For over five hundred years, indigenous communities across the Americas have demonstrated immense resilience and resistance in the face of violent efforts to separate them from their land, culture, and each other. They remain at the forefront of movements to protect the earth and the life it sustains. GrizzlyCorps acknowledges that public recognition and collaboration are necessary steps towards honoring these regions - beginning with careful reflection of the type of service GrizzlyCorps hopes to encapsulate. As we work to bring awareness of and give a platform to other voices, we remember that tribal territories have long fought to have their voices not only heard, but included in the creation of this society. 

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GrizzlyCorps recognizes that the University of California, Berkeley sits on the territory of xučyun, the traditional ancestral homeland of the Chochenyo Speaking Ohlone people, the successors of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. We celebrate the continued vitality of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and members of the flourishing community who persist today. Establishing new traditions with an obligation towards remembrance is critical to sharing these voices, histories, and legacies of all the places in which we serve. GrizzlyCorps moves forward in advocacy for the healing of these lands and waters, while demonstrating our commitment to creating a real relationship with the local Ohlone and Indigenous communities across the state. 

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​The fellows of GrizzlyCorps live and work on the ancestral, contemporary, and unceded territory of Indigenous people across the state, encompassing what is now known as California. For our  current members, these lands include those of the Graton Rancheria, Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk, Mountain Maidu, Patwin, Chumash, Yana, Winnimem Wintu, Paskenta Band of Nomlaki, Tachi Yokuts, Nisenan, Yurok, Popeloutchom (Amah Mutsun), Awaswas, and Pomo peoples. We honor the land and those who have been the original stewards of these regions since time immemorial, and commit to forming deeper partnerships to address past and ongoing land-based injustices through our work.

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We come together to acknowledge what our service means, to be humble and listen to the voices that speak, to hear the Ohlone and countless others on this land who speak. Imbuing this thinking in how we partner with different communities and organizations all over the state is critical in defining respectable allyship. This acknowledgement, brief and in no way complete, aims to celebrate the traditional stewardship practices on these lands from generations past.  Nothing will remedy the historical traumas of these lived experiences, but it is with intent and meaning that we pay homage to a better future.

Project Title: Expanding Community Relations and Measuring Impact​

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Goals & Needs

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The mission of the Marin Resource Conservation District (Marin RCD) is to conserve and enhance Marin County’s soil, water, air, vegetation, and wildlife. The Marin RCD is a founding member of the Marin Carbon Project and offers carbon farming programs to plan, design, permit and implement carbon beneficial projects in Marin County.  

 

Our GrizzlyCorps member will join Marin RCD staff and participate in an elaborate partnership network, consisting of colleagues from Marin Agricultural Land Trust, Point Blue Conservation Science: Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Point Reyes National Seashore working on the greater issues of climate change, resiliency, and mitigation on our agricultural landscapes. Specifically, our GrizzlyCorps member will work with board, staff and partners as we learn and explore the issues of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice within our ag-focused partnerships. We expect our GrizzlyCorps member to assist with the following:

•    Making connections to Marin’s agricultural farm worker community by investigating potential new partnership organizations within the Latinx community.
•    Researching and interviewing Marin organizations in their DEIJ work within the ag community and identifying areas of collaboration.
•    Identifying ways in which the Marin RCD might establish new partnerships and strengthen internal programs to benefit a wider community. 
•    Identifying ways to measure impacts within a wider community. 

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Our GrizzlyCorps member will connect with our partners through farm visits and meetings in addition to social media and website messaging established by the previous member. Communications with Marin’s farmers and ranch workers will be key. Furthermore, our GrizzlyCorps member will assist the Marin RCD, consultants, and staff with the development of Marin RCD’s GIS and RCD Project Tracker database to track overall impact within the county. The Marin RCD will be revamping an internal GIS platform with a consultant and refining their public facing project tracking database (https://www.rcdprojects.org/ )This collection of information will be used to identify areas of existing and proposed work in addition to the documentation of natural resource impact. 

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Organizational and Community Highlights

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The Marin RCD is run by a five-member Board of Directors who are agricultural landowners within the district and is staffed with 6 people: Agroecologist, Conservation Program Manager, Urban Streams Manager, Soil Health Hub Coordinator, Bookkeeper and Executive Director. The Marin RCD’s office is in Point Reyes Station, which is a quaint town adjacent to the Point Reyes National Seashore, one hour northwest of San Francisco. Marin County is the third wealthiest county in the nation which presents cost of living challenges for ranchers, ranch workers and residents. Many folks commute from nearby Sonoma County or work remotely.

 

The agricultural landscape in Marin County consists of small family farms, primarily of livestock and dairy producers, who are marketing to Bay Area customers. Marin’s agricultural producers are quite innovative and are the first in the nation with carbon farm plans. Program availability is directed primarily toward Marin’s agricultural landowners however the Marin RCD is re-evaluating its carbon farming program to understand and explore a wider community audience and impact.

The Marin RCD thrives on partnerships and works well with local, state and federal partners to apply restorative and regenerative practices on farms and ranches. It is through this teamwork that programs such as the Marin Carbon Project was initiated and remains viable today. This partnership works collaboratively daily to enhance carbon sequestration in rangeland, agricultural and forest soils through research, demonstration and implementation in Marin County. This position will be an exciting opportunity to work with core partners who developed this nationally recognized program.

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Project Title: Capacity building with MESA and partner organizations to increase and diffuse resources for socially disadvantaged emerging farmers in the San Francisco Bay Area, California and around the United States in areas that begin with agroecology, farming and food pathways.

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Goals & Needs ​

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Our flagship program, MESA’s Global Exchange offers a rare opportunity for beginning and established farmers from different cultures to spur innovation, champion agricultural heritage, and transform our global food system. Awarded U.S. Department of State training and cultural exchange program designation in 1996,  MESA sponsors training visas for eligible beginning international farm Stewards. MESA and our global partners carefully screen Steward candidates, matching them with U.S. host mentor farms and agricultural organizations for up to 12 months of on-site training and cultural immersion.
 
