SDC Open Space News & Updates
New SDC Open Space Visitor Services Survey
October 16th, 2026
A new survey measuring visitor experiences at SDC Open Space has been posted on the park website. The survey is called the SDC Open Space Visitor Survey. It can be found at the link or on the front page of the park website. The data will be used to determine what kind of interpretive programming would be appropriate, exciting, and well-attended at SDC Open Space.
Bay Area District Creates Accessibility Email
October 16th, 2026
The Bay Area District Accessibility Team has created an email address for the public to reach out with questions or reports on park accessibility. The email is BayAreaAccessibility@parks.ca.gov.
Jack London SHP to Acquire SDC Open Space
October 14th, 2026
Bay Area District supervisors, in partnership with the Jack London Park Partners, submitted paperwork to amend the General Plan for Jack London State Historic Park last month to include 765 acres of historic SDC Open Space property. Known commonly as the Sonoma Developmental Center Open Space, the property has seen CA State Park activity since its acquisition in 2024, ranging from prescribed burns to interpretive programming. Now, the property will officially be a part of Jack London State Historic Park, making the parks total acerage over 2,200 acres. Park operations at Jack London SHP will remain with the Jack London Park Partners while CA State Park staff will continue to provide operations of the 765 acre SDC Open Space property.
SDC Open Space Staff Refresh Park Webpage
October 14th, 2026
Previously, SDC Open Space staff has sent park updates as a PDF document attached to an email sent directly to subscribers email inboxes. We decided to pivot from this method and changed to hosting new information in-line on the park website. The main reason for doing this was to ensure the information is as accessible as possible. Learn more about government website accessibility here.
Did you miss the last couple of newsletters? You can catch up by accessing them below:
Members of the public that signed up for email newsletters will receive summarized park updates via MailChimp. You can sign up for the SDC Open Space Newsletter here.
Monday, September 21st is California Memorial Project Remembrance Day
September 21st, 2026
Disability Rights California held its 24th annual California Memorial Project Remembrance Ceremony on Monday, September 21st. Held every third monday of September, the ceremony served as an opportunity for members of the community to gather and remember individuals who lived and died at state institutions. The ceremony theme for this year is “Honor. Reflection. Hope” which is symbolized by the cherry blossom. Ceremonies were hosted both virtually and in-person.
SDC Open Space staff attended a private ceremony in Napa on Monday, September 21st. Many of the event organizers were aware of the history of the Sonoma Developmental Center and welcomed the district’s representation for this beautiful event. A recording of the virtual Remembrance Ceremony can be found here.
SDC Open Space to Host Bioblitz for the First Time Since 2024
September 12th, 2026
Back in 2024, Bay Area District supervisors brainstormed ways to promptly bring interpretation to the newly acquired Sonoma Developmental Center Open Space property. They decided to reach out to the recently promoted State Park Interpreter I Kaylie Williams (who now serves at Trione-Annadel SP, Tomales Bay SP, and Marconi Conference Center SHP) and asked her to host an event. Kaylie brought her creativity and expertise to SDC Open Space by hosting a BioBlitz in September of 2024 with over 140 recorded observations, 75 recorded species, and a crew of 9 observers. You can see the detailed results on the iNaturalist website at California Biodiversity Day 2024: SDC Bioblitz.
On September 12th, 2026, SDC Open Space staff hosted SDC Open Space BioBlitz 2026. 10 participants showed up eager to record the vast amounts of wildlife and plantlife that can be seen around Lake Suttonfield. We had 361 observations, 152 species recorded, and 14 observers over the course of a week. You can see the results on iNaturalist here at California Biodiversity Day 2026: SDC Open Space Bioblitz.
SDC Open Space Brings Dog-Friendly Programming to Park
August 22nd, 2026
B.A.R.K. Ranger is a program that encourages visitors and their dogs to be good stewards to our parks. We ask the visitor and their dog to adhere to the B.A.R.K. rules as follows before recreating:
- Be aware of dog friendly spaces
- Always bag your waste
- Remain on leash
- Keep your distance from wildlife
The dog owner can meet park staff at a pop-up tent to learn about the B.A.R.K. rules, leave to enjoy the park with their dog, and then return after their walk to recite the B.A.R.K. Ranger Oath in front of park staff and complete the program. Eligible dogs earn a wooden B.A.R.K. Ranger badge and a celebratory polaroid photograph with their owner.
