Above: Construction of the Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery rainwater catchment system.
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July 2018
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:
- Executive Director Returns from Leave
- Ways to Engage with Your RCD
- Welcome to our New Forester
- Rainwater Catchment Construction Underway
- Waste Abatement Funding Available
Partner news and events:
- Upcoming Workshops for Winegrape Growers
- Tire Recycling Program
- Sonoma County Recovers Together Community Workshops
- Prescribed Burn Workshop
....And many more updates
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RCD Executive Director
Returns from Leave
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The Gold Ridge RCD's Executive Director, Brittany Jensen, is back at work after maternity leave. She will be working half-time to begin with – mostly Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Her son Lytton Jensen was born March 23, 2018, happy and healthy.
Baby Lytton will be a welcome addition to the office when he comes in with mom!
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Conservation Opportunities:
Ways to Engage with Your RCD!
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A New Feature in the Monthly Newsletter Shows Ways to Engage
The Gold Ridge RCD monthly e-newsletter will now feature a section for "Conservation Opportunities"--a list of programs and opportunities for members of our district to engage with the GRRCD's financial, technical and educational offerings.
Find This and Other Resources on the GRRCD Website, Too
The up-to-date list of opportunities can also be found on the GRRCD website's
homepage
. Also, check out our Resource Library for publications free to view and download. Topics range from creek stewardship to frost protecton to fire fuels management. Find it under the Resources menu on our homepage.
It's at the Bottom
The Conservation Opportunities article is now the last article in this section in every e-newsletter. Scroll down to view it in this edition!
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Sonoma & Gold Ridge RCDs
Add Forester to the Team
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The Sonoma and Gold Ridge RCDs recently jointly hired a forester to serve the entire county of Sonoma. The following article is from Sonoma RCD's June newsletter.
The RCD is excited to welcome Jason Wells, a Registered Professional Forester (RPF), to our staff team. Since the wildfires of October 2017, it has become increasingly apparent that the landowners and communities of Sonoma County need more resources to assist with forest and fuel load management. The Sonoma and Gold Ridge RCDs teamed up to garner funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, through the National Association of Conservation Districts, to launch a new position focused providing on forestry technical assistance.
Jason Wells, a California Registered Professional Forester (RPF), comes to us with six years of experience in private industry throughout Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. His experience includes writing CEQA equivalent Timber Harvest Plan documents, integrating knowledge of forest operations with environmental impact mitigations, silviculture (applied forest ecology), forest health and protection, economics of forest management, and road design and layout. Jason has also been certified by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) to conduct archaeological surveys for plans in which CALFIRE is lead agency. Born and raised in Petaluma, he graduated from Humboldt State University with a B.S. in Forestry with an emphasis in Forest Conservation.
At the RCD, Jason will provide technical and planning assistance to landowners, help build a forestry program capable of addressing vegetation and fuels management concerns throughout the county, as well as address post-fire recovery efforts.
If you are an owner of forestland in Sonoma County with questions about forest management, Jason would love to hear from you!
He can provide as-needed technical advice, forest management planning, and will also be looking to identify potential forest management and fuel load reduction projects for future grant funding. Jason can be reached at 707-569-1448 x107, or
jwells@sonomarcd.org
.
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Rainwater Catchment Projects
Construction Underway
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Fire, Water & Cheese Come Together Under One Roof
In the place of the Valley Ford Mercantile & Wool Mill, a local creamery is taking root. The Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery Company will be opening a cheese shop on Hwy 1 in the heart of Valley Ford this fall 2018. Come winter, the roof of the creamery will collect and send up to 46,000 gallons of rainwater to a steel tank set behind the shop.
Gutters on the red building collect rainwater and convey the water through underground pipes to the collection tank via gravity. The large tank is stout—nearly 11 feet tall and about 35 feet wide.
The system is designed to fill even in a drought year (or 25" rainfall). Any overflow from the tank will be routed to the landscape.
Water collected in this system is used for outdoor irrigation and, most importantly, the tank will serve as the dedicated water supply for the building’s new sprinkler system. Plus, we have partnered with the Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department (located across the street) by adding a tank fitting available for their crew in the event that water is needed as an emergency water supply for fire protection.
Groundwater in the town of Valley Ford has high levels of nitrates. This and drought conditions have brought the watershed to the attention of the CA Department of Water Resources. Funding through DWR's North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Plan made this conservation project possible.