MESA’s newest Agroecology Food and Farming Pathways (AFFP) program is open for U.S. residents, and proudly features the collaboration of three esteemed California partner organizations. This USDA-supported program is specifically designed for socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers who live in the U.S. AFFP launched in September 2020 and will support hundreds of socially disadvantaged emerging farmers.  As students move through our program there will be additional opportunities that involve gaining land access, micro-enterprise/ business development, training and mentorship.
 
The Grizzlycorps Fellow will:

• Support the development of resources and tools through direct and indirect program support for program participants.

• Assist with the AFFP program, as well as supporting our global exchange program participants as they navigate resources and opportunities in the United States.

• We are also excited to explore with Fellows their interests to create a mutually beneficial project.

• The work environment will be a balance of office and field work in collaboration with local and US partners.

 
Our programming focuses on knowledge and skill development for resilience in the areas that address regenerative agriculture needs locally and globally.  The growing disconnect our communities have with our food system requires intentional interventions and strategy to address climate change issues facing communities in the United States, but more importantly globally.  Our aim is to provide alternatives to industrial agricultural practices and support communities that are systematically and actively being disconnected from their food system. 
 

Organizational and Community Highlights

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MESA is based in the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA), and is made up of 9 counties with a total population well over 7 million people.   It's hard not to think about California and not think about the abundance of fresh food and diverse global cultures that make up the most diverse cuisines anywhere in the United States.  The SFBA maintains a mediterranean climate and generally experiences  cool summers and rainy winters.  However, given the regional microclimates, the weather can change several times a day and vary greatly between countries (getting cooler as you move toward the Ocean, and much warmer as you go east toward the Sierra Mountains).  There is ample public transit (bus and train), as well as a strong bicycle culture.  Day trips to the ocean, mountains, rivers, wine country, or numerous outdoor recreational activities makes California appealing to those who enjoy nature.
 
MESA’s is an organization with deep roots in the community, with over 12 key partner teammates throughout California, and a few more global partner teammates based in Latin America and East Africa.  MESA’s core team is currently only 4 individuals members, leading direct programming impacting over 80 students and fellow’s monthly.  Given numerous roles everyone in MESA supports, we rely on internal and external professional development opportunities.  Every core teammate has a lot to offer, and this also provides a lot of space to grow and explore established and new skills to explore.  Team and 1:1 meetings are a core component of how we build and maintain culture at MESA.

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Project Title: Forest Health Fire Safe and Resilient Landscape Outreach

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Goals & Needs

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The Sonoma Wildfire Awareness Outreach Coordinator will serve all of Sonoma County in increasing community resilience in the face of increased wildfire risk. The position will housed at the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District (Gold Ridge RCD) and work in partnership with Fire Safe Sonoma and the Sonoma RCD. Gold Ridge and Sonoma RCDs were established in the 1940s to promote soil conservation and have continued as a local leader in environmental conservation for climate adaptation, water quality improvement, wildlife habitat enhancement and agricultural sustainability.

Fire Safe Sonoma is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to increase awareness of wildfire issues in our county and help local residents and firefighting agencies to achieve improved wildfire safety. Formed in 1998, Fire Safe Sonoma has been instrumental in helping to educate residents about wildfire prevention and safety. Fire Safe Sonoma and the RCDs are working together to increase access to information around wildfire awareness. This position & project will build upon and execute :

• help engage and organize communities to be more resilient to wildfires and other adverse effects exacerbated through our changing climate.

• an outreach and coordination plan around wildfire awareness to improve Sonoma County resident’s adaptation to increased wildfire risk in our area.

• perform one on one communication with the community, as well as the staff and boards of Fire Safe Sonoma in partnership with Gold Ridge and Sonoma RCDs.

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Organizational & Community Highlights

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The Gold Ridge RCD is located outside of the small towns of Sebastopol and Graton. We have 10 experienced, kind, and thoughtful staff. Our office is in an old farmhouse situated on an orchard and vineyard property down a gravel road. There is not regular public transportation to our office, but many staff enjoy biking to work. A Fellow placed with us will have a great opportunity to network with not only dozens of different community organizations but many professional individuals and community members as well. Sonoma County is beautiful with a great need to improve engagement with under-served populations and innovative land managers.

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Project Title: RCD Climate Communications Associate

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Goals & Needs

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1. Gold Ridge RCD promotes soil conservation and is a local leader in conservation--for climate adaptation, water quality improvement, wildlife habitat enhancement and agricultural sustainability. The Carbon Cycle Institute (CCI) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 working at the intersection of climate science and agriculture.

2. The RCD Climate Communications Associate will serve all CA RCDs participating in climate programs and/or utilizing the RCD Project Tracking tool https://www.rcdprojects.org/. The position will be housed at the Gold Ridge RCD office and work in partnership with CCI and RCDs across the state participating in climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives.

   1. The Fellow will assist in managing and expanding use of an innovative, open source project tracking database designed to aggregate the ecosystem service benefits, including climate regulation, associated with the project level work of RCDs and their partners. As of October 2020, the RCD Project Tracker is tracking 291 conservation projects associated with 177 partnering organizations and agencies, capturing a total conservation investment potential of $42,968,230.

   2. In order to accommodate the rapid growth in utilization of the site and to support needed integration with California’s wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts, climate action planning, and carbon accounting at jurisdictional scales, there is a pressing need for additional staff support in formalizing rules and procedures for system use and expansion, including producing webinars on how to use Project Tracker for different types of project, collect ideas for system improvements, support development of a business plan and governance structure, and conduct outreach to agencies, county planning departments, and legislators on the tool, possible applications and systems integration.

