Historically, the Petaluma River Baylands were home to a large, complex, and biologically diverse landscape of tidal habitats, including marshes, mudflats, and open water. Some of the historical tidal marshes of the Petaluma River Baylands remain to this day, including the largest intact tidal marsh plain in the San Francisco Estuary. However, much of the historical bayland landscape has been diked and drained for agricultural purposes and urban development. Today, the Petaluma River Baylands face increasing challenges due to climate change and rising sea levels.
The overarching goals of the Petaluma River Baylands Strategy (Strategy) are to:
- conserve and restore baylands and adjacent habitats;
- promote the growth and resilience of populations and habitats of native species within the study area; and
- maintain and increase the ecosystem services provided to human communities.
The Strategy was developed through a collaborative effort by Sonoma Land Trust, the San Francisco Estuary Institute, Sonoma Resource Conservation District, Point Blue Conservation Science, and Ducks Unlimited. The project team also collaborated with scientific advisors and gathered input from baylands stakeholders, tribes, and agency personnel.
