The RCDs of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties have partnered with Rebuild North Bay Foundation and the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC) to offer the North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) to forest landowners in the four-county north bay region.

The 3-year pilot program is made with $1.5 million in Prop 68 funding via a CAL FIRE Wildfire Resilience and Forestry Assistance grant. NBFIP supports planning and implementation of projects on private forested lands to reduce risks of wildfire and promote forest health. The program provides financial incentives to landowners to conduct this critical work.

Projects will occur on forestland consisting of oak woodland, redwood forests, mixed evergreen and ponderosa pine. Landowners should have a forest management plan in place and environmental impacts review completed in order to participate.

How do you know if you are eligible for this program?

Check out the NBFIP website to learn about eligibility requirements and much more.

If you'd like to take advantage of this program and you are in need of a Forest Management Plan, contact Napa RCD's Forestry Program Manager, Amanda Benton.

Watch this new 5-minute time-lapse video to get answers to all your burning rolling dip questions! We cover the basic steps to building a rolling dip on unpaved roads. Watch and learn as a rolling dip is constructed at a local Napa Valley park.

Can you guess where this film was shot? Send your guess to Danielle - if you guess right, we'll give you a handy reusable wooden utensil set!

February brought four small storms and seven days of measurable rainfall to most of the Napa County ALERT monitoring stations (Napa.OneRain.com) but rainfall totals were far below the monthly average. Water Year 2020-21 is on track to be the driest in the 19-year ALERT System record. The rain gauges recorded between 0.95 and 2.85 inches during the month, approximately 5% of mean annual rainfall (long-term February average is 19%). So far in Water Year 2020-21, we’ve received approximately 29% of our annual rainfall, well below the long-term average of 73% for this time of year. Seasonal rainfall totals at the rain gauges range between 6.6 inches (Lake Hennessey) and 13.5 inches (Mt. Veeder).

If you are a Napa Valley Vintners member,

please contact Michelle Novi to register at a reduced rate.

Jenn Hyman will discuss the history of the project and how it will benefit threatened steelhead in York Creek. Ms. Hyman’s talk will also touch on the impacts to the project of the Glass Fire, which burned 99% of the York Creek Watershed. Special guest Erica Ahmann Smithies will talk about this major accomplishment for the City of St Helena.

The first day will focus on Climate Change and Soil Health on the global and regional scales, as well as provide an overview of the North Coast Soil Hub project.

The second day, Shop Talk: Soil Health in the Field, will feature growers and researchers discussing under vine management practices improving soil health, compost and the soil biome, and the benefits of integrating livestock into agricultural systems. We will end the day hearing about how soil health factors into a business’ economics and marketing.

Since our first stay at home order was issued, Napa RCD's Education Team has been hard at work to make sure students in Napa County have access to place-based conservation education.

As a result, we have produced a brand new virtual field trip experience! Watershed Explorers was produced by Napa RCD and American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation to connect students of all ages to the Napa River Watershed. Visit the Watershed Explorers website to learn about nature journaling and take a virtual field trip at Wetlands Edge! What wonders can you discover in your home watershed?