Partners in Conservation Summer

Partners in Conservation USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service & California Conservation Partners SUMMER 2007 California Faces and Places of Stewardship Success www.ca.nrcs.usda. gov/news/stories/ See the faces of Conservation! Learn about their Successes! Partners in Conservation successes! Find them at www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/news/stories/ Tell Us About the Faces & Places of California Stewardship! Learn about the partnerships at work! Conservation We all know that people like to hear about other people. Knowing that your neighbor had success with their conservation project can make it a little easier to tackle one of your own. Hence, the time-honored value of writing and sharing success stories. If you have a story you think deserves more attention, consider sending us your ideas. We have included a few hints to get you thinking and to make it easier for you (and for us) to put your idea into words and pictures. Our Requirements 1. Stories should demonstrate a success putting conservation on the ground in California. 2. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service should be a key player and the Agency’s role should be clear in the write up. 3. The story is 250-600 words. 4. At least one (preferably more) good quality photos, illustrations, graphs or other visuals are available to help explain the story. 5. You may write the story yourself—using the hints provided—or you may fill out the requested information below to help us. Not all stories will fit our format and needs, but we intend to use as many submissions as possible. 6. NRCS employees should submit stories to their Area NRCS Public Affairs Specialists. Others may submit stories directly to Anita Brown, Public Affairs Director, at anita.brown@ca.usda.gov. 7. Include an e-mail and phone number. Our Suggestions 1. Tell us about people and their commitment to improving the land. Remember we are looking for the Faces and Places of Conservation. 2. Tell us in simple, straightforward language. 3. Remember to try to address many or all of the standard story elements: who, what, when, where, why and how. 4. Try to emphasize why this story is different, special, unique. What makes it stand out from other conservation work you do or have seen occur? 5. Use quotes so we can hear things in people’s own words. Requested Information • Possible title. • Who is the landowner(s) being profiled. • If people remember one thing about your story, what do you want it to be (100 words or less). • What makes this story especially significant or memorable? • What two or three natural resources are of top importance in this story. • Is part of the success due to good conservation planning? If so, how? • Were Farm Bill programs used in this success? If so, which ones? • Were there one or two groups that were key partners? If so, who? And don’t forget to send photos, graphs, illustrations or other material to help tell the story. Thank You! Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 2 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners in Conservation helping people help the land November 2006 Integrated Pest Management United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Offers Defenses for Olive Growers IPM “IPM crop protection includes a combination of various tactics and practices based on sound ecological principles. — Rob Vlach District Conservationist T he olive fruit fly, first detected in California in 1998, is now found in ornamental and many commercial orchards in coastal counties, most of the San Joaquin Valley, and several Sacramento Valley and foothill counties. This pest poses an especially serious threat to the California table olive and olive oil industries because even the hint of infestation can result in the rejection of an entire olive crop and devastating financial loss. What is IPM? IPM is environmentally responsible and economically practical crop protection. It includes prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression of weeds, insects, diseases and other pests. IPM combines biological, cultural, and other alternatives to chemical control with the planned use of pesticides to keep pest populations below damaging levels, while minimizing harmful effects of pest control on humans and natural resources. IPM is site-specific, using approaches suited for the particular crop, pest, and location. NRCS works closely with local Ag Commissioners on A tempting target pest problems like the olive fruit fly to educate producers through workshops about possible solutions using Integrated for olive fruit flies Pest Management (IPM) practices and cost-share assistance available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Many olive producers have used EQIP to combat the olive fruit fly as part of a conservation plan for their orchards. Jerry Jackson, a Glenn County olive producer, is one example. Jackson wanted to protect his orchard from the threat of the olive fruit fly and other pests but also wanted to protect water quality by using minimum amounts of pesticides. After attending a local IPM workshop, he worked with NRCS to develop a plan and signed up for EQIP . Through EQIP, Jackson is now protecting his crops and reducing pesticide use by implementing IPM practices on 17 acres. IPM helps growers like Jackson to manage infestations of weeds, insects and disease to reduce adverse effects on plant growth and crop production while protecting water quality by keeping harmful levels of pesticides out of surface water. Eligible IPM practices follow UC Extension guidelines. Non-pesticide