In this month's edition:
- Emerging Environmental Leaders Scholarship Deadline is March 29
- Farewell to Kelly Gin!
- February Rainfall Summary
- 2020 Water Conservation Video Contest Now Accepting Entries
- New Associate Board Member: Zen Hunter-Ishikawa
- March Conservation Champion: Shawn Mabry
- Save the Date! Earth Day Napa is April 26
RCD Events:
- WILD Napa - Fungi of the North Bay - March 11
- Fire Workshop - Prescribed Fire on Private Lands - March 13
- Volunteer - River Cleanup - March 21
- Backyard Pet Waste Digester Demonstration - March 21
- WILD Napa - City Nature Challenge & Citizen Science - April 8
- NYSC Library Program - Save the Monarchs! - April 9
- Sudden Oak Death Blitz - April 11
Partner Events:
- Check out what our partners have planned!
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Did you know that we have a separate email list for volunteers?
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Emerging Environmental Leaders Scholarship Deadline Coming is March 29
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If you or someone you know is about to graduate from any high school in Napa County, don't forget about the Napa RCD Scholarship for Emerging Environmental Leaders!
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
1) be accepted to an accredited 2 or 4-year college or university,
2) be graduating from a high school in Napa County,
3) plan on committing to a course of study related to the environment.
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At the end of January, the Napa RCD office and the USDA-NRCS Napa Field Office said farewell to Kelly Gin as she embarks on her next great adventure: RETIREMENT!
After 35 years and 11 months with the USDA, and 29 years and 1 month spent working with landowners specifically here in Napa, Kelly has bid adieu to the workforce. During her time in Napa, she helped hundreds of landowners get conservation done on their vineyards and ranches and in their forests. From emergency fire response to drip irrigation systems to insectary hedgerows to forest health projects, Kelly has done it all and along the way became a trusted partner in helping people help the land in Napa County.
As expected, Kelly has not been a stranger to the office so far, and we hope it stays that way!
What's next for Kelly? Well, she's chosen adventure for this first phase of retirement, and will be hiking Mt San Jacinto in Southern California in May in an effort to help raise funds for The Freedom Challenge.
In parting, Kelly has left us with these wise words:
Today's acquaintance could become tomorrow's neighbor, client, or friend. Listen respectfully to your peers for they impart words of knowledge. Tuck away great memories of people because they matter most.
Enjoy retirement, Kelly, but don't forget about all of us back in the office!
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February 2020 Rainfall Summary
Paul Blank, Napa RCD Senior Hydrologist
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February was completely dry with no measurable rainfall recorded at the Napa County ALERT monitoring stations (
napa.onerain.com
). February is often our wettest month during which we receive an average of 20% of our annual rainfall. Dry Februarys are infrequent, but not unknown. In the last 30 years we’ve had less than one inch of rainfall in February six times, four of those occurring in the last eight years. This water year, with four out of five months of below average rainfall, the dry February has greatly increased the seasonal precipitation deficit. We’ve received approximately 37% 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 8.9 inches (City of Napa) and 21.0 inches (Mt. St. Helena).
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2020 Napa County Water Conservation Video Contest Now Accepting Entries
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Each year, water conservation organizations in Napa County host a Water Conservation Video Contest. All students enrolled in a high school throughout Napa County are eligible to enter a 30-second video that follows the selected theme.
The theme for 2020 is
I Save Our Water Because...
With our highly variable year-to-year precipitation, water conservation is a way of life in California. Our State Constitution forbids water waste, and new laws will soon set community water use targets. But why do YOU think we should save water? Show us WHY and HOW!
This open-ended prompt allows students to be creative not just in their videography, but in their ideas of water conservation, as well.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 17, 2020, at 5 pm. The winner will be announced at Earth Day Napa on April 26, and the winning video will be shown before all films at Century Napa Valley Theatre from May 1-7. The winner will also receive 4 free movie passes to Century Napa Valley.
Please help us spread the word by sharing with your kids, grandkids, students, and anyone else you know that qualifies to enter.
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Zen Hunter-Ishikawa joins Napa RCD as an Associate Board Member
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At Napa RCD's February board meeting, we welcomed a new associate board member, Zen Hunter-Ishikawa. Zen is the Chief Business Development Officer at The Wiseman Company. Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa leads acquisitions, new development, sales and leasing efforts for the company. Previously, Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa was the Vice President of Business Development of East West Resources Corporation, a business development and consulting firm focused on growth-oriented companies and commercial real estate.
Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa has extensive experience evaluating investment opportunities and business development in a number of industries including real estate development, energy, education, telecommunications, and life sciences. He also has experience in functional areas such as business and strategic planning and evaluation, public project grant proposal review; organizational and project management, fund raising, budget development, contract negotiation, public relations and communications.
Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa holds a master’s Degree in International Peace & Conflict Resolution and a bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service. Besides his role with Napa RCD, he is also a board member for the following organizations: Safequest Solano, Inc.; Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee; Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), Solano County Chapter; and SCORE Association.
Welcome to the team, Zen!
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March Conservation Champion:
Shawn Mabry, Napa RCD Intern
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Since September, Napa RCD has been fortunate enough to host an intern from New Tech High School - Shawn Mabry!
Shawn found Napa RCD through his internship coordinator's list of opportunities focused on the environment. After mentioning the option to his mother, who works for LAFCO, he learned a little more about us and then decided to apply. We are lucky that he did!
As part of his internship duties, Shawn has done everything from helping us with our
Give!Guide
fundraising campaign, marketing our programs through social media, washing and sorting THOUSANDS of acorns and even some smelly milkweed rhizomes, and helping coordinate cleanup and acorn planting events. All of this was done with a willingness to learn and try new things, which is key in a dynamic organization like Napa RCD.
Up next for Shawn is a week-long trip to the Dominican Republic to teach English with a group of 12 other students from New Tech High School. We look forward to his stories and sharing of lessons learned when he returns!
As for us, we've enjoyed having Shawn around. Not only has he done great work for us, but he seamlessly fit into the Napa RCD family. This is no easy feat, as there are a lot of people doing very different things on very different schedules. We appreciated his ability to roll with changing plans and his positive attitude when faced with new tasks. Shawn says he took on the "fake it 'til you make it" attitude, and it served him well in his time here.
Thanks for all you've done for us, Shawn, and we look forward to hearing about your next adventures!
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SAVE THE DATE: Earth Day Napa
Sunday, April 26
Celebrating 50 Years
of Earth Day!
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Help support RCD Programs -
Donate
Today!
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Napa County Resource Conservation District | 707-252-4189 |
NapaRCD.org
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