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History

In 1995, Greenbelt Alliance officially opened a North Bay office to serve both Marin and Sonoma Counties. Much of Marin, though -- including Mt. Tamalpais, Samuel P. Taylor Park, Stinson Beach, the Northridge, Tomales Bay beaches, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Angel Island -- was already preserved due to the tireless efforts of many Marin conservation groups working in concert with Greenbelt Alliance.

In July 2008, Greenbelt Alliance opened a new field office, located in San Rafael. Marin County has succeeded in preserving much farmland and open space, but still has a large per capita carbon footprint because of high-priced housing, low-paying jobs, and poor transportation choices. The Santa Rosa Field office now serves Sonoma and Napa Counties.

Sonoma County is unique in that every city in Sonoma except Cloverdale now has sprawl-busting Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs), setting an example for the Bay Area and beyond. Greenbelt Alliance has been focusing its attention on helping citizens mobilize to preserve open space and agriculture by supporting UGBs and encouraging efficient and equitable land use within their boundaries.