ecesis newsletter, autumn 2008 ~ california society for ecological restoration

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Ecesis is published quarterly by the California Society for Ecological Restoration, a nonprofit corporation, as a service to its members. Newsletter contributions of all types are welcome and may be submitted to any of the regional directors (see p. 2). Articles should be sent as a word processing document; and accompanying images sent as jpg or tif files. In this issue: Wetland and Riparian Area Restoration Issue compiled by Max Busnardo 4... Long-term Conservation of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo on the Sacramento River 5... Bank Swallow Population Status and Habitat Restoration along the Middle Sacramento River Plus… 2... SERCAL Contacts 14-15... Membership Ecesis ecesis \I-’se-sus, i-’ke-sus\ noun [from Greek oikesis meaning inhabitation]: the establishment of an animal or plant in a new habitat. The Quarterly Newsletter of the California Society for Ecological Restoration Autumn Equinox Volume 18, Issue 3 Considering the Big Picture: SERCAL 2008 Conference Wrap-up by Karen Verpeet, 2008 Conference Chair Hello SERCAL! For those of you who were unable to attend our annual conference in Santa Rosa, I wanted to take this opportunity to summarize how our theme of “Restoration’s Bigger Picture: Linking Local Restoration to Regional and Global Issues” was integrated into the program. As I mentioned in my introductory article to the conference in the Spring 2008 issue of Ecesis, the idea was really to step back and look at the bigger picture — to actively consider economics, climate change, and other overarching factors when planning and designing habitat restoration projects. We started off the conference with two wonderful plenary speakers, who presented on big picture topics — Jeff Hohensee and Dr. Terry Root each discussed economics and climate change to paint a picture of where we are now and what our society and ecosystems may face in the future. Jeff is a change management expert who has been working in business, education, and sustainability for over twenty-five years. As CEO of the non-profit Natural Capitalism Solutions, he educates senior decision-makers in business, government, and civil society about the principles of sustainability. He continued next page There’s nothing like a day in the field to round out a great conference experience. The Salt Marsh Restoration fieldtrip was one of the four offered through our 2008 conference. Watch your mailbox: the SERCAL & CNGA Joint Conference Call for Abstracts will arrive in October!

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IN THIS ISSUE:Wetland and Riparian Area Restoration, compiled by Max Busnardo ~ 4. Long-term Conservation of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo on the Sacramento River ~ 5. Bank Swallow Population Status and Habitat Restoration along the Middle Sacramento River ~ SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY LINKS: journeytoforever.org ~ grow3rows.insanejournal.com ~ sustain301.insanejournal.com ~ community4good.insanejournal.com

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Page 1: Ecesis Newsletter, Autumn 2008 ~ California Society for Ecological Restoration

Ecesis is published quarterly bythe California Society forEcological Restoration, anonprofit corporation, as aservice to its members.Newsletter contributions of alltypes are welcome and may besubmitted to any of theregional directors (see p. 2).Articles should be sent as aword processing document;and accompanying imagessent as jpg or tif files.

In this issue:Wetland and RiparianArea Restoration Issuecompiled by Max Busnardo

4... Long-term Conservationof the Yellow-billed Cuckooon the Sacramento River5... Bank SwallowPopulation Status andHabitat Restoration alongthe Middle SacramentoRiver

Plus…2... SERCAL Contacts14-15... Membership

Ecesisecesis \I-’se-sus, i-’ke-sus\ noun [from Greek oikesis meaning inhabitation]: the establishment of an animal or plant in a new habitat.

The Quarterly Newsletter of the California Society for Ecological RestorationAutumn Equinox Volume 18, Issue 3

Considering the Big Picture:SERCAL 2008 Conference Wrap-upby Karen Verpeet, 2008 Conference Chair

Hello SERCAL! For those of you who were unable to attend our annual conference in Santa Rosa, Iwanted to take this opportunity to summarize how our theme of “Restoration’s Bigger Picture: LinkingLocal Restoration to Regional and Global Issues” was integrated into the program. As I mentioned inmy introductory article to the conference in the Spring 2008 issue of Ecesis, the idea was really to stepback and look at the bigger picture — to actively consider economics, climate change, and otheroverarching factors when planning and designing habitat restoration projects.

We started off the conference with two wonderful plenary speakers, who presented on big picture topics— Jeff Hohensee and Dr. Terry Root each discussed economics and climate change to paint a picture ofwhere we are now and what our society and ecosystems may face in the future.

Jeff is a change management expert who has been working in business, education, and sustainability forover twenty-five years. As CEO of the non-profit Natural Capitalism Solutions, he educates seniordecision-makers in business, government, and civil society about the principles of sustainability. He

continued next page

There’s nothing like a day in the field to round out a great conference experience. The Salt MarshRestoration fieldtrip was one of the four offered through our 2008 conference.

Watch yourmailbox:

the SERCAL &CNGA Joint

Conference Callfor Abstractswill arrive in

October!

Page 2: Ecesis Newsletter, Autumn 2008 ~ California Society for Ecological Restoration

2 Ecesis Fall 2008 Volume 18, Issue 3

SERCAL Board of DirectorsPRESIDENT Harry Oakes ICF-Jones & Stokes [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECT Pending

PAST PRESIDENT Karen Verpeet H.T. Harvey & [email protected]

SECRETARY Karen Verpeet H.T. Harvey & [email protected]

TREASURER Bo Glover Environmental Nature [email protected]

Directors REGION 1 Ralph Vigil Restoration Resources [email protected] — NORTHERN INTERIOR (Lassen,

Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity)

REGION 2 Andrew Fulks UC-Davis Putah Creek [email protected] — SACRAMENTO VALLEY (Butte, Colusa,

Glenn, Lake, Sacramento, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, Yuba)

REGION 3 Regine Miller [email protected] — BAY AREA (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco,

San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma)

REGION 4 Carl Jensen Wildlands, Inc. [email protected]— SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY (Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings,

Mariposa, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare,

Tuolumne)

REGION 5 Mark Tucker ESA [email protected] —SOUTH COAST (Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Ventura)

REGION 6 Matt James Coastal Restoration [email protected] — CENTRAL COAST (Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo,

Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz)