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Climate and carbon cycle literacy is still greatly lacking in the general population and among many elected officials and resource agencies tasked with mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the ecological health of California’s natural resources. The same is true for many local and regional food systems supporters and organizers as well as those working in the environmental justice movement.

• The position will work with the Gold Ridge RCD and the Carbon Cycle Institute in the development of communications systems that allow us to better track, document, and share carbon farming activities, initiatives, and successes from around the state.

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Organizational and Community Highlights

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The Gold Ridge RCD is located outside of the small towns of Sebastopol and Graton. While housed with Gold Ridge RCD and CCI the Fellow will be working with RCDs statewide. There are more than 90 RCDs across the state who work together and independently to solve natural resource issues across the state. The Fellow will be working with all interested RCDs in communicating the benefits of their work both through utilization of the RCD Project Tracker and in partnership with CCI in their support for RCDs implementing carbon farm plans. RCDs are nimble, collaborative, innovative hubs of conservation allowing Fellow access to a wide range of supportive stakeholders. Gold Ridge RCD has 12 experienced, kind, and thoughtful staff. Our office is in an old farmhouse situated on an orchard and vineyard property down a gravel road. There is not regular public transportation to our office, but many staff enjoy biking to work. A Fellow placed with us will have a great opportunity to network with not only dozens of different community organizations but many professional individuals and community members as well. Sonoma County is beautiful with a great need to improve engagement with underserved populations and innovative land managers.

 

CCI provides a unique organizational niche among nonprofits by supporting and working with a diverse group of strategic partners, including farmers and ranchers, public agencies, university researchers and students, and mission- aligned organizations and businesses. We are committed to diversity and equity in our workplace and the communities we serve. Our staff of six provides scientific and technical expertise, planning assistance, training and educational services, policy development, and advocacy work on behalf of our mission and partners. Our home office is located in Petaluma, CA. This position can be remote, in person or a combination.

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Project Title: Building Support and Capacity for Wildfire Mitigation in 6 key areas of Marin County

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Goals & Needs

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MWPA was formed in 2020 to implement comprehensive wildfire prevention, mitigation and emergency preparedness activities, in coordination with its 17 local member agencies. There are six key priority areas for wildfire mitigation in Marin (Big Rock Ridge, Terra Linda Divide, Blithedale Ridge, Mount Tamalpais Watershed, Bolinas Ridge, Marin Headlands). These areas represent critical multi-thousand acre corridors between Wildland Urban Interface areas and large undeveloped wildland areas where increasing fire resiliency would achieve significant improvement in the County’s overall wildfire prevention strategy.   

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The Marin County Community Wildfire Prevention Plan and the California Vegetation Treatment Program outline recommendations for mitigation measures.

• Through qualitative research methods such as surveys, interviews and/or focus groups, the Fellow will form an understanding of the main concerns, challenges and desires of stakeholders and community members within each of the 6 identified areas. Concern from the community is expected to include the environmental impacts of vegetation management measures.  This concern will be at the heart of the tension between land management, environmental preservation and fire prevention.

• MWPA will provide the Fellow with contacts for key stakeholders in all 6 areas and provide introductions. The main stakeholders identified to date include: National Park Service, Marin Municipal Water District, North Marin Water District, Marin County Parks and Open Space, California State Parks, large private landowners, OneTam, Marin RCD, Marin Conservation League, Fire Environment Resiliency Networks, Ecologically Sound Practices Partnership, Audubon Society, FireWise communities, FIRESafe Marin and local leaders and community members. 

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The Fellow will identify needs for community education and recommend a path forward for each of the 6 areas that will achieve community support and create greater wildfire resiliency on the ground.  The Grizzly Corps Fellow will help MWPA build a partnership with communities within and adjacent to the 6 areas, and begin the process of building capacity at the local community level for achieving meaningful wildfire prevention and resiliency.  Ideally, upon completion of the outreach and assessment, several of the identified areas will be ready for implementation of key wildfire mitigation projects with broad community support.  These initial areas will serve as “success stories” to be used in areas where community support is not at the level for landscape-level wildfire mitigation projects (greater than 3,000 acres). The main deliverable is a report and presentation to be delivered to the MWPA Board and Operations Committee including data gathered through the outreach process, education needs assessment and recommendations for the 6 areas.

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Organizational and Community Highlights

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Marin County's wildlands, natural vegetation, and climate make our neighborhoods beautiful and desirable places to live but also leave residents and visitors vulnerable to wildfire. Marin has significant portions of the County included in moderate, high and very high wildfire severity zones as outlined in CAL FIRE’s fire hazard severity maps. The County learned important lessons starting in 2017 with the North Bay Fires, and the creation of MWPA approved by the voters in March 2020 is the direct result of the devastating fire seasons residents have witnessed and experienced first-hand. 

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At the same time, Marin has a strong tradition of land and environmental preservation. The Fellow can expect to gain significant professional development experience navigating the space between land preservation, fire prevention and ecological practices. As a new agency dedicated to advancing fire prevention through the most advanced technological and environmental practices, MWPA includes 2 full-time staff (the Executive Director and a Planning and Program Manager who will supervise the Fellow) in constant contact with its 17 member agencies (list available on website). MWPA is built upon the existing strong partnerships and solid relationships between fire agencies, local governments, land management agencies and State and Federal partners, and the Fellow can expect a lot of exposure and opportunities to interact with MWPA’s network of stakeholders. The workplace is located within the headquarters of Southern Marin Fire District in Sausalito, a few steps from the Bay. The Fellow’s desk is in an open floorplan, in a casual but respectful atmosphere. The Fellow can be provided a vehicle for work related travel and is expected to work independently, spending time outside the office as necessary, interacting with the relevant project stakeholders and getting to know the land and the community.

