Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)

Lynn Deedler, bicycle and park activist (and Design Review Board member) has wanted to clean up Sebastopol’s Railroad Forest for the past couple of years. Years ago, this 10-acre parcel was part of the spur system to the shipping depots of NW Sebastopol, and before that, the line to the passenger depot serving the Northwestern Pacific steam train that competed with the electric Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railway. Since Southern Pacific abandoned the line in the mid-80′s, Himalyan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), Burbank thornless blackberry (R. hybrid), silver wattle acacia (Acacia dealbata), English ivy (Hedera helix) and periwinkle (Vinca minor) — among other exotic invasive plants have thoroughly taken over. The exotics are particularly rampant in the  western section, while the native California blackberry (Rubus ursinus) dominate the undergrowth closer the Laguna. Currently, very few people venture off — or can even see beyond — the Rodota and Railroad Forest trails due to the thick vegetation — except for an ever shifting crowd of transients who camp out of site in the thickets.  The site has been known as a hobo jungle since the early days, but the exotics have made it even more attractive.

Sebastopol’s hobo jungle during a flood in 1940 (photo courtesy the Sonoma County Library)

Deedler talked to Sebastopol Chief of Police Jeff Weaver, who was happy to work with him on the issue of the encampments — a few days later, Weaver had directed his officers to cut back brush along Railroad Forest Trail and sweep the encampments. The crew hauled the campers’ belongings to the City’s Corporation Yard until they could be claimed.

Deedler will work with the Laguna Foundation to develop a vegetation management plan and expects to start working in late winter before the berries start their spring growth. He’ll work with a number of adult and student volunteers and plans to tackle roughly two acres a year, starting at the western edge and working toward the Laguna. Most of the park’s visitors will soon get to really see Calder Creek and many other parts the Railroad Forest for the first time.

The County is particularly interested because it would jump-start a long-dormant plan to convert the abandoned Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad route from Bloomfield Road in Sebastopol to Petaluma into an 11-mile long recreational trail. When the rail corridor was abandoned in the 1980s, the rights of way reverted to the original (or subsequent) owners of properties along the way. Many sections would have to be purchased or alternatives found, but one of the main barriers has been the lack of connection at the Sebastopol end. Deedler’s route runs from Bloomfield Road north to the Rodota Trail along the edge of the city; he has spoken with all the property owners along the way and found them nearly all to be receptive to considering rights-of-way for a trail. This trail would make a direct connection with the proposed Sebastopol-Petaluma trail and, with the Rodota and SMART Train corridor trail, would create a grand loop for commuting and recreational outings.

Deedler and his group, Sebastopol Trail Makers, would like to see an additional route — largely off-street — paralleling Bodega Ave. to connect the Rodota Trail to the schools on Watertrough Road, to the west of the City. The two trails could be connected by route curving around to the south of town to create a local loop approximately 7 miles long. If the Deedler’s plans come to fruition, they will significantly bolster Sebastopol’s reputation for bike-friendliness.

The next step is a feasibility study. Regional Parks wants to cover the entire length from Petaluma to Sebastopol, though most of the focus would likely be on the stretch between Bloomfield and the Rodota Trail due to the large number of private parcels involved; south of Bloomfield on the old Petaluma & Santa Rosa RR right-of-way should be less problematic. Regional Parks had an option to apply for funding for the feasibility study this year, but since a major project in Sonoma Valley was already underway, they decided to wait until the next funding cycle. Although the Sebastopol Trail Maker are eager to get underway, the delay will likely make for a stronger case next year.