REGION 7 Nick Pacini River Partners [email protected]— NORTH COAST (Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino)

REGION 8 Michael Hogan Integrated Environmental RestorationServices, Inc. [email protected] — SIERRA (Alpine, El Dorado,

Inyo, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra)

REGION 9 Paul Kielhold [email protected] —SOUTHERN INTERIOR (Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino)

Guild ChairsCOASTAL HABITAT Vince Cicero California Department of Parks &

Recreation [email protected]

EDUCATION Harry Oakes ICF-Jones & Stokes [email protected]

UPLAND HABITAT Margot Griswold EARTHWORKS Restoration, [email protected]

WETLAND & RIPARIAN Max Busnardo H.T. Harvey & [email protected]

____________________ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Susan Clark [email protected]

2701 20th St., Bakersfield 93301 tel. 661.634.9228 fax 661.634.9540

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Julie St. John [email protected]

WEBMASTER Steve Newton-Reed [email protected]

opened up the SERCAL conference with an engaging presentation on the role ofcapitalism and the value of intact ecosystems, and the possible avenues forchanging our society’s “business as usual” attitude based on how capitalism cancreate positive change. His main point: It isn’t that people or businesses don’twant to make sustainable or ecologically sound decisions, but often a “businesscase” is needed for those decisions to show that it makes economic sense tocreate positive change.

Terry is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Environmental Science and Policy inthe Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Her work focuseson large-scale ecological factors shaping the ranges and abundances of animals,primarily birds. Her presentation focused on recent climate change statistics(which show that CO2 levels and temperatures are rising faster than worst-casescenarios reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) andspecies response and adaptation mechanisms. She wrapped up the talk with aninteresting discussion surrounding possible strategies, such as managedrelocations, to address the anticipated increase in species extinction rates.

Following the plenary talks, the technical sessions looked first at the biggerpicture of the global/regional scale before narrowing in to focus on thelocal/site-specific scale. The broader session topics of climate change, economics,and public lands restoration were presented on Thursday afternoon, and Friday’ssessions then focused on the smaller-scale topics of watershed-scale planning,stream restoration, and tidal marsh restoration. Each session began with talksrelated to global or regional topics and continued to narrow in focus to end withtalks related to local and site-specific topics. This global-to-local approachallowed each session to present the bigger picture perspective, while stillproviding the important technical information related to site-specific restorationtechniques.

For the many who were able to stay and participate on Saturday, we offered fourdiverse and interesting local fieldtrips, including:

Considering the Big Picture continued

Whether it’s in the session, around the refreshment table, or during abreak, there’s always a lot information being exchanged.

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Volume 18, Issue 3 Fall 2008 Ecesis 3

Salt Marsh Restoration in San Francisco Bay: 30 Years of Lessons Learned.

The field trip to the restored salt marshes of SanFrancisco Bay, led by Philip Williams & Associates withthe Sonoma Land Trust, provided a day-long journeythrough thirty years of restoration efforts. With theundisturbed marsh in China Camp State Park forreference, the group explored the restoration successesand lessons learned from five restoration sites, includingone conveniently located at a winery! Grande Dame ofthe Marshes, Phyllis Faber, lit up the trip with herreverent depictions of the adaptations of marsh plants totheir salty home and her irreverent stories of the politicsbehind restoration projects.

River Mouth to Ridgeline Tour of Dutch Bill Creek Watershed Projects.

Tour leader Brock Dolman of the Occidental Arts & EcologyCenter, took the group on a daylong trip to several instreamrestoration sites. He described how dam design from the past hasproven ineffective for fish habitat and has altered the naturalprocesses of stream morphology. Recent instream restorationprojects in Dutch Bill Creek have prioritized the removal of fishbarriers and the installation of channel and bank stabilizationmethods to provide pool and riffle development (includingplanting vegetation, placing coarse woody debris, rock weirs,etc.). At the end of the trip, the group also discussed biggerpicture topics such as the effects of erosion and the importance ofinfiltration, and the need for cooperation and communicationamongst consulting companies, agencies, organizations, andcommunity members in implementing restoration projects.

Farm Ecology: How Farmers and Restoration EcologistsWork Together to Restore and Enhance Agroecosystems.

The trip (led by Rose Roberts, of Farm Stewards, and Lou andSusan Preston, of Preston Vineyards) focused on achievingsuccessful restoration in a working landscape. The groupdiscussed ways to approach agricultural landowners by askingthem what their main stewardship needs/interests are and then, tothe extent possible, tailoring a project to address those concerns.This included an interesting discussion surrounding theparticular challenges of revegetating with natives where acommercial crop is grown, as some natives are hosts fordiseases/pests that could greatly affect the commercial crop. Theleaders also highlighted how management decisions made by afarmer to address one issue (e.g. overhead irrigating a riparianzone to keep it green to keep sharpshooters out of a vineyard)might conflict with another management concern (e.g. overheadirrigating mature oaks may kill them!). Finally, the groupdiscussed the downside of grant-funded projects on private lands,which often do not include sufficient funding for non-nativeplant removal follow-up treatments, and the need for ongoingmonitoring.

Angel Island State Park: Restoration in the Public Eye.

The spectacular views from Angel Island State Park across SanFrancisco Bay were a great bonus to the information presented onnon-native plant removal and public participation. RetiredCalifornia State Park employee Dave Boyd and current employeeBree Hardcastle walked the tour group through restoration sitesin which over 50 acres of eucalyptus trees were removed. Eventhough the new native habitat opened up the skyline across thebay, the general public was unhappy at the removal of theeucalyptus trees. Interestingly, public response was nominal whenbulldozers worked on the top of the island to sculpt the flattenedMt. Livermore peak back to its original configuration. Throughthis process, State Park learned that good public relations is thekey to a successful tree removal program — with another 26 acresof eucalyptus to remove, they will definitely be using these lessonslearned for their future efforts.

And there’s one last thing to mention — similar to our last fewconferences, SERCAL directors and members voted for theirfavorite posters based on content, clarity, and graphicpresentation. This year, the Director’s Award went to GavinArchbald & Katharyn Boyer (of San Francisco State University’sRomberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies) for theirposter “Evaluating the potential spread of an invasive forb,Limonium ramosissimum, in SF Bay salt marshes,” while theMember’s Award went to Julian Meisler (of Laguna de Santa RosaFoundation) for his poster “Ludwigia control as a precursor towetland restoration: progress and challenges.” Congratulations!

