Rangeland Coalition Represented at State Science Advisory Panel
The California Department of Food and Agriculture, Cannella
Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory panel had its inaugural
meeting November 7. The meeting was primarily focused on Ecosystem
Services. Rangeland Coalition Steering Committee member Noelle Cremers
(with the California Farm Bureau Federation) shared the results of a
recent survey on rancher’s perspectives regarding future ecosystem
markets in California. The survey was the result of a collaboration
among Coalition partners including; Defenders of Wildlife, California
Cattlemen’s Association, the California Rangeland Trust and the
California Woolgrower’s Association. In addition the outreach and
educational efforts undertaken by the Rangeland Coalition in the recent
workshop on Ecosystem Services on Rangelands and the future Rangeland
Coalition Summit and Rangeland Research Symposium set for January 19-20,
2012 were also shared at the meeting.
USDA-NRCS Report Evaluates Effectiveness of Conservation Practices (source NRCS)
The USDA Rangeland Conservation Practice Effectiveness Program (CEAP)
scientific review is now available online. This is a very comprehensive
review (3 years, 40 scientists) of the current science on rangeland
management for conservation. The report explores the conservation
benefits of rangeland practices, evaluates their effectiveness and
identifies knowledge gaps. The report provides a source of
evidence-based information to guide the development and assessment of
management practices and conservation programs on the nation's
rangelands.Seven NRCS-recommended rangeland conservation practices were
evaluated: Prescribed Grazing, Prescribed Fire, Brush Management, Range
Planting, Riparian Management Practices, Wildlife Management Practices,
and Invasive Plant Management. The CEAP report also assessed two
cross-cutting issues: A landscape approach to rangeland conservation,
and a social and economic assessment of rangeland conservation
practices.
To read the report click here.
Forest to Faucets Initiative Highlights Role of Forests and Grasslands for Healthy Watersheds (source US Forest Service)
Coalition partner, the U.S. Forest Service has recently unveiled a
comprehensive series of maps that illustrate for the first time the
crucial role land areas like forests and grasslands play in sustaining
the watersheds that are most important to the quality of American
surface drinking water. Communities can use the data to help determine
the important role their forests and grasslands play in providing clean
drinking water to urban areas. The Forests to Faucets project will also
help identify watersheds where a payment for watershed services project
may be an option for financing conservation on forest lands. Watersheds
on national forests and grasslands are the source of 20 percent of the
nation’s water supply, a value estimated to exceed $27 billion per year.
Another 60 percent of the nation’s water flows from private lands.
“Spending money on forest management upstream in a watershed saves money
on water treatment downstream,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom
Tidwell. The cost of treating drinking water increases 20 percent for
every loss of 10 percent of forest land in a watershed. “We expect
Forests to Faucets will support rural economies by steering funding to
upstream landowners, encouraging healthy forests and healthy water,”
said Tidwell. For more information click the links below
http://www.fs.fed.us/ecosystemservices/FS_Efforts/forests2faucets.shtml
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2011/releases/11/water.shtml
Butte County Resource Conservation District Hires Kelly Miller as District Manager
Coaltion partner, the Butte County Resource Conservation District (RCD)
is pleased to announce Kelly Miller as their new District Manager. Kelly
holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Planning and
Interpretation from CSU Humboldt and is a Masters candidate in the
Environmental Science at CSU Chico. Her previous work experiences have
included natural resource management, monitoring and planning positions
with local and state agencies, as well as with university, private,
non-profit and tribal organizations. A native of California, Miller
brings a commitment to working with willing landowners and organizations
interested in the protection and enhancement of Butte County’s diverse
natural resources. Kelly can be reached at Phone: (530) 534-0112 ext.
122 or E-mail:
bc-rcd@carcd.org
Job Opportunities:
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is seeking a Lead Scientist for the North and
Central Coasts Region of California. The position provides conservation
science leadership by effectively managing and mentoring a team of
scientists and coordinating with a diverse team of non-scientist
conservation professionals, to ensure that the conservation projects,
priorities, and policies planned and implemented across the region have
robust scientific foundations and achieve the greatest possible
conservation outcomes.
For more information click here.
Land Trust of Santa Cruz County
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is seeking a Land Steward. The
primary Responsibility of the position is to implement the Land Trust’s
overall land stewardship goals by assisting the Stewardship Manager with
resource management on over 3,000 acres of fee and easement lands. For
more information please visit
www.LandTrustSantaCruz.org.