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Project Title: Grow-a-Row & Glean Lead, Watershed Management on Private Lands

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Goals & Needs

This GrizzlyCorps member will get to work in food waste & greenhouse gas reduction & food justice with Farm to Pantry. with Farm to Pantry is a gleaning non-profit that was founded in 2008. We rescue produce that would otherwise go wasted and get it to people in need. With the break down of the food distribution system in the pandemic, we gleaned almost 1 million servings of immunity boosting fruits & vegetables (tripling the previous year).

 

The GrizzlyCorps member will help us in:

• expanding our Grow-a-Row program to encourage people plant more food for others in need. We are connecting starts and know how to those with land.

• The member will also lead teams of volunteers on gleans and assist in the tracking of impact numbers to tell the story.

 

Food waste is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions and 40% of the food produced in the US goes wasted. We connect this abundance with need. The carbon emissions we saved in 2020 were equal to driving a car 17 times around the world or the work of 225 acres of national forest over a year. Since Farm to Pantry’s first harvest in 2008, our diverse group of volunteers has collected more than 750,000 pounds of fresh produce (the equivalent of over 3 million servings) that would have otherwise gone to waste and delivered it to neighbors in need. We have also organized educational events around healthy cooking and eating and brought them to under-served populations in the community.

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Organizational & Community Highlights

At Farm to Pantry, we are a small team. We work out of our home office and mostly in the field on farms & properties of Sonoma County. We work with over 300 volunteers on over 250 properties. Sonoma County is an amazing place for agriculture. Everything grows here. Working with us takes initiative, problem solving, people engagement, and a value for our mission. We drive all over Sonoma County. Must enjoy physical work outside.

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Project Title: Building ecosystem and community climate and fire resilience through restoration and community engagement

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Goals & Needs

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Pepperwood is a leader in forging solutions to advance the health of Northern California’s land, water and wildlife. The Dwight Center for Conservation Science and the Pepperwood Preserve encompass 3,200 acres northeast of Santa Rosa in the Southern Mayacamas Mountains (Sonoma County). Pepperwood serves as a Sentinel Site, a long-term monitoring framework designed to track changes in climate, water, vegetation, and wildlife. Our network of sensors, cameras, instruments, and research plots takes the pulse of nature and provides real time situational awareness.  Our Research and Preserve Management team hosts visiting scholars and conducts systematic monitoring to track environmental changes and to measure the effectiveness of our land and water management strategies. 

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Pepperwood is seeking a GrizzlyCorps fellow who will work closely with the Research and Preserve Management team to advance our new strategic initiative called “Building Climate and Fire Resilience.”  Specifically, we are seeking assistance in the field to implement and monitor:

• forest restoration activities

• monitor hydrology of springs

• measure live fuel moisture in different vegetation types 

• Seek user feedback on a recently developed tool to assist Sonoma County landowners and residents in planning fuel reduction projects (wildfirefuelmapper.org).  
  
  Field work will include data collection (e.g., climate sensors, wildlife cameras, vegetation, and amphibian/reptiles) in established forest monitoring plots before and after forest thinning and prescribed fire.  Live fuel moisture will be measured by collecting vegetation samples, drying, weighing, and calculating moisture values across the preserve. We are seeking added capacity to engage with community members, and public and private land and water managers to test and improve our new online tool designed to streamline hazard fuel reduction projects.   

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Organizational & Community Highlights

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Sonoma County faces pressing challenges associated with habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, degraded water cycles, pollution of air and water, and changing climate and fire patterns. In the last ten years, our region has experienced a historic drought, catastrophic and repeated fires, and wide-spread flooding. After being directly impacted by the Tubbs and Kincade Fires, Pepperwood has emerged as a leader in predicting, preparing and adapting to wildfire. While this has been exceptionally challenging, our organization and community have demonstrated remarkable strength, cohesiveness, and willingness to work together to not just recover, but build long-term social and ecological resilience.

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Pepperwood Preserve sits within the traditional homeland of the Wappo people. We respect and honor past, present, and future generations of Wappo and their continued connection to this land. We are grateful for the opportunity to gather in this beautiful place and give our respect for its first inhabitants.

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Pepperwood’s mission is to inspire conservation through science. We believe that our well-being depends on the health of our natural world. Every day our team studies California’s land, water, and wildlife so we can educate decision makers, our community and the next generation. Given the increase in wildfires, it is critical that we all work together to address risks and build community resilience. As a regional hub, we advance collaborations across disciplines and between scientists, educators, and land managers. We are a conduit of science-based knowledge, tools, and policy solutions. Pepperwood creates and tests strategies that make watersheds and communities more resilient to changing climate and fire regimes.

Pepperwood’s 18 staff are passionate about turning science into action. As an integrated team of researchers, resource managers, educators, and program staff, we value collaboration, co-creation, and inclusivity. Our field station is a dynamic, bustling environment. On any given day, staff will be collecting data, hosting convenings, leading visitors on hikes, and participating in community events. With a broad portfolio of applied science projects and a deep network of collaborators, Pepperwood provides a rich and supportive learning environment. We aim to train, recruit, and retain staff, board members, volunteers, and members that reflect the diversity of the greater regional community. We seek to communicate the value, processes, and products of science in ways that reach the broadest possible audience. Pepperwood is a part of the community and we aim to listen to the broader regional community and reach people where they are.

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Project Title: Building Wild and Resilient Farms in California

 

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Goals & Needs

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Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) is a national nonprofit working to bring nature back to the farm and build a wild and resilient agricultural movement. Our mission is to promote a healthy, viable agriculture that helps to protect and restore wild nature. Our programs are focused on assisting growers with integrating practices that support agricultural production and protect natural resources. For more than 20 years we have worked on education, advocacy and implementation of conservation on farms and ranches. Integral to our work, we’ve helped farmers and ranchers with identifying conservation opportunities and helping them with implementation. Some of the practices we have helped to install on farms include planting hedgerows and riparian plantings, restoring native plants in areas too steep to farm, and creating wildlife corridors with trees and shrubs. All of these projects are now sequestering carbon and helping to make the farms more resilient to climate chaos.