So, that’s a brief recap of our recent conference in Santa Rosa.Thanks again to Susan Clark (SERCAL administrative director)and Julie St. John (SERCAL newsletter editor and publicitydirector), and all of the workshop instructors, technical sessionschairs, field trip leaders, and presenters for all of their hard work!Hope to see you all next year from April 29 through May 2 inFolsom for our 16th annual conference!

Angel Island fieldtrip.

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4 Ecesis Fall 2008 Volume 18, Issue 3

Ecological restoration is the best conservation strategy inlandscapes that are dominated by human land uses and wherefragmentation of natural habitats leaves natural populationsisolated. Restoration of plant communities typically takes the formof growing particular plant species and strategically planting themto jump start succession (or plant community development) toproduce a desired plant community. This is widely known ashorticultural restoration — a form of active restoration. Adichotomy can be distinguished between this practice and passiverestoration which relies on natural ecosystem services to produce adesired plant community. This is commonly known as a form ofprocess-based restoration. In a well balanced restoration program acontinuum of practices exists where in the short term activerestoration is emphasized and in the long term process-basedrestoration is relied upon to perpetuate a desired ecologicalcommunity. To some degree the dichotomy identified above isoverly simplistic and false in that there are elements of hands-offpractices within active restoration (e.g. reliance on rainfall insteadof irrigation) and likewise there are elements of active restorationwithin process-based restoration (e.g. setting fires to simulatenatural disturbance). Thus a continuum view of restoration

techniques islikely to be themost successfulconservationstrategy (figure1). The westernyellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) (figure 2)is a good example of an endangered bird species that requires bothsuch approaches to ecological restoration for its conservation.

The yellow-billed cuckoo is a Neotropical migrant with a vastlyreduced number of summer range populations (figure 3).Historically there were populations as far north as BritishColumbia, Canada, but today the northernmost population isfound along the banks of the Sacramento River in NorthernCalifornia in the part of the river where the channel migratesthrough the floodplain. The Sacramento River population is thelargest within the state. Under the California Endangered SpeciesAct the subspecies was listed as threatened in 1971 and endangeredin 1987. Currently, it lacks any federal protection under theEndangered Species Act (ESA) because the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS) does not officially recognize the subspecies status

due to debate within the ornithological sciences on itstaxonomic status (see Bent 1940, Banks 1988, Franzreband Laymon 1993, Pruett et al. 2001, Fleischer 2001).Nevertheless, under the federal Endangered Species Actyellow-billed cuckoos in California are eligible for distinctpopulation segment status. The western subspecies wasfirst described by Ridgway in 1887 and the AmericanOrnithologists’ Union recognized the subspecies from1895-1957. From a morphological viewpoint it appears tobe a classic taxonomic lumpers versus splittersdisagreement, but genetically it has proved to be a morecomplex interpretive problem. A timeline of statewidepopulation abundance indicates approximately 15,000pairs of cuckoos occupied California in the mid-1800s(Hughes 1999), marked declines were noted by naturalistsin the 1940s (Grinnell and Miller 1944), in 1977 therewere approximately 163 pairs, and in 2000 only 100 pairsremained extant (Halterman et al. 2001). The SacramentoRiver population declined from 96 pairs in 1973 to 60 in1977. From 1987-1990 the population declined again toan average of 35 pairs and the most recent census found40 pairs in 2000. It is unknown how stochastic events such

Long-term Conservation of theYellow-billed Cuckoo on theSacramento River Will RequireProcess-based Restorationby Steven E. Greco, Ph.D., Department of Environmental Design, UC Davis

Figure 2 The western yellow-billed cuckoo(Coccyzus americanus occidentalis). Illustration by C. Hipkiss.

Figure 1 A continuum view of active and passive restoration techniques.

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Volume 18, Issue 3 Fall 2008 Ecesis 5

as disease (e.g. West Nile virus) might affect the sustainability ofthis small population. Conditions in its winter range may alsoaffect the size and sustainability of the population, however, little tonothing is known about this aspect of its life history.

On the Sacramento River pairs of yellow-billed cuckoos have beenobserved to use large patches (5-80 hectares or ~12-200 acres) ofwillow-cottonwood communities as their primary foraging andnesting habitat. The cuckoo is considered habitat-limited in itssummer range. The vast majority of its habitat was destroyed as aresult of floodplain modification for agricultural and urbandevelopment. Over 95% of the riparian forests in the Central Valleyhave been removed since the mid-1800s. In a recently conductedhabitat analysis, cottonwood trees (Populus fremontii) were foundto be the single most important determinant to predicting cuckoooccurrence (Girvetz 2007). Clearly, in the short-term, there is agreat need to plant more cottonwood tree patches along the riverbanks and on the floodplains of the Sacramento River. Numeroushorticulturally-based efforts have been made by the USFWS, TheNature Conservancy (TNC), and River Partners to name a few.

Large gallery forests of cottonwood naturally regenerate on thepoint bars of migrating channels and on the margins of oxbowlakes formed after a river channel bend cuts off. These naturalcolonization events are known as primary succession since novegetation had previously existed on those newly deposited orexposed substrates. The classic pattern of striated forests on pointbars (figure 4) has a temporal component. The youngest trees arelocated nearest to the edge of the channel and forests are older thefurther one travels from the edge. This pattern reflects the age ofthe substrate (see Greco et al. 2007). Similarly, as oxbow lakes fillwith sediment and gradually terrestrialize over time, willow andcottonwood forests can form en masse. Riparian forestregeneration rates were measured at three oxbow lakes and the areaof new forest at each former channel ranged from 0.78-1.13hectares/year/bend (~2-3 acres/year/bend) on the SacramentoRiver (Greco and Plant 2003). Oxbow riparian forests also tend tohave greater plant species diversity since they contain several morewillow (Salix) species than typically occur on point bars (Vaghtiand Greco 2006). Whereas point bars and channel bar islands inthe main stem (channel) of the river typically contain Salix exiguaand S. gooddingii, the oxbow riparian forests contain those and S.lasiandra, S. laevegata, and S. lasiolepis, in addition to buttonwillow (Cephalanthus occidentalis, which is not a true willow).Where they are allowed to exist, oxbow riparian forests retain acornucopia of life along the river and yellow-billed cuckoos justlove them. Unfortunately, most oxbow forests are cut down and thechannel is filled-in or it is used as a tail water pond for agriculturalpurposes.

