Learning the Land

Pajaro Estuary Restoration

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 -0500

In this podcast, Land Trust Conservation Director, Bryan Largay, provides background and an update on our efforts to restore and increase wetland habitat in the Pajaro River and Watsonville Slough Estuary. Working with landowners, growers, and a large community of partners, this project will benefit wildlife and biodiversity, enhance ecosystem integrity, and reduce risks related to bigger and more frequent storms, a rising sea level, and saltwater intrusion on nearby farmland and infrastructure.

Our Partners:

California Department of Conservation
California State Coastal Conservancy
California Wildlife Conservation Board
Driscolls
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SJSU Central Coast Wetlands Group
The Nature Conservancy
Watsonville Wetlands Watch

Learning the Land: The Power of Legacy Giving

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400

In this episode, the Land Trust's Donor Relations Manager, Cameron Berry, interviews special guest Ron Munger. Ron spent his career at a national non-profit helping people understand the options for making legacy gifts that benefit future generations without impacting current lifestyle or family security.

Good News for the Land

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

It’s time for some good news! In this new podcast, we’re providing a behind the scenes peek at the work the Land Trust and its partners are doing to protect the land we love. Land Trust Engagement Director, Laura Dannehl-Schickman talks with External Affairs Director, Eric Lombardo about some exciting land conservation successes and how people working together make good things happen!

Listen and enjoy and if you’d like to stay updated, check out the following resources:

· California 30x30 homepage: https://www.californianature.ca.gov/

· Map of 30x30 protected lands which Estrada Ranch was just added: https://calands.org/

· Santa Cruz County Measure Q homepage: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/MeasureQ.aspx

· Prop 4 resources webpage (option A, more info): https://baynature.org/article/how-and-when-can-you-get-your-hands-on-californias-climate-bond/

· Prop 4 resources webpage (option B, less info and with a callout to Watsonville Slough Farm): https://togetherbayarea.org/proposition-4-resources-hub/

Tails of the Wild: The Amazing Biological Benefits of Bioreactors

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0400

Welcome to episode four of Tails of the Wild with the Land Trust. I’m your host Vicki Lowell, the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Land Trust and I am excited to have our Conservation Director, Bryan Largay as our guest today. He’s going to tell us all about bioreactors, relatively simple systems that can be used to funnel water from agricultural land and remove nitrates before that water reenters the watershed.

Seeing the Forest through the Trees

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we're talking to Bill Vaughn, the Principle Forester at Vaughn Forestry. Bill has been working with the Land Trust for many years, most recently during the selective timber harvest at the Byrne-Milliron Forest. He explains the process from planning through execution and explains how sustainable harvests help keep the Byrne healthy, beautiful, and productive.

Avian Brood Parasitism - A Fowl Reproductive Strategy

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we're learning about avian brood parasitism with Eric Nunez, an Access Specialist at the Land Trust and all-around bird enthusiast. Listen up as we discuss this interesting and perhaps fowl reproductive strategy within some avian ecology.

Tails of the Wild: The Legend of Tiburcio Vásquez

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:00:00 -0400

Hello and welcome to the second episode of Tails of the Wild with the Land Trust!

We're offering something different with this episode, a ghost story of sorts narrated by the Land Trust's Engagement Director, Laura Dannehl-Schickman. Enjoy!

Tails of the Wild with the Land Trust: A Fascinating Little Beetle

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:00:00 -0400

Hello and welcome to the first edition of Tails of the Wild with the Land Trust!

With this new radio series, we’re offering up a shorter format. Each episode will be about fifteen minutes and provide a quick overview of one of our projects.

We’re very excited to have Hannah Travers as our first guest. Hannah is a Natural Resource Coordinator at the Land Trust and today she’s going to talk to us about the Ohlone Tiger Beetle and our work to protect their habitat at Glenwood Open Space Preserve.

Learning the Land - Season 2 Episode 5: Wildlife Monitoring and Connectivity

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:00:00 -0500

In this episode we have the pleasure of speaking to Wildlife Researcher Ahíga Snyder of Pathways for Wildlife. Ahiga and partner Tanya Diamond , a Wildlife Ecologist, founded Pathways for Wildlife to help land trusts, conservation organizations, and transportation agencies identify important wildlife and habitat linkages for land conservation efforts.

