Diggin' In: The Gienger Report
December 18, 2009

To recap an earlier topic from this past summer's "Diggin' In," regarding the big effects of the California bond funding freeze on watershed restoration and related endeavors: The adverse effects continue and are severe, but a certain proportion of contracted projects have been "unfrozen" in the last couple of months, although MANY uncertainties continue. For all new projects, the freeze is still on. A lot of the restarted contracted projects are under high probability that funding will again be cut off before projects can be completed, with funding halted at the end of December 2009 or end of March 2010. Some bond sales are anticipated for February or March 2010. David Simpson, honcho of the Association of Conservation Contractors and Workers (ACCW)--founded early in 2009 at the annual conference of the Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF)--is a key source of current information. He can be e-mailed at *hnpetrolia@aol.com*. You can also keep track of perspectives and information on the multifaceted website of "ReSeed California." Their purpose is "Collaborating to Support the Work of the Environmental Sector." (read more)


Diggin' In: The Gienger Report
August 19, 2009

Several things are on my mind as mid-summer simmers. In my Spring 2009 "Diggin' In" column, I really focused on the California bond funding `freeze' and it's horrific impacts on organizations, businesses, and individuals involved with watershed restoration work--and the potential for continuing and worsening effects. Well, good news & bad news: the `freeze' thawed enough for many restoration businesses and organizations to have their back invoices finally honored by the state and go-aheads given to recommence certain projects. BUT, California's bond rating was recently pushed into the `sub-basement' so there are certainly no assurances that the work done will be paid for anytime soon. IOUs anybody? The new Association of Conservation Contractors and Workers is meeting on August 1st to try and come to grips with the situation and the future of watershed restoration in California. (read more)


Diggin' In: The Gienger Report
April 15, 2009

My original topics for this issue were to include community-based forests (specifically the Usal Redwood Forest in northwest Mendocino County, continuing the theme I focused on in the Winter 2008 Forest & River News); some important aspects of the Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc., (RFFI) manifested efforts "to create new stewardship models that would both protect the natural and cultural values and provide a long-term conservation-based economy"; and also the usual short summaries of other issues vital to California's North Coast. However, the panic and resulting critical pressures brought to bear on watershed restoration and conservation-based efforts by the freezing of Bond Funds in California on December 17th, 2008, coupled with the pell-mell rush to submit "shovel-ready" projects for federal Stimulus Funding by early April 2009, have now grabbed center stage for this column. (read more)


Diggin' In: The Gienger Report
December 31, 2008
I've been wondering how to approach the topic of "Community Forests," or "Community Forestry," and/or "Community-based Forestry" for this edition of Forest & River News. A summary of some of my regularly covered topics will follow my thoughts on community connected forests. Included in this article are descriptions of a specific community-based forest organization, the Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. (RFFI), and a specific community-based forest owned by RFFI, the Usal Redwood Forest. (read more)


Diggin' In: The Gienger Report
September 2, 2008
Since arriving in the Mattole Valley of Humboldt County in 1971, Richard Gienger has immersed himself in homesteading, forest activism, and watershed restoration. Richard's column covers a range of issues including fisheries and watershed restoration and forestry, plus describes opportunities for the public to make positive contributions in the administrative and legislative arenas as well as in their own backyards. (read more)


DIGGIN' IN: The Gienger Report
December 10, 2007
(read more)


DIGGIN' IN: The Gienger Report
August 22, 2007
As I write this we're in the middle of July. Everything has been really dry. Lightning fires around the Klamath, the Sierras, and Southern California. CDF, know known as CalFire, reported over 170 fires started from a spate of lightning fires last week. And then--lo' and behold--the North Coast was blessed with, in many places, about an inch of real rain overnight between July 17th & 18th. A beautiful respite. Supposed to be back to hot and dry next week. I hear that the Southern Humboldt Fire Plan is being pushed to completion. Stream and watershed restoration work, as well as many fuel hazard reduction projects, are in full swing. (read more)


DIGGIN' IN: The Gienger Report
April 24, 2007
With the exception of the month of December, we are still waiting for much of our winter rain. During several weeks in December, salmon were able to spawn in the upper parts of the Mateel watersheds. January 07 was one of the driest on record. February brought more precipitation, both rain and snow, that raised the rivers--accommodating spawning for steelhead. Intense cold periods in February eased into a mild and warm early March, almost hot in places--coming in like a lamb rather than a lion. I'm hoping for abundant spring rains, on into May and June, to tide the watersheds' fish and people over to the fall rains. (read more)


THE Gienger REPORT...Diggin' In
November 15, 2006
Another summer season has come and gone. There were record-breaking heat waves, but the late spring rains helped to keep stream flows higher than usual leading into our next "rainy season." Some brief showers in September and October gave a bare hint of what is hoped to be a good water year for spawning salmon and steelhead. Most restoration projects have been completed, and the rest have crews and equipment frantically moving to finish work. (read more)


Watershed Restoration: Thirty Years of Progress
April 5, 2006
When I was asked a few weeks ago to "write up" some watershed restoration projects--how they worked, how they didn't work, problems, processes, successes, lessons--I immediately started to weigh the comparative merits of a dozen or so projects that might be good examples to evaluate. By yesterday I'd pared it down to three or so possibilities for this edition of Branching Out. But then, tossing and turning at various times during the night, my mind mulled over the broader context and approaches of "watershed restoration" rather than the myriad of details in any particular example of a current restoration or rehabilitation project. For a person involved in watershed restoration, like any number of people carrying out projects for years along the North Coast, there's a whole lot of background that gets "jumped over" by focusing judgment on a particular project. (read more)


THE Gienger REPORT...Diggin' In
April 5, 2006
Responding to the Winter Rains (read more)


DIGGIN' IN: The Gienger Report
Since arriving in the Mattole Valley of Humboldt County in 1971, Richard Gienger has immersed himself in homesteading, forest activism, and watershed restoration. Richard's column covers a range of issues including fisheries and watershed restoration and forestry, plus describes opportunities for the public to make positive contributions in the administrative and legislative arenas as well as in their own backyards. (read more)



Contact Information

Email: rgrocks@humboldt.net
Phone: (707) 923-2931