Stephen Barnhart is the Academic Director at the Pepperwood Preserve and an instructor at the Santa Rosa Junior College in biology, botany, and ecology for 37 years. Steve will share with us an overview of the woodlands and forests of Sonoma County, emphasizing the flora, vegetation and ecology of each community. Also addressed will be the value of these natural landscapes and the major management issues that challenge us.
Along with his long career as a college instructor, Steve has conducted numerous field courses over the past 25 years in Sonoma County, the Sierra Nevada and the Great Basin. In 2006, Steve joined the staff at Pepperwood Preserve as the Academic Director to develop and oversee its education program. He is responsible for the adult environmental education program and is the preserve’s liaison with local colleges and universities. Steve maintains a research interest in oak biology and oak woodland dynamics. He is currently involved in vegetation consultation for local agencies as well as research activities with professors at UC Davis and UC Berkeley. Steve lives in Santa Rosa with his wife Linda. They have three grown children and six grandchildren.