It is fair to say that yellow-billed cuckoos occupy habitats in a verydynamic part of the river system. I conducted a study of the habitatpatch dynamics of the yellow-billed cuckoo on the SacramentoRiver using a habitat suitability index (HSI) model and ageographic information system (GIS) (Greco 1999, Greco et al.

2002). The HSI model parameters were based on numerousobservations of mated pairs for nesting and foraging (see Laymonand Halterman 1989). ‘Optimal’ habitat was defined as largeriparian forest patches (>80 ha [>200 ac]) containing willow andcottonwood, patch thickness had to be >600 m, and patches had tobe within 100 m of open water. ‘Suitable’ habitat was defined asriparian forest patches 41-80 ha (~100-200 ac), patch thickness200-600 m wide, and within 100 m of open water. ‘Marginal’habitat was defined as riparian forest patches 17-40 ha (~40-100ac), patch thickness 100-199 m wide, and within 100 m of openwater. These parameters and 21 locations (separate patches) ofcuckoo observations were used to calibrate the model using 1997land cover data of the river. The model was found to be 81%accurate for correctly predicting cuckoo presence and absencewithin the patches, with 0% omission error and 19% commissionerror (a Kappa statistic was also calculated, K=0.83). This HSImodel was then applied to land cover maps of five former timeperiods (1938, 1952, 1966, 1978, and 1987) in the exact samesection of the river (river miles 196-218, or roughly from Highway32 to the Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area). The resultinghabitat maps clearly showed the dynamic nature of the habitatpatch quality over time; some blinking on and some blinking offand degrading in suitability as time progressed. Bend cutoffs thatcreated oxbow lakes and riparian forests played a large role in

continued next page

Figure 3 Historical and current range map of the westernyellow-billed cuckoo; (a) summer range, (b) winter range.

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creating optimal habitats for the cuckoo over time,especially at the California Department of Fish andGame’s Pine Creek Wildlife Area (PCWA) at rivermile 197. The PCWA had more cuckoo sightings thanany other reserve on the river (135 sightings from1972-1998).

The main conclusion of the patch dynamics study wasthat maintenance of the hydro-geomorphic processesthat create point bars and oxbow lakes must beconserved to ensure that yellow-billed cuckoo habitatis continually regenerated over time to sustain thepopulation. What are some of the impediments toachieving this recommendation? They are numerous,but I’ll discuss the top three. First, riprap is bankrevetment that is placed at the river’s edge to preventchannel meandering (erosion of the cut banks) and toprevent bend cutoffs. Typically, it is composed of rockand concrete and installation requires stripping allvegetation off the bank. To many recreationists, it isan eyesore of ugly blight and reduces the scenicbeauty of the river. Over 50% of the meanderingsector of the Sacramento River between Red Bluff andColusa is currently riprapped. Second, stream power(the ability of the river to do “work”) has beenreduced dramatically because Shasta Dam stores vastamounts of water behind the dam and waterdiversions siphon off water from the channel, hencedecreasing the potential energy to erode banks (see Larsen et al.2006a). As an example, the pre-Shasta Dam 5-year recurrenceinterval is now nearly the post-Shasta Dam 20-year recurrenceinterval flow. In other words, the river cannot meander as much asit had in the past because it lacks the strength. Third, levees nearthe main channel prevent floodplain inundation, a criticalecosystem function in riparian systems to promote riparian forestformation and increase fish productivity. Levees directly adjacentto the main channel of the Sacramento River (as is the case fromthe Delta at river mile zero to Colusa at river mile 145) are oftencovered in riprap that prevents nearly all healthy river functioningfrom an ecosystem perspective.

What can be done to save the yellow-billed cuckoos fromextinction? In the short-term, horticulturally-based restorationshould strive to plant more cottonwoods in acquired reserve lands.This has proved effective at TNC lands such as at the Phelan Islandreserve where cuckoos have started to use planted patches ofcottonwoods for nesting and foraging. In the long-term, process-based restoration should be relied upon to sustain the riparianforests and cuckoo population on the Sacramento River. All riprapon the banks between Red Bluff and Colusa should be re-assessedin terms of its justification and usefulness. Clearly riprap nearbridges, roads, pumping stations, and other critical infrastructureshould be retained, however, a large percentage of it should be

removed and erosion easements purchased from private landowners where feasible. Ironically, few if any reserves exist on bothsides of the river. In almost all cases, reserves occupy one side ofthe river and private farming land occupies the other. Futurereserves should strive to acquire land on both sides to allowchannel meandering to occur. The next level of process-basedmanagement is to identify river bends that can be permitted tocut off and create oxbow lakes and forests. One such project iscurrently being assessed for feasibility at Woodson Bridge StateRecreation Area (see Larsen and Greco 2002). Another criticalcomponent for process-based restoration is establishing a morenaturalistic hydrograph for the river. Strategically operatedprescription flows and spring season drawdown rates should beestablished to encourage cottonwood forest growth on the river.Finally, levee setbacks (moving the levee away from the channel)are needed to allow healthy riparian and riverine ecosystemfunctioning (see Larsen et al. 2006b). This will serve to restorehabitats for a multitude of species that are currently threatenedwith extinction in the Sacramento River ecosystem. We can do it.We have the smarts and wherewithal. We just need leadershipwith vision. Process-based restoration is a challenge and it willrequire intensive planning and active management at many levels.

Long-term conservation of theYellow-billed Cuckoo continued

Figure 4 The meandering sector of the Sacramento River showing point bars,oxbow lakes, and riparian forests in a landscape matrix of agricultural land uses.Photo by Geoff Fricker.

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REFERENCES

Banks, R.C. 1988. Geographic Variation in the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Condor90:473-477.