Their work involves conducting wildlife connectivity surveys and implementing connectivity designs for wildlife movement within a landscape. These plans include data from field cameras, roadkill surveys, tracking data, GIS habitat suitability modeling, and linkage analyses.

Pathways for Wildlife partnered with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, Caltrans District 5, the UC Santa Cruz Puma Project, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to identify the best locations for wildlife crossing structures on Highway 17 in Santa Cruz County. Their research informed the decision to place a wildlife tunnel under the highway at Laurel Curve. The crossing was completed in early 2023 and they are currently using wildlife cameras to monitor wildlife in and around the crossing.

Their work is fascinating, critical to reestablishing and preserving wildlife connectivity, and full of surprises.

The badger video as promised:
https://youtu.be/YboYtCOWblg

Learning the Land - Season 2 Episode 4: Protecting Farmland to Build Resilience

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 16:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of the Land Trust’s conservation priorities – to protect and manage working lands to address climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

The vibrant working lands of Santa Cruz County face the dual threats of suburban sprawl and a changing climate, which will increase flooding, drought stress, and fire. Actively managing working lands—especially in flood-prone areas or on steep slopes—can have multiple benefits for surrounding areas. To help us dig into this fascinating topic, we’re talking with Barry Baker, the Land Trust’s Director of Land Protection, about what it means to protect prime farmland and how this work will ultimately contribute to building climate resilience in our region’s forests and rangelands.

Learning the Land - Season 2 Episode 3: A New Crossing

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Well, hey there, Land Trust listeners! And welcome to today’s episode of Learning the Land. We’re shaking things up and offering this episode both as a podcast AND video – so if you want to enjoy some fun maps, pictures, and footage that go with today’s discussion, head over to our youtube channel.

In this episode, we’re focusing on the Land Trust’s initiative to protect biodiversity throughout Santa Cruz County - and specifically, its endangered wildlife protection work. Now, this is not a new focus area for the Land Trust – as you all know!

We’ve shared a lot about the Land Trust’s completed wildlife crossing under HWY 17 and work to create a second crossing over HWY 101 to connect long-ranging species like the Santa Cruz Mountain Lion to the Gabilian range in the south…But did you know there is a THIRD wildlife crossing in the works to provide safe passage under HWY 1 for one of Santa Cruz’s most critically endangered species? No? Then take a listen to find out more!

Learning the Land - Season 2 Episode 2: Creating a Conservation Roadmap

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 18:00:00 -0400

The Land Trust recently launched its new Conservation Roadmap, which outlines our county-wide initiatives for the next five years! The Roadmap is packed with projects that are aimed at addressing Santa Cruz County’s most pressing needs for wildlife, creating access to nature, and mitigating the drastic effects of climate disruption, which has hit our community hard over the last five years.

In this episode, we interview Land Trust Executive Director, Sarah Newkirk, to learn more about the Land Trust's new focus areas and exciting undertakings (like TWO wildlife crossings!), which will take place from 2023-2028.

Learning the Land Season 2 Episode 1: The Science of the Open Range

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:00:00 -0500

Hey there, Land Trust Listeners! In this extended episode, we join up with Rangeland Scientist Larry Ford, Ph.D. to learn more about the science of the open range - and how grazing can help protect endangered species, create biodiversity, and provide new economic opportunity based in conservation!

Learning the Land Episode 10 - Central Coast Wilds

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:00:00 -0500

Did you know grasslands are as crucial as forests in sequestering carbon? Or that using site-specific native plants in restoration ensures the success of local wildlife? In this episode, we interview Matt Marshall at Central Coast Wilds to learn about the importance of native plants as well as the critical role Central Coast Wilds plays in ecological restoration efforts throughout the Bay Area.

Learning the Land Episode 7 - Creating Safe Passage Part 2

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 23:00:00 -0400

Welcome back, Land Trust Listeners! In this episode, we continue our deep dive into the Land Trust's Wildlife Connectivity work with Project Director Dan Medieros. Together we'll learn about the Land Trust's newest project and site of our second wildlife crossing, Rocks Ranch -particularly why this property is so critical in creating safe passage for the Santa Cruz Mountain Lions to the Gabilan Range.

Learning the Land Episode 8 - A Love for the Land

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Thinking about our legacy and what's been meaningful in our lives can take many forms. In this episode, Membership Manager Sarah McMurray interviews Donor Relations Manager Laura Dannehl-Schickman about the Land Trust's legacy program and why people might choose to honor their connection to the land as part of their legacy.