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WFA's GrizzlyCorps member will:

• compile research on practices that promote resilience and biodiversity conservation

• create innovative resources (online and print) for farmers and agricultural professionals on the benefits and opportunities

• assist with WFA's on-the-ground work helping California farmers successfully carry out their funded projects through California Department of Food and Agriculture's Healthy Soils Program

• helping farmers who are interested in installing conservation plantings.

• Projects include planting hedgerows, riparian buffers and other habitat installation projects that increase the farm's capacity to successfully sequester carbon.

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California farmers are experiencing the negative impacts of climate change on-the-ground everyday - unpredictable weather patterns, flooding, drought, and increased invasive species. While farmers and ranchers are adaptable by nature, these additional challenges make it even harder to operate a viable business. Fortunately, biodiversity conservation practices that we promote help to address many issues. These practices can be used not only to improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce GHG emissions, they also provide a myriad of benefits including water quality protection, erosion control, increased habitat for beneficial birds and insects and improved pollination services. In turn, farmers who implement such practices are not only helping to manage the effects of climate change, but they are also preparing their farms to be more resilient to the unpredictable future.

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Organizational & Community Highlights

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Wild Farm Alliance is a small but mighty organization. We have one staff member based in Minneapolis, MN and one in Watsonville, CA. The GrizzlyCorps member will work with both of our staff members while based in Watsonville. We have a flexible work environment and culture, balancing the need for our presence behind a computer and out in the field. Watsonville, CA is a small agricultural town in Santa Cruz County located on the Central Coast. The area is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host of other vegetables. Watsonville is home to people of varied ethnic backgrounds and diverse communities, with a large Latinx population.

We do most of our work remotely (work from home) and anticipate that to continue well into the future. Staff is in almost constant communication. We would like to have the GrizzlyCorps member also be a part of this culture and be a remote employee.

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Project Title: Educating on Food System Transformation through Events and Social Media

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Goals & Needs

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The Ecological Farming Association is a 40 year old non-profit organization based in Santa Cruz, California dedicated to promoting ecological agriculture and food systems through education and advocacy. It operates the largest sustainable agriculture event west of the Mississippi, the EcoFarm conference, for more than 1500 farmers and food system professionals. EcoFarm is expanding its communication and educational offerings, as well as emphasizing the connections between regenerative agriculture, climate justice, and equity.

 

The Grizzly Corps fellow will come in at the ground level of these efforts, with three discrete but linked projects. These projects include:

1. engaging on a full year's conference planning cycle, with a task of developing a workshop track on regenerative agriculture and climate change

2. developing and staffing a "Mighty Network" social media site to facilitate networking and community building around topics of regenerative agriculture, food systems, and climate change

3. assessing 20 years of video and audio conference archives for relevance, and developing and implementing a plan to make these available through the Mighty Networks site.
   
   The content showcased at the EcoFarm conference and through its networks focuses on a holistic set of issues related to the unsustainability of our food system and practical solutions. These issues include soil degradation, pesticide poisonings, habitat destruction and wildlife loss, the climate crisis, air pollution and water degradation and overuse, and human health issues related to food insecurity, diet, and environmental degradation. The conference provides both practical on-the-ground solutions as well as policy and activist-oriented content. This project support Grizzly Corps' purpose of building community resilience and reducing carbon emissions through agri-forestry initiatives. While the fellow will not be directly involved in on-the-ground efforts, they will be enhancing EcoFarm's capacity to provide educational offerings from numerous experts to a wide audience in and outside of California

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Organizational & Community Highlights

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EcoFarm's office is located in Soquel, a few miles south of Santa Cruz. It is conveniently located off bus lines and in a bike friendly location. A state park beach is a 15 minute walk away. Santa Cruz is a small, friendly, and progressive college town, located about 45 minutes from San Jose. It is walkable, bikable, and has a diverse array of interesting shops, restaurants, and cafes. Part of our staff works from our office and part work remotely. The organization is small, with a very informal team-oriented culture that kicks into gear around the organizing of its annual conference, held in late January. Because of its size, the fellow would likely have frequent interactions with all staff, and would have more hands-on experience for mentoring than they would in a larger organization. Staff have great flexibility in establishing their schedule, and a high degree of autonomy in completing their work. There is considerable opportunity for the fellow to exercise initiative in the completion of this project. This AmeriCorps position would provide a Grizzly Corps fellow with multiple professional development opportunities. They would be connected to the leading topics, experts, and practitioners in California engaged in regenerative agriculture, climate resilience and equity. They would have an unparalleled opportunity to educate themselves on 20 years of learning on organic agriculture and sustainable food systems. The fellow would also learn very marketable skills in event planning, social media program development and implementation, as well as in non-profit project management.

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Project Title: Assessing opportunities for SGMA and CV-SALTS to drive better outcomes in water and sustainable agriculture.

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Goals & Needs

Sustainable Conservation helps California thrive by uniting people to solve our toughest challenges facing our land, air, and water. Our Water for the Future and Waste Not programs are investing in the health of our future groundwater aquifers by working now to develop and scale solutions for farmers to help ensure our groundwater aquifers will be healthier for future generations.

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The implementation of two game-changing water policy efforts will have long-lasting effects on the future of the environment, agriculture, and community drinking water in California's Central Valley. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) responds to long-term overdraft of our groundwater aquifers and requires locally-led solutions to manage groundwater sustainably. The Salt and Nitrate Control Programs arising from the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) initiative responds to salt and nitrate contamination of many aquifers and requires dischargers to work together to improve water quality over time and provide drinking water in the meantime.