Bent, A.C. 1940. Life histories of North American cuckoos, goatsuckers,hummingbirds and their allies. U.S. National Museum Bulletin 176.

Fleischer, R.C. 2001. Taxonomic and Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) Statusof Western Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus). Report to the USGSand USFWS, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.

Franzreb, K.E., and S.A. Laymon. 1993. A reassessment of the taxonomic status ofthe yellow-billed cuckoo. Western Birds 24:17-28.

Girvetz, E.H. 2007. Multi-scale Habitat Patch Modeling: Integrating LandscapePattern, Habitat Suitability, and Population Dynamics with Implications forEcology and Conservation. Ph.D. dissertation, Graduate Group in Ecology,Office of Graduate Studies, University of California, Davis, CA.

Greco, S.E., A.K. Fremier, E.W. Larsen, and R.E. Plant. 2007. A Tool for TrackingFloodplain Age Land Surface Patterns on a Large Meandering River withApplications for Ecological Planning and Restoration Design. Landscape andUrban Planning 81(4):354-373.

Greco, S. E., and R. E. Plant. 2003. Temporal Mapping of Riparian LandscapeChange on the Sacramento River, Miles 196-218, California, USA. LandscapeResearch 28(4):405-426.

Greco, S. E., R. E. Plant, and R. H. Barrett. 2002. Geographic modeling oftemporal variability in habitat quality of the yellow-billed cuckoo on theSacramento River, miles 196-219, California. IN: J. M. Scott, P. J. Heglund, F.Samson, J. Haufler, M. Morrison, M. Raphael, and B. Wall (eds.). PredictingSpecies Occurrences: Issues of Accuracy and Scale. Island Press, Covelo, CA, pp.183-196.

Greco, S.E. 1999. Monitoring riparian landscape change and modeling habitatdynamics of the yellow-billed cuckoo on the Sacramento River, California. Ph.D.dissertation, Graduate Group in Ecology, Office of Graduate Studies,University of California, Davis, CA.

Grinnell, J., and A. H. Miller. 1944. The distribution of the birds of California.Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 27.

Halterman, M.D., D.S. Gilmer, S.A. Laymon, and G.A. Falxa. 2001. Status of theYellow-billed Cuckoo in California: 1999-2000. USGS-BRD-WERC Final reportsubmitted to USFWS, USBR May 2001.

Hughes, J.M. 1999. Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). In: Poole, A.,and F. Gill, (Eds.), The Birds of North America, No. 418. The Birds of NorthAmerica, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

Larsen, E.W., and S.E. Greco. 2002. Modeling Channel Management Impacts onRiver Migration: a Case Study of Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area,Sacramento River, California. Environmental Management 30(1):209-244.

Larsen, E.W., A.K. Fremier, and S.E. Greco. 2006a. Cumulative Effective StreamPower and Bank Erosion on the Sacramento River, California. Journal of theAmerican Water Resources Association 42(4):1077-1097.

Larsen, E.W., E.H. Girvetz, and A.K. Fremier. 2006b. Assessing the Effects ofAlternative Setback Channel Constraint Scenarios Employing a River MeanderMigration Model. Environmental Management 37(6):880–897.

Laymon, S. A., and M. D. Halterman. 1989. A proposed habitat managementplan for yellow-billed cuckoos in California. Pp. 272-277 in D. L. Abel (technicalcoordinator). Proceedings of the California Riparian Systems Conference:protection, management and restoration for the 1990s. Pacific SouthwestForest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department ofAgriculture General Technical Report PSW-110, Berkeley, CA.

Pruett, C.L., D.D Gibson, and K. Winker. 2001. Molecular ‘‘Cuckoo Clock’’Suggests Listing of Western Yellow-billed Cuckoos May Be Warranted. WilsonBull. 113(2):228–231

Vaghti, M. G. and S. E. Greco. 2007. Riparian Vegetation of the Great Valley. IN:Barbour, M. G., T. Keeler-Wolf and A. Schoenherr (Eds.) Terrestrial Vegetationof California, 3rd ed., UC Press, Berkeley, CA, pp. 425-455.

Many thanks to our 2008 Conference Sponsors…

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Distribution, Abundance and Status. The Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia riparia), or BANS, is acolonial nesting migratory bird and California ThreatenedSpecies. More than 70% of California’s nesting populationoccurs in the cut banks of the Sacramento River andlower Feather River. The eroding banks along 100 milesof the Sacramento River between Red Bluff (River Mile243) and Colusa (River Mile 143), henceforth referred toas the “middle Sacramento River,” contains the most importanthabitat for bank swallow colonies in the State, supporting about90% of the entire Sacramento/Feather breeding population. TheCalifornia Department of Fish and Game (DFG) initiated theBANS Research Program along the Sacramento River.Investigations included: nesting population surveys consisting ofburrow counts by colony; reproductive studies to determineburrow occupancy and recruitment rates; banding for populationdynamics; investigations of individual colonies and habitatassessments to identify threats to colonies and habitat; and,nesting habitat and substrate characteristics. Annual BANScolony breeding pair surveys have been conducted since 1986; in1999 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), SacramentoNational Wildlife Refuge Complex became a partner in theannual cooperative survey. The largest population was recordedalong the middle Sacramento River in 1986 when 11,304 breedingpairs were estimated from 53 colonies. A steady decline resultedin 4,400 pairs at 37 colonies in 1998. Since then, the populationhas slowly recovered to 8,010 pairs at 38 colonies (June 2007): 11colonies were on various units of the USFWS Sacramento RiverNational Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and seven on units ofSacramento River Wildlife Area managed by the DFG. Howeverjust eight colonies contained 49% of the population, increasingthe risk of catastrophic population loss through stochastic events,such as high flows during the nesting season, which can causeriver bank collapse at colonies as occurred on 27 May 1998.

Habitat Characteristics. The BANS dig horizontal burrows about 2 by 3 inches wide, 2 to3 feet deep in cut banks. Soil samples from most of the burrowsanalyzed by DFG in 1986–87 consisted of evenly textured loam,

fine sandy loam, and silt loam soils of the Columbia soil series.Columbia silt loam (Tehama, Glenn and Colusa counties) andGianella silt loam (Butte County) typifies BANS habitat and hasbeen described as slightly hard silt loam and very fine sandy loamcontaining stratified, thin layers of loamy fine sand, and sandsthat are brown and friable when moist. BANS do not burrow inbanks with coarser soils. Colonies often occur in narrow bands orlayers of Columbia silt loam, between layers of finer or coarsersoils even when these alternating layers occur in non-levelundulating patterns.

