Nature Connection Sites

There are many places on campus to connect with nature. The areas described below are all featured on our Campus Green Spaces map (PDF) and can be reached from the center of campus on foot in 10 minutes or less.

Butterfly Garden

Outdoor sensory awareness meditation

The Butterfly Garden is located off the Copeland Creek Trail and is bordered by the Native Plant Garden and parking Lot G. Scattered throughout the garden are benches that make the garden more welcoming and an ideal place to enjoy nature on campus. Life is varied and abundant here: the nectar-rich plants that abound here attract birds, bees, and butterflies, such as painted ladies, monarchs, and swallowtails. The accompanying guided meditation invites you to deepen your empathy for the beings around you and to acknowledge the similarities between human and non-human life.

Copeland Creek

Immerse yourself in the outside world at Copeland Creek, the heart of the Sonoma State campus. This seasonal creek flows from its headwaters at SSU’s Fairfield Osborn Preserve down Sonoma Mountain to the Laguna de Santa Rosa, passing across campus on its way. We invite you to walk the Copeland Creek Trail, a small winding pathway that runs between the creek and the fire road. You can traverse the length of the trail in about 5-10 minutes, or you can take some extra time to sit quietly on one of the trailside benches or walk down to the creek bed on one of the side paths. There is no guided audio for this walk: instead, consider turning off your phone and entering fully, with all your senses, into nature. Let yourself be small here, one being among many. The creek is a wildlife corridor: animals ranging from many species of birds to salmon to river otters have been seen here. Enter respectfully, as a guest, with all senses open.

Garden Classroom

Gratitude in the garden meditation.

The Garden Classroom is a demonstration and teaching garden that was created by faculty and student volunteers to showcase sustainable landscape practices and methods for growing healthy organic fruits and vegetables. The garden supports food justice by donating crops to local food banks. Consider connecting with the garden during drop-in days, or simply stop by any time to enjoy the beauty. The picnic tables are a perfect place to study or eat lunch outside. You can listen to the audio meditation on gratitude to contemplate all the gifts that nature provides, from nourishing food to the air that we breathe.

Holocaust & Genocide Memorial Grove

Common humanity meditation

The Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Grove, situated between the University Lakes and the Native Plant Garden, honors survivors and victims of genocides committed throughout the world and those working for human rights across the globe. In this space, human creativity comes together with nature. Take some time to explore the monuments and inscriptions. Allow yourself to be held by the beauty that surrounds you. This is a place where we can grieve the losses that extend beyond our individual lives, and dedicate ourselves to bringing healing into the world. The accompanying audio file offers a guided meditation on finding a sense of common humanity with everyone we encounter.

Native Plant Garden

Breathing with trees and plants meditation

Located to the east of the University Lakes, lies a hidden campus gem. The Native Plant Garden, nestled between the gymnasium and parking Lot G, was created by SSU faculty, staff, and students in the early 1970s to represent the diverse ecosystems of California. Surrounded by native plants from across the state, you can easily forget that you are on campus as you are sheltered by the trees and immersed in the natural world. Consider turning off your phone for a while and enjoying the silence: you can take a quiet break here reading on one of the benches, or sitting by a tree and listening to the birds. If you’d like to try something different, listen to the accompanying guided meditation to connect with the life around you.

The University Lakes & Redwood Circle

Loving kindness meditation in nature

Sonoma State is home to the University Lakes, the bodies of water located northwest of campus. The lakes are a great place to relax in the sun, have a picnic, or watch the ducks, geese, and turtles that congregate here. Nestled between the lakes and the fire road are two circles of redwood trees where you can enjoy the shade on a warm day. Free picnic blankets are available at Campus Rec: you can borrow one and bring it out so you can sit comfortably on the grass. For some extra relaxation, listen to a guided sensory awareness meditation, to engage all of your senses while spending time outdoors.

Vietnam Veterans Grove

 

Spending time in nature can happen just minutes away from your everyday activities, especially on a green campus like Sonoma State. The Vietnam Veterans Grove is a private oasis of redwoods, just steps away from the Student Center. The space was dedicated in 1982 to the memory of Vietnam veterans from Sonoma and surrounding counties who lost their lives in the war. A few minutes spent sitting beneath the towering redwoods can give you the mental renewal you need.