Karen Bianchi, owner of the
Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery Company, is excited to open the cheese shop soon. It will be a multi-functional business: half of the space will offer local beer, wine, meals to stay and meals to go, gift items, and more. The other half will be dedicated to aging, cutting and wrapping the prize-winning cheese. Karen and her family have a vision of making the cheese shop a gathering place for the community, too. Monthly classes focused on food--from fermentation to canning to fresh pasta making--are part of what will make this shop unique. And the herbs and flowers for these meals and classes? They'll be grown behind the shop, irrigated with rainwater from the tanks. Karen says about the project,
“It’s been a pleasure working with the RCD. Water is the greatest resource. This project has given us an opportunity to benefit our community and make something really special.” Learn more about the company:
http://www.valleyfordcheese.com/
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Rain for Horses and Gardens, too
As part of our program to improve streamflow in upper Green Valley Creek for
the benefit of salmonids and watershed health,
the RCD has been developing a series of alternative water source and water storage projects in the area adjacent to the creek upstream of Bones Road. One such project is being built this month. It consists of two rainwater catchment systems to satisfy the water demand for garden and landscape irrigation and drinking water for horses. A total of 60,000 gallons
will be collected from a large solar array, the roof of a garage, and the roof of the main
water
tank
. Additional storage capacity is provided in two 5,000-gallon tanks for water catchment off a small horse barn. In total, the system will provide 70,000 gallons of rainwater. As always, the landowner agrees to refrain from drawing water from shallow wells or in-channel pumps to satisfy these water demands during the summer months to spare water resources in Green Valley Creek. Learn more about the
Coho Partnership Water Reliability Program
.
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Waste Abatement Funding Available
Living the rural life in Sonoma County has many benefits--beautiful views, closeness to nature, and small-town culture, to name a few--but there are challenges as well. One challenge is finding that your farm or ranch has been targeted as a location for illegal cannabis cultivation or trash dumping.
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, also called CalRecycle, has funding available to contract local agencies like the RCD to remove the waste from these activities and restore the land beneath it. These funds have been used in the past to remove hundreds of thousands of pounds of waste on farms and ranches across the state in the form of
tires, abandoned vehicles, appliances, and other solid waste. It has also been used to remove the waste left over from illegal cannabis cultivation, such as plastic planting pots, irrigation line, plastic waste from soil amendments, fertilizers and pest poison, and rubber or plastic pond liner.
Residents of our district are encouraged to contact us if they need this kind of assistance. For more information about the Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Cleanup and Abatement Grant Program, contact
Adriana@goldridgercd.org
.
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Conservation Opportunities
Residential Water Conservation in the upper Green Valley Creek and Dutch Bill Creek watersheds:
Be water wise!
Speak with us about designing an alternative water storage or rainwater capture system at your home. Funds are available through our Water Reliability Program for residential landowners whose current water source impacts the amount of water in the creek, such as in-stream riparian pumps or shallow near-channel wells.
Learn more and view maps of the service area
. Contact
John@goldridgercd.org
for more information.
Agricultural Water Conservation in the Salmon Creek, Estero Americano, Dutch Bill Creek, and Green Valley Creek watersheds:
Be water wise!
Speak with us about designing a water storage or rainwater capture system on your agricultural operation.
Funds are available for water conservation and water security project design for agricultural landowners, particularly those currently using in-stream pumps or shallow, near-channel wells. Contact
William@goldridgercd.org
for more information.
Irrigation Efficiency Evaluations:
Be water wise!
Funds are available for irrigation efficiency evaluations for agricultural operations in the Dutch Bill Creek and Green Valley Creek watersheds.
Learn more here.
Contact
Noelle@goldridgercd.org
for more information.
Improve Soil Health on your Ranch:
Grow healthy soils!
We are looking to engage ranchers in rangeland soil health educational activities. We will be hosting a series of events on the topic and developing useful in-field tools for evaluating and understanding rangeland soil health. If you would like to receive notifications on upcoming events and resources, please email
Adriana@goldridgercrd.org
.
Rent the No-Till Drill:
Grow healthy soils! The RCD owns a Great Plains 606NTD rangeland seed drill which is
available for rent
at low cost. The drill is available for $150/day for residents within the district boundaries and $200/day for residents outside of the district. No-Till is a conservation practice that improves soil health because it minimizes soil disturbance, keeps the soil covered and keeps a living root in the ground year-round. Contact
William@goldridgercd.org
for more information
.
On-Site Waste Water System (AKA Septic System) Support:
Have septic questions? As a non-regulatory, informational resource, the
Lower Russian River Ombudsman
can help residents of the Monte Rio area with questions about regulations, provide residents with confidential information about their septic system and help identify grants and financial assistance opportunities. Contact
David@goldridgercd.org
for more information.
