Above: Students in the STRAW program replant the exposed banks of Green Valley Creek in December after the fall construction of the Upper Green Valley Creek Fish Passage Enhancement Project
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The news on your RCD's latest efforts to conserve and protect our most valued natural resources, support a thriving agricultural community and promote a
sustainable local economy.
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In this month's edition:
- RCD Seeks Ombudsman
- Executive Director Takes Maternity Leave
- Upcoming Workshops for Winegrape Growers
- New Water Stewardship Guides
- Student Powered Conservation on Green Valley Creek
- Plant Oaks On Your Property
Partner news and events:
- Good Fungi, Healthy Roots, Healthy Plants
- Sustainable Equine Workshop
- Healthy Soils/Carbon Farming in CA Central Coast Ranches
- SRP GSA Public Workshop on Fee and Rate Study
- 2018 North Bay Watershed Association Conference
- Living with Fire in CA Coast Ranges: A Symposium
- Russian River Tributary and Beaches Cleanups
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Gold Ridge RCD Seeks Ombudsman
for Lower Russian River
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The Gold Ridge RCD
seeks an Ombudsperson
to assist residents of the lower Russian River watershed (within Sonoma County) in understanding and complying with the lower Russian River Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). This task will be achieved by providing information, identifying appropriate tools and technologies, and acting as an impartial intermediary between residents and the agencies implementing the TMDL and who make up the Interagency Committee (North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, Permit Sonoma, Sonoma County Community Development Commission). The Ombudsperson will be an employee of the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District and will also work closely with the Sonoma Resource Conservation District, serving residents of both Districts.
The Ombudsperson will be a non-regulatory informational resource to the lower Russian River community regarding the pathogen reduction requirements as detailed in the TMDL. They will assist landowners and residents to identify tools and options to effectively manage Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS, e.g. septic systems), as well as working with landowners, residents, the Interagency Committee, livestock facility operators, and homeless task forces.
We will accept applications until March 12, 2018
. The position will stay open until filled.
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Gold Ridge RCD Executive Director
Takes Maternity Leave
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Brittany Jensen, Executive Director will be taking maternity leave in early March 2018 and planning to return July 2018.
For assistance in regards to Gold Ridge RCD programs:
Noelle Johnson, Conservation Planner will be Acting Executive Director for the Gold Ridge RCD during this time. Please feel free to contact her at
Noelle@goldridgercd.org,
or any of our staff if you need assistance during this time.
For assistance in regards to the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency:
Ann DuBay, Community & Governmental Affairs Manager of the Sonoma County Water Agency will be serving as the Interim Administrator for the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency during this time. You can reach her at
Ann.DuBay@scwa.ca.gov
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Upcoming Workshops
for Winegrape Growers
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The following events are coordinated by
the North Coast Soil Health Hub
--a network of farmers and farm advisers to share successes, challenges, and needs related to building soil health. The North Coast Soil Health Hub was created by the Mendocino County, Napa County, Sonoma and Gold Ridge RCDs with funding from CA Department of Food and Agriculture.
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March 9th: Vineyard Soil Health Symposium
Sonoma County Farm Bureau, 3589 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403, 9am-12pm
This panel-style event brings producers and researchers together for a critical discussion of soil conservation practices. What practices are appropriate for the North Coast, and what results farmers are seeing.
Read more
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May 1st: Sonoma Winegrower’s Annual Sustainable Winegrowing Field Day
Shone Farm, 7450 Steve Olson Lane, Forestville, CA 95436, 8:00am-1:30pm
Growers gather for this annual field day at the Santa Rosa Junior College's Shone Farm for educational seminars and field tours focused on topics such as Integrated Pest Management, soil nutrition, and soil management. The North Coast Soil Health Hub is featuring a workshop on conservation tillage and cover cropping.
Read more
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....And, Take the
Vineyard Soil Health Survey
Attention, Grapegrowers: North Coast Soil Health Hub Needs Your Input!
Please take this survey by
April 1st, 2018
to tell us:
- What types of soil health practices are you doing? (e.g. cover crop, compost application)
- What types of soil health practices do you want to do, but can't?
- What types of soil health practices are you curious to learn more about?
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New Water Stewardship Guides Available
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Sanctuary Forest
, based in the Mattole River watershed, recently produced the following guides for the North Coast (click on the title to be linked to the document):
The
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
, based in the Russian River Watershed, recently reproduced a classic.
This newly updated and expanded third edition contains additional resources, images, graphics and a new section on the importance of salmonids and beaver to watershed health. Download your free copy, or support the WATER Institute by purchasing a printed version.
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Student-Powered Conservation
on Green Valley Creek
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Thick blackberry growth was removed to allow heavy equipment into the waterway for the decommissioning of a relic culvert. With the new fish passage-friendly culvert and regraded stream bed installation completed, the last step to the habitat enhancement project was to replace the stream-side vegetation with native plants.
Students planted willows, alders, bay laurel, ash, coast live oaks, sedges, rushes, roses, huckleberry, currant, coastal redwood, dogwood and more in multiple work days on the creek's banks. The STRAW program managers will be maintaining the health of these plantings for the next three years.
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Plant Oaks on Your Property
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The California Native Plant Society has collected hundreds of acorns from across the county this past fall. They are partnering with local organizations like the Sonoma and Gold Ridge RCDs to get area-specific acorns and oak seedlings planted by local landowners.
For more information about how YOU can participate,
read here
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Good Fungi, Healthy Roots, Healthy Plants
Laguna Foundation
March 3, 3-4pm, 900 Sanford Rd, Santa Rosa, CA.
Learn More >>
Sustainable Equine Workshop
Daily Acts
March 3-4, Sienna Mountain Ranch, Petaluma, CA.
Learn More >>
Healthy Soils/Carbon Farming on California’s Central Coast Ranches
Coastal San Luis RCD & Cachuma RCD
San Luis Obispo: March 15, 9:00–11:30am (plus optional ranch tour)
Learn More >>
Santa Rosa Plain GSA Public Workshop on Fee and Rate Study
Santa Rosa Plain GSA
March 21, 5:30-7:30pm Finley Community Center, Santa Rosa
2018 North Bay Watershed Association Conference: Extreme Future: Fire, Floods, a Rising Bay
North Bay Watershed Association
April 6, 8am-5pm, Sheraton Sonoma County, Petaluma, CA.
Learn More
>>
Living with Fire in California's Coast Ranges: A Symposium
Sonoma State University
May 7-9, SSU Student Center, Rohnert Park, CA
Russian River Tributary and Beaches Cleanups
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If you would like to support programs like these with your donation,
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