September 2, 2008
While financial incentives secured through grants do move some landowners to take action to protect the environment, the most important and motivating incentive we can identify in our community is the opportunity to take personal action to do the right thing and be part of the solution. This philosophy underlies all our programs at the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) as we work in the Lagunitas Creek Watershed in west Marin County to protect state and federally listed endangered coho salmon.
The Ecological Importance of Small Landowners
The Lagunitas Creek Watershed represents one of California's last remaining strongholds for wild coho salmon with 10-20% of the total surviving today in central California. Just over half of the 103-square-mile watershed is protected as public open space and parks. But with 50% of historical salmon habitat in this watershed already locked behind dams, the remaining undammed spawning and rearing habitat for these fish occur in a small nine square-mile sub-watershed in the headwaters. Called the San Geronimo Valley, it is also one of west Marin's largest semi-rural residential areas. Each year, upwards of 40% of Lagunitas Creek coho spawn here and 30% of young fry rear in the Valley for their first year-and-a-half of life until they begin their seaward migration.
| |||
Our Watershed Restoration "Toolbox"
In recognition of the myriad issues we have to face as land stewards, SPAWN combines multiple strategies in our efforts to protect local coho watersheds. A passion for the work we do and being strong advocates for the fish, coupled with an environmental education program that reaches tens-of-thousands of people and an ability to find the resources we need to get things done lend themselves to a growing sense of credibility within our community. A creative and effective communications program is also important to create "visibility" for coho and their habitat needs. This program includes newsletters and brochures mailed to every watershed resident, community email list-serves, an active website, strategically placed billboards, media articles, T.V. appearances, workshops, strategic partnerships, and door-to-door outreach. Underlying all this is a commitment to engage volunteers at all levels of our community-based organization.
A critical part of our "toolbox" is also our Landowner Consultation Program, which began as a volunteer-run program in response to neighbors who asked for advice about land-use issues and creek emergencies. In 2003, we launched a more formal Consultation Program, through which staff biologists and
trained volunteers provide free consultations to private landowners. These consultations address everything from restoration and best-management practices to permitting requirements and funding sources. We also became more and more involved in on-the-ground riparian restoration efforts on individual parcels, including growing the native plants we needed and mobilizing and training restoration volunteers.
In 2007, our Landowner Program reached new heights when we were awarded the largest grant in our history through Proposition 50's Coastal Non-Point Source Pollution Program fund. The new funds allowed us to assess sediment sources from dirt roads and failing streambanks on private lands while reaching out to hundreds of private landowners and to provide the incentives needed to do much-needed repairs.
Also, this year a new partnership with the Marin Community Foundation allowed us to expand our focus on stormwater issues and offer incentives to landowners who were willing to implement stormwater capture and water conservation projects on their parcels. Raingardens, rooftop stormwater harvesting systems, and permeable paving projects will all be designed and implemented to help mitigate for impervious surfaces during the rainy months and to turn winter stormwater surpluses into a resource which will help meet summer irrigation needs.
Growing a Coho Community
| ||
| ||
In 2006, we partnered with the Lagunitas School District to build a model water-quality friendly stormwater harvesting project. SPAWN secured state funds and worked closely with the School Facilities Committee, School Board, community members, and a pro bono team of contractors to design a system that reduces stormwater runoff into an adjacent coho-bearing stream. The system also provides irrigation water for the school's organic garden project, thereby reducing the amount of chloramine-treated water the school must buy from the Water District. Hundreds of landowners, agency personnel, and non-profit partners have toured the site to learn about replicable and scaleable stormwater harvesting projects like the Lagunitas School District model. Our recent incentives-based rooftop stormwater harvesting program was born as a result of the momentum built through this project.
 |
To learn more about all of our programs visit www.SpawnUSA.org and contact SPAWN's Conservation Program Director, Paola Bouley, at 415-663-8590 x111,Paola@Tirn.Net
More Information About
Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN)
More Articles...
TOC for Forest & River News, Summer 2008