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Upcoming Workshops
for Winegrape Growers
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July 27: Sonoma County Winegrower's Sustainable Winegrowing Field Day
7:30am-1:30pm, Shone Farm, 7450 Steve Olson Ln, Forestville, CA 95436; Free
The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission is hosting their 19th Annual Sustainable Winegrowing Field Day. This educational event is focused on helping grape growers improve their sustainability practices, learn new viticulture innovations and methods, and provide opportunities to hear from their peers about effective, proven sustainable farming practices. Topics include: Expert Panel on Vineyard Soil Health, Overview of New Region 2 Water Quality Permit, Weed ID and Management, Spring Fungi, and Cultivating Biodiveristy in the Vineyard. A Resource Fair will be held along with 1.5 hours of Continuing Education Units.
Learn more & register >>
August 2: Cover Crops, Tillage and Vineyard Soil Health Tailgate
10am-12pm - Ridge Vineyards, Healdsburg; Free
Join Sonoma RCD and David Gates, Senior VP of vineyard operations at Ridge Vineyards, to hear insight on their cover crop and alternative tillage practices. Participants will tour practices in the vineyard, followed by a lively discussion and Q & A on different strategies to optimize soil health and grape quality. The tour includes an optional visit to their hedgerow at the end of the morning.
Learn more & register >>
This field tour is part of the RCDs' ongoing Vineyard Soil Health Series. Please visit the North Coast Soil Hub at
http://soilhub.org
to learn more about soil health and other upcoming events.
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Conservation Corps North Bay, a local nonprofit organization, is offering an option for conveniently recycling tires, reducing waste on your property and in the landfill. Are illegally dumped tires a problem in your area? Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB) can remove unwanted tires from public lands at no cost, and also holds regular tire amnesty events where local residents can drop off tires to be recycled free of charge (some limitations apply). CCNB also offers no-cost litter abatement services, implementing recycling programs in coordination with land management agencies and local governments. To learn more about either of these programs or to sign up for notifications about tire amnesty events, email Kate Harper, CCNB’s Recycling Manager, at
kharper@ccnorthbay.org
.
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Sonoma County Recovers Together
Community Workshops
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What do you want to see? Come share your ideas about what actions will lead to a successful recovery and resilient future for Sonoma County. Plan to ensure the safety, livelihoods, and economic prosperity of the residents of Sonoma County. Topics include preparedness, infrastructure, housing, economy, natural resources, and safety net.
Meetings will be held:
- July 10, 6-8pm at the Office of Education, 5340 Skylane Blvd, Santa Rosa
- July 11, 6-8pm at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol
- July 25, 6-8pm at the Petaluma Community Center, 320 N. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma
- August 2, 6-8pm at the Finley Center, 2060 W. College Ave, Santa Rosa
- August 8, 6-8pm at the Veteran Building, 126 First Street West, Sonoma
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Preparing for Fire:
Prescribed Burning on Private Lands
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Wednesday, August 1, 2018
8:00AM to 2:30PM
Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building
205 W 1st St, Cloverdale, CA 95425
Hosted by UCCE and partners
Are you interested in using prescribed fire as a management tool? Are you curious about options for planning and implementing prescribed fire projects on your land?
If so, this workshop is for you! This workshop is designed for landowners and land managers, and anyone else who is interested in learning more about using prescribed fire on private lands in California.This event is $15 and includes workshop materials, lunch and refreshments.
Learn more here >>
Topics include:
- Fire ecology of the North Coast
- Using prescribed fire to manage California rangelands
- Prescribed burn associations: a model for private lands burning
- Thoughts from Dean Hunt, Humboldt County rancher and President of the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association
- Prescribed fire permitting and legal considerations
- Air quality and smoke management
- Burn planning: developing a prescription, environmental considerations
- Funding opportunities for prescribed fire
- A vision for prescribed fire in Sonoma County
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Continued Partner News & Events
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Plastic-Free July Month-Long Challenge
3-Year Study on Oversummer Survival of Juvenile Russian River Coho Salmon
Farm to School Gala
Bay Hill Ranch Watershed Walk & Talk
2018 California Climate Adaptation Forum
August 27-29, Sacramento, CA. Opportunity to learn about emerging trends in climate resilience work, discover new tools and strategies, and connect with adaptation leaders from across state and nation.
Learn more >>
WILD Napa Lecture Series
Napa RCD,
Various topics on wildlife, various upcoming dates,
Learn more >>
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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