from Marin County through Highway12 and Arnold have shown into their future bridge Sonoma to Blue-Ridge Berryessa no particular hotspots, more good replacements. Natural Area and the Mendocino news for the wildlife. National Forest above Indian Valley The final impact is on all public Reservoir. Besides porcupine,the cameras and private landowners, who have detected bear (in can assist wildlife’s ability the Mayacamas), nesting to move with fence design, Wood Ducks on Hooker minimal nighttime lighting, Creek, beaver and otter keeping pets indoors at night, in the creeks, bobcats, fox and so on. Check SMP’s blog at families, mountain lion and sonomamountain.org for more deer. The two mountain lions fencing and wildlife corridor that took down a buck right articles. For more information in the orchard near Camp on the Sonoma Land Trust, see: Via in early September were www.sonomalandtrust.org unfortunately just beyond the camera’s scope!
How Can Our Wildlife Corridor Affect Policy? What SLT Has Learned The most immediate effect is at SDC: One discovery is that the Sonoma the importance of these corridors and Stuart Creek underpasses— is one more reason for the State to both within the designated transfer the 800 acres to our local wildlife corridor—have twice parks. the detections as the other two A second impact may be on the underpasses (at Calabasas next General Plan revision: the data and Hooker Creeks) outside the is good evidence for designating designated corridor.
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org Gifts Holland when her family fled the masters degrees in art and physics, Continued Nazis. Somehow Trude survived the the late Robert Ellison, made steel Still a preacher at heart, he war, though her husband was killed sculptures for public spaces, such called out for guidance. A voice fighting with the French resistance. as the giant scissors on Santa Rosa’s replied that God would bring a Afterwards, she came to northern Courthouse Square. California. A gifted teacher, Trude congregation to him. At first, only Sculptor and writer Mary taught at the California College lost motorists showed up, but McChesney and her late husband, of Arts and Crafts, the California by the mid-1950s a few regulars abstract expressionist painter School of Fine Arts, and at Pond began visiting for Bible study and Robert McChesney, were given Farm in Guerneville. a meal. In the early 1970s, word an acre near the top of Sonoma spread among the Jesus People, as Guermonprez created rugs, Mountain in 1952. Mary wrote Christian hippies were called, of a tapestries and prototypes for the novels, collected oral histories and holy man with a white beard on the textile industry. Experimenting with produced public sculptures. Praised mountain. Swallow welcomed them techniques and materials, she by art critics in the ‘fifties, Robert and soon a full-blown revival was created painted tapestries and refused to move to New York to in swing, drawing 150 worshipers wove poetry into the fabric. She further his career. Perhaps because a week. Swallow’s vision of a and her second husband, John of this, he never received the fame mountaintop ministry was fulfilled. Elsesser, acquired property next many say he deserved. He was eighty-eight years old. to Jack London State Park in 1970. Known as the ‘Elder Swallow,’ John built the ‘Twill House’ for Trude James radiated unconditional love as a rustic retreat and studio. Sadly, no matter how strange someone she was diagnosed with cancer looked or behaved. Hundreds soon after. “Near the top of the mountain, were baptized in a stock tank and the road dips, bends, then In her final years, Guermonprez snakes through a small grove of rock musicians played for Swallow’s received the Craftsmanship Medal redwoods... services. His revival movement from the American Institute of became known as “the Sonoma Architects and other prestigious “When you emerge on the other Mountain Lighthouse.” Swallow’s awards. Many of her students have side of the grove, you feel as proteges extended his ministry out become well-known textile artists though you’ve passed through a to Healdsburg, Napa and Cotati. themselves portal into another world. Swallow died in 1975, but some of those he inspired are still active “It’s a fitting way to approach in local churches. It is said these Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, congregations continue to offer a because people there view rare level of unconditional love and reality just a little bit differently acceptance. from the way most of us do.”
