Above: Camp Meeker partners with RCD on Community Wildfire Protection Plan
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In this month's edition:
- Camp Meeker's Community Wildfire Protection Plan
- Atascadero Creek Watershed Assessment update
- North Bay RCDs' collaboration for conservation work
- Forest Health Watershed Coordinator
- Climate change and groundwater workshop
- Partner news
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Camp Meeker partners with RCD on Community Wildfire Protection Plan
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It was mid-October 2018--just around the time of the first anniversary of the Tubbs Fire--when Richard Seaman surveyed his Camp Meeker community's interest in "restoring the forest and making Camp Meeker fire-safe"
through a petition
. From a community of 348 households, his petition received about 250 supporting signatures. Through his outreach campaign, Richard met allies who would quickly become the first members of
Fire Safe Camp Meeker,
a community group focused on educating, planning and implementing activities in Camp Meeker that will make the forested hill-side neighborhood more resilient to future wildfires.
Fire Safe Camp Meeker members reached out to local agencies, including Gold Ridge RCD and Fire Safe Sonoma, for funding and technical assistance. In November, the three organizations partnered with the North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council on a funding proposal to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as CAL FIRE, for the creation of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and received funding in May.
The Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a collaborative effort that requires input from all stakeholders, including Camp Meeker residents, local businesses, retreat camps and the relevant fire and natural resources agencies. Together, we will hold community meetings to gather information about Camp Meeker's vulnerabilities to wildfire and then prioritize projects that have earned the greatest stakeholder interest.
Projects might include: home-hardening activities, forest and roadside vegetation management, defensible space creation, improving first-responder access and evacuation routes, developing an community evacuation plan, improving road and address signage throughout the community, and more.
When it comes time to put the plan into action, projects will be implemented by volunteer community members and hopefully with additional funding from agencies like CAL FIRE. Donations are also a significant help to these projects.
Consider making a donation today
.
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Atascadero Creek Watershed assessment update
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Nearly 200 riparian landowners in the Atascadero Creek Subwatershed will be receiving a letter in the mail this month with an invitation to partner on the Atascadero Creek Subwatershed Coho Habitat Assessment.
Our goal is to learn:
- When adult salmon are in the creek, migrating or mating
- When young salmon are in the creek
- When and where the creek is dry or water level is low
- What is the water quality in Atascadero Creek
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North Bay RCDs enter into an historic collaboration for conservation work
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Above: The South Fork of the Eel River on the North Coast
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The following article is shared from California Association of Resource Conservation Districts:
The eleven Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) in California’s North Coast Region have signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work collaboratively on soil, forest, and fisheries issues at a regional scale.
The participating districts are Del Norte RCD, Gold Ridge RCD, Humboldt County RCD, Lake County RCD, Marin RCD, Mendocino County RCD, Napa County RCD, Shasta Valley RCD, Siskiyou RCD, Sonoma RCD, and Trinity County RCD.
Their new collaborative framework will enable the participating RCDs to work together to achieve conservation objectives at a regional scale in pursuit of improved water quality, water quantity, soil health, and forest health, and result in a heightened stewardship ethic for the benefit of communities, watersheds, and wildlife on the North Coast.
“RCDs actively leverage resources in their districts to make conservation happen on-the-ground and recognize the value of working collectively since natural resource challenges tend to extend far beyond district boundaries. The statewide network of RCDs is actively pursuing opportunities that enable us to achieve conservation objectives at regional scales, understanding that it will take innovative collaborations and creative thinking to bring about the positive changes that are needed statewide,” said Karen Buhr, Executive Director, California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD).
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North Bay RCDs receive funding for Forest Health Watershed Coordinator
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Seven of the eleven North Bay RCDs who recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration (see previous article) have also received funding for a Forest Health Watershed Coordinator. The coordinator will work to maximize collaboration among the North Bay RCDs and other relevant agencies and organizations to successfully facilitate the development and implementation of watershed improvement plans from the Eel River Watershed to the San Pablo Bay. This grant is being managed by the Humboldt RCD.
The program aims to expand and improve forest management to enhance forest health and resilience in the North Coast Region. Specifically, the coordinator’s work will be focused on developing projects and opportunities that increase the rate of carbon sequestration in our forests and watersheds, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve watershed health in the North Coast Region. The coordinator will achieve this by developing funding opportunities for this work in a thoughtful, prioritized and coordinated fashion. The coordinator will build closer relationships between regional RCDs, agencies and local groups, develop joint programs, and provide a more unified voice in decision-making around natural resource management concerns and public funding. The coordinator's work will strive to be consistent with the priorities laid out in the
California Forest Carbon Plan
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Climate Change and Groundwater Workshop
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Wednesday, May 22, 2019
4:00 p.m.
Sonoma State University
Student Center, Ballroom 3rd floor, 1801 E. Cotati Ave. Rohnert Park
You're invited to a community to a workshop
“How a changing climate could affect our groundwater basins – and what we’re doing about it.”
The focus of this public workshop will be on how climate change could affect local groundwater resources and how these impacts must be addressed in Groundwater Sustainability Plans.
The panel discussion will feature Jay Jasperse, Sonoma Water Chief Engineer and Groundwater Program Manager and the USGS, California Water Science Center Ph.D. research hydrologists, Lorraine E. Flint and Alan L. Flint, who will share from their work on a Basin Characterization Model to provide hydrologic response to climate change.
Please note, while SSU Parking is $5, the event takes place after graduation – so parking spaces should be plentiful. Light refreshments will be served.
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Workshop: Tillage management alternatives: Impacts on soil moisture/health
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Hosted by Sonoma RCD
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
MacLeod Family Vineyard in Kenwood
Please sign up in advance as space is limited to 40 people.
The RCD has been working with the MacLeod Family Vineyard to look at the impact of different types of tillage management on soil health and relative moisture availability. Field trials were established in fall 2017 to investigate differences in no till, alternate row till and full till management on soil health properties and soil moisture. We will meet to discuss the project, tillage alternatives, and opportunities to maximize retention and conservation of water in the soil and at the ranch. Josh Beniston, soil scientist and program coordinator for the sustainable agriculture program at the Santa Rosa Junior College, will present on findings to date. Grower John MacLeod will discuss his perspective and interest in the project, and growers will be invited to discuss their experiences and perspectives on how to best manage the soil and water, and ask questions.
This workshop is made possible by USDA - NRCS.
Presenters:
- Keith Abeles, Soil and Water Specialist, Sonoma RCD
- Josh Beniston, PhD, Soil Scientist and Program Coordinator for Sustainable Agriculture, Santa Rosa Junior College
- John MacLeod, Grower, MacLeod Family Vineyard
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Workshop: S
oil health and carbon farming
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Hosted by Napa Green
Tuesday, May 21
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Honig Vineyard & Winery
1850 Rutherford Rd, Rutherford, CA 94573
Napa Green is pleased to announce an upcoming workshop on soil health and carbon farming!
Participants will hear speakers talk on:
- Soil health
- Carbon farm planning
- Compost and biochar
- Low or no-cost vineyard services
- And will get to go on a Honig property tour & presentation!
Tickets are $25/person.
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Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District
(707) 823-5244
www.GoldRidgeRCD.org
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