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Much is being done to support wild salmon in our local waterways, from habitat restoration projects in remote creeks to extensively debated adjustments in the water flows in the
The coming Wild Steelhead Festival is only partially celebratory; as Brian Hines of Trout Unlimited explains, it also serves as a forum for advocacy on behalf of the still-threatened and endangered species.
Much of the habitat restoration work that has been done and is underway to boost spawning conditions and rates has been directed toward tributaries of the Russian River, less than the river itself. Sonoma County fishing guide Kent Macintosh argues that ongoing gravel mining in and along the main channel is countermanding the efforts to aid the salmon elsewhere.
Dams on the major waterways aren't the only ones that impose additional challenges for spawning salmon, adds Brian Hines.
The Sonoma County Water Agency has background information on the Biological Opinion and related recmnmendations, which will be the subject of a special meting on Thursday, February 9th, 9 – 11:30 am, in the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chambers.
AmeriCorps draws college age youth from across the country to do dozens of public service projects every year. Right now, a team of those young workers are leaving their mark on a corner of the outdoor environment here in Sonoma County.
The 2012 Americorps crew at the Bishop's Ranch
Sean Swift, Executive Director of The Bishop's Ranch, is very pleased to have this third team of AmeriCorps workers deployed to his retreat and conference center, which has no shortage of tasks for them to work on.
Their first big job was the excavation and revegetating of the slope above the lengthy driveway into the facility.
Kirsten Martin shows offa portion of the finished landscape.
The thick layer of Azola plants now covers the lake surface so thoroughly that the water is scarcely visible.
Every booklover has felt the urge to share a favorite title. Now a nationwide program is coming to support that urge—at no cost to the giver.
After the books arrivel, about a week before they are to be delivered to the recipients—Copperfields will host a reception for the givers in each of their bookstores.
The book covers seen at left are those that were distributed last year in Engl;and and Ireland. Click here to see the full list of 30 titles available for distribution in the USA on World Book Night 2012. These are special edition paperbacks provided by the publishers at no charge to either the participating bookstores or the individual givers.
The deadline to sign up for World Book Night has been extended until midnight EASTERN time on Monday, Feb. 6 That's 9 pm for us here in the Pacific time zone.
Last summer, the LA Times reported on the success of the debut event last year and the early interest in expanding it to the United States.
Community-based affordable housing projects could be an inadvertent victim of the demise of redevelopment agencies across California. And even a possible safety valve measure in the legislature will only offer a little temporary aid.
John LowryAll kinds of affordable housing projects have been supported with Redevelopment funds, including self-help or "sweat equity" construction. But without subsidies, john Lowry, Executive Director of Burbank Housing Development in Santa Rosa says the future of even those projects is bleak.
How did the demise of redevelopment agencies unfold? Lowry says it was a multi-stage process, but the final decision only came at the end of 2011.
It's a buyers' market for real estate in the North Bay, and that's working to the benefit of the Sonoma County Open Space District. At least, some of the time.
Bill KeeneAfter Sonoma County voters approved Measure F in 2006, renewing the quarter cent sales tax levy that funds the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, the agency sold a new round of bonds. With those funds, says Executive Director Bill Keene, they were then able to embark on a bit of a spending spree, taking full advantage of a series of rare acquisition opportunities.
The Stakeholder workshops for the Open Space District will be held from 1-3 pm and 6-8 pm on Monday, Jan. 30 and again on Wednesday, Feb. 1. All meetings will be at their offices at 747 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 100, in Santa Rosa. The same schedule will be repeated there on Wednesday.
The map below shows lands preserved by the Open Space District shaded in light green. Darker green areas are parklands.