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These two efforts are ambitious and complex each in their own right, including through the creation of many different sub-regional entities and plans. The complexity increases with the two efforts being implemented simultaneously, including potential duplication of efforts. Yet there is also a huge opportunity for these efforts to support more equitable water outcomes and to encourage more sustainable agricultural production.

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The GrizzlyCorps fellowship would help Sustainable Conservation identify and pursue opportunities for improved and more equitable regional-scale climate and water outcomes through SGMA and CV-SALTS implementation. The fellow would do this by:

• Attending calls/meetings for a subset of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and Nitrate Management Zones (NMZs)

• Reading and analyzing documents prepared by the individual GSAs and NMZs

• Identifying trends across the different GSAs and NMZs, including commonalities and differences in approaches, stakeholders, monitoring and measurement, action plans, etc

• Tapping into the GrizzlyCorps network to understand how other Fellows’ work and their placement site organizations are, or could be, impacted by the GSAs and NMZs

• Bringing findings back to Sustainable Conservation’s program teams and co-developing ideas for deeper engagement to advance our agricultural solutions and/or influence coordination between/among GSAs and NMZ
  
  The fellow would develop a final report summarizing the findings and recommendations above. Providing a big-picture overview of how these efforts are working together in practice – and what improvements could be made – would provide value to the many stakeholders who are experts on specifics but are unclear on the overall trajectory.

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Organizational & Community Highlights

Sustainable Conservation works with California's agricultural sector to help continue and grow the legacy of stewardship of people and lands. Our culture supports a commitment to collaboration, encourages continuous learning, and welcomes diverse perspectives. The team has a variety of professional backgrounds, from government and policy to private business to research science. GrizzlyCorps Members will be working under the mentorship of staff who have many years of experience in the conservation and sustainability space. Working here will help the GrizzlyCorps member develop a better understanding of water, sustainable agriculture, and the operations of a non-profit organization.

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About the community: Modesto is in the heart of the Central Valley and the county seat of Stanislaus County, one of the top five agricultural counties in the state. Located just 1.5 hours west of Yosemite, east of Bay Area, and south to the state capital, Modesto is a great landing place to explore the state. And don't forget the local gems, like the popular indoor rock climbing gym and the Gallo Center for the Arts, a regular venue for national and international shows.

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COVID-19: Due to the pandemic, all staff are currently working from their respective residences. As the situation evolves, the organization will re-evaluate working in the office. We are having on-going conversations to get input from staff on this topic.

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Project Title: Conservation Planning and Outreach for Drought Resilience

 

Goals & Needs

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Merced County has been ground zero for climate adaptation that in 2016 brought The Nature Conservancy here to assess over a two year period  the climate and multiple benefits which may be achieved through land use, management and conservation activities. East Merced RCD has supported education at all levels; including but not limited to teacher workshops, classroom demonstrations and presentations to landowners of importance of resiliency in air, land and water issues.  Some partnerships are with Dept. of Water Resources, Integrated Regional Water Management, University of California Merced, Merced Irrigation District, Valley Land Alliance and the Merced County Farm Bureau.

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The GrizzlyCorps member will assist with conservation planning and implementation of USDA NRCS programs, Carbon Farm Plans, and restoration projects that can help with carbon sequestration and reduction of greenhouse gases.  The position will also have some time dedicated to education and outreach as well as connecting with local colleges and universities on research projects and field trials.

• A focus will be conservation planning for efficient delivery of technical and financial assistance for water conservation and groundwater infiltration related to SGMA.

• A second focus will be outreach and education to the public, especially to farmers, to address climate change resiliency.

 

Organizational & Community Highlights 

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Merced is located in the heart of California and is known as the gateway to Yosemite. As one of the top 5 agricultural counties in the United States, there is a variety of agricultural systems to learn from and have impact on. There is opportunity to see even more research and field trials implemented in the San Joaquin Valley with our newest University of California campus. As part of a small organization, the member will have a significant role in developing and implementing programs. The value of professional development gained from working on a project or program from the ground up is irreplaceable and cannot be found in larger organizations that tend to use a departmental approach. The full spectrum of experiences will include exploring funding opportunities, developing program guidelines for outreach, education, and implementation. There is great satisfaction in knowing that YOU are responsible for influencing change in any organization. But an even bigger impact occurs when that change is benefiting our environment and food system.

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Project Title: For efficient delivery of technical and financial assistance for water conservation and groundwater infiltration

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Goals & Needs

East Stanislaus RCD has recently begun watershed level coordination to begin riparian restoration and other beneficial projects for the San Joaquin watershed. The proposed project will constitute a Phase 1 of treatment with specific landowners identified for participation in the program with the intent that other phases with additional landowners will follow. East Stanislaus has partnered with River Partners, a local conservation-oriented non-profit, for their expertise in site restoration, management and monitoring as well as treatment methods to the proposed programmatic approach.

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As ESRCD builds capacity to work on the watershed level, support staffing is needed to assist in landowner outreach, partnership development, and conservation planning. The position will have time dedicated to securing landowner participation in restoration projects, mapping and planning clean-up and replanting to restore the riparian corridor.

Riparian areas in California support more threatened and endangered species than any other habitat type. Riparian corridors provide migration pathways for birds, fish, and terrestrial species that will be even more important as our climate changes and the precipitation patterns in California further alter the hydrology of our watersheds. The members service will be directly tied to climate adaptation and capacity building at the RCD to offer programs that assist landowners and develop partnerships to increase implementation of riparian restoration projects on our main tributaries.

