Paula Lane is a city-owned and managed 11 acre preserve nestled in a west Petaluma neighborhood.
The property is protected through a conservation easement held by Ag & Open Space. Featuring annual grassland and mature trees, the preserve is home to diverse and thriving wildlife and offers beautiful views of the surrounding hills and adjacent watersheds. American badgers, deer, foxes, bobcats, gopher snake and over 100 species of birds have been observed at Paula Lane. There is even the occasional spotting of a mountain lion! The City of Petaluma purchased the preserve in 2011 with plans to enhance public access and engage community through demonstration of sustainable agriculture and habitat conservation. Recently, The City partnered with Daily Acts to bring the public into the Preserve. The Preserve is not yet open to the public, and work has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but we hope to welcome you to the site as soon as we can.
Our Goals for Paula Lane
In addition to this work, the City of Petaluma will be completing the first phase of a pedestrian, ADA-compliant, access trail along the perimeter of the preserve to terminate at the corner of Paula Lane and Sunset Dr. This trail will be built in stages, starting with an ADA parking space and pathway through native hedgerow.
Paula Lane Hedgerow
On December 5th 2020, a group of 10 community volunteers helped to plant a native hedgerow at the Preserve. Consisting of about 55 native plants, this hedgerow will provide habitat and food for birds, rodents and other prey animals, which helps our on site predators, like the American Badger, thrive. The design includes clumping’s of similar plants to support our pollinators, varying species that will bloom year-round, and woody perennials that will be less tasty for gophers and deer.