Bank slope and height are also important habitat characteristics.Bank slope is a function of soil texture, and is an important factoraffecting bank stability and habitat suitability. For example,slumps at the base of the bank due to coarse soil materials resultsin predator access to BANS burrows from below, which isespecially critical for relatively low banks. Typical high qualityhabitat occurs at banks with >80% slope, between four to 24 feetin height.

A primary reason why the middle Sacramento River supports thegreatest densities of BANS colonies in California is that the rivermigrates laterally. As the channel meanders, it creates fresh cutbank surfaces at outside bends. Over time, the meandering mainchannel reworks the floodplain and associated soil materials.Deposited and reworked materials form a zone of mixedalluvium, which is composed of various sized particles; mostlyvarious amounts of silt and sand with gravel and clay lensesindicating the presence of former gravel bars and oxbows or otherwetlands. Columbia and Gianella soils occur in the mixed

Bank Swallow Population Status andHabitat Restorationalong the MiddleSacramento Riverby Joe Silveira, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service, Sacramento National WildlifeRefuge Complex, 752 County Road 99W, Willows,CA 95988 ([email protected])

June 14, 2002: Bank Swallow colony at Sacramento River National WildlifeRefuge, Flynn Unit levee removal and riparian floodplain restoration.Courtesy Joe Silveira.

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alluvium zone. Due to channel migration, BANS habitat (steepcut banks of silt loam) is ephemeral; lost as the river migrates intosands and gravels, and created as it meanders into the silt loams.Thus, river meander is essential to providing the conditions forBANS colony habitat along the middle Sacramento River.

Habitat Degradation and Loss. The primary threat to BANS populations along the middleSacramento River is loss of habitat for the establishment ofnesting colonies. Flood control and bank armoring projects arethe primary source of this threat. During the mid-1980s the U.S.Army Corp of Engineers increased its Sacramento River BankProtection Project along the middle Sacramento River. Duringthis time, active nesting colonies were rip-rapped. This practicewas stopped by the USFWS under authority of the MigratoryBird Treaty Act. However, bank armoring would legally proceedoutside the nesting season or during the nesting season if thebank was covered to prevent nesting activities. The CaliforniaDepartment of Water Resources–Northern District Office (DWR)is quantifying the distribution of various kinds of bank armoring.Federal and State project rip-rap and private rocking activitieshave armored over 48% of the suitable BANS nesting habitatbetween Red Bluff and Colusa. Recent and projected SacramentoRiver bank armoring projects have, and will potentially destroy ordisplace vital colony sites on private and public lands. TheSacramento River below Colusa to the confluence of the FeatherRiver is mostly “channelized” between rip-rap armored, closely-spaced levees — only a few small colonies remain near theconfluence.

Species Recovery. The State BANS Recovery Plan identifies the risk ofextinction unless a minimum population size —which is many times larger than current trendsindicate — is maintained, and suitable nestinghabitat is protected. DFG will determine a targetpopulation for recovery through revised populationviability analysis (PVA). In the meantime, ananalysis of BANS annual survey data includedregression modeling to evaluating river flows, bankrevetment, and colony proximity to grasslands.Results suggests the middle Sacramento River BANSpopulation could be restored to 45 colonies throughthe removal of about 10% of existing bank armorfrom suitable sites, grassland restoration nearcolonies, or (timely) increases in flow discharge.Removal of rip-rap would expose bank surfaces forpotential erosion and bank collapse making freshburrow substrate available; and, grasslandspresumably provide an abundance of insect preynecessary to provision the colony. Late winter andspring flows create the conditions for erosion andbank collapse, but timing is critical since high flowsduring nesting increase the likelihood of colonylosses.

Habitat Restoration and Management at SacramentoRiver National Wildlife Refuge. Sacramento River NWR was established in 1989 to providehabitat for endangered and threatened species, migratory birds,anadromous fish, native plants, and their habitats. Flood-prone,erodible, agricultural lands are being restored to riparian andfloodplain habitats through main channel/floodplain re-connectivity and re-vegetation using active cultivation of localecotypes of indigenous plants. The Sacramento River NWRComprehensive Conservation Plan identifies riparian andfloodplain restoration and cooperative monitoring and researchas conservation strategies for the BANS and associated species.Habitat restoration shows promise for the establishment of BANScolonies. Sacramento River NWR removed a private levee at theFlynn Unit that was constructed by the previous landowner forthe protection of a prune orchard. The orchard was removed andland restored to mixed riparian forest. Since the levee was nolonger necessary, the Refuge removed it during the late summerof 1991. The DFG–USFWS annual BANS survey recorded 2,770pairs in June 2000. This represented the second largest colony inBANS survey history. In addition to this large BANS colony, fall-run Chinook salmon were observed spawning in the channelwhich had eroded and moved across the former levee site ontoRefuge land.

Through various partnerships such as The Nature Conservancy,River Partners, Hedgerow Farms, Floral Native Nursery,PRBO–Conservation Science, and DWR, Sacramento River NWRhas restored over 4,500 acres of riparian and floodplainvegetation: this includes over 450 acres of native grasslands.

June 20, 2006: Bank Swallow colony at Sacramento River National WildlifeRefuge, Pine Creek Unit native grassland restoration. Courtesy Joe Silveira.

continued page 11

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Many thanks to our 2008 Conference Premier Sponsor…

Many thanks to our 2008 Conference Sponsors…

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References on page 12

Volume 18, Issue 3 Fall 2008 Ecesis 11

Native grasses are used as understory components to improveforested habitats. Grassland vegetation using local ecotypes of nativegrasses are also being restored to provide habitat diversity at a largerlandscape scale and maintain flow conveyance through thefloodplain. At the Pine Creek Unit, 140 acres of grasslands havebeen restored from the bank of the Sacramento River across thefloodplain. This grassland is directly above a large BANS colonywhere the birds are observed hawking for insects. The annualcooperative survey has identified grassland habitats (both naturalannual and restored) associated with the largest BANS colonies.“Build it and they will come.” Monitoring surveys and researchinvestigations at both restoration and remnant/reference sites haveshown increases in species diversity for breeding songbirds, bats,small mammals, bees, and ground beetles; restoration sites plantedwith blue elderberry are being colonized by the valley elderberrylonghorn beetle.

