… The [Russian River] isn’t just a fun place to chill when Sonoma County heats up — it is also a vital part our delicate local ecosystem. Unfortunately, many riparian corridors (special ecosystems located along the banks of rivers, creeks and streams) along the Russian River are disappearing or being overrun by non-native plants, which means that the overall health of the river and the wildlife that live there is at critical risk. Rita and Mark O’Flynn have owned their home in Guerneville for over 20 years, and just so happen to live near the bank of the river. It turns out that a riparian corridor makes up about a quarter of an acre of their yard. The couple has always had a deep reverence for the beauty of their surrounding area, and their efforts to preserve the riparian corridor on their property “naturally evolved” from their appreciation of the land.