1) Ken Taylor's talk for the Fort Bragg Garden Club:
This month Cornelia Reynolds, President of the Ft Bragg Garden Club and GRI Water Coalition member asked Ken Taylor to share his knowledge with the Fort Bragg Garden Club at their monthly meeting at the Botanical Gardens. A wonderful space to talk about plants and water, Ken presented on topics like low flow household fixtures to rainwater harvesting techniques like collection, rain gardens and rain swales. Another follow up gathering is being planned on October 27 at 3:30 at the Joshua Grindle Inn to see some of these harvesting techniques up close and personal.
2) Upcoming tour of Ken's rainwater harvesting work in the Joshua Grindle Inn's gardens -- open to the community at 3:30 pm on October 27:
Come join us! Want to see rainwater harvesting in action? Laundry Ozone? Come to the Joshua Grindle Inn on October 27 at 3:30pm for a hands-on demonstration of these harvesting techniques.
3) Ken's home brew GRI Water Coalition fundraising event -- Rescheduled: Watch for upcoming date and time
4) Climate Action & Water Workshops in the Schools:
Recent GRI Water Coalition and Climate Action team members Sandy Turner, Hannah-Leigh Bull and Geri Morisky met with Jess Yates, a member of GRI and a popular 5th grade teacher at Dana Gray Elementary School in Fort Bragg. We had an inspiring exploration of the many climate action and water stewardship projects Dana Gray school can launch in 2022-2023. Initial action items: Watershed field trips, work with principal and teachers to create school composting program, apply for Sonoma Power's Climate Action Now school grants in 2023, empower students to work with city-county government with visits from candidates, county supervisors and city council, plus Ken Taylor's planned talk to the class on rainwater harvesting. Our GRI team members are also applying for the Foster Grandparents Program sponsored by North Coast Opportunities, to assist Jess and Dana Gray Elementary with planned projects and offer workshops within the school.
5) Job Training Collaborative Projects :
Ken Taylor, Regina Hirsch, Lisa Weg and Geri Morisky have been exploring possible community partnerships to meet the countywide critical need for job training opportunities and certification programs. This focus can be a great way to listen to the needs of our employers, employees and young people, and could become an effective way to engage the larger community with GRI and our Water Coalition work.
Peter McNamee, a member of GRI's core leadership team and Climate Action group, was executive director of California's incumbent worker training program during the previous administration. Peter provided us with many potential contacts and a well-defined brief
primer on key elements in any collaborative workforce training program.
Along with Peter McNamee's suggestions, Lisa Weg had also created a working list of possible job training contacts. Mendocino Community Resources Conservation District (MCRCD), another possible partner, has been asked to become part of the Redwood Regional Community Economic Resiliency Fund (CERF). Much work ahead!
We need more volunteers! Please contact us if you would like to join our Water Coalition Work Group or add your skills to any of our projects.
6) Recent Rainwater Installation Demonstration Project at Donna Feiner's home in Mendocino Village:
Donna provides water system management services to clients on the Coast and was recently elected to the Mendocino City Community Services District Board. Faced with Stage 4 drought conditions and concerned for the health of her home's extensive garden, Donna contracted with Watershed Progressives to install a rainwater catchment system, providing another proven working model for Mendocino Village and our County. Watershed Progressive crew members Joel Hawley and Vincent Burnard completed the one day installation from gutter to tanks to irrigation piping, adding an additional 6000 gallons water storage to use in the dry summer months. Geri and Lisa took notes and photos to share with local homeowners and potential installers.
7) Upcoming Localizing California Waters Statewide (LCW) Conference November 7 - 10, 2022 in Yosemite For those able to travel further afield, this is a chance to share solutions for climate, water and land resiliency. Ken and Kate Taylor, Geri Morisky and others from our community will be attending. Please join us!
Here is a sampling of the conference agenda items:
Monday November 7:
Mapping the Collaborative Stories of Rainwater Capture from Around the State
Local to Regional Approach for Water, Flood, Fire, Habitat, Extreme Heat
Water & Equity, Sense of Place & Tribal Knowledge
The Case for Conservation in the Midst of Climate Change
Shifting the Paradigm: Why and How We Need Storytelling Now: A Discussion with Leading Directors and Storytellers
Watershed Communities Film Festival (evening program)
Tuesday November 8:
Working with Nature and Cycles
The Urban Hydrated Meadow: Key Concepts for Shade, Food, Community Health
Healthy Soils: The Fire-Water Nexus
Youth and Community Led Design
Wednesday November 9:
From Parcel to Watershed: Implementing the Governor's Water Supply Strategy
Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Strategies
Intersections & Local Opportunities for SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act), Water Agencies & Environmental/Public Health
Data Gaps -- Next Steps
Innovations in Installation & Design for Fire, Forest Health, Safe Drinking Water, Food Resilience, Watershed & Community Health, and Innovation Stations
Innovation Stations: Nature Based Infrastructure, Innovation in Carbon Farming Practices, Innovation in Beaver and Keystone Species Management, Innovation in Pollinator & Plant Community Health, Innovation in Tree Health, Ecological Fire, Resilience for Wildland-Urban Interface
Collaborative Streamflow, Habitat, Health & Fire Recovery Tools: A Regional Watershed Workshop
Thursday November 10:
Abundance & Community Action
Integration of "Right Sizing" in Community Water Planning
Building Resilient Communities & Stewards Through Career Workforce Development
Career Force Development for Certified Professional Quality Installers
COWA Integrated Waters Inspection Certification
Rainwater Installer Workshops Level 2 (pending)
Accelerate & Innovate Towards Collaborative Funding: Connect Regional Efforts to Optimize & Evaluate Success
The Power of Storytelling & Climate Based Art
LCW breaks down barriers to alignment through presentations, round table discussions, workshops and information networking to work towards an outcome of innovative solutions to local and global climate challenges by advancing local water policy and enacting best water management practices at an accelerated pace.
Want to know more about what the water group is up to, or interested in volunteering? Head here, and be sure to visit the sign-up form at the bottom of the page.
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