The Laguna de Santa Rosa is Sonoma County’s Swiss Army knife. Northern California’s largest freshwater wetland absorbs winter floodwaters like a giant sponge. It filters pollution naturally and shelters wildlife ranging from bald eagles to endangered salmon. Yet this vital habitat struggles, under siege from invasive plants, toxic urban runoff, and shrinking marshlands. Experts warn Sonoma County has reached a tipping point.
Covering 30,000 acres, the Laguna goes far beyond its main water channel. “The Laguna is a unique ecological system and landscape feature of critical importance to our water quality, flood control, and biodiversity,” says the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. Over 200 bird species thrive here, including migrating waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway. Coho salmon and steelhead trout depend on its waters, while endangered red-legged frogs find refuge in its marshes.
Beneath the surface, problems intensify. One significant threat is invasive water primrose, Ludwigia, rapidly carpeting waterways. Ludwigia thrives on nutrient pollution, blocking sunlight, lowering oxygen levels, and suffocating native species. Wendy Trowbridge, Director of Restoration for the Laguna Foundation, speaks frankly: “It’s a big experiment. The plants and animals are returning slowly. With sustained commitment, in 20 years, this could be a lovely forest.”…