The Napa County RCD and USDA-NRCS 1303 Jefferson Street, Suite 500B Napa, CA 94559 (707) 252-4188

Fax (707) 252-4219

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Napa, CA Permit No. 353

WINTER

APA ONSERV NAPA COUNTY CONSERVATION NEWS

A Quarterly Publication by the Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD) and the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

2006/2007

Volunteer Planting Day at Huichica Creek Vineyard

Were on the web! www.naparcd.org www.nrcs.usda.gov
By Shannon Fiala, RCD Restoration Project Manager

If you would like your name removed from this mailing list please contact Jenny McIlvaine at (707) 252-4188 x120 or email jenny@naparcd.org General questions email staff@naparcd.org Newsletter editor and designer: Jenny McIlvaine Printed on 100% recycled paper

On December 9, volunteers helped plant approximately 3,400 native grass plugs at the RCDs Huichica Creek Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Vineyard. The planting project was coordinated by RCD Soil Conservationist Dave Steiner, NRCS Senior Soil Conservationist Kelly Gin, RCD Education Coordinator Jenny McIlvaine and RCD Restoration Project Manager Shannon Fiala. Although the weather was threatening on the planting day, nineteen people (including members of the Napa County Master Gardeners, students from Justin-Sienna and Napa High Schools, and RCD/NRCS staff, family, and friends) turned out to help.
RCD and NRCS staff and volunteers

Volunteers Francesca Pascale and Ila Sharp plugging away.

In This Issue
Volunteer Planting Day at Huichica Creek Vineyard Shannon Fiala............................................1 RCD Honors Clint Pridmore Kathleen Edson.........................................1 2006 Chinook Salmon Jonathan Koehler.......................................3 RCD Gets Underwater Video Equipment Jonathan Koehler.......................................3 Restoration Projects at Silverado Vineyards Shannon Fiala............................................4 RCD Speaker Program...............................4 Napa River Channel Survey Paul Blank..................................................5 Watershed Scorecard Project Bob Zlomke...............................................5 Carneros Wineries Move to Restore Land Phill Blake..................................................6 BMPs for Water Quality Phill Blake..................................................6 People Can Chip Bouril................................................7 New Bird Identification Guide Available.....7

The planting project is a part of ongoing planting along the wetlands edge. restoration work at the vineyard, which was purchased by the RCD in 1991 in order to develop a demonstration vineyard to showcase the compatibility of natural systems with commercially viable agricultural systems. The vineyard is located in the Carneros region of southern Napa County and borders the Napa Marsh State Wildlife Area. In June 1998, a weir was installed in the vineyard to recreate a historic seasonal wetland. Waterbirds such as pintails, mallards, shovelers, teals, egrets, and herons enjoy the expanded aquatic habitat. In addition to improving wildlife habitat, the restoration of the historic wetland promoted the spread of native wetland plants, such as Baltic rush (Juncus balticus) and creeping wildrye (Leymus triticoides), which appeared to out compete non-native species, such as Harding grass, Italian ryegrass, and curly dock, in inundated areas. This past fall, Dave Steiner and Kelly Gin decided to disc the perimeter of the wetland area and re-plant it with 6,000 Leymus triticoides plugs, with the hope that the competitive native grass would form a thick thatch and hold back the nonnative plants. Thanks to the volunteers, the plugs were successfully planted. We appreciate everyone who helped! We will continue to monitor the transformation of this vital area in the coming years.

Earth Day Volunteers Needed

Building Awareness & Inspiring Change

Saturday, April 21, 2007 11 am - 4 pm Napa Valley College Soccer Fields

Food, live entertainment and hands-on activities for the whole community!
For more information visit:

In 2006, the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County coordinated the largest Earth Day celebration ever to take place in Napa County. An estimated 1,500 people attended the event, which took place at Skyline Park and offered children and adults an opportunity to come together to celebrate the value and beauty of Napa Countys natural areas and open spaces. The event was such a success that the Coalition decided to coordinate the 2007 Earth Day celebration, this time in collaboration with Napa Valley College. The event is expected to attract thousands of attendees who will enjoy live musical performances, local restaurant food offerings, exciting booth demonstrations, environmental arts, crafts and games as well as other hands-on activities. The Coalition is seeking volunteers to assist in the effort. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Michael Lauher at 224-1894 or credu@sbcglobal.net.

Jenny McIlvaine

RCD Honors Clint Pridmore for 30 Years of Service to the District

By Kathleen Edson, RCD District Administrator

www.EarthDayNapa.com
Presented by: The Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County in conjunction with the Napa Valley Colleges Solar Celebration Sponsored by: City of Napa Recycling Division, Napa Sanitation District, Napa County Department of Environmental Management, City of Napa Water Division and The Land Trust of Napa County

Clint was honored at a recent board meeting for his many years of service. He has been a big part of the growth and changes that have shaped the RCD into the respected organization that it is today and the staff and board appreciate all of the time and effort he has devoted. Much of his tenure he served as president. Over the years Clint witnessed the development of hillside vineyard erosion control technology as well as the RCD/NRCS land stewardship program. Clint noted Ive seen a lot of changes. The program has grown from simple beginnings with a small budget of less than $25K to numerous far reaching programs with a $1.5M budget.

