eNewsletter | October Edition
In this month's edition:

  • Annual Report 2020-2021
  • Seeking a Regenerative Agriculture Communications Consultant
  • A fond farewell to Erica
  • Sonoma County water use assessment
  • We're hiring an Engineer
  • Check out upcoming workshops, conferences, and lots more!
What's New at Your RCD
Annual Report 2020-2021
For 75 years, conservation has been as much about people as it is about natural resources. Our programs and services have evolved over the last seven decades, but our mission has been a constant thread through the challenges we all face together. We have remained dedicated to bridging the needs of our community and natural resources by empowering people through reliable expertise and action to strengthen the resilience of Sonoma County as we face the impacts of climate change, drought and wildfire.

The past year has presented challenges, successes, grief, joy, fear, and hope. As we so often do, we choose to move into this next year with a renewed emphasis on hope. We are grateful for a strong community and a beautiful place to live and work. We are inspired by the landowners and managers who continue to prioritize conservation, and humbled by the trust they place in us as we work together. The future is bright, and we’re in it together. Read the full report on this year's accomplishments!
LandSmart Grazing Program update
We received LandSmart Grazing applications from Healdsburg to Sebastopol and from the Napa County line to Jenner. In total, there were 27 requests, covering over 2,100 acres! We also had 14 contract grazers apply. We appreciate the time and effort each applicant put into the process. Presently, we are screening and ranking projects and we will announce shortly which projects will move forward.
 
We will have another round of applications in 2022, so stay tuned for our announcements when the time comes. And, make sure you are signed up to receive our eNewsletter and follow us on social media. Funded by Sonoma Ag and Open Space District with Vegetation Management Funds. More info on the program here.
Seeking a Regenerative Agriculture Communications Consultant
The four Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) in Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties are looking for guidance and strategy in how they communicate about regenerative agriculture principles and programs. The goal is to better resonate with audiences ranging from agricultural producers to funders and policy-makers.

 We are launching an RFP to identify a consultant to help us coordinate communications. We estimate that this foundational work will begin in January 2022 and take place over a period of one year.
 Deadline for proposal submission is October 25.
 For details on submission process and requirements, see the full RFP here.
A fond farewell to Erica
September marked Erica Mikesh's last month with the RCD. Erica has been our Partner Engineer since 2015. In this role she supported a wide variety of projects, accomplished great conservation outcomes, and helped strengthen the bonds between Sonoma RCD, our neighboring Gold Ridge and Marin RCDs, and NRCS. Erica always brought to her work a wonderful balance of thoughtfulness, humor, and that solid RCD dedication to getting things done. We will miss her, but wish her the very best as she explores new horizons!
Community Engagement
Situational Awareness Inventory of California Drought Conditions
Shared from California Environmental Water Network
This inventory of streamflow conditions across California was created by the California Environmental Water Network to document the impacts that this historic drought is having on aquatic ecosystems and the communities who rely on them. This community science approach allows for practitioners, agency staff, community members and others to anonymously document real-time situations as they are occurring on the ground. Survey link here!
Water Use Assessment Survey
Shared from County of Sonoma, Sonoma County UCCE, and Sonoma County Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures
As the drought conditions in Sonoma County continue, it is important for our water suppliers and county supervisors to have a clear understanding of the current and projected water needs of our community. This short survey will help inform them on water demand to ensure the agricultural community has enough water supply for their livestock and business needs. This survey is voluntary and your individual responses will not be publicly shared. Click here to take the survey!
Workshops | Resources | Careers
We're hiring an Engineer!
Applications due October 24
The Engineer plays the unique role of performing conservation work for the three RCDs located in Sonoma and Marin counties: Sonoma RCD, Gold Ridge RCD, and Marin RCD. The Engineer will work on conservation projects across a variety of land uses, including vineyard, orchard, dairy and livestock operations, within these districts but will be an employee of Sonoma RCD and will be based in Santa Rosa, California. They will also perform work for the local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a key partner of the RCDs. 
Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Community Meeting | October 13
Sonoma County’s three groundwater sustainability agencies, Petaluma Valley, Sonoma Valley and Santa Rosa Plain, are releasing the Final Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) on October 1. The GSPs assess the conditions of the groundwater basin, analyze the basin’s sustainability over a 50-year period, and identify projects and actions needed to ensure the basin is sustainable by 2042.

Members of the public are invited to attend an upcoming virtual community meeting to learn about the GSP for their basin and for information on how to provide comments. 
RestoreCA Grant Funding -
Applications open October 18th!
Begin by exploring the application and guidelines, then try out potential projects on your farm by entering your info into COMET, an online tool that models/estimates the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere as a result of implementing a sustainable farming practice.

Applications will be accepted October 18th-December 17th, 2021, and we will announce grant recipients by February 2022. This program will fund the most effective carbon farming project, so applications will be sorted into a queue in order of total carbon removal per dollar. For more information about the next steps, take a look at the contract template for farmers and ranchers to receive funds. You can also take a look at the Healthy Soil Practice Guidelines from California’s Healthy Soils Program.
Protecting Monarch Butterflies in Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino County Coastal Areas

October 28th |9-10:30 AM | Virtual
Join Xerces Society and the Gold Ridge and Sonoma RCDs for this 1.5 hour webinar that will explore migratory western monarch conservation in Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino County coastal areas.

Hear from three monarch butterfly experts as they discuss the increasingly important role of California’s northern overwintering groves and how coastal communities can take action to protect and restore critical monarch habitat.

Made possible in part through NACD’s UAC grant program.
Wildland Fire Assessment Program
October 27 and November 3 | Virtual
This two-session virtual course is free and open to anyone wishing to learn more about wildfire home assessments; including local communities, fire department personnel, Citizens Organized and Prepared for Emergencies (COPE), homeowners’ associations (HOAs), FireWise Communities, and Fire Safe Councils. There are two separate links to register. You must register for both sessions to receive a certificate!
2021 Black Farmer Conference
Friday October 22 and 29 | Virtual
This two-day virtual statewide conference will be a great opportunity for farmers and ranchers to network and learn about resources available to them. Check out the link below.
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