eNewsletter | September Edition
In this month's edition:

  • Fire recovery: what your RCD can do for you
  • Help maintain streamflow this summer
  • Working Lands Calendar September highlight
  • Downloadable fire recovery resources
  • Check it out: USDA-NRCS "Conservation at Work" video series
What's New at Your RCD
Fire recovery: what your RCD can do for you
Dear Neighbors,

As the skies turn from orange to yellow to gray, our thoughts remain with those whose lives have been deeply impacted by these fires. We are grateful to the firefighters for their heroic efforts, and to all the helpers in our community offering a hand to those impacted.

We are here for you now, as always, with our own forms of help. We know that people who live in rural areas of our county often chose that life because of their love for the land. We know that seeing the land one loves impacted by fire, whether or not a home was lost, can be painful and scary. The articles below provide information on how we can help you determine your next steps, and resources that you can download to learn more about post-fire land management.

In addition to our work with individual landowners, we are engaged with the Watershed Task Force, supporting efforts to assess watershed damage and needs, secure funding, and outreach to the community. For more information on the Watershed Task Force, and the Watershed Emergency Response Team formed through CalFire, check out this press release.

We are here for you, and are ready to work side by side with you as our community recovers together.

In partnership,
Your Sonoma RCD Team
How can we help you and your property recover?
The RCD is offering these current services related to fire recovery and resiliency in our impacted watersheds:
  • Our team of natural resource professionals and Registered Professional Forester can readily provide technical assistance information and organize site visits to determine resource needs and appropriate actions concerning erosion, riparian areas, forest management, and evaluate your roads, culverts, and stream crossings, etc.
  • We offer valuable perspectives and experience to help your land heal,
  • We leverage our extensive partnerships to maximize resources available to help you through your recovery process,
  • We share information and resources in our eNews and on our website for you to freely access,
  • We can connect you with funding resources available from state and federal recovery funding programs for post-fire natural resource protection

If you have natural resources concerns on your fire-impacted property, please contact Shannon Drew at SDrew@sonomarcd.org or call 707-569-1448 x110 to leave a voicemail. Please note our team is working remotely due to COVID-19, but we can arrange site visits with you that follow all state and local health safety guidelines or provide resources over phone or email.
2020 Working Lands Calendar: September highlight
This calendar was produced in partnership with the following organizations:
Community Engagement
Help maintain stream flow this summer
From NOAA Fisheries, CDFW and California Water Boards
"Coastal streams in Northern California are experiencing extreme low flows this summer. For example, in Ukiah, the 2020 water year is on track to be the third driest year in the 127 years of record. Flows in most streams in Northern California are at or below those of the 2012-2016 drought. The low flows are a significant threat to the survival of this year’s juvenile coho salmon and steelhead. During the summer months, coho salmon and steelhead depend on small amounts of flow to provide food and maintain survivable temperature and oxygen levels in pools. Due to the extremely low flows this summer the survival of juvenile coho salmon and steelhead are at a precarious junction until winter rains return and they can migrate out to the ocean.

Every week is critical for threatened and endangered coho salmon and steelhead populations, so immediate actions to help conserve water by all surface water and groundwater well users is needed to mitigate the dry conditions this year."

Read and download the full North Coast Water Conservation Outreach Flyer by clicking on one of the images to the right
Virtual Workshops | Resources
Downloadable fire recovery resources
Here is a short list of current available resources that you can download directly from our website using this link:

Fire Recovery: Other Helpful Information for All Properties

NRCS After the Fire Fact Sheets (PDFs): Preparing Your Property for Winter

Additional resources are available on our website.
Real stories. Real successes. Real quick.
USDA-NRCS "Conservation at Work" video series now available!
In these 30 short, 90-second videos, learn about the benefits of conservation practices directly from the farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners applying them. The series is featured on farmers.gov. Postcards profiling each practice are also available here.
Attend a technical workshop to receive the latest science-based information on how to best manage your soil, water and wildlife on
your property.
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With a tax deducible donation you can support conservation projects that protects water resources, improves soil health + restores habitat for endangered species.
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