Napa Land Trust is a founding and sustaining member of TOGETHER Bay Area, a coalition of 80 conservation groups working to conserve 50% of the region’s lands by 2050. Since the coalition involves many land trusts, that work is accomplished largely in partnership with private landowners through voluntary conservation easements.
Last month, TOGETHER hosted its annual conference at the historic Fort Mason in San Francisco. Melanie Parker, Napa Land Trust CEO, also serves as the board president of TOGETHER. She opened up the conference with an announcement. “Through a merger earlier this year, TOGETHER Bay Area is now the proud stewards of the Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve. What better way to honor the international ecological significance of this region!”
Ten members of LTNC’s staff attended and helped table at the conference and then led two days of field trips for TBA members at Mead Ranch Preserve here in Napa.
“It was awesome being able to share our work with colleague, scientists, academics and funders from around the Bay Area,” said Dr. Tosha Commendant, Senior Stewardship Program Manager.
Mead Ranch Preserve.
Among the Land Trust team members to attend the conference was Connor Wesson, Communications Assistant, who shared this reflection on the experience:
“The TOGETHER Conference provided a rare opportunity to connect interpersonally with peers and be refreshed by innovative projects happening all around the Bay. I am grateful to have left with new relationships that I’ll work to foster ahead of next year’s conference.”
At the Exhibitor Village, the Land Trust hosted a space where participants could learn more about our organization’s work to permanently protect natural and agricultural landscapes in Napa County. The exhibit invited connection with fellow conservationists and community members from across the Bay Area, highlighting the role these protected lands play within a broader network of wildlife corridors and sensitive habitats throughout Northern California.
The conference also acknowledged the deep histories and presence of Indigenous communities, whose relationships to these landscapes continue to this day. The Land Trust of Napa County has joined TBA’s “Right Relations” program to learn how to better engage with tribes and tribal peoples.
Stewardship doesn’t happen in isolation. The Bay Area’s resilience depends on strong partnerships, shared learning, and a collective commitment to caring for the lands and communities that sustain us.
To learn more about the TOGETHER Bay Area Conference, visit their website: https://togetherbayarea.org/together-conference-2026/