Learning the Land Episode 9 - A Land Trust Leader

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0400

We're excited to introduce the Land Trust's new Executive Director, Sarah Newkirk!

In this episode, guest host and Development and Communications Director, Calah Pasley, interviews the Land Trust's new leader, Sarah Newkirk, about her previous work with The Nature Conservancy, the origins of her love for nature, and her plans for the Land Trust's future. Get ready to be excited for what's coming next for our work in Santa Cruz County!

Learning the Land Episode 7 - Creating Safe Passage

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 21:00:00 -0400

In this two-part series, we interview Land Trust Project Director Dan Medeiros about our wildlife connectivity work in Santa Cruz County.

Part 1 delves into our work to create a Highway 17 wildlife tunnel. This 10-year project has pioneered new partnerships with diverse organizations to create safe passage for our county's wildlife - particularly the Santa Cruz Mountain Lion! Together we'll learn about the history of the project, the upcoming groundbreaking, and how this first-of-its-kind project in California is helping pave the way for future crossings.

Learning the Land: Episode 6 - Welcome to Byrne-Milliron Forest

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0400

Well, hey there, Land Trust Listeners! In today's episode, we're trying something new and exploring the history of one of our most beloved properties - Byrne-Milliron Forest. We're joined by former Land Trust Stewardship Manager (and unofficial Byrne historian) Lynn Overtree to learn more about the property's fascinating history.

About Byrne-Milliron Forest: This magical, 400-acre wood was one of the Land Trust's first public access properties. Located in Corralitos, the forest is a lovely place to hike and explore, with panoramic views of the Pajaro Valley and Monterey Bay and a 1,000-year-old, 250-foot tall “Great White” redwood. But Byrne is more than a destination - it is also a working forest - an example of how sustainable selective timber harvesting can actually sequester more carbon and generate revenue to help offset the cost of maintaining the property.

Learning the Land: Episode 5 - Climate Change, Agriculture, and Pandemics

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Hey there Land Trust listeners! This month’s episode of Learning the Land brings you a special interview with Lauren Snyder, PhD. of the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Together, we’ll explore how preserving open spaces and adopting organic farming practices can help mitigate climate change...and even potentially prevent future pandemics.

Learning the Land: Episode 4 - Working and Conserving Farmland in the Pajaro Valley

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we conclude our three-part working lands series by interviewing Land Trust Conservation Director Bryan Largay about the Land Trust's efforts to preserve the Pajaro Valley's nutrient-rich ag land. Together, we'll learn about why we must protect this invaluable resource as well as how the Land Trust stewards its own working ranch - Watsonville Slough Farm!

Learning the Land: Episode 3 - Conservation Grazing

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we meet again with Natural Resource Manager, Matthew Timmer, to continue our conversation about the Land Trust's working lands. In this conversation we focus on "Conservation Grazing" - a beneficial practice we use to maintain endangered species habitat at the Glenwood Open Space Preserve.

But it's not all rolling hills and sunshine - running a small cattle operation is challenging, and Matt tackles the difficulties faced by our local cattle operator partners and what it might mean for us to lose conservation grazing as an option.

Learning the Land: Episode 2 - Working Lands and Selective Timber Harvesting

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode of the Learning the Land podcast, we’re kicking off a three-part mini-series about our working lands! Specifically, how we integrate timber harvesting, cattle grazing, and farming into our land management plans.

Working lands can sometimes seem at odds with conservation goals, so we’re interviewing our Natural Resources Manager, Matthew Timmer, to get a better understanding of why it can be beneficial to protect AND work the land. Our focus in this episode is on our working forests to give you an inside look at sustainable timber harvesting and the important economic and stewardship role this practice plays in our work.

Learning the Land: Episode 1 - Interview with Bat Ecologist Bethany Schulze

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0500

CONNECTING WILDLIFE TO NATURE

In our first episode of the Learning the Land podcast, we go a little batty for bats while speaking with Bat Ecologist and Acoustics Specialist, Bethany Schulze. We learn more about our local bats and the impact Bethany’s research could have on shaping urban boundaries and wildland conservation policy. Research, like Bethany’s, on local ecosystems and wildlife, is critical to helping pass local and state legislation that protects open spaces and wildlands. We are proud to support her work and learn from her research!