My family moved to a ranch in Redwood Valley in the early 1960’s from Santa Clara County where my father had farmed berries and stone fruit. I have for the past few decades owned a portion of the family ranch, mostly mixed forest land which was recently ravaged by the 2017 fires. Land management and stewardship are personal concerns as I seek to restore my land and mourn the loss of my childhood’s ag land that is now known as Silicon Valley. I have been an elementary school teacher in Ukiah for over 25 years emphasizing environmental education. I helped initiate the Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Project where I still serve on the board and volunteer for classroom visits since my retirement.  Other related community efforts include the Russian River Clean Up, the Sanhedrin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, and a recent appointment to the Mendocino County Climate Action Advisory Committee.