techniques are employed and environmentally safe pesticides are used only in amounts and locations necessary. “IPM crop protection includes a combination of various tactics and practices based on sound ecological principles,” said District Conservationist Rob Vlach. Some common IPM practices for monitoring orchards include McPhail traps and yellow sticky traps. McPhail traps are plastic or glass containers with a reservoir for baits. Olive fruit flies enter from the bottom of the trap and drown in the solution. District Conservationist Rob Vlach reviews a conservation plan with olive producer Jerry Jackson. Yellow sticky traps are baited with pheromones or other attractant. McPhail traps have proven to be more effective than yellow sticky traps in catching larger numbers and catching them earlier. McPhail trap “Monitoring is especially important,” said Vlach. Olive fruit fly populations can be monitored in spring with McPhail or yellow sticky traps and sprays can be applied if traps indicate populations are increasing in early summer. 3 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 Partners in Conservation August 2006 helping people help the land United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service The NRCS along with many cooperating partners including UC Davis, Cooperative Extension and many innovative growers have been successful in bringing to the Valley a modified version of Conservation Tillage. Breathing Easier in the Central San Joaquin Valley Conservation tillage in the San Joaquin Valley is not a new concept; however its adoption in California is quite revolutionary. Typically, the practice of conservation tillage provides for residue to be left on the soil surface to provide protection from wind and water erosion. It also provides benefits from reduced fuel and labor to improved soil structure. A San Joaquin Valley tomato field is planted with barley residue. (U.C. Davis photo) The Valley air quality, which suffers from the distinction of being in nonattainment of the Clean Air Act, is affected by the many agricultural operations occurring in the area. UC Davis research has established a level of Particulate Matter (PM) associated with each tillage operation and as tillage decreases so does Valley PM, thereby improving air quality. The NRCS along with many cooperating conservation tillage partners including UC Davis, Cooperative Extension and many innovative growers have been successful in bringing to the Valley a modified version of Conservation Tillage (CT). This “Valley Version” of CT utilizes practices that use new and modified equipment to combine operations and reduce passes over the field. This results in a documented reduction in particulate matter. The NRCS is currently providing cost share assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to qualified landowners— mainly in the San Joaquin and Imperial Valley—who are willing to implement CT on their operations. Since the inception of this option in California, the NRCS has seen acres of cropland enrolled in the CT-EQIP program grow from 2,000 acres in 2003 to over 82,000 acres in 2006! On average the 4-6 year contracts result in a 50% reduction in field passes—equating to a savings of nearly 1,400 tons of particulate matter. While this CT program has provided benefits to landowners in the form of improved soil tilth, reduced fuel usage and fewer field passes, it has also helped the Air District in their efforts to meet PM-10 reductions—and that helps us all breathe a little easier. 4 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service The practice of conservation tillage provides for residue being left on the soil surface to protect against wind and water erosion. (U.C. Davis photo) Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 Partners in Conservation helping people help the land United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Landowner Profile Innovative rancher and Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD Director Mike Bonnheim has accomplished his family’s goal of self-sustainable ranching that maintains the ecological balance on their Las Tablas Ranch. He uses livestock grazing as a tool to maintain the ecological balance on the ranch and identifies recreation and livestock grazing as compatible land uses for ranchers that are ecologically friendly. Bonnheim said, “Using cattle as a tool for disturbance is important for wildlife and for grazing. We use a hay bale twice a day as an attractant. When the cows bunch, in an excited manor to get to the hay, they create disturbance and also remove surplus vegetation. The disturbance is what the native grasses remember and need. We are mimicking how the herbivores and native grasses co-evolved over thousands of years when man himself was just a component of the environment himself.” Bonnheim explained that opening dense vegetation to sunlight through clearing and grazing, increases plant and animal diversity. It also allows dormant seed to germinate, which reestablishes native grasses. His management techniques maximize production and improve wildlife habitat, without depleting natural resources. The San Luis Obispo County Native Tree Committee named Bonnheim, Tree Steward of 2006, for his innovative woodland and wildlife-friendly, management practices. Mike was also recently appointed as Chairman of the California Cattleman’s Association Wildlife Management Committee. Bonnheim said, “We have been very conservative regarding the number of trees that we have thinned in the project areas. The tree stands that are thinned are exclusively Live Oaks. The natural life span of these trees is about 300-400 