Population and Habitat Conservation Potential. A plan for BANS conservation is needed for the Sacramento River.A BANS Working Group has formed including representatives fromState and federal agencies, private non-profit organizations, andacademia. The group is in the process of identifying potential short-and long-term conservation strategies including: continued annualcolony monitoring; a spatial analysis of the annual BANS colonysurvey data to determine colony persistence in relation to landscapefeatures including bank rip-rap; protection of existing BANS colonysites and most eroding river bank on the middle Sacramento River;potential sites (especially on conservation lands) for rip-rapremoval; investigations of habitat, colony and population dynamics;enforcement of county, State and federal environmental laws andcodes; and, long-term potentials for levee setbacks. Informationdeveloped by the working group would be used to inform DFG,which will revise the BANS Recovery Plan and PVA.

The Bank Swallow and the Middle Sacramento River.The Sacramento River is California’s largest river. Its basinrepresents about 18 percent of the State’s land area and yieldsalmost 36% of the water supply. It connects the Pacific marineenvironments with Sierra and Cascade tributaries providing varioushabitats for four runs of Chinook salmon, steelhead, green andwhite sturgeon, and other anadromous fishes. Riparian andfloodplain vegetation along the middle Sacramento River providesrich and vital habitat for a great diversity of migratory birds andother taxa and restoration involving strong partnerships is provingto increase this biological diversity. Habitat requirements for theBANS reflects the functional physical processes (overbank flows,erosion, deposition, and lateral channel migration) which driveecological processes (plant recruitment, growth, survival, andcommunity succession) responsible for this diversity. As such,BANS colonies and populations serve as a terrestrial indicator forthe health of this ecosystem.

Bank Swallow Population Statusand Habitat Restoration continued

Many thanks to our 2008 Conference Sponsors…

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REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READING

Buer, K., D. Forwalter, M. Kissel, and B. Stohler. 1989. The middleSacramento River: human impacts on physical and ecological processesalong a meandering river. Abell, D.L., editor. Proceedings of theCalifornia Riparian Systems Conference: protection, management, andrestoration for the 1990s; 1988 September 22-24: Davis, CA. Pages 22-32 in: General Technical Report No. PSW-100. Berkeley, CA: PacificSouthwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S.Department of Agriculture.

California Department of Fish and Game. 1992. Recovery plan: BankSwallow. Report No. 93.02. CDFG, Nongame Bird and MammalSection, Wildlife Management Division, Sacramento.

Garcia, D, R. Schlorff, and J. Silveira. 2008. Bank swallows on theSacramento River, a 10–year update. Central Valley Birds 11(1):1-12.

Gardali, T., A.L. Holmes, S.S. Small, N. Nur, G.R. Geupel, G.H. Golet.2006. Abundance patterns of landbirds in restored and remnant forestson the Sacramento River, California, U.S.A. Restoration Ecology14(3):391-403.

Garrison, B.A. 1989. Habitat suitability index models: bank swallow. U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, CA.

Garrison, B.A. 1991. Evaluation of experimental nesting habitat andselected aspects of bank swallow biology on the Sacramento River,California, 1988 to 1990. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento,CA.

Garrison, B.A. 1999. Bank swallow (Riparia riparia). No. 414. In A. Pooleand F. Gill, editors. The Birds of North America. The Academy ofNatural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the AmericanOrnithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.

Garrison, B.A., J.M. Humphrey, and S.A. Laymon. 1987. Bank swallowdistribution and nesting ecology on the Sacramento River, California.Western Birds 18: 71-76.

Golet, G.H., T. Gardali, C. Howell, J. Hunt, R.A. Luster, B. Rainey, M.D.Roberts, J. Silveira, H. Swagerty, N. Williams. 2008. Wildlife response torestoration on the Sacramento River. San Francisco Estuary andWatershed Science Vol. 6, Issue 2 (June), Article 1:1–26.

Moffatt, K.C., E.E. Crone, K.D. Holl, R.W., Schlorff, and B.A. Garrison.2005. Importance of hydrologic and landscape heterogeneity forrestoring bank swallow (Riparia riparia) colonies along the SacramentoRiver, California. Restoration Ecology 13: 391-402.

Schlorff, R.W. 1997. Monitoring bank swallow populations on theSacramento River: a decade of decline. Transactions of the WesternSection of the Wildlife Society 33:40-48.

The Nature Conservancy, Stillwater Sciences, and ESSA TechnologiesLtd. 2008. Sacramento River Ecological Flows Study. Prepared for theCal-Fed Ecosystem Restoration Program. Final Report, March 2008.Various component reporting on the Bank Swallow as a terrestrialindicator of ecosystem health.www.delta.dfg.ca.gov/erp/sacriverecoflows.asp

Bank Swallow Population Status and Habitat Restoration continued

A B

The Implications of Conference Leadership Styleson the Personal Restorative Patterns of Two SERCAL Presidents: A Case Study

Whereas Presidentus tuckermark surferdudii (figure A) exhibits a strong tendency to hibernate after a successful conference,Presidentus oakesharry gretzskyi (figure B) demonstrates migrational tendencies, often in a clockwise pattern. Results are not yetconclusive as data was corrupted due to an unfortunate Malus vs. Citrus comparative matrix — data for surferdudii was capturedpost-conference while gretzskyi was pre-conference (as the un-aided eye can plainly see in the vigor of the skatestride). Photos courtesy the cellphones* of Harry Oakes (A) and Carol Presley (B). *No cell phones were harmed in the course of this study.

