RCDs Working Together to Develop Regional Capacity and New Strategies for Conservation

Napa County RCD, Sonoma RCD, Gold Ridge RCD, and Mendocino County RCD

Drivers for Accelerated Regional Collaboration: the

Creation of LandSmart™

• Regional conservation issues and competition with other conservation oriented groups

• TMDLs and specific waste discharge requirements in two watersheds

• Grower desire for options to comply with waste discharge requirement

Program Development Goals

• Compete with other regional organizations

• Create a recognizable name and brand in a region

• Provide a regionally consistent program that allows for flexibility to meet individual district needs

• Support technical staff sharing among districts

Program Development Process• Shared desire (recognition of need) to collaborate

• Enlisted a branding consultant

• Communication and trust to form a game-plan

• Each District contributed based upon their staffing, their areas of expertise, and financial situation

Purpose of LandSmartTM

• Assist land managers in accomplishing their natural resource goals and meeting or exceeding environmental regulations

• Provide technical assistance and financial support to plan and implement resource conservation practices

• Deliver opportunities for youth to be actively engaged in stewarding local resources

TM

LandSmartTM Services• LandSmartTM Planning

– Farm conservation plans and management practices

• LandSmartTM On-the-Ground

– Project implementation, cost-share opportunities, practical “on-the-ground” trainings

• LandSmartTM for Kids

– Engaging youth in natural resource management and conservation projects

• LandSmartTM Water Resources

www.landsmart.org

Information, resources, updates, and program materials available publicly

Milestones and Accomplishments

• Funding acquired• Trademarked the LandSmart™ name• Workshops conducted• Brand used as umbrella program –

website and outreach materials• Over 5,100 acres of land enrolled in

Sonoma County to complete a farm or ranch plan

• Added a new RCD to the partnership

LandSmartTM Planning• Results in a plan to satisfy future water quality regulations

+ Optional “Compliance Plus” sections

• Multiple land uses – vineyard, equine, grazing/rangeland

• “Open-source” planning and reference materials

• Flexibility for the user

• Innovation – “Resilience is a process not an end-point”

LandSmartTM Planning Process OptionsMost RCD Involvement

Least RCD Involvement

Grower contacts RCD/NRCS for individual assistance. RCD/NRCS and grower complete plan together. RCD/NRCS conducts site visits for assessment (e.g., roads and waterways). RCD/NRCS assists grower to select BMPs and finalize plan. Optional “certification.”

Grower attends series of workshops (2 classroom + 1 field training). Grower works through template and seeks assistance from RCD/NRCS as needed (e.g., maps, road / waterway assessment). Grower finalizes plan. Optional “certification.”

Grower downloads template and reference guide and starts the plan independently – seeks help from RCD/NRCS when desirable. Optional “certification.”

Grower downloads template and reference guide and completes the plan independent of RCD/NRCS. Optional “certification.”

LandSmartTM Vineyard Planning • V1 Plan Template and Resource Binder Complete and On-line• Launch in Sonoma Valley (Summer 2014)• Certification process being reviewed by Water Board and

LandSmart RCDs • Water Board staff supportive of program, materials & process

LandSmartTM Vineyard Template• Property Description

• Vineyard Facility Maps

• Managing Agrichemicals

• Managing Erosion in Vineyard Blocks and Avenues

• Managing Natural Waterways, Ditches and Spillways

• Roads and Crossings

• Photo Monitoring

• Tracking Implementation of your Farm Plan

LandSmartTM for Vineyards Reference Guide On-Line

• Program basics• Mapping aids & references• Natural resources information• BMP Fact Sheets

Agrichemical handling Integrated Pest Mgmt. Treating common pests Nutrient management / composting Erosion & runoff control Streamside practices Road treatment options & typical

drawings• Monitoring Protocols

LandSmart for Equine

• Version 1 template underway

• First workshop scheduled for November 2014

Version 1 template and fact sheets completedFirst workshop hosted in the Laguna watershed in September 2013

LandSmart for Rangeland

LandSmart for Kids

Engaging students in ecological restoration and stewardship ethic• Environmental & Water Quality Benefits• Connection to Agriculture and the Environment• Introduction to Resource Management Careers

LandSmart On-the-GroundImproving Rural Roads• Projects• Technical Resources• Technical Trainings & Oversight• Workshops

LandSmart On-the-GroundHabitat Improvements• Fish Barrier Removal• Riparian Restoration• Upland Habitat Projects• Beneficial Insect Projects

LandSmart Water Resources

• Mobile Irrigation Evaluations• Rainwater Catchment

Projects• Slow It! Spread It! Sink It!

Practices• Water Source Alternatives• Stormwater Management

Practices

Regional Benefits-Capacity Among RCDs • Improved communication between the RCDs• Increased access to technical staff• Shared resources and templates to adapt • Framework to engage with landowners and NRCS in

conservation planning • Tools to help landowners across region meet regulatory

requirements and implement BMP’s• Regional branding makes us more competitive and

recognizable

Challenges• Upholding standards and providing consistent

service throughout the Region• Timely communication• Funding limitations to provide the same level

of services • Consistency in use of the brand (philosophical

differences local v regional thinking)

Next Steps• Strengthen the regional partnership• Add more land uses to conservation planning

– Orchard template– Forest template– Row crop template

• Address emerging resource concerns– Carbon beneficial practices / soil health– Energy

• Potential expansion to other regional collaborations of RCDs

Thank You!

Mendocino County RCDLinda MacElwee707-462-3664 x 103Linda.macelwee@mcrcd.org

Gold Ridge RCDBrittany Heck707-823-5244brittany@goldridgercd.org

Sonoma RCDKara Heckert707-569-1448 x 104kheckert@sonomarcd.org

Napa County RCDLeigh Sharp707-252-4188 x 110

leigh@naparcd.org