Trude Guermonprez worked her —Sarah Ban Breathnach, visions into textiles. Of German- A Man’s Journey to Simple Jewish heritage, she remained in Abundance
Since the 1950s, Sonoma Mountain has drawn a circle of talented sculptors. David Best’s spectacular temples, built of recycled materials, have been prominent at Burning Man. His Temple of Stars was a quarter-mile long and 120-feet high. Marc di Suervo, winner of the National Medal of Arts for his sculpture, lived on Sonoma Mountain from 1975 to 1988. With
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org Sonoma Mountain Zen Center chairman Greg Sarris. He writes West Slope News that the mountain, which is in the is the mountain’s longest-lived Andy Rodgers spiritual community. It was founded tribal territory of his ancestors, is by Jakusho Kwong, who was born “many stories that make up the in Santa Rosa in 1935. Following a one story…The stories from the The Sonoma Resource Conservation serious auto accident, he became mountain teach important lessons, District (RCD) was recently awarded a student of Shunryu Suzuki, one and many of the songs that Coast a grant by the U.S. Environmental of the first zen masters to teach in Miwok people have sung since the Protection Agency to complete the U.S. In 1973, Kwong purchased beginning of time are gifts from the a historical hydrology study of part of an old ranch to start a mountain.” the Petaluma River watershed. meditation center. This grew The Sonoma Mountain uplands Despite the vast cultural changes into the Zen Center, where he encompass headwaters of several of the last two centuries, Sonoma continues to serve as head abbot. streams within this watershed, Mountain continues to be a Kwong has led workshops as far such as Lichau, Lynch, and Adobe place of creation and inspiration. away as Poland and Iceland. Creeks. Many who have never seen the mountain, or even know it exists, Another current resident of This historical hydrology study, have been nourished by its far- Sonoma Mountain is author, which will be prepared by the reaching gifts. professor and Graton Rancheria San Francisco Estuary Institute & the Aquatic Science Center, will Join Us in 2016! engage a variety of stakeholders For our quarterly meetings on January 27; April 27; July 20 & October 26 and watershed partners to at the Sonoma Ecology Center, Sonoma Developmental Center campus. synthesize diverse historical data (Call 996-9967 for directions) (such as maps, aerial photographs, historical accounts, and early Lend a Helping Hand surveys) in order to enhance understanding of the hydrologic For our website, www.sonomamountain.org, send us: conditions of the Petaluma River • Your Sonoma Mountain photos watershed. • “Why I Love the Mountain” stories about its creatures or anything you find interesting! Findings will be compiled into an illustrated technical report that will For our Facebook page: discuss implications of the historical • Visit us at www.facebook.com/sonomamountain findings on future management, • Call us at 939-7961 if you’d like to help post photos & restoration, flood control, and comments groundwater recharge within this watershed. Donate at www.sonomamountain.org or 5850 Grove St., Sonoma, CA 95476 Once completed, the report and associated data will be available to the general public and local planning agencies for use in evaluating future watershed improvements. For more information on the Petaluma River Watershed Historical Hydrology Study, please contact Anya Starovoytov at (707) 569-1448 or at astarovoytov@ sonomarcd.org. To learn more Sonoma Mountain Preservation’s Current Board about Sonoma RCD and its from left: Arthur Dawson, vice-president; Pat Eliot, Secretary; programs, visit www.sonomarcd. Jack Nisson, treasurer; Meg Beeler, president. org.
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org Sister Organization: affecting the viability of our Ten Ways to Save communities. Vacation rentals Valley of the Moon Alliance being used as party houses are Water in the Garden Kathy Pons also causing problems, yet there Adjusting irrigation times saves are no current rules governing more water and money than any Valley of the Moon Alliance is a their use. VOTMA is addressing this other thing you can do. grass-roots organization focused matter as well. Consider drip irrigation, if you on the northern end of Sonoma don’t have it. You’ll save 20-50% Valley. Its founding in 2002 was VOTMA has sponsored public on water use. prompted by proposals for two meetings, distributed information, Run irrigation at night, especially luxury resorts along Highway 12. and retained legal counsel if you use sprinklers. and consultants to ensure that While one of these projects was Adjust irrigation timing the specific and cumulative abandoned, a lawsuit brought seasonally: Example summer against the Environmental Impact impacts of proposed projects drip settings on Sonoma Report for the other, Graywood are fully appreciated by the Mountain: Resort, failed. Residents are community. The Alliance reaches 2 days/week: Hillside concerned about this project’s out to individuals and groups plantings—30 minutes. impact. The only access, two-lane throughout Sonoma County to 3 days/week: Roses—60 Highway 12, is already subject to establish policies and generate minutes. Established low- heavy auto use. Yet it has already political consensus concerning water plants— 30 minutes. the development