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Organizational & Community Highlights
Stanislaus County is one of leading agriculture counties in the state and is home to over 20 square miles of water. Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced Rivers are three main tributaries in the San Joaquin watershed that provide valued fish habitat for Steelhead Trout and Chinook Salmon. These tributaries feed into the San Joaquin River that is an integral part of the the Delta ecosystem in California. The California Department of Fish & Wildlife have recently completed several successful projects on the Stanislaus River and are working toward more on the Tuolumne and Merced Rivers making this an opportune time to be working on the rivers and participating in positive change. As part of a growing organization, the member will have a significant role in developing and implementing programs. The value of professional development gained from working on a project or program from the ground up is irreplaceable and cannot be found in larger organizations that tend to use a departmental approach. The full spectrum of experiences will include restoration planning, program guidelines and development, outreach and education, and implementation. There is great satisfaction in knowing that YOU are responsible in influencing change in any organization but takes an even bigger impact when that change is benefiting our environment.

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Project Title: Healthy Soils and Forest Health

 

Goals & Needs

The Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District has served beautiful northern San Luis Obispo County since 1951. We work on a diverse array of projects from creek health to soil health to fire prevention. 

Our GrizzlyCorps member will:

• primarily work on our Healthy Soils project through the California Department of Food and Agriculture. This project involves vermicompost trials on vineyards.

• The other main component of our GrizzlyCorps members service will involve planning, permitting and implementation of fire prevention projects to increase forest health.

 

he US-LT RCD has a one of a kind VermiCompost project at a local vineyard which includes frequent soil and greenhouse gas sampling. They also provide one-on-one technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who are looking to implement soil health practices on their land such as no-till, cover cropping, and compost application. The US-LT RCD believes that agriculture is part of the solution to climate change and that increased soil health is a major component to sequestering carbon.

 

Organizational and Community Highlights

The US-LT RCD staff is comprised of professionals who are dedicated to the notion of thinking globally, acting locally. We believe in the work we do and we believe that we are making a difference in our community. San Luis Obispo County is a special part of California, halfway in between the larger urban areas of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our district comprises coastal waterways to hot, arid inland valleys and everyone who lives here or who visits here is always charmed by the beautiful landscapes and kind people.

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Agriculture and tourism are two of the most important pieces of our economy. With excellent weather year round, and beautiful scenery, there is ample opportunities for outdoor exploration. Our staff members are all outdoor enthusiasts and on the weekends most of us will be hiking, biking, surfing, rockclimbing, kayaking, or finding other ways to enjoy this very special place we live.

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Project Title: Rangeland Regenerative Agriculture and Education

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Goals & Needs

Sequoia Riverlands Trust manages cattle grazing for endangered species, rangeland and watershed health, and for learning on lands in the Southern Sierra Nevada, the San Joaquin Valley, and the Carrizo Plain. Contributions of service the Member will be providing include rangeland monitoring and experiential learning. The bulk of the project is:

• monitoring rangelands

• communicating with grazing lessees

• sharing the monitoring information with high school students and the SRT's Education Department.

 

The environmental challenge is recognizing a spectrum of rangeland conditions with monitoring then working to correct poor grazing practices or to share the benefits of cattle grazing for soil health or endangered species management. The GrizzlyCorps Member will be practicing Pathways Towards Resiliency with direct experience in Land Use Management and Nature Based Solutions, with a foundation in Regenerative Agriculture and Planned Grazing.

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Organizational & Community Highlights

The Sequoia Riverlands Trust (SRT) office is in Visalia: the “jewel of the San Joaquin valley”, located about 20 miles southwest of the Sierra Nevada foothills, where most of SRT’s nature preserves are found. Visalia lies within the Kaweah River watershed, and at approximately 140,000 residents is the largest city and official seat of Tulare county. In Visalia, the member can live and work in a diverse, growing city with a charming, pedestrian-friendly downtown area, dozens of restaurants of all types, live music, a thriving arts scene, multiple microbreweries, and a minor league baseball team. Fresno Yosemite International Airport is only 45 minutes away when air travel is needed, and the city of Fresno, the 5th most populous city in California, offers amenities befitting a large city. The member will also find exceptional produce at roadside stands and farmer’s markets in the agricultural mecca of California and enjoy easy access to the unrivaled beauty of Sequoia National Park and the largest living tree in the world, as well as the adjacent King’s Canyon National Park and nearby Sequoia National Monument. A number of beaches along the stunningly beautiful central coast of California are less than a two-and-a-half hour drive away, and the tallest living trees in the world, the coast redwoods, only slightly farther in Big Sur and Santa Cruz.

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Project Title: Supporting Small-Scale BIPOC Farmers in Organic and Regenerative Practices

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Goals & Needs

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The UCCE Small Farms and Specialty Crops advisor and program staff assist small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers to thrive economically through extension support, training, research on specialty crops, and policy communication. Our work supports farmers of a diversity of cultures who operate a wide variety of farming operations, often with limited resources. These include the large population of Hmong, Lao, Mien, and other Southeast Asian refugee farmers in Fresno County, with the specialty Asian vegetable industry valued at about $17.5 million annually. Recently, a group of Hmong farmers have received funding through the Healthy Soils Program to implement practices such as compost application, cover crops, and windbreaks on their already diversified farms. These practices present an exciting opportunity to sequester carbon, build soil microbial diversity, and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers, as well as addressing regional environmental issues such as air and water quality. 

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The GrizzlyCorps Member will assist small-scale, socially disadvantaged, and highly diversified farms to integrate practices that improve soil health with current management practices.

The Member will:

• work directly with farmers to identify and implement soil health and conservation practices that address production issues on their farm such as nutrient management, insect pest management, and weed management.

• assisting with small group trainings on topics related to soil health practices such as nonchemical weed management, beneficial insects for pest control, and use of equipment for compost application and cover crop seeding. 

• expanding support for implementation of soil health practices to the African-American Farmers of California on their demonstration farm in Fresno

• assisting with related educational activities for youth development programs connected with demonstration farm.

 

Other duties can include assisting with our project’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and its economic effects on small-scale farms in the San Joaquin Valley, including access to PPE and support with crop buyback programs and accessing new markets, participating in ongoing research projects on specialty crop production, and assisting with efforts to inform policies affecting the farmers we support. 

