January 26th 2011 Pacific Coast Joint Venture Meeting Minutes ...

January 26 th 2011
Pacific Coast Joint Venture Meeting Minutes
Bureau of Land Management – Arcata Field Office
9:30 am
Attendees:
Name Organization Contact
Laura Bridy PCFWWRA laura@pcfwwra.org
Diana Dellinger NRCS Diana.dellinger@ca.usda.gov
Karyn Gear Coastal Conservancy kgear@scc.ca.gov
Paula Golightly USFWS Paula_golightly@fws.gov
Sharon Kahara HSU/ PCJV Snk6@humboldt.edu
Julie Neander City of Arcata jneander@cityofarcata.org
Eric Nelson Humboldt Bay NWR Eric_T_Nelson@fws.gov
Chet Ogan Redwood Region Audubon Society Chet-ogan@yahoo.com
Susan Schlosser University of California Sea Grant sschlosser@ucsg.edu
Carol Vander Meer Friends of the Dunes carol@friendsofthedunes.org
Ryan Wells North Coast Regional Land Trust r.wells@ncrlt.org
Agenda:
1) Welcome participants and introductions
2) Announcements and plans for 2011- Sharon Kahara
3) Discretionary funding updates (2011)
4) Comments on the Climate Change Planning Flow Charts (Do we need a separate meeting
to address this)
5) Partner Project Updates
6) Wrap up, set next meeting (Wednesday, March 23 rd )
Announcements:

1. Plans for 2011
• Continue to identify data gaps
• Update our strategic plan – take a more targeted approach
• Continue to seek partnerships with groups like the Humboldt Bay Initiative to fill
physical data gaps
• Work to keep PCJV Science Coordinators in the loop concerning local sea level
rise modeling efforts. Facilitate interactions between PCJV Science Coordinators
and local modelers.
• Include threatened and endangered species in strategic planning
• To accurately model sea level rise we need Lidar, land elevation change data,
National Wetland Inventory updated maps and other data components (see
Climate Change Flow Charts).
• Lidar may be available soon (OPC) and the U.S. Army Corps of engineers has
established temporary tide gauges but it’s unclear as to whether these will be
online this year.
• A group of partners including the HBI have submitted a proposal to monitor
vertical elevation from Shelter Cove to Crescent City – this data will form a critical
component to accurately model sea level rise.
2. Discretionary Funding Update - 2011
• Discretionary funding this year will be reduced significantly this year (from about
$25,000 to $15,000 this year).
• We could fund a workshop covering regulatory guidelines, where relevant
agencies are invited to discuss projects with partners.
• Projects differ significantly from each other so an online guidebook might not
meet everyone’s needs adequately or may need to be updated very often.
• A workshop with field trips to specific projects may be more useful
• Ryan Wells suggested Freshwater Farms as a potential field site
• Contacting state representatives to support the workshop may boost attendance
• We will discuss a 2-3 day workshop at the next meeting
3. Comments to Climate Change planning flow charts
• Include the sediment management group
• The group has potential to use sediment spoils to add to Humboldt Bay
• How might using dredge materials be added to the flow charts
• Also get Epic and Humboldt Bay keepers involved in sediment management plans
• There are studies up in Oregon looking into the effects of restoration on
sediment accretion
• Could a similar study be added to the flow chart, to show how restoration might
impact sand movement
4. Partner Project Updates:

