Pave the Garden of Eden - and put up an apartment complex?

I can't quote the song, but you get the idea!

Currently, 68 acres of the bank of the North Petaluma River is slated for a large apartment complex, called Sid Commons. We are trying to find a way to prevent the destruction of this beautiful natural riparian habitat, the last remaining part of the North Petaluma River that still looks like it did before Europeans came here.

If you take a kayak upriver, you are taking a voyage into the past, where you hear the lapping of water, rustling of trees, and bird calls. You might see a snowy egret!

This will all be gone if we cannot find a way to save it. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a nature reserve? This is not only good for the plants, fish, and animals, but also for us humans, who need a shady place to rejuvenate. It will be a wonderful place for students to learn about our natural environment.

Once this beautiful spot is gone, a major carbon sink will have been destroyed (a terrible move in this time of climate change), replaced by paving and buildings which will not absorb water in a heavy storm, but will cause it to rush to the river, likely to cause even more flooding than before downstream.

How can we save this lovely place? Join us with brainstorming, grants, and donations that might make it possible to encourage the owner to sell the land as a conservation easement or outright, so we can preserve its beauty FOREVER!