B.A.R.K. Ranger debuted at SDC Open Space on Saturday, August 22nd 2026 to high praise and interest. 5 dogs we're inducted into the program and dog owners walked away with a finer understanding of how to safely recreate with their dog on park lands. Visit the Service Animals in State Parks webpage and the Visiting State Parks With Your Dog webpage for more information on dogs in parks.
Bay Area District Supervisors Create Accessibility Coordinator Team
August 14th, 2026
Bay Area District Superintendent II Maria Mowrey and Deputy District Superintendent (Acting) Cara O’Brian appointed four Bay Area District employees to the Accessibility Coordinator Team on Friday, August 14th. The role is responsible for fielding accessibility complaints and managing accessibility projects across the district, with plans to open up a new shared email for members of the public to keep in contact about accessibility concerns (more info provided at a later time). The four members of the Bay Area District Accessibility Team are:
- Andrew Padilla – Park Interpretive Specialist (Angel Island SP)
- Destin "Dusty" Koelsch – Park Maintenance Worker I (Angel Island SP)
- Cecilia Rejas – State Park Peace Officer (Bay Area District)
- Carmen Vanni – State Park Interpreter I (PI) (SDC Open Space)
Each member brings their own experience, skills, and dedication to the accessibility team. These skills include interpretive programming, digital accessibility, accessible facilities, sensitivity training, and community building. To learn more about accessibility in parks, visit the Accessible Parks for All webpage.
California Natural Resources Agency Celebrates Disability Pride Month 2026
July 24th, 2026
The California Natural Resources Agency, which is the parent agency for the Department of Parks & Recreation, is proud to celebrate Disability Pride Month this July 2026. Disability Pride Month celebrates individuals with differing abilities as well as the landmark passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The disability pride flag was created to symbolize the diverse experiences of individuals with disabilities. The agency’s theme this year is “The World Works Better with Us”, a powerful reminder of what disabled people bring to our workspaces, parks, communities, schools, and more. The California Natural Resources Agency is celebrating the month with five special events; three in-person events at their office in Sacramento and two virtual events. The California State Parks WordPress blog also has two pieces on accessibility in parks; you can read about "Adventure of the Month: Torrey Pines State Beach Offers Accessibility for All" and "Celebrating Disability Pride Month: 7 Incredible and Accessible California State Parks to Visit".
Do you want to visit our state parks at a reduced cost? See if you qualify for the Disabled Discount Pass, a lifetime pass for individuals with permanent disabilities, entitling the passholder to a 50% discount on vehicle day-use, family camping, and boat-use fees. You can look for parks accepting the Disabled Discount Pass here. Navigate to the “Open Filter” button to the right of the search bar and check “Disabled Discount Pass”. Applications can be submitted at the Bay Area District Office in Petaluma or online on the state parks website.
Here at Sonoma Developmental Center Open Space, we are celebrating Disability Pride Month by diversifying our guided hike program into two separate programs: an Accessible History Hike and a Lake Suttonfield Guided Hike. These programs will keep occurring after Disability Pride Month is over. The Accessible History Hike covers the Sunrise/Baker loop, which is a flat, 45 to 50-minute hike around the easternmost side of the property with slight elevation changes and light shade. The loop passes by several pieces of historic infrastructure once used by the SDC such as a farm, a horse corral, the dairy, various maintenance buildings, the sewage treatment plant, and the soccer field to name a few. The eastern side of the property was mainly used for animal husbandry and facility management, which all contributed to the SDC being a true self-sustaining community for a time. The paved loop acts as a perimeter to a beautiful seasonal wetland. We hope that this hike will be both a welcoming introduction and celebration of disability history and access in California State Parks.