Carol Vander Meer (Friends of the Dunes)
• The FOD is planting ceremonial (symbolic) plants on Saturday
• Also working on a white paper, looking at the impact of restoration on Manilla
Dunes. Planning a community forum to discuss the issue.
• FOD is partnering with North Coast Regional Land Trust (NCRLT) to do outreach
and education
• Spartina eradication has an educational component
• Phase 1 of the Nature Center may be completed this spring. There is a proposal
with the Nature Education Fund for facilities, trails, exhibits, etc.
• Some funding is already available from the USFWS for exhibits.
Eric Nelson (Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge)
• Last week’s Aleutian goose census counted about 12,000 individuals in the area.
More are expected
• Fly off days are March 5 th and 6 th
• Refuge still working on last years’ big grant from USFWS
• Elite mowers are currently out with the California Conservation Corps and other
partners
• Joel Gerwin has been giving talks about broader scale Spartina eradication.
Additional outreach planned
• HBNWR seeking funds to purchase a large piece of equipment to move the
regional Spartina effort and seeking partners
• Salmon creek restoration is going well despite recent flood events. There’s been
some erosion but not significant
• Planning to complete upstream work with partners like PCFWWRA
• NRCS may be a potential partner for upstream work
• Sean Brophy accepted a job at Bosque Del Apache NWR so looking for a
replacement
• There’ll be an “I love Mud” day of activities for kids at Ma-le’l Dunes on
Valentines Weekend
• Have received letters about homeless encampments in the area just north of
Target (Eureka) and looking to solve the problem
• Karyn Gear suggested there may be small grants available to deal with this
• Humboldt Botanical Gardens (Spartina Symposium) will be held on Saturday Feb
5 th at Redwood Acres
Chet Ogan (Redwood Region Audubon)
• Ken Burton the new manager of RRAS looking for new partners on projects
• Slowly working on Parcel 4 – the Coastal Conservancy got a grant for it
• Gearing up for Audubon banquet on Feb 7 th (flyer attached)
• Godwit days on April 15 th -17 th
• Redwood Coast Bird and Nature festival on the 1 st week of May

Diana Dellinger (Natural Resource Conservation Service)
• WRP application deadlines are due Feb 15 th
• 3-4 landowners have applied so far
• NRCS working on a Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program project on Barbara Creek
• WHIP applications rank higher if matching funds are included
• NRCS looking for partnerships for these projects
• NRCS are also working to deal with sudden oak death syndrome on private lands.
• Also have a Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) program- a
national competition to encourage private land owners whose land may be
affected to participate (deadline too late for this year, but partners can prepare
for the next cycle)
• CCPI can fund up to 5 years of project work and municipal properties are eligible
as long as private landowners are renting or leasing the property
• Ongoing WRP projects are set to be completed soon
Ryan Wells (North Coast Regional Land Trust)
• NCRLT hiring a new Administrative and Development Assistant
• New projects involve 3000 acres in s.e Humboldt county, and will eventually
preserve 7600 acres of contiguous ranch land.
• Completed year 1 of wood creek project monitoring, results will be made
available soon
• Currently completing design and permitting phase for Freshwater trail, which will
include information kiosks, a board walk and interpretive signs
• Will also include a public access site
• Martin slough in oak river system working on acquiring 40 acres with landowner
• Will work with the Coastal Conservancy to acquire property
• Internally, completed their strategic and fundraising plan as well as their regional
action plan
• Will begin another easement acquisition project in the Klamath (150 acres)
• This is their second year applying for a CCPI –to provide Oak woodland
restoration technical assistance to landowners
Julie Neander (City of Arcata)
• Planning to complete the McDaniel slough, Baylands and small area on Fickle Hill
projects this summer
• McDaniel slough also included funding from NRCS
• The City is partnering with other agencies to eradicate Spartina
• Dealing with a major infestation of reed canary grass. Received funding from
USFWS to deal with this along Janes Creek, hopefully a three year project

Susan Sclosser (University of California Sea Grant)
• Working to eradicate dwarf eelgrass together with Fish and Game and Ducks
Unlimited
• Have tested a number of eradication methods and will hold a brainstorming
session to try new methods
Karyn Gear (Coastal Conservancy)
• Funded the Usal Forest Shady Dell Creek acquisition in northern Mendocino
County as well as the acquisition of property along the 10 mile estuary
• Will be seeking a Coastal Wetlands Grant for additional acquisitions in the 10
mile estuary
• awarded a planning grant to the City of Eureka to implement public access
improvements on the Humboldt Bay Trail and for enhancement and public access
planning at Parcel 4 near Palco Marsh. The grant also included a small allocation
to address the homeless encampment issue in that area
• Awarded funds to the Redwood National Park to identify alternative locations for
a hostel to replace the now-closed Redwood Hostel –
• Fundraising for Salt River continues
Laura Bridy (Pacific Coast Fish, Wildlife and Wetlands Restoration Association)
• About 4.5 acres of native riparian vegetation were planted as part of the
Strawberry Creek project. The CCC worked on this as well as Humboldt Fish
Action Council.
• Awaiting word on funding from Fish and Game for the second year of the Salmon
Creek project
• The morning of February 19 th is a volunteer planting day at Strawberry Creek,
consisting of willow sprigging. All are invited.
Next Meeting – Wednesday, March 23 rd 2011 (Humboldt Area Foundation – Nilsen Room)