1303 Jefferson Street, Suite 500B, Napa, CA 94559

Jenny McIlvaine

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NAPA COUNTY CONSERVATION NEWS

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Dear friends of Napa County RCD,

We have some exciting news to share regarding some recent staff changes here at the RCD. The New Year has brought the RCD a new District Manager. Leigh Sharp, our District Development and Stewardship Coordinator, who has been with the RCD since 2001, became District Manager effective January 1, 2007. Leigh has been a key employee at the RCD for years, and she is very well prepared to take a leadership position. She understands what makes the Napa RCD unique, and RCD staff and Board members alike are looking forward to watching the organization continue to grow. If youre wondering whats happening with Bob Zlomke, District Manager 1999 2006, the story is simple. After seven years, he decided to concentrate on his work as a hydrologist. Originally hired by the RCD in 1995 as a hydrologist, Bob will return to focusing his efforts on the way in which water moves through Napa Countys watersheds. There is plenty of hydrology work to be done at the RCD, and Bob is eager to shed his management responsibilities and return to the field. Bob will continue to manage several of the projects that he has been involved with over the past years and will be adding others as opportunities arise. He will also be available to assist Leigh as she gets used to her new position. We anticipate a smooth transition and Leigh is quickly adjusting to her new role. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to contact either of us or Kathleen Edson, who remains in her position as District Administrator. Sincerely yours,

People Can
By Chip Bouril, NRCS Soil Conservationist

Can people successfully remove acres of invasive English ivy without using herbicide sprays or machinery? Yes, people can. One handful at a time! Meet Ann and Charlie Schwing, donors of the Land Trust of Napa Countys Archer Taylor Preserve in the forested mountain headwaters of Redwood Creek west of Napa.

New Bird Identification Field Guide Available

Birds of Napa County, a bird identification field guide and the first of its kind for Napa County, was recently published and is now available in local bookstores. The guide is authored and illustrated by Hermann Heinzel and includes illustrations and descriptions of over 315 Napa County bird species.
In Spring 2005, Heinzel traveled from his home in France and spent several weeks with Napa birders locating and researching Napa County birds in their native habitats. Upon returning to France, he spent countless hours in his studio writing about and painting the birds of Napa County. The book was sponsored by George and Launce Gamble, long-time Napa County farmers/ranchers. The study of birds and their habitats is a lifelong passion of George Gamble, who with the tireless efforts of Heinzel and Napa birders, worked for over 2 years to insure the success of the project.

Bob Zlomke, P.E. Leigh Sharp

To reach any of the staff below call 252-4188 and dial their extension.

Ann recalls as a child touring guests past the abandoned Guildersleeve homestead on her parents property and pointing out the English ivy as a worthy historical artifact, just like the old rock walls. Not until working on the Archer Taylor Preserves recent land management plan did she or anyone else recognize the ivy as a problem. The ivys aggressiveness makes it a problem. The spreading ivy crowds out all the native understory plants, sparing only the mature trees, which eventually die off leaving only the thick mat of ivy, says Ann.

Chip Bouril

Get your copy today!

The guide can be purchased for $12.95 through the Napa-Solano Aububon Society (contact Cheryl Harris, 707-224-6133) or at the following locations: Carolyn Parr Nature Center in Napa (open 1 pm -4 pm Sat. and Sun.), Bookends Bookstore in Napa, Copperfields Books in Napa and Calistoga, and Main Street Books in St. Helena.

RCD Staff
Equal opportunity providers and employers

RCD Board of Directors Clinton Pridmore, President Mitchell Klug, Vice President Al Buckland Donald Gasser Rainer Hoenicke Beth Painter Charles Slutzkin

RCD Associate Directors Myrna Abramowicz Zach Berkowitz Dennis Bowker Brenda Perry Michael Silvas Bennie Troxel Margaret Woodbury

Paul Blank, x 112 Hydrologist Astrid Bock-Foster, x 113 Soil Conservationist / NSWG Program Director Kathleen Edson, x 108 District Administrator Chad Edwards, x 112 Field Technician Shannon Fiala, x 111 Restoration Project Manager Lara Hadhazy, x 103 Restoration Project Manager

Jonathan Koehler, x 109 Senior Biologist Anna Mattinson, x 100 Bookkeeper Jenny McIlvaine, x 120 Education Coordinator Leigh Sharp, x 110 District Manager Dave Steiner, x 107 Senior Soil Conservationist Bob Zlomke, x 106 Senior Hydrologist

Working with Napas NRCS office, the Archer Taylor Preserve management committee successfully won an NRCS Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) costshare agreement to help fund removal of two invasive plant species near the homestead, periwinkle (Vinca major) and English ivy (Hedera helix). While committee volunteers are treating the periwinkle by covering it with tarps, Ann and Charlie have led the ivy removal effort entirely by hand, working at least a few hours most weekends. English ivys strong roots make it easy to pull out of the loose forest soil. All this hand removal work is an important volunteer labor match that helped secure the WHIP funding.

Ann says philosophically that clearing ivy is similar to Adopt-A-Highway work, Its repetitive and it feels good afterward. But she cautions Always stop working when youre tired, or you may not want to go back the next time. Ann and Charlie, with a little help from preserve friends, have now successfully cleared about 10 acres of scattered ivy and almost 3 acres of dense ivy infestation near the homestead. Ann believes they have removed all the known infestations and are now entering the phase of policing the areas already cleared. While walking the trail back through an area of tall Douglas firs and redwoods cleared a year ago, Charlie notes Its already hard to remember that this area was just covered in ivy. With the ivy gone, the preserve committee can now protect the Guildersleeve homestead site as an historic asset without endangering the surrounding forest. If you would like to learn more about or volunteer at the Archer Taylor Preserve, please contact the preserve management committee through the Land Trust of Napa County, 252-3270 or at napalandtrust.org.

The Napa County RCD Board of Directors meets on the second Thursday of each month from 8:00 to 10:00 am at the RCD office

USDA-NRCS Staff Phill Blake, x 101 District Conservationist Chip Bouril, x 102 Soil Conservationist Kelly Gin, x 104 Soil Conservationist Carolyn Jones, x 114 Civil Engineer