Prescribed Burn – Lake Suttonfield
June 30th, 2026
California State Parks in cooperation with CALFIRE executed Prescribed Burns in multiple parks around the Sonoma Valley including SDCOS, on weekdays between June 16th-30th, 2026 as conditions permit. Burns may also occur at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and Jack London State Historic Park. All burning depends on weather and air conditions that are favorable. If conditions are not suitable the burns will be rescheduled. For more information about ongoing prescribed burns, visit our Wildfire Resilience page.
Fire Road Maintenance with CAL Fire
June 4th, 2026
From May 27th to June 4th, California State Parks is partnering with CAL Fire to grade and maintain the Suttonfield Lake fire roads between Sunrise Road, Sonoma Valley Regional Park, and the CAL Fire station. This work will improve access for patrol, maintenance, and resource management activities around Suttonfield Lake for the summer and fall seasons. Several pieces of heavy equipment will be staged at the building on Sunrise Road for the next few weeks while this work takes place.
SDC Open Space Hires New Staff
May 26th, 2026
California State Parks Bay Area District has hired a State Park Interpreter I (Permanent Intermittent) and an Associate State Archaeologist to serve at Sonoma Developmental Center Open Space. First is Carmen Vanni, whose role is to collaborate with internal staff and outside partners to foster public relations related to SDC Open Space. She also will assist with the Cannabis and Watershed Protection Program interpretive panel project and create educational programming about the cultural and natural resources preserved at SDC Open Space. Sally Gaston, the Associate State Archaeologist, will be surveying, cataloging, and stewarding our cultural resources through research and consultations. She will collaborate with the State Park Interpreter I to create a cultural inventory of the park that will serve as the basis for new interpretive signage, kiosks, and programming at the SDC.
Pile Burning at SDC Open Space - Fern Lake
April 30th, 2026
Starting on April 20th, 2026, California State Parks and CAL FIRE cooperated on a scheduled pile burn at Fern Lake on SDC Open Space property. The burn officially concluded on April 30th, 2026, a bit past the scheduled end date. Read more about the burn on Watch Duty.
Announcement of Camp Via transferred to California State Parks
June 3rd, 2024
This transfer signifies the culmination of efforts initiated with the 2023 Agreement for Transfer of Jurisdiction of State-Owned Real Property between DGS and State Parks. This move underscores the commitment to fulfill the state’s objectives and obligations regarding the SDC Specific Plan, prioritizing the conservation of open space and natural resources.
Camp Via used to be a place where SDC clients stayed overnight to learn and have fun on Sonoma Mountain. It will now be enjoyed by all for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Learn more about the transfer of Camp Via to California State Parks here.
Trail Clearing at SDCOS with Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative
January 30th, 2024
Through a collaboration known as the Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative work is already under way to clear trails at the SDC. While providing for the recreation of the site, this is also to help with future fire work. Learn more about the trail clearing with Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative here.
Sonoma Developmental Center’s Open Space Lands Transferred to California State Parks
January 4th, 2024
California State Parks today announced the transfer of jurisdiction of approximately 650 acres of Sonoma Developmental Center’s (SDC) open space property to State Parks. SDC’s open space area is connected to Jack London State Historic Park (SHP). Sharing a common boundary, watershed, critical wildlife corridor, connecting trails, and view shed, the property is an integral part of the region’s biodiversity and recreational opportunities.
The transfer of SDC lands to State Parks is the largest addition to state park lands in Sonoma County since 2010. These lands will provide a connection from Jack London SHP to Sonoma County Regional Park, maintaining a critical regional wildlife linkage connecting the Marin Coast to Blue Ridge and Lake Berryessa. The property includes high-quality oak woodlands, mixed evergreen forests, coast redwood and riparian forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Read the Press Release about the transfer of SDC land to CA State Parks here.
If you have any questions, comments, anecdotes, or suggestions about accessibility regarding SDCOS park land, programming, or communications, please contact us via email at Carmen.Vanni@parks.ca.gov or call the Bay Area District Office at (707)769-5652 | 711, TTY Relay Service.