The Foundation
Our History
Then . . .
The Laguna Foundation was formed in 1989 following the convening of the State of the Laguna conference, which brought together the private and public agencies and interests with a stake in the Laguna's condition and future. Incorporated in 1990 as a tax-exempt 501c3 nonprofit organization, we remained an all-volunteer group until 2002. During those years we implemented small restoration projects, made comments on public policy issues that affected the Laguna, convened Laguna stakeholders to develop a Coordinated Resource Management Plan for the Laguna which identified broad, shared goals and objectives for improving its water quality, habitat value, flood retention capacity and other public benefits, and began a Laguna docent training program and wetland education program serving local elementary schools.
Now . . .
In 2002, the Foundation's board concluded that its mission could not be advanced rapidly enough without the benefit of staff, and hired Dan Schurman as Executive Director (former Executive Director of the Sonoma Land Trust and the Sonoma County Bar Association) and Mark Green as Resource Development Director (founding Executive Director of Sonoma County Conservation Action). Since that time, our activities have ramped up rapidly as we've taken on big restoration projects, expanded our education programs, and begun the work to create an interpretive center for the Laguna.
