The two acres at the bend in the Russian River at Villa Grande, originally known as Patterson Point, have been used by area residents for more than 100 years as a fishing hole, recreation area and nature preserve. The property, owned by the Torr family starting the 1950’s, was purchased by Friends of Villa Grande in September 2009. On November 15, a ceremony was held to celebrate the new ownership of the property by FoVG.
Now that Patterson Point Preserve is under the stewardship of FoVG, we will work to ensure the continued enjoyment by local residents and visitors. Our vision is to retain the formula that has worked so well for decades - enjoy the water, the sun and the sand, meet your friends and neighbors for some fun and make sure you don’t spoil it for the next visitors.
These values are summarized in the guiding principles listed below. We invite you to join FoVG and help us all to enjoy Patterson Point Preserve.
Click on the image at the left for an introductory video.
Patterson Point Preserve Guiding Principles
❖ Preserve the property’s natural flora and fauna.
❖ Keep the area open and accessible to Villa Grande and the surrounding community.
❖ Be fiscally prudent in both short and long-term management of the Preserve.
❖ Achieve responsible stewardship of the property through efforts of Friends of Villa Grande.
.Restoration and Land Management FoVG is working towards improving the Preserve while retaining the qualities the community holds dear. A document describing this effort is the Restoration and Land Management Plan, available here. In 2013, an addendum to the plan was prepared, and it is available here A ten year Plan update from June 2020, can be found here. Plan Comments are welcome at: friends@villagrande.org
The plan is being implemented with the help of dozens of volunteers along with a small group of dedicated stewards. Restoration priorities include removal of invasive species, improving the habitat for native birds and insects, encouraging appropriate understory plants, ensuring the long-term health of our significant trees and minimizing the impact of our human visitors.
SCAPOSD Report FoVG’s purchase of Patterson Point Preserve was enabled by a grant from the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (SCAPOSD). The grant also provided funds for initial preservation efforts, which were summarized in quarterly reports from FoVG. The grant ended in 2016 and the final report is available here.
Supporting Patterson Point Preserve If you would like to help with restoring and maintening the Preserve, we invite you to become a member of FoVG here. We also appreciate all contributions, whether a member or not!