This Well-Trodden Path…
Or, Something Furry This Way Comes…
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Both humans and animals ply this path within the Coastal San Luis RCD's Los Osos property.
Hayley Barnes, Conservation Technician at the Upper Salinas–Las Tablas RCD, researched the paw print for us and believes it was made by a mountain lion rather than a bobcat. A local rancher also has seen mountain lions on his game camera.
CSLRCD staff hopes to set up wildlife cameras on the property to link to our website. Stay tuned!
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Be(e) on the Lookout for Monarchs
& Pollinators!
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Pollinators play an important role in the health of our natural ecosystems and are vital to our food supply. While many pollinator populations are in decline, the Monarch butterfly has been hit especially hard, and the Western population has declined by 99 percent over the past 20 years, according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Because of this steep decline, there is a growing need for Monarch and other pollinator projects. CSLRCD is working this year to enhance Monarch habitat by restoring degraded overwintering sites and planting nectar species. Our staff is available to work with you for field visits, technical assistance, planning and workshops to support the enhancement and restoration of the Monarch butterfly and other pollinators' habitat.
Be(e) on the lookout this summer and fall for webinars on pollinators
and Monarchs!
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Photos above are the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve in Los Osos.
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Upcoming Events
Friday, April 23, noon
Board of Directors Meeting
Location TBD
Friday, May 28, noon
Board of Directors Meeting
Location TBD
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Board of Directors
Neil Havlik
President
Expertise: botany and natural resource management
Jean-Pierre Wolff
Vice President
Expertise: vineyard management and engineering
Dave Alford
Expertise: agricultural business
Linda Chipping
Expertise: community development
Jessica Crutchfield
Expertise: environmental law
Ron Munds
Expertise: water
Kevin L. Piper
Expertise: agricultural
and natural resources management
Cheryl Lenhardt
Associate Director
Expertise: construction
and civil engineering
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Staff
Jackie Crabb
District Manager
Hallie Richard
Conservation Programs Manager
Grant Johnson
Conservation Projects Manager
Joe Murphy
District Engineer
Mark Skinner
Restoration Specialist II
Lindsey Ringer
Restoration Specialist II
Samantha Alvarez
Restoration Specialist I
Aine Javier
Conservation Intern
Shelly Rachels
Bookkeeper
Della Barrett
Board Secretary
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HSP & SWEEP Offer On-Site Technical
Assistance to Growers & Ranchers
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Coastal San Luis RCD continues to advocate for healthy soils and water efficiency on working lands. To do this, we work with land managers and producers to identify practices that address their resource concerns and help connect them with funding to put those practices in place. We’ve partnered with the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) to support their Healthy Soils Program (HSP) and State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), allowing us to provide our local growers and ranchers on-site technical assistance, host workshops and demonstrations, and help navigate the application process for funding.
The CDFA is planning to open up HSP and SWEEP solicitations this summer and winter. Please contact Grant Johnson if you are interested in either program.
Previously, we’ve partnered with growers on HSP demonstrations to track the implemented practices and their effects on soil and plants. We then offer highlights from these projects to both agricultural and consumer communities with field days and webinars. In 2019, we partnered with Avila Valley Barn for a demonstration project to show the effects of compost application on their organic apple orchard. This fall, we will have a field day there to show the practices and results of that demonstration.
Recently, we had the kickoff for an HSP demonstration project that allows us to partner with Cal Poly. We're diving deep into the science of soil health with compost application and reduced tillage practices in a hay field. We will highlight key aspects of this project in a webinar with Cal Poly this summer.
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USDA News
What Are the Conservation Needs of SLO County?
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Every year local Resource Conservation Districts (RCD) and the USDA–Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) solicit feedback from community stakeholders to help us prioritize local natural resource concerns and to ensure they are reflected in voluntary conservation programs in San Luis Obispo County.
This year Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District and Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District, jointly with the NRCS, are holding a virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. We have invited Karen Lowell, NRCS Agronomist, and Charlotte Decock, Cal Poly Professor, to speak about soil health issues.
We hope you can make time to attend the meeting to learn, connect and share with us how you would like to see conservation on agricultural property work best for you and your agencies.
Mark your calendar: 4–6 p.m. May 19, 2021
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Meet the New RCD Staff Members |
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Samantha Alvarez, Restoration Specialist I
Sam graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Environmental Management and Protection, a minor in Biology and a minor in Indigenous Studies with a concentration in Botany. She worked for the local State Park for five years, where she developed a passion for restoration work through invasive plant removal and native plant propagation. Previously, Sam worked for Audubon California, SLO Botanical Garden and The Dune Center.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, rock climbing, doing yoga, and loving each of her six pets.
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Aine Javier, Conservation Intern
During the past three years, Aine has attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Management and Protection. Additionally, she is minoring in Biology and in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with an emphasis in environmental information.
Aine spends her free time hiking, going to the beach, backpacking and running. Aine is extremely excited to intern with the RCD and help out the team with the different, interesting projects.
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RCD Services
• Irrigation Evaluations
• Engineer Design
• Alternative Agricultural Grading Review (ARP)
• Erosion & Stormwater Control
• Conservation Easements
• Conservation Planning
• Permit Coordination
• Watershed & Habitat Restoration
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Conservation Clip List is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD (National Association of Conservation Districts). This link discusses CDFA's Healthy Soils Program in all 10 California RCD regions:
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The Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District is committed to protecting and enhancing natural resources through education, restoration and collaboration with local stakeholders. |
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