Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District | November 2017
November 2017
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.
Gratitude for Our Community

Letter from the Executive Director, Brittany Jensen

Dear Neighbors and Partners,

As the season turns to fall, I find myself feeling grateful for the wonderful partnerships and relationships in which Gold Ridge RCD plays a part. For decades, our Sonoma County community has made us what we are. This area’s dedicated farmers, talented engineers and contractors, vocal environmental advocates, progressive political leadership, and creative local partners in natural resource conservation all advance the work that our small RCD can do...

Read About
A Year of Collaboration
in Our 2017 Annual Newsletter

This year, readers will enjoy stories from their community:

* Ranches Act on Climate Change by
Farming Carbon

* Laguna Dairies Plan for Water Quality

* North Coast Counties Collaborate for
Soil Health

* Gold Ridge RCD Joins the Santa Rosa
Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency

* And more...

'Tis the Season to
Support Your RCD


We are so thankful to our partners, collaborators and donors.

This year, the Gold Ridge RCD received a generous grant from the Gamble Foundation for $45,000 for general RCD support. Thank you!

Donations--large and small--help us continue our work in powerful ways.

 Read more about what we achieved with donations last year and how you can donate >>

RCD Fire Recovery Efforts
Though spared by the October fires, Gold Ridge RCD is active in supporting our community in disaster recovery and planning for a fire-safe future.

RCD Support
Our sister, Sonoma RCD, has shouldered most of the recovery efforts on natural and working lands from the fire's impacts. We will continue to support Sonoma RCD in any way they need in order to fill the many requests they have received for site visits and technical advice in the burned areas. The Sonoma RCD has collected and generated great post-fire resources you can find here >> 

Post-Fire Watershed Recovery & Resiliency Collaborative
The Watershed Recovery Collaborative -- headed by the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District--is a countywide, multi-agency watershed recovery effort, with a focus on long-term resiliency of our natural and working lands. Together, this group will develop the Sonoma County Recovery & Resiliency Plan for Natural and Working Lands– a shared vision for short-term recovery and long-term strategies for watershed resiliency. Learn More >>

Spreading the News
Watch our Facebook page and monthly e-newsletters for opportunities to learn more and volunteer to help the recovery of our open and working lands. Facebook >>
Partner News in Fire Recovery
UCCE
Support Post-Fire Citizen Science Projects

UCCE has a local matching grant opportunity for their "Produce Safety After Urban Wildfire Citizen Science" initiative. Help them raise funds to analyze plant samples taken after the fire. Your donation will contribute to a better understanding of the impact of wildfire air pollution on produce.

Make a donation today!
Clean River Alliance
Fountaingrove Wattle Placement

Clean River Alliance, Russian Riverkeeper, Sonoma County Conservation Action and Sonoma Compost have paired up to help protect our watershed by focusing on high priority burn zones.
Sign up to volunteer with the Clean River Alliance to protect the Fountaingrove neighborhood from flood damage this week.
Sonoma Veg Map
Post-Fire Spatial Data Interactive Maps

In partnership with a host of agencies, the Sonoma Ag and Open Space District has curated data on soil burn severity, debris flow likelihood, fire history and aerial imagery.
The District has a l onger-term goal to acquire imagery and topographic data that will enable their team to update the fine-scale vegetation and habitat map and other data products to post-fire conditions.
You're invited to the Gold Ridge RCD
Annual Board of Directors Project Tour
December 7, 2017
12:45-4:30 PM
Meeting Location:
Gold Ridge RCD Office
2776 Sullivan Road, Sebastopol, CA

It is our pleasure to invite you to attend our annual Board of Directors Project Tour. The tour is an occasion to visit two conservation projects completed this year and an orchard with innovative conservation initiatives, as well as to celebrate the year’s achievements.

This is a great opportunity for our partners, funders and interested members of the public to see what our collective efforts to steward and conserve natural resources have created. 

Please RSVP to Adriana@goldridgercd.org to receive event information.
At right: The Upper Green Valley Fish Passage Improvement Project will be visited on this year's tour.
Partner News & Events
North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council
Pollinator Habitat Planting in Fire Areas Needs Donations
Donate to restore "bee patches" that were damaged in the fire. Learn More >>

Sonoma County Water Agency
Teacher Workshop on Climate Literacy & Understanding Global Change
Saturday, December 2nd, 10 AM-4 PM
Join us for an inspiring, practical, and relevant workshop on how to effectively incorporate the complex and critically important topic of global change into existing curricula.

Farmers Guild
Solar Power on Your Farm (Or Home) Workshop
Tuesday December 5, 6-8 PM
Whether you install panels on your home, barn or out in the field, find out how converting to renewable energy can help our earth, your energy bill and—through a brand new program—will even support our ongoing work here in the North Bay growing a more sustainable food system! Learn More >>

Sonoma County Water Agency  
New fish species detected in the Russian River Estuary!
Water Agency biologists captured two California halibut ( Paralichthys californicus ) in June 2017, while conducting seining surveys in the Bridgehaven (Highway 1 Bridge) area of the Russian River Estuary. This is the 51st species detected in the Estuary since surveys began in 2002.   Learn more about the estuary >>
If you would like to support programs like these with your donation,
please visit our  Donation Page .