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The small farms team at UCCE Fresno County consists of the Small Farms and Specialty Crops Advisor and 7-8 full-time and part-time staff. Current projects include assisting small-scale farmers who have received Climate Smart Agriculture funding; research on moringa as a newer specialty crop in the San Joaquin Valley; research on nitrogen fertilizer requirements for specialty vegetable crops; bilingual extension support in Hmong and Spanish; food safety outreach and education for small farms; and marketing support for small farms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Organizational and Community Highlights

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Fresno offers many of the benefits of a large city, within one of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions and within driving distance of some of California’s most well-known national parks. The local food scene includes restaurants providing a large diversity of cuisines, several farmers markets, and farm stands selling fresh produce, as well as an emerging craft beer scene with local breweries. The Tower District provides theater productions, independent movies, and other arts events. Fresno’s proximity to Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is a highlight. Backpacking options in the Sierras and recreational opportunities on the central California coast are both accessible in a two-and-a-half-hour drive, and the Kings River, Millerton Lake, and Shaver Lake provide local opportunities for kayaking and boating. While the San Joaquin Valley is known for larger-scale agriculture, 78% of the 6,081 farms in the county were small farms in the 2012 USDA agricultural census. Many of these farms are operated by farmers of color and are highly diversified both in their crops and marketing strategies, selling to farmers markets and niche markets as well as to wholesale produce buyers. 

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The GrizzlyCorps member will gain unique experience by working with small-scale farmers from a diversity of cultures who grow tropical, subtropical, and mainstream specialty crops such as jujubes, guavas, moringa, strawberries, blackberries, sugarcane, ginger, lemongrass, sweet potato, and specialty Asian vegetables. The small farms team strives to provide a collaborative and supportive work environment, with individual team members working both independently and on joint activities. We prioritize cross-cultural relationships with immigrant, refugee and other historically underserved farmers and design our programs to support their farming operations. Bilingual outreach and training for Hmong farmers relies on 26 years of trusted relationships in the Southeast Asian community. We are working remotely during COVID-19 and will evaluate returning to the office when the safety of staff and visitors can be maintained.   

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The Member will have multiple opportunities to gain professional experience through ongoing projects in field research, conservation incentives programs, policy analysis and communication, and marketing and small business development. Partnerships with community-based organizations will provide opportunities for cross-cultural learning and community engagement. The location of this position within the UCANR land grant research and extension system will also provide interaction with UC academics and staff with expertise in a variety of disciplines.

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Project Title: Shasta County Lands Conservation, Stewardship, and Outreach

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Goals & Needs

Since originating in 1998 from a need to safeguard a family ranch threatened by development, the Shasta Land Trust (SLT) has since conserved 23,841 acres. These acres are comprised of agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, riparian corridors, and open spaces, building the foundation of the organizational mission to conserve the beauty, character, and diversity of significant lands in far northern California. Over the past several years, SLT has prioritized multiple projects with a goal of conserving 33,000 additional acres by 2023. With the help of a GrizzlyCorps fellow, SLT will be able to continue to conserve properties at the current pace and increase capacity by furthering the protection of vulnerable lands in our community, which will in turn preserve local food resources, achieve lasting protection of biodiversity, and create a resilient agricultural community in the face of increased pressure of development in rural areas.

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The fellow will work closely with SLT’s stewardship staff, landowners, and project partners in ongoing collaborative planning efforts across the region. Through recently obtained grant funding through the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program from the Department of Conservation, the GrizzlyCorps fellow will assist in empowering landowners to better steward their land by through the use of recommended regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices as well as proper forest management techniques for fire resiliency. To continue to raise awareness about the importance of land conservation in the community, the fellow will enable the land trust to jumpstart educational programs on the Daniell Beaver Banks Preserve, SLT’s newly protected Ambassador Landscape and office location, featuring seven acres of agricultural land and pollinator gardens along the Sacramento River. In addition, the fellow will also represent SLT in various public settings and participate in community engagement, stewardship, and educational activities.

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• Assist in coordinating the completion of conservation easement projects.

• Assist in drafting and reviewing baseline documentation reports and land management plans for protected properties.

• Draft correspondence and reports for landowners, partners, committees, and Board of Directors.

• Conduct site visits and annual monitoring visits.

• Assist in the development of appropriate maps and GIS data for project development and outreach with possible hands-on experience with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s). 6.) Participate in the communications efforts and community engagement related to SLT’s mission. 7.) Spearhead on-site educational efforts and collaborations regarding environmental, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable land practices.

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Organizational & Community Highlights

Shasta County is geographically diverse, spanning across miles of beautiful oak woodlands, scenic forest land, and several mountain ranges, including a mix of rangeland and cropland, with an abundance of lakes, wild and scenic rivers, historic areas, waterfalls, and lava formations. Redding, the home of the Shasta Land Trust, sits nestled in the upper Sacramento Valley, just south of Shasta Lake and east of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and is home to the upper reaches of the Sacramento River and its tributaries. Well known for its salmon and trout fisheries, along with hiking, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, camping, boating, and other outdoor recreational activities that are just a short drive away, Redding is the perfect basecamp for the outdoor enthusiast. Shasta Land Trust’s headquarters are situated on seven acres of productive agricultural land and pollinator gardens directly on the Sacramento River, where staff enjoy observing a multitude of waterfowl, quails, turkeys, deer, foxes, and other wildlife right outside their windows, and enjoy taking lunches out on the back deck just above the river. Staff is friendly and professional, and work as a tight knit team to accomplish strategic organizational goals, making sure that every voice is heard. Working for a small non-profit like the Shasta Land Trust will give fellows valuable team building and organization skills, as well as networking opportunities and hands-on experience both in the field and behind a desk.

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Project Title: Forest Health in the Weaverville Community Forest​ & Resilient Headwaters to Trinity Lake