August 19, 2009
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This year's Confab will feature an all-day restoration tour of the Garcia River watershed that will include multiple bioengineering sites on the lower river dating back to 1995, and comprehensive sub-basin wide erosion control projects in at least one upper Garcia tributary. Orientation presentations include an opening talk about coho salmon restoration and conservation efforts on the Garcia River by Garcia River coordinator Craig Bell and coastal turbidity monitoring by Terry Jo Barber of Ridge to River. There will also be discussion of the public/private purchase of one third of the Garcia Watershed and its positive implications for coho recovery in the Garcia River as well as other watersheds in California. A tour of Caspar Creek will highlight the DFG monitoring of fish populations in Caspar Creek, Caspar watershed research led by hydrologist Liz Keppeler with the USDA Forest Service, Caspar Creek fish ladders presented by foresters from Jackson State Demonstration Forest, and road decommissioning efforts.
Lisa Bolton of Trout Unlimited and Forestry Consultant Christopher Blencowe will lead a tour of Ten Mile River to visit the South Fork Ten Mile River Accelerated Wood Recruitment Project to demonstrate an experimental approach to large woody debris loading. Participants will also have a chance to tour fish passage projects in coastal watersheds as well as post-fire erosion control projects. On Sunday, Richard Gienger will lead a tour of coho bearing streams in the Sinkyone Forest and tour the recent forest acquisitions. See above two articles for more information.
Hands-on workshops include macro-invertebrate sampling, underwater fish identification, and native plant propagation. Matt Coleman from the Mendocino Land Trust and Maureen Roche from the Mattole will co-host an underwater fish identification workshop on the Little North Fork of the Big River as well as on the main stem and estuary so participants will have an opportunity to snorkel in different micro-habitats. Participants should come prepared with a wetsuit, snorkel, and mask.
Open forums will include Stories and Songs of Salmon with songwriter Dana Lyons and a native plant propagation workshop at Jughandle Farm. Saturday night will culminate with a BBQ and concert with river troubadour and singer Dana Lyons.
Each year the Confab is held in another location on the North Coast. Next year we plan to be in the Russian River watershed.
The Confab agenda and registration form are posted on the Trees Foundation website www.treesfoundation.org
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TOC for Forest & River News, Summer 2009