years. ‘Regeneration’ occurs when sometime during the 300-400 year period, one acorn is successful in becoming another adult tree. Otherwise, you have an increase in forest. This is not a tree cutting issue. Cutting trees was just one step in the course of managing the environment and increasing diversity to achieve a natural balance. Regeneration will only take place where the soil is exposed to the sun.” The Bonnheim’s placed two conservation easements on their ranch so that it can never be used for commercial residential development. The easements decrease their estate taxes so that they can better afford to keep it. The Bonnheim’s also recently completed a Farm Bill Grassland Reserve Program 30 year easement on the remaining balance of the ranch. Mike and his wife Barbara have a teen-aged daughter Michelle and son Bo. Together, they raise 300 head of Hereford beef cattle. Their goal is 400 head as they continue to learn “even better management techniques.” Mike and Barbara are the 3rd generation on their Las Tablas Ranch. Mike is the Director on the Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD; Director of the Cattleman’s Association; Director of the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Task Force; and a member of the Native Tree Committee. 5 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service “You cannot take something as dynamic as natural resources and manage with a ‘One size fits all’ approach. Successful management requires an intimate knowledge of the land.” — Mike Bonnheim, Cattle Rancher NRCS District Conservationist Margy Lindquist visits Rancher and RCD Director Mike Bonnheim at his Las Tablas Ranch. “Across the valley we left undisturbed vegetation on top. There was no sun reaching the soil. We noticed that deer won’t use more than 50 feet from the edge. We created a transition zone that is more in balance. The deer can enter through the top or the bottom and they can travel all of the way through.” — Mike Bonnheim Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 Partners in Conservation helping people help the land United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Meadowbrook Dairy Milking 2000 Holsteins twice a day is not easy. Complying with state and federal air and water quality guidelines while trying to generate a profit is nearly impossible, but this is exactly what Eddie Imsand started doing when he installed an anaerobic digester on his El Mirage dairy in the High Desert of Duane Turner (left) and Eddie Imsand (right) take a Southern California. rare break. Imsand’s family has worked dairy farms “We want to be in the region since 1918. proactive. We want to show our concern for the environment so the public and government officials can see that it can be done,” said Imsand. With these goals in mind, Imsand set out to build an anaerobic digester like the one he first heard about in the late 1970’s while working his father’s dairy in San Bernardino. “It’s an excellent way to manage waste,” said Duane Turner, Imsand’s right hand man, “and it protects water quality and produces energy at the same time.” Instead of spreading raw manure over agricultural fields the manure is processed in an enclosed system. The end products are energy, pathogenicfree humus, and nutrients that are more readily available for plant use. Nearly all of Imsand’s energy needs for his 159 acre dairy are satisfied by processing the manure from his cows. On average, 20,000 gallons of manure are collected each day, and dumped into the dairy digester, which basically acts as an extension of the cow’s digestive system. The digester heats up the manure, releasing methane which fuels a turbine that generates electricity. The digester has produced nearly one million kilowatts of energy since coming online in July 2004. During this adjustment period, it has averaged 117 kilowatts a day, but is capable of generating 145 kilowatts. “Creating energy is a side benefit, it is the environmental benefits that really make this project a success,” said Rick Aguayo, District Conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. As the manure is processed, gray water is channeled into a clay-lined holding pond which prevents groundwater contamination. This water is then mixed with fresh water to irrigate Imsand’s alfalfa fields adjacent to the dairy. 6 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service “We want to be proactive. We want to show our concern for the environment so the public and government officials can see that it can be done.” — Eddie Imsand MEADOWBROOK DAIRY City of La Mirage 2000 Dairy Cows (Holstein) ~20,000 gallons of manure 1 Dairy Digester 28 day cycle to process 170 kw/day capacity 87,000 cubic feet of biogas daily Total installed cost $800,000 (excluding Imsand’s labor) EQIP cost share $200,000 Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 Partners in Conservation To ensure the appropriate mixture of nutrient rich water is applied, soils are monitored and adjustments to the mixture are made as necessary. The dried humus is also used to fertilize the fields, completing a holistic system of waste management. Enough energy is generated during winter months to supply 100 percent of demand on the dairy, and 80 percent during summer months. Imsand hopes to add another turbine to increase his output and eventually have the ability to sell his energy to Southern California Edison. District Conservationist Rick Aguayo and Duane Turner (right) admire the recycled/clean water mixing system (below) that is used to irrigate adjacent alfalfa fields. The dairy digester at Meadowbrook was designed and built by RCM Digesters with much help from Eddie Imsand and his crew. The project was partially funded by a grant from the California Energy Commission and a cost share agreement from the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). For more infomation on this project, please contact District Conservation Rick Aguayo. RCM Digestors http://rcmdigesters.com/ Digester under construction. After completion, a thick, non-pourous cover traps the bio gas and is pumped into the turbines. Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 7 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners in Conservation September 2006 helping people help the land United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Robyn Singh, Almond Grower “This used to be a flood irrigated orchard. We used a lot of water and a lot was wasted. So we converted it to a micro-jet irrigation system where there’s a little sprinkler next to every single tree.” — Robyn Singh Above: Robyn Singh says he’s thankful for Environmental Quality Incentives Program help. Below: Singh grows Carmel variety almonds on 130 acres in Madera, California. (Brian Ziegler photos) There’s a whole lot of shaking going on in Madera, California. That’s where a man Micro-jet irrigation uses small water sprinklers born and raised in India to target a tree’s root zone. is realizing his American dream. “I’ve always liked farming, ever since I was a kid,” says Robyn Singh, who moved to California from India in 1987. Today, he’s growing almonds the organic way using environmentally friendly practices. “The main thing we started doing was to conserve water,” Singh says. “This used to be a flood irrigated orchard. We used a lot of water and a lot was wasted. So we converted it to a micro-jet irrigation system where there’s a little sprinkler next to every single tree.” By only targeting a tree’s root zone Singh now uses 40 to 60 percent less water. He says flood irrigation cost him $30,000 a year, which includes labor costs. To put his orchard on drip irrigation there was a one time installation fee of $64,000 but labor costs are eliminated. Some of the money to pay for Singh’s new irrigation system came from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). According to District Conservationist Don Nielsen, the program is there to provide a monetary incentive to get growers to do certain practices that will provide a positive benefit for them and the environment. “It promotes farming efficiency while at the same time conserves water,” Nielsen says. Singh also reduces his energy costs by running the sprinklers between 6 p.m. and noon. As part of the requirements to participate in EQIP, Singh has a “no burn” policy included in his contract to improve air quality. “We chip and shred all of our orchard wood and prunings. It will be used as fertilizer or shipped to a biomass facility for fuel to create electricity.” “We’ve also created permanent sod on the ground to control dust and establish a natural habitat for beneficial insects.” His enthusiasm for the natural way of doing things has impressed his neighbors. So much so that at least two nearby farms have made the transition from traditional farming to organic. 8 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 Partners in Conservation helping people help the land United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Outreach In the Santa Maria River Watershed of the Central Coast, 72 percent of the population is Hispanic. Six thousand acres of small agricultural operations there grow strawberries, snap beans, tomatillos and squash. More than half of the area is sharecropped, mostly by indigenous Mixtec from Mexico’s Oaxaca, with little education and no formal agricultural training. Nitrate Quick-Tests cost about 40-cents per analysis but can save growers $100s and $1000s in fertilizer costs. The Castillo Family of Santa Barbara County enjoys greatly improved strawberry yields after working with NRCS and the Cachuma RCD. After taking 8-10 soil samples from the crop root zone, samples are mixed in a bucket and placed in a test tube to check nitrate levels. Without knowing it, many of these producers were applying excess fertilizer and didn’t understand why their crops were not thriving. These growers were eligible for technical and financial assistance from NRCS, but with limited language and computer skills many didn’t realize that help was available. NRCS and the Cachuma Resource Conservation District of Santa Barbara County worked together on a tailored assistance package for the Mixtec farmers. Cost share assistance alone was not going to solve their problems until producers had a better understanding of nutrients, soils and plant needs. Outreach to the farmers was comprehensive. Farmers received free Nitrate Quick-Tests and soil probes, soil sampling explanations, plant nutrient requirement information, invitations to Spanish Water Quality Planning Workshops, and coordinated assistance with UC Extension advisors and the Strawberry Commission. Now farmers are saving thousands of dollars on fertilizers, reducing nutrients in groundwater, and enjoying healthier plants with bigger, better berries. The farmers are building histories with USDA and looking into loans for equipment. The conservation partnership staff in Santa Barbara County look forward to having an increasing role in the lives of theses hardworking producers. But the first step—and one that greatly improved their businesses and protected water resources—was a simple helping hand through technical assistance. With Quick-Test Kits, farmers can assess field Nitrogen levels in about 5-minutes. Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 9 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners in Conservation August 2005 United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service “I haven’t paid an electric bill in 25 years!” — Scott Jackson Innovation Tehama County Residents Enlightened at Energy Workshop The Tehama County Resource Conservation District (RCD) recently hosted an alternative energy workshop for farmers, ranchers, and other landowners who want to become more energy independent. The workshop was held at Elk Flat Ranch, west of Red Bluff. Topics included biodiesel fuel solar power, and demonstrations included biodiesel equipment and a solar pump watering system. The solar pumping Alternative fuels advocate Devin O’Keane holding up a jug of homemade biodiesel fuel that he made from watering system has been waste cooking oil. His pickup truck runs on this fuel. operated successfully by the ranch owner, Larry Galper for more than four years and is designed to provide water for his livestock. “The workshop was a great opportunity for rancher and farmers to learn how they can use alternative energy systems on their property,” said NRCS District Conservationist Larry Branham. Program speakers were Devin O’Keane, farmer and biodiesel producer, and Scott Jackson, sales manager and installer for Evergreen Development, Renewable Energy Systems. O’Keane explained how easy it is to make your own biodiesel, cost of producing or purchasing, and laws and regulations related to producing and transporting the fuel. Jackson discussed solar power and how it pays the user, as well as wind power alternatives. O’Keane demonstrated how anyone can make biodiesel in their own kitchen by whipping up a small batch in a kitchen blender. The mixture consisted of mostly of vegetable oil, with a little methoxide added (made with methanol and lye). He said that the resulting mixture would need to settle for about 24 hours. Then the biodiesel could be siphoned off and used as a fuel. There are at least three ways to run a diesel engine on bio-power, using vegetable oils, animal fats or both: use straight vegetable oil (SVO); mix SVO with kerosene, diesel fuel or biodiesel; or convert oil/fat to biodiesel. All three work with both fresh and used oils. O’Keane prefers SVO or biodiesel made from used cooking grease because it recycles a waste product. He showed participants his Dodge Ram pickup truck, with two separate fuel tanks and a switch, that runs well on both. 10 NRCS District Conservationist Larry Branham (left) with renewable energy advocate Scott Jackson (right). Alternative Energy Workshop Trinity Space Heating Proje Alternative Biom Energy Turning Waste into Energy Biom Gasification Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 O’Keane showed how easy it is to make biodiesel by whipping up a small batch in a kitchen blender. A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners in Conservation O’Keane said that you don’t need to convert an engine to run it on biodiesel. “With SVO you do need to modify the engine a little.” He says he gets about the same power and mileage as O’Keane’s alternative fuels pickup truck with conventional fuels engine has been modified to run on both – maybe a little better. biodiesel and SVO. Jackson discussed solar power and how it pays the user, as well as wind power alternatives. He showed workshop attendees examples of solar panels and a solar/wind powered water pump that can pump 6,000 gallons per day. “The solar panels should last for at least 35 years,” Jackson said. “They are guaranteed for 25 years, but the real lifespan is not yet known.” Jackson said he hasn’t paid an electric bill in 25 Scott Jackson stands by a solar panel years, since he converted holding a Grundfos livestock watering his home to solar using pump that can operate using solar or two used panels. He is wind generated power. still using those panels and gets the same output as when he started. Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Projects Several RC&D projects are impacting the local economies and resource issues in California, including workshops on Alternative Energy from Biomass, a feasibility study for potential of Biomass fired co-generation power plants, and demonstrations of alternative power technologies that use waste and biomass and minimize the threat of wildfire. Project Shows Feasibility of Biomass Fuels Trinity RC&D’s Space Heating Demonstration Project in Trinity County demonstrates the feasibility of using existing biomass furnace technology and chipped fuels from community supported Fire Safe projects for commercial scale space heating. The Hayfork Wood Center/Business Incubator was chosen as the project site. The project demonstrates that biomass from locally available sources can provide reliable, cost effective, and clean space heating and requires low maintenance. Fuels derived from Fire Safe projects become a value-added commodity rather than a waste by-product, and air quality benefits from efficient furnace combustion of biomass, rather than open air burning. The tenants at the project site are pleased with the product and are heating their shop with no cost for fuel (their own wood waste provides more than enough material) and minimal cost for the operation of the electrical components. Turning Plastic and Wood into Energy The largest producer of live strawberry plants in the world is located in Eastern Siskiyou County. As one of the by-products of strawberry plant production, approximately 450 pounds of polyethylene (PE), low density plastic is generated on each acre. With some 35,000 to 37,000 acres in production Fuel cubes made from this equates to 16 to 18 million pounds the plastic and wood of PE per year. Northern California burn clean, with a Btu and Southern Oregon is also home content equivalent to to approximately 2 million acres of that of bituminous coal. western juniper, an invasive species that has overtaken natural sagebrush/grass communities due to 150 years of protection from natural and human caused fires, western juniper’s natural enemy. Ore-Cal RC&D Area Council is researching means of developing alternative biomass fuels using these surplus materials (PE and western juniper) as a means of replacing low-energy fuels (wood) and coal or petroleum-based fuels in local to moderately distant industrial applications. Planning Tool for Development of Biomass Fuels Under Phase I of a broad-based program, Ore-Cal RC&D developed a feasibility model tool that can be used to evaluate potential technology applications and sites that are appropriate for development of Biomass-based products in Eastern Siskiyou County and outlying regions of Klamath, and Lake Counties in Oregon and portions of Modoc County in California. The Feasibility Modeling and Planning Tool (FMPT) incorporates existing and emerging technologies that can utilize the biomass resources found in the region, including bioenergy, bioproducts, and biofuels. It also incorporates site specific criteria, including infrastructure needs, general environmental impacts and permitting potential, and technology-specific criteria. The FMPT was used to perform an initial screening of the region to identify 38 potential sites by technology and feedstock. Partners In Conservation | Summer 2007 Biomass Gasification Demonstration Phase I Ore-Cal RC&D’s Scott Valley Biomass Gasifier Demonstration Project demonstrates the economic viability and sustainability of a biomass gasifier system for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) at one site and space heat (SH) at another: CHP at Etna High School/Scott Valley Community Pool and SH at Cal-Forest Greenhouse, a commercial tree nursery. Both are located in rural Scott Valley, in far northern California. Although, the system at Cal Forest Greenhouse will initially demonstrate benefits of an alternative heat source, it may ultimately produce heat and power as well. 11 A Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners in Conservation United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Keeping with Tradition Just along the south-east corner of the Sierra Nevada Mountains are the Upper Kern and South Fork Kern watersheds. These watersheds and their inhabitants are challenged with resource issues including extremely steep slopes, strong winds, battles over water and the aftermath of wildfires. The Mojave Desert-Mountain RC&D (MDMRC&D) is utilizing CALFED funds, administered by the California Department Volunteers mimicked the seed of Conservation, to reduce erosion, improve hiding behavior of the Pinyon Jay to establish new trees in the burn area. water quality, and educate land-operators Planted in areas with adequate living in the impaired watersheds. Leading cover, the site will be monitored to the restoration charge for the MDMRC&D is measure its success. watershed project coordinator Bob Robinson who works with land-operators on various best management practices. Robinson’s assistance goes beyond typical management practices. This restoration project models the traditional Native American method of collecting and planting Pinyon Pine seeds in burned areas. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) granted Robinson and his volunteers permission to collect and plant Pinyon seed in designated areas. This demonstration process has generated interest from the KernValley Indian Community, © 2006 Rich Stevens, CoBus Monache Inter-Tribal Association, PaiuteShoshone Indians of Bishop, Kennedy Meadows Property Owners Association and Oasis Garden Club. Volunteers from these groups collected and planted Pinyon Pine seeds at two field day events in Kennedy Meadows. These plantings mimic the pattern of the tree’s natural seed sower, the Pinyon Jay. The seeds were planted on the north side of vegetative island areas where adequate cover exists. The seeds are stuck in the ground as if the Pinyon Jay had stored them for a future meal. In the Jay’s case, those seeds that were forgotten were the ones that sprouted trees. However, in this planting, all seeds will be given the opportunity to grow. Native American representatives hope to pass on this gathering and planting technique to future generations while landowners look for long-term watershed stabilization. The application of a low impact tree restoration is especially applicable when working in wilderness areas. Monitoring will be continued by the Kennedy Meadows Property Owners, volunteers, and the watershed project coordinator. BLM will also be assessing the effectiveness of the process. • “Helping People Help the Land” • An Equal Opportunity Provider & Employer helping people help the land © 2006 Rich Stevens, CoBus Pinyon trees are propagated through the assistance of the Pinyon Jay who hides Pinyon seeds to eat at a later time. Natural Resources Conservation Service California State Office 430 G Street, #4164 Davis, CA 95616 530.792.5600 Contact Information: Lincoln “Ed” Burton State Conservationist 530.792.5600 Deputy State Conservationist 530.792.5609 Newsletter Editor: Public Affairs Director 530.792.5644 Design/Layout: Jim Cairns Public Affairs Specialist Carlos Suarez Anita Brown www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov More Information: NRCS is an Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture