Post on 28-Dec-2015
Point Blue Conservation Science
A Presentation to Yosemite-Mariposa Regional Water Advisory Council Wendell GilgertMarch 26th, 2014
Securing Water and Wildlife on Working Lands
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California: 2013 driest year on record
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/drought/
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Because of our climate smart actions today, healthy ecosystems will
continue to sustain vibrant wildlife & human communities, on land and at
sea….
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Rangeland Watershed Initiative
Increase water, carbon, wildlife and economic productivity on CA rangelands through eco-friendly grazing with ranchers, NRCS and others
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Five Year Goals– “Re-water” 1.13 million acres
1) Increase soil water storage by 15% = 2 Hetch Hetchy’s over 5 years.
2) Increase soil carbon by 15% = ~1.13 million tons of carbon sequestered per year going forward
3) Leverage Farm Bill habitat improvement funds.
4) Support 45 Leopoldian watershed land stewards.
5) Improve ranching operations working with 110 ranchers.
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Partner Biologists On the Ground
Tiffany Russell
Alicia Young
Kelly Weintraub
Corey Shake Alissa Fogg
Melissa OdellBonnie Eyestone
Ben Martin
Corey Shake
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Upper Stony Creek Model
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Bringing Back Water
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Same Creek, Re-watered, 8 years later
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Pre and Post Prescriptive Grazing
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Managing the Soil Surface
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Watershed => Water Catchment
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Annual vs. Perennial Root StructureAugust 2006 / Vol.56 No.8 • BioScience 649
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Conservation Practices
Wetland Wildlife ManagementUpland Wildlife Habitat
Management
Mgt & Restoration of Rare & Declining Habitats Prescribed Grazing Management Fence
Range PlantingWater Facility
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Research Support
UC Davis Rangeland Watershed Lab
Dr. Ken Tate
Dr. Leslie Roach
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Research Support
Benchmark and Implementation Metrics
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Field Metrics-Soils & Vegetation
Soil Characteristics:Soil bulk density Soil samplesSoil organic matter Soil samplesSoil carbon Soil samplesSoil infiltration Soil samples
Rangeland Vegetation:% cover of perennial species Line-intercept transects% cover of annual species (e.g., smooth brome, rye, fescue)
Line-intercept transects
% cover of noxious/invasive weeds (e.g., medusahead, star thistle)
Line-intercept transects
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How can we work together?