- Author: Paul G. Olin
Mariska Obedzinski, Coho Monitoring Coordinator with UCCE Sonoma/SEAGrant was awarded a Staff Appreciation & Recognition Plan Award (STAR Plan Incentive Awards) from UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography under a program sponsored by University of California Office of the President.
Mariska demonstrated exceptional leadership resulting in the integration of the Sea Grant Extension Program as a partner in a statewide Coastal Monitoring program for endangered salmon. The goal of this project is to gather data that will identify the status and trends of anadromous coho, steelhead, and Chinook populations in the Russian River Watershed.
This work is part of a larger effort by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to identify and improve our understanding of population drivers affecting coastal salmonid populations in California. Mariska independently collaborated with colleagues in DFW and the Sonoma County Water Agency to create a monitoring partnership and proposal to secure funding to support monitoring activities over the 2-year project period.
In addition to this new activity, Mariska plays a central role in ongoing coordination and personnel management of multiple research projects supported by NOAA, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to monitor the recovery of endangered coho salmon in the Russian River.
Mariska is clearly deserving of this award. Congratulations Mariska!
- Author: Karen Giovannini
Support this project:
Heritage Turkey Dinner & Auction
Oct 12, 3-7pm at SRJC Shone Farm.
Slow Food Russian River in collaboration with Sonoma County 4H started this project 9 years ago to re-introduce the heritage turkey varieties to the market. This year, over 95% of the turkeys were bred and hatched by project members and their families here in Sonoma County. This was one of the goals that Slow Food Russian River had when discussions began with two 4-H families in 2005 about starting the Heritage Turkey project. Turkey poults, in spite of being larger than chicks, are more fragile and do not endure shipping well. Each year, the 4-H turkey growers have been able to reduce the number of day old turkey poults purchased from out-of-state hatcheries and now are even able to make locally grown turkey poults available to other farmers in the area.
If you can't join in for the dinner and auction, you can always order your 4-H Heritage Turkey for Thanksgiving by contacting Catherine at thodefamilyfarm@pacbell.net for more information.
- Author: Sarah Nossaman Pierce snossamanpierce@ucsd.edu
Grape Creek is a small stream that flows through the picturesque Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg, surrounded by vineyards, rustic wineries, and a solid community of residents and grape growers—including many who have roots in this valley dating back several generations. Grape Creek—a tributary to Dry Creek, which flows into the Russian River—is home to several aquatic species, including endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead trout. Despite the abundance of natural resources that Grape Creek supports, like many streams in the Russian River watershed, it becomes intermittent in the summer months when surface flows decrease and demand for water increases.
UC's primary role in this effort is to conduct a multi-year study designed to correlate instream flow and other environmental conditions to oversummer survival of juvenile salmon. Data from this study has given partners a better understanding of how much water coho need to survive the summer months in Grape Creek. Building on this science, the Partnership worked with landowners to implement several streamflow improvement projects and significantly reduce frost protection diversions in the watershed. Projects include the construction of an off-stream pond that eliminates irrigation use of a streamside well, installation of a frost protection fan in order to eliminate a direct diversion and on-stream dam (which was a fish passage barrier), a conservation project to reduce water use by installing a steam cleaning machine and three frost fans, and construction of an off-stream pond that eliminates the use of an on-stream pond for frost protection and irrigation water. None of this would have been possible without the invaluable cooperation and contributions of streamside landowners, some of whom used their own resources for project implementation.
Thanks in good part to this work and the exemplary cooperation of local landowners, Grape Creek was named one of the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP)'s Waters to Watch in 2013. It received this honor due to the importance of its fish species and the collaborative conservation action occurring within the watershed. Last month, NFHP released a video highlighting this collective work.
In many ways, the Grape Creek watershed is a microcosm for the many types of water needs and potential conservation projects that can be implemented across California's coastal streams. UC and the Partnership are using the lessons learned in Grape Creek to continue this effort in other streams within the Russian River basin.
You can read more about the activities of UC's Coho Salmon Monitoring Program and the Partnership.
- Author: Julia Van Soelen Kim, UCCE North Bay Food Systems Advisor, jvansoelen@ucanr.edu
Attendees were interested in learning the ins and outs of creating small-batch and artisanal “value-added” products featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables. Value-added production is an emerging food trend with the potential to help grow the local economy and support farmers' livelihood by tapping new revenue streams from preserving the peak of harvest and farm seconds which may otherwise go to waste.
The workshop opened with a warm welcome from Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt (District 2) and Supervisor Shirlee Zane (District 3) and thoughtful facilitation from Joseph McIntyre with Ag Innovations Network. These leaders “built a foundation of trust, care, and urgency for the work, resulting in a productive and energizing day for the audience and presenters alike,” explained Pamela Swan with Sonoma County's Department of Health Services.
The workshop was offered as part of the “Opportunities in Ag Business” series presented by UC Cooperative Extension and Sonoma County Department of Health Services and was generously sponsored by American Ag Credit. The workshop complemented the work of the Sonoma County Food System Alliance and helped move forward the goals of the Food Action Plan, the countywide vision for a vibrant local food system.
- Author: Karen Giovannini
For the turkey, you have a variety of options available from free range heritage breeds to conventionally raised. You can pick up your fresh local vegetables and fruits and crunchy breads at farmers markets and local markets or visit the farms and don't forget to pick up some tasty cheeses and butter along the way. Purchase some extra squash for table decorations. How about some fresh squeezed local juices, too. And don't forget the wine!
If you are fortunate enough to live in or have the opportunity to visit and shop in Sonoma County, visit the Farm Trails site to Find Our Farms & Produce by Criteria and California Cheese Trail. Both include maps and Farm Trails site lets you search by a variety of criterion including product type, region, method and more.
It is entirely possible to create a traditional, or un-traditional, Thanksgiving dinner using all local products (well, except the cranberries). Fresher products, reduced carbon footprint and supporting our agricultural heritage are just a few of the benefits of locally sourcing your meals. Your taste buds will thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving from UCCE Sonoma County!
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