[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 21, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE SONOMA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACES 
                                DISTRICT

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 20, 2007

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today together with 
my colleague Ms. Woolsey to honor the Sonoma County Agricultural 
Preservation and Open Space District located in Northern California. On 
March 3, the agency received the prestigious County Leadership in 
Conservation Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) and 
Trust for Public Land (TPL).
  This award is given annually to counties that showcase the best 
practices in innovative conservation work. As one of the first public 
agencies in the nation funded by a sales tax to protect agriculture, 
the Open Space District has continued to distinguish itself nationally. 
It has protected almost 70,000 acres, including farms, greenbelts, 
natural open spaces, and recreational areas.
  The District was formed as a result of public concern over 
urbanization in Sonoma County as subdivisions, malls and parking lots 
threatened to overwhelm land the famed botanist Luther Burbank once 
called ``God's chosen spot.'' Responding to the very real threat of 
sprawl, farmers, environmentalists and community leaders joined 
together in 1990 to pass a sales tax to fund preservation and open 
space acquisition. So successful is the District that the tax was 
renewed with a 75-percent approval vote in 2006. Today the tax provides 
approximately $13 million a year for the District's land conservation 
and acquisition programs.
  The County Open Space Authority is responsible for levying and 
distributing the funding, while the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors 
acts as the Board of Directors. The Supervisors appoint a 17-member 
Open Space Advisory Committee, representing various stakeholders and 
interest groups, to recommend acquisitions. Manager Andrea Mackenzie 
works with all of these groups and other local organizations in 
identifying and purchasing suitable properties (or conservation 
easements) and determining the best use for them, from agriculture to 
resource conservation to public access or recreation.
  Madam Speaker, Sonoma County has a beautiful and diverse environment 
ranging from oak savannah to bay wetlands to coastal redwood forests. 
Its farmlands are among the richest on the planet and grow grapes for 
world-class wines, crispy Gravenstein apples and luscious Crane melons 
and many specialty crops. Its pastures and rangelands support both 
dairy and meat production. The District ensures that our children's 
children will always have woodland and hillside trails to hike and 
homegrown food to enjoy.
  These open spaces keep Sonoma County's agricultural economy healthy, 
provide recreation for visitors and residents, and preserve the very 
character of the county. I congratulate the Sonoma County Agricultural 
Preservation and Open Space District upon the receipt of the well-
deserved County Leadership in Conservation Award and look forward to 
continuing to work with the District to preserve Sonoma County's 
natural beauty and agricultural bounty.




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