Education and Partners for vernal pool preservation

1. unusual Education and Partnersfor vernal pool preservation V Carol W. Witham, VernalPools.Org www.vernalpools.org

2. Grassroots conservation activismnew strategies and partnerships are needed… • Past, present and future losses • Just to put the need for new approaches into perspective • A grassroots activism success story • 12 years of public education activities (and consistent political and legal pressure) pays off • Forming new partnerships for vernal pool conservation • What do environmental organizations and the California Cattlemen’s Association have in common? www.vernalpools.org

3. Areas of highest vernal pool losspast, present and future… • Vernal Pool Distribution • pre-1492* • 2000 (~13% remain) • *based on biogeography of 29 endemic speciesby Robert F. Holland www.vernalpools.org

4. Areas of highest vernal pool losspast, present and future… • Yuba County • 25,245 acres (67%) lost between 1971-1995 • urbanization and agricultural conversion www.vernalpools.org

5. Areas of highest vernal pool losspast, present and future… • Sacramento County • 30,251 acres (36%) lost between 1972-1993 • over ½ remaining pools within USB • recent incorporation of new towns • >8,000 acres in the planning process www.vernalpools.org

6. Areas of highest vernal pool losspast, present and future… • Merced County • 3,000+ acres (>10%) lost in last 10 years • proposed UC Merced campus and town • will impact adjacent Madera County www.vernalpools.org

7. Areas of highest vernal pool losspast, present and future… • Fresno County • 11,842 acres (30%) lost between 1973-1994 • rapid ongoing urbanization www.vernalpools.org

8. Areas of highest vernal pool losspast, present and future… • Other areas… • Butte County (Chico urbanization, Highway expansion) • Placer County (Roseville, Lincoln urbanization) • Solano County (East Bay expansion) • Glenn County (orchard conversion) • Tehama County (timber product conversion) www.vernalpools.org

9. Losses are acceleratingnew strategies and partnerships are needed… • Federal laws don’t really protect vernal pools • Land use decisions are local and highly political • Population growth • Urban expansion • Economic development • Influential constituents • Developer driven www.vernalpools.org

10. Education inspires activisma local Sacramento County success story… www.vernalpools.org

11. Mather Field Air Force Base2,300+ acres of vernal pool grassland… • Mather AFB decommissioned in 1993 • County agencies plan for economic development • Aggregate mining • Airport expansion • Regional park • Urban development • Urban forest • Water treatment facility • Private university www.vernalpools.org

12. Mather Field Vernal Poolstwelve years and holding… www.vernalpools.org

13. Life In Our Watershed: Investigating Vernal Pools Public awareness campaigngrows into an elementary school curriculum… www.vernalpools.org

14. An overview of successesno project has been approved to date… • 9000 fifth graders have explored the magic and mystery of the Mather Field vernal pools • Database of over 500 people willing to write letters and testify at public meetings • 1000 postcards mailed • 150 people at a board of supervisors meeting • Eventually the board of supervisors instructed staff to prepare a comprehensive plan for the Mather Field area • In December 2005, county staff and stakeholders presented a plan that will preserve 1000 acres www.vernalpools.org

15. The work continuesexpanding into other areas… • Sacramento County General Plan • Expansion of the UPA • Expansion of the USB • Rancho Cordova General Plan • Expansion of the SOI • General education of planners, policy makers and the press • Expanded coalition of organizations and individuals working on vernal pool conservation www.vernalpools.org

16. New partnershipsa Central Valley success story in the making? www.vernalpools.org

17. Dissatisfaction with the status quoConservation is hard work… • CESHA grew out of a need to share resources and ideals, as well as the work of preserving species and habitat • national, state and local environmental groups • Quarterly meetings with the California/Nevada Operations Manager of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • mutual gripe sessions • A challenge to find one issue that the environmental organizations and the Service could work together on in a proactive way • Service staff came up with 30 priority issues www.vernalpools.org

18. Central Valley Grasslandsan ecosystem in peril… • Escalating urbanization of the Central Valley • Vernal pool grasslands are being targeted for this growth. • Most of these lands are in private ownership • Difficult to recreate all functions www.vernalpools.org

19. California Rangeland ResolutionNew partnerships for habitat preservation… • USFWS shared our white paper on Central Valley grasslands with leaders in the Cattlemen’s Association • Development of The California Rangeland Resolution • Keeping common species common on private lands • Working to recover imperiled species and enhancing habitats • Increase funding and assistance to expand beneficial stewardship • Encourage voluntary and collaborative conservation • Establishment of the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition and working groups to set short and long range goals to achieve Central Valley grassland conservation www.vernalpools.org

20. Looking into the futurehow effective will these new strategies be? www.vernalpools.org

21. VernalPools.Orgdedicated to saving California’s vernal pool landscapes For additional information, contact: Carol W. WithamVernalPools.OrgInfo@vernalpools.org www.vernalpools.org