of rural areas. been widened to accommodate 7 days/week: Vegetables additional resort traffic. The resort’s While commercial and agricultural —30 minutes. interests are well represented at guests and hundreds of employees Spring settings are about policy-making levels, citizens with will create excessive impacts half the summer times and on traffic, water, sewage and a long-term stake in the region are get turned off when it rains. not. emergency needs. Check soil moisture if your plants appear stressed. If The unrestrained development of High-impact projects are attractive the soil is wet, you may be to political leaders looking to fund wineries and tasting rooms is also a overwatering. If it’s dry, check mandated projects, like affordable problem. There are dozens of these that all emitters are working. facilities along Highway 12, most housing. But locating luxury hotels and permitting non-agricultural Mulch both plants and drip lines of which host weddings, parties (retains water & protects tubing) and even large concerts. All have events in rural areas is poor Check for leaks significant impacts on the traffic planning. The Valley of the Moon and water supply. A VOTMA- Alliance has tracked the progress Don’t overrun the system. sponsored study showed a growth of the county’s General Plan Ponding or run-off means there is too much watering. potential that outpaces anything update to ensure that policies are Napa or Marin have experienced. considered which bring long-term Keep spare parts. Drip systems While VOTMA has never opposed planning perspectives to the table. are easiest to repair. Most repairs can be done with new tubing reasonable growth, its members, Looking beyond the immediate and fittings. who are mostly local citizens, future, the Valley of the Moon want sustainable development Plant low water-use & native Alliance has undertaken to that allows everyone to enjoy the plants, and ornamental stones. develop a vision of a creating quality of life that makes the region Install a rain switch, which turns a sustainable community. As such a pleasure to live in. off automatic irrigation valves future issues emerge in the ever- when it rains. changing landscape that is the We have taken up many issues, More info on saving water inside including: the number of events; Valley of the Moon, we will be here and out can be found at: to address them. groundwater quality and supply, www.savingwaterpartnership.org high-impact development, and More info at: www.votma.org /calculator county General Plan policies
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org New Trail in Glen Ellen! Curreri Addition, Sonoma Valley Regional Park
that make everything come A year ago, in the fall of 2014, the together.” The Curreri addition not Sonoma Land Trust acquired 29 only adds to the Regional Park, it acres adjacent to the Sonoma also protects a crucial piece of the Valley Regional Park in Glen Ellen Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor, and immediately transferred the which runs from Sonoma Mountain land to the Regional Park. The to the Mayacamas (see page 3). Moore Foundation and the Sonoma County Agricultural & Open Space The newly accessible trail at Curreri 12. It can also be accessed from District also provided funding for offers outstanding views of Sonoma the Park’s back entrance on the property, which had been Mountain, passes by a spring-fed Carmel Avenue, off Arnold Drive in owned by the Curreri family since pond, and can be walked as part downtown Glen Ellen. the 1940s. of a loop connecting with the main More information, including a map bike trail which runs from Arnold “The importance of this acquisition of the whole park, can be found Drive to the main parking area off belies its smaller acreage,” said at: http://parks.sonomacounty. Highway 12. John McCaull, Sonoma Land Trust ca.gov/ project manager. “Like a puzzle, The trailhead is along the Park’s sometimes it is the smaller pieces entrance road from Highway
Go to our website: www.sonomamountain.org PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID O’DELL
Thanks to Our Recent Donors Albert & Ruth Fisk Katherine Culligan Richard Grahman Alec Peters Kathleen Mugele Roger Leventhal Allen & Donna Jones Kevin & Donna Wilson Roland A. Gangloff Anne Teller Leslie Whiting Ron & Sandy Dodge Arthur & Jill Dawson Linda Felt Rosemary McCreary Barbara Blake Lucy Kortum Scott D. Tweten Bonnie Kneibler Mariann Weber Stephanie Storms Carol Williams Marilyn Goode Susan Gorin Dave Martinelli Marina Balchunas Tamara Tovey Doug Hanford Marlene Jordan Terry & Chic Gast Duane V. Herberg Marthe Norwick Terry & Karen Larson Ellen McNight Mary Ferrario Valerie Arelt Elliott Raleigh Meg Beeler & Tom von Tersch Vivion Rodriguez Evelyn Hunt Michael & Helen Bates Wells Whitney Grace Pratt Michael Weihman William Bucklin Harry D. Koch Mickey Cooke & Erik Holbek Hope & Jack Nisson Nancy Branstetter James Fontanilla & Brett Cooper Nancy Dakin Photo Credits: Joan Geary Nancy Sheppard Page 1: newstracts.org/sonomamt.ranch.html Joe Leiber & Peter Poullada Page 2: Sonoma Land Trust (Bill Kortum) John & Stephanie Barinaga Nicholas Freedman Page 3: Sonoma Land Trust (all) Page 4: Oakland Museum (wall hanging) John Branscome Nina Holland www.PositivelyPetaluma.com (temple) John Sheehy Pat & Ted Eliot Wikimedia (Jakusho Kwong) Judy Scotchmoor Go to our Paulwebsite: & Sheila www.sonomamountain.org Leach