Eldridge Open Space BioBlitz Documents 152 Species in Week of Community Wildlife Observations

ELDRIDGE, Sonoma County — A community biodiversity survey at Sonoma Developmental Center Open Space documented 152 species of plants, animals and other organisms during a week of observations centered on a September 12 event near Lake Suttonfield.

What volunteers found

According to California State Parks’ September 2026 event report, the BioBlitz resulted in 361 observations, 152 species and 14 observers over the reporting period. The agency also notes that 10 participants attended the September 12 gathering itself.

A BioBlitz is an organized effort to record as many living species as possible in a particular area over a set period. Observations may be uploaded to platforms such as iNaturalist and later reviewed or identified by community scientists.

How it compares with 2024

State Parks says its earlier 2024 BioBlitz at the property generated more than 140 observations and 75 species. The 2026 results therefore show a larger recorded set of observations and species, but they do not prove that the park’s true biodiversity doubled. Different observers, survey effort, weather, area covered and identification practices can change the totals.

Why the count matters

The former SDC lands include oak woodland, grassland, wetlands and forest that connect to the larger Sonoma Mountain landscape. Citizen-science records can help park staff and visitors better understand what lives there and where educational programs might be useful.

How people can take part in future projects

The 2026 event has already taken place, but the observations can be explored through the iNaturalist project linked from the State Parks news page. Visitors should remain on permitted trails, respect sensitive habitats, avoid collecting plants or wildlife and follow any temporary closures near fire-management work.

Source: California State Parks, SDC Open Space BioBlitz report, September 12, 2026. No copyrighted wildlife photographs reused.

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