The Coho Confab is a dynamic annual event that brings together community members, landowners, activists, scientists, and restoration ecologists in an effort to accelerate the recovery of imperiled salmon and steelhead and countless other species in our coastal watersheds.
Particiants practice fish rescue techniques.
Photo: Reuven Walder
The Confab is a weekend of hands-on workshops, project site tours, and networking. Workshops are designed to provide participants with the latest restoration skills and knowledge necessary to recover our home watersheds. Confab particiapants will be eligible to apply for the Trees Founation's first annual mini-grant to advance the recipients restoration project.
The Trees Foundation 7th Annual Coho Confab will be held August 13-15th at Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Marin County. Our 2003 co-sponsor, Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF), joins us again this year, and Trees and SRF are pleased to announce the co-sponsorship of the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) of this year's event, with these exciting workshops:
From the Big Picture to On-the-Ground Work - Native Plant Restoration Ecologist Karen Gaffney of Circuit Riders Productions Inc., will discuss a watershed-scale approach to restoration projects where participants will learn how to think about the `big picture' and then delve into restoration principles and issues. Participants will design and work on a small-scale watershed restoration project.
Native Plant Seed Collection - Nursery Manager Rose Roberts of Circuit Riders Productions, Inc., will focus on training participants on how to identify, collect, store, and propagate local native seed stock for future restoration projects.
The Creek is Going Dry--Save those Salmon! - A fish rescue workshop led by SPAWN will explore issues that affect creek flow dynamics and address ways in which watershed groups can help save remnant salmonid populations. You will learn about issues related to creek drying, techniques for fish rescue, how to navigate through the permitting process, and how to recruit and keep volunteers.
Watersheds to Waterspreads - Restoration Ecologist Brock Dolman of Occidental Arts and Ecology will discuss techniques for saving water and the value of hands-on restoration.
Underwater Exploration of Salmonids and their Habitat - Stream Ecologist Leslie Ferguson will provide a background on stream processes and principles such as sediment delivery, habitat conditions, and stream bed dynamics, while giving participants a first-hand look at salmonid habitat and experience identifying salmonid species in the Lagunitas Watershed.
Participants learn to measure stream characteristics.
Photo: Pat Higgins
Stream Health Monitoring - Bioassessment pioneer Jim Harrington will teach a new technique to assess stream health by studying biological communities and doing macroinvertebrates sampling, seeking indications of species biodiversity loss.
Other workshops will include:
* A Tour of Restoration Projects in Marin's watersheds, with site visits to fish passage, erosion control, and woody debris habitat enhancement projects;
* Road Repair, Restoration, and Removal, with hands-on opportunities to learn techniques to prevent runoff and excessive sediment from degrading watershed habitat;
* An Introduction to Water Quality Testing, including how to set up a program, why to do it, what to test, in-field sampling techniques, and interpreting the data;
* Effective Strategies for Watershed Groups, an opportunity to network and learn some skills that can improve your ability to restore your watershed;
* Stories and Songs of Salmon, a fun time to relax and connect.
Scholarships & work trade available. For more information about this year's Coho Confab and to sign up for the Confab mailing list, please contact the Trees Foundation at (707) 923-4377 or visit www.treesfoundation.org, or contact the Salmonid Restoration Federation at srf@northcoast.com or visit their web site at
www.calsalmon.org
This article can be found online at www.treesfoundation.org/publications/article-140
Forest & River News is produced by Trees Foundation.
For more information contact: Trees Foundation
P.O. Box 2202, Redway, CA 95560