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Volume 18, Issue 3 Fall 2008 Ecesis 13

Many thanks to our 2008 Conference Sponsors…

Noteworthy Natural Resource EventsThe CALFED Science Program has an

opening for one Research Writer andmultiple Staff Environmental Scientists.Help our team to synthesize cutting-edgescience from exceptional minds and leadingresearchers throughout the nation to keepgovernment policy makers fully informed ontimely water and ecosystem resource relatedtopics in California. www.calwater.ca.gov/calfed/HR/job_opportunities.html

The Endangered Species Act: California’sWater Supply Conference — In theSacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the SanJoaquin River, the Colorado River and inlocal watersheds throughout the state, theimpact of water management decisions onendangered species has become a pivotal andoften contentious issue. Join UC DavisExtension and industry professionals forConference to examine issues related to thefederal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and

the California Endangered Species Act(CESA) and how these acts influence theallocation of the state’s water supply anddefine California’s prominent water conflicts.October 2, 8:30a–5:00p at the UC DavisBuehler Alumni & Visitors Center.www.extension.ucdavis.edu/unit/land_use_and_natural_resources

Proposition 84 Funding: The ResourcesAgency and the California Department ofWater Resources are pleased to announce thejoint release of the guidelines and applicationfor the California River Parkways (RP) andthe Urban Streams Restoration (USR) grantprograms. Funding for both programs isavailable through the Safe Drinking Water,Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control,River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of2006. Proposed available funding andtimelines are contingent upon enactment of the2008/09 budget and subsequent budget

decisions. www.watershedrestoration.water.ca.gov/urbanstreams/

The Watershed Project Fall 2008Programs for a Healthy Environment, SFBay Area. www.theWatershedProject.org

Bioengineering Field School on theCentral Coast, 6–9 October, Santa YnezValley. Sponsored by the SalmonidRestoration Federation (SRF) with supportfrom CDFG. www.calsalmon.org

2008 Cal-IPC Symposium, 2–4 October,CSU Chico, with Field Course onRevegetation Techniques, 1 Octoberwww.cal-ipc.org

CNGA Workshop: Developing aSustainable Grazing Plan to ManageNative Grasslands. 14–15 October,Pepperwood Preserve, Santa Rosa.www.cnga.org

Greetingsfrom lovely

LakeNatoma

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14 Ecesis Fall 2008 Volume 18, Issue 3

Sustaining �Individual $100

Bo Glover Environmental NatureCenter Newport Beach

Jon Shilling Shilling Seed Auburn

Business $5002008-2009 Prunuske Chatham, Inc.Sebastopol

Contributing �Business $250

Integrated Environmental RestorationServices, Inc. Tahoe City

Coastal Restoration Consultants, Inc.Santa Barbara

Kamman Hydrology & EngineeringSan Rafael

Dudek Engineering & EnvironmentEncinitas

Native Grow NurserySan Juan Capistrano

E. Read and Associates, Inc. OrangePalos Verdes Peninsula Land

ConservancyRECON Environmental, Inc. San DiegoTree of Life Nursery Mike EvansSan Juan Capistrano

Tree of Life Nursery Jeff BohnSan Juan Capistrano

Tree of Life Nursery Laura CampSan Juan Capistrano

Ecological Concerns, Inc. Santa CruzHedgerow Farms WintersGrover Landscape Services ModestoStover Seed Company Los Angeles

Pacific Coast Seed Livermore

Wildscape Restoration, Inc. Ventura

Many, Many Thanks to our Members…

And Welcome to our New Members! through 8 September 2008

Caroline Levenda Hoopa TribalForestry Willow Creek

Diana Benner The WatershedNursery Berkeley

Elizabeth Goebel UCDavis/Audubon CA LandownerStewardship Program

Christina Sloop Laguna de SantaRosa Foundation Santa Rosa

Nikolle L. Brown Buada AssociatesFresno

Inland Empire RCD Redlands (NPO) Kristin Teddy ICF Jones & Stokes

SacamentoAndrea Adams-Morden Carpinteria

Nature PreservesChris Hauser Santa Lucia

Conservancy CarmelJeannine Koshear Fresno City

CollegePeter Trotta Habitat Restoration

Sciences EscondidoCameron Colson CAMCO SaratogaJennifer McBroom Invasive

Spartina Project BerkeleyDarcy Aston FishNet4C PetalumaSherry Adams Audubon Canyon

Ranch Glen EllenAllison Green UC BerkeleyKevin Sherrill Pt. Reyes Nat’l

SeashoreAriel Cowan Golden Gate National

Parks ConservancyDavid Chad Ladusaw Golden Gate

National Parks ConservancySotoyome RCD Santa Rosa (NPO) Robert J. Steers UC RiversideCatherine Darst USFWS VenturaSave the Bay Oakland (NPO) Olin Anderson OA Design &

Restoration CoolIrvine Ranch Conservancy (NPO) Brook Edwards Restoration

Resources Sacramento

San Francisco Estuary InstituteOakland (NPO)

Darcie Collins Save the BayOakland

Marilyn Latta California CoastalConservancy Oakland

Kristy Forburger City of San Diego,Planning & CommunityInvestment

Betsy Miller City of San Diego,Planning & CommunityInvestment

Tim Koopman Koopman RanchSunol

Christina Toms Wetlands & WaterResources San Rafael

Dina Robertson URS CorporationOakland

Matt Yurko CA CoastalCommission Newport Beach

Cheryl Essex UC DavisStephanie Klein Biohabitats, Inc.

EurekaThe Bay Institute Novato (NPO)Andrea Mauro ICF Jones & Stokes

SacramentoMark Montygierd Los AngelesStephen Layton Streamline

Planning Consultants EurekaMargaret Lee Peggy Lee Consulting

SacramentoPatrick Congdon La HondaMark Fogiel Nevada CityZarah Wyly Sacramento Tree

FoundationTom Belton US Air Force

VandenbergCatherine Burton Endpoint

Environmental LLC San FranciscoJohn Knapp LompocJon Hall Morro Bay National

Estuary Program Marit Wilkerson UC DavisJen Stern Santa Cruz County RCD

Page 15: Ecesis Newsletter, Autumn 2008 ~ California Society for Ecological Restoration

Volume 18, Issue 3 Fall 2008 Ecesis 15

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SERCAL’s 16th Annual Conference is moving to a time of year we hope will be the most optimal for everyone involved in restoration efforts… AND we’re joining